Galatians 2:6

But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: Greek, 'From those who,' etc. He meant to add, 'I derived no special advantage;' but he, alters it into "they ... added nothing to me." SEEMED TO BE SOMEWHAT - i:e., not, that they seemed to be what they were not, but 'are reputed as persons of some consequence.' ACCEPTETH - so as to show partiality: 'respecteth no man's person' (Ephesians 6:9). IN CONFERENCE ADDED - `imparted;' the same Greek as Galatians 1:16, "I conferred not with flesh and blood." As I had not recourse for conference to them at my c...

6._Of those who seemed to be somewhat. _(42) Paul is not yet satisfied, without making the Galatians understand that he had learned nothing from Peter and the apostles. Hence Porphyry and Julian (43) accuse the holy man of pride, because he claims so much for himself that he cannot endure to learn anything from others; because he boasts of having become a teacher without any instruction or assistance; and because he labors so hard not to appear in an inferior character. But any one who will consider how necessary that boasting was, will acknowledge that it was holy boasting, and worthy of the highest praise; for, if he had yielded this point to his opponents, that he had profited under the apostles, he would have furnished them with two charges against him. They would immediately have said, “And so you made some progress; you corrected your past errors, and did not repeat yo

1-10 Observe the apostle's faithfulness in giving a full account of the doctrine he had preached among the Gentiles, and was still resolved to preach, that of Christianity, free from all mixture of Judaism. This doctrine would be ungrateful to many, yet he was not afraid to own it. His care was, lest the success of his past labours should be lessened, or his future usefulness be hindered. While we simply depend upon God for success to our labours, we should use every proper caution to remove mistakes, and against opposers. There are things which may lawfully be complied with, yet, when they cannot be done without betraying the truth, they ought to be refused. We must not give place to any conduct, whereby the truth of the gospel would be reflected upon. Though Paul conversed with the other apostles, yet he did not receive any addition to his knowledge, or authority, from them. Perceivin...

Verse Galatians 2:6. _THOSE WHO SEEMED TO BE SOMEWHAT_] των δοκουντων ειναι τι. _Those who were of acknowledged reputation_; so the words should be understood, see Galatians 2:2. The verb δοκειν, _to seem_, is repeatedly used by the best Greek writers, not to call the sense in question, or to lessen it, but to _deepen_ and _extend it_. Luke 8:18. Perhaps this verse had best be translated thus, connecting διαφερει with απο των δοκουντων: _But there is no difference between those who were_ _of acknowledged reputation and myself; God accepts no man's_ _person; but, in the conferences which I held with then, they added_ _nothing to me_-gave me no _new light_; did not attempt to...

BUT OF THOSE WHO SEEMED TO BE SOMEWHAT - See Galatians 2:2. This undoubtedly refers to those who were the most eminent among the apostles at Jerusalem. There is an apparent harshness in our common translation which is unnecessary. The word used here (δοκούντων dokountōn) denotes those who were thought to be, or who were of reputation; that is, men who were of note and influence among the apostles. The object of referring to them here is, to show that he had the concurrence and approbation of the most eminent of the apostles to the course which he had pursued. WHATSOEVER THEY WERE, IT MAKETH NO MATTER TO ME - Tyndale renders this, “What they were in time passed, it maketh no matter to me.” The idea seems to be this. Paul means to say that whatever was their real r

EXPOSITION In the preceding chapter, St. Paul has been concerned to make clear the position that neither the gospel which he preached nor the commission which he held was derived from the older apostles- the history of the first years of his ministry showed this. The apostle is now addressing himself to a different subject; he wishes to show that his gospel, though not derived from the older apostles, had, however, while recognized as standing on an independent footing, received the sanction of their approval. This being his object, he had no occasion to refer in any way to visits which he may have made to Jerusalem between the one mentioned in Galatians 1:18 and the one here referred to. The tenor of his argument, therefore, so far, does not of itself determine whether this visit was either the one mentioned in...

BUT OF THESE, WHO SEEMED TO BE SOMEWHAT,.... Not the false brethren, but the Apostles James, Cephas, and John, who were חשובים, "men of great esteem": high in the opinion of all good men; not that they were looked upon to be more than human, as Simon Magus gave out that he was "some great one", and his followers thought him to be "the great power of God"; for such an extravagant conceit of these men was never entertained; nor were they thought to be something when they were nothing, for they really were somewhat; they were ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of grace; they were the Lord's ambassadors, and the apostles of the Lamb. However, says the apostle, WHATSOEVER THEY WERE; ποτε, "formerly", some time ago, which our version does not so fully express, IT MAKETH NO MATTER TO ME, GOD ACCEPTETH NO MAN'S PERSON. This is said, not by way of slight or contempt, but in vind...

Galatians 2:1. _Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. And I went up by revelation,-_ He was sent by the church at Antioch, but the church there was guided by revelation, so that Paul is correct in saying, «I went up by revelation,» Galatians 2:2. _And communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: and that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:_ There were always some among the J

CHAPTER 2 _ 1. How Jerusalem had Confirmed the Gospel Paul Preached. (Galatians 2:1)_ 2. Peter's Failure; Paul's Rebuke and Testimony. (Galatians 2:11) Fourteen years passed by before he ever saw Jerusalem again. What wonderful years of service these years were! The great servant of Christ had preached the divine message in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. The day of Christ will reveal the blessed results of these years. Acts 15:1 must be read to see why Paul and Barnabas went up to Jerusalem. The same false teachers had visited the great Gentile center, Antioch, and taught “except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.” Then Paul and Barnabas were appointed to

A crucial negotiation on equal terms with the Jerusalem leaders, fourteen years later possibly reckoned from Paul's conversion; more naturally from his first interview with Peter. (The point is important for chronology and history (p. 654), but not for the study of Paul's teaching.) The occasion is stated as twofold: a Divine admonition, and a fear of running in vain. Verbally, the last words might mean that Paul needed reassurance as to the legitimacy of his teaching. But Galatians 1:1 forbids that sense, absolutely! What he feared was that his _future success_ might be imperilled, or even his _past gains._ The whole situation corresponds to Acts 15:1, and forbids attempts (p. 770) to identify Galatians 2:1 ff. with...