Galatians 2:13

Galatians 2:13. The other Jews, i.e., Jewish Christians of Antioch, who very naturally suffered themselves to be carried away by the example and the high authority of Peter.

Dissembled likewise with him, were guilty of the same hypocrisy. A very strong, yet truthful expression. For we have here no mere accommodation to weak brethren for the sake of charity and peace, such as Paul himself taught and practised (1 Corinthians 9:20; Romans 14:1; Romans 15:3; Acts 16:3), but a duplicity and self-contradiction at the expense of truth, a denial of the better conviction to the detriment of the Gentile Christians whom Peter acknowledged as brethren in theory, and whom he now disowned in practice. The logical tendency of this conduct was evidently to break up the communion of the two branches of the church, although he himself would no doubt have deplored such a result.

Even Barnabas, my friend and co-laborer in the work of heathen missions, and fellow champion of the liberty of the Gentile brethren. This shows the gravity of the crisis and the power of old Jewish habits even upon more liberal minds. The word ev en implies sadness arising from respect and affection. Comp. Cæsar's Et tu, Brute! The two friends separated on this occasion, and each pursued an independent path (Acts 15:39), thus dividing and doubling the work of mission, but Paul afterwards respectfully alludes to Barnabas (1 Corinthians 9:6), and to Mark, his cousin (Colossians 4:16).