Galatians 2

Galatians 2:2

I Went up by revelation] Gr. according to revelation. He was not sent for by the Apostles to Jerusalem, there to give an account of his preaching; but the Spirit by speciall revelation moved him, that by conferring with the Apostles themselves, and knowing their resolution in the main point then in difference concerning the observation of legall Rites, he might stop the mouths of the false Apostles, who gave out that he taught divers doctrines from them, and consequently that the faithfull were rather to follow them then him, they being more, and he but one; they conversing with Christ himself, and called to the Apostleship before his Ascension, Saint Paul after.

communicated unto] Gr. consulted with. Ch. 1. 16.

privately] Or, severally.

bad run in vain] By the metaphor of running, he setteth forth his alacritie, earnessnesse and diligence; like to theirs who prove masteries, and run in a race for a rich prize. (1 Corinthians 9:26. 2. Tim. 4. 7.) Now in those that run in a race, two things are considerable, their labour and swiftnesse in running, and the end for which they run; to wit, the gaining the prize; which if they misse, they run in vain. This Prize he accounted the fruit of his preaching, which had been little or none among the Jewes, who were zealous of the Mosaicall Rites, if by his communicating with the chief Apostles he had not taken away that rub which was cast in his way, that his preaching and practise was dissonant from theirs: although the Apostle nothing doubted of the certainty of his doctrine, yet because there were certain reports cast abroad of him, that he was of another opinion then the rest of the Apostles were, which thing might have hindered the course of his Ministery, and in some places quite stop’d it, he took this journey to Jerusalem, to remove that obstacle.

Galatians 2:4

which we have in Christ Jesus] Freedome from the curse of the morall Law, and the burden of the ceremoniall, which we have in Christ, that is, in Christianitie, or purchased by Christ, who in the fulnesse of time was made of a woman, and made under the Law, to redeeme them that are under the Law, Galatians 4:4. Chap. 5. 1.

Galatians 2:5

gave place, &c.] We give no way to those craftie companions, who by deceipt and counterfeit holinesse crept in among the faithfull, who came to espie our libertie, that thereby they might ensnare and enthrall us: to these we gave no respit not for an houre, to lay their traps for us, nor in any thing yeelded unto them, to betray our Christian libertie.

with you] Gr. to.

God accepteth no mans person] See Romans 2:12.

seemed to be some what] Gr. are of reputation.

Galatians 2:7

the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me] That is I had commission to preach to the Gentiles who were uncircumcised, as Peter to the Jews: which commissions were not yet so restrictive, but that Saint Peter preached to the Gentiles, and Saint Paul to the Jews, as it may be clearely proved out of the Acts of the Apostles; but the Gospel of circumcision is said here to be committed to Saint Peter, and of uncircumcision unto Paul; because Peter was first and chiefly sent to preach to the Jews, and Saint Paul to the Gentiles, and God most blessed Saint Peters labour among the Jews, and Saint Pauls among the Gentiles.

Galatians 2:8

was mighty in me towards the Gentiles] Gr. wrought in me. Word for wrod, wrought effectually: and this efficacy shewed it self in three things especially; the great number of converts, the power of miracles, and the extraordinary gift of the holy Ghost bestowed upon the faithfull by the means of his ministery.

Galatians 2:9

who seemed to be pillars] Or, were counted. Whom alone, and only these men counted for pillars of the Church, to support it, and the doctrine of faith, by whose authoritie if my preaching were not upheld, it must fall to ground. Occumenius out of Euscibus his first book of Ecclesiasticall Story, and Clemens Alexandrinus writeth, that this Cephas mentioned with James and John, was not Peter the Apostle, but one of the 70 disciples of that name: but S. Jerome in his Comment in epist. and Greg. Hom. 18. upon Ezekicl, refute this opinion, and it may easily be disproved out of this Text, for it is not likely, that the Apostle would have ranked any of the 70 disciples with James and John, two of the chiefe Apostles and pillars of the Church; neither would the false Apostles have opposed the authoritie of one of the 70 disciples against Saint Paul, whom they could not deny to be an Apostle. Besides, to take away all ambiguitie, the Apostle verse 11. calleth him Peter.

Galatians 2:10

should remember the poore] That is, to make Collections in the Churches of the Gentiles for the Saints of Jerusalem; which Saint Paul did most willingly and effectually, as appears out of the 1 Cor. 16. & 2 Corinthians 8:9.

forward to do] Gr. diligent, or carefull.

Galatians 2:11

Peter] Gr. Tec. Cephas.

I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed] Gr. condemned. Some interpret, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in outward appearance and in shew: for they cnoceive that Peter and Paul were not in earnest, but the one reproved the other before the multitude, and the other replyed not at all though he could justly, that by the reproofe of the one, and silence of the other, both Jews and Gentiles there present, might learn that the Judaicall rites were not to be eagerly retained, but by degrees to be relinquished, and as it were honourably to be interred; This was the opinion of S. Jerome (who is as hot with S. Austine about this quarrell of the Apostle, or rather hotter then the Apostles themselves.) And of the Greeke Fathers, whom he alledgeth for himself. Their chiefe reason was this, that if Saint Paul had reproved Peter in earnest for his complying at this time with the Jews, he had reproved him for that of which himself was guiltie. For he as he professeth, that to the Jews he became a Jew, that he might winne the Jews, so by the advice of james and the Elders, Acts 21:24. he shaed his head, and purified himself with foure other men that had a vow on them.

But S. Austine affirmeth most truly, that Saint Paul reproved Saint Peter in earnest. For the Text saith, which is part of the Canonicall Scripture, and therefore infallible, that Saint Peter was faultie and to be blamed. His fault was, as is afterwards expressed, dissimulation, and halting between two opinions; before the Jews came from James, he freely conversed with the Gentiles, and did eat of meats prohibited by the Law of Moses: but after these came, for feare of displeasing them, in the lawfull use of his Christian libertie, he withdraweth himself from them, and giveth a great scandall to the Gentiles, and a blow to Saint Pauls preaching, who had taught that those legall ceremonies were now abolished, and all Christians freed from that yoke. What Saint Paul did was of another nature by the advice of James, to refute a false slander cast upon him, when there was no Gentiles by, to be scandalized thereat.

Galatians 2:13

dissembled likewise with him] Gr. joyned in hypocrisie with.

dissimulation] Gr. hypocrisie.

Galatians 2:14

walked not uprightly] Gr. with a right foot. Word for word, the Originall signifieth, to walke with a right foot, which he opposeth to halting and dissembling.

truth of the gospel] He calleth the truth of the Gospel, bot the sincere doctrine it selfe, and also the use of the same, which we call practise.

If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles] He meaneth not that Saint Peter lived dissolutely after the manner of the Gentiles, as those whom the zealous Father reprehending saith, Gentes agimus sub nomine Christi; But that like the converts among the Gentiles, he used his Christian libertie, in eating all sorts of meats, without putting a difference between cleane and uncleane.

why compellest thou the Gentiles] Gr. Tec. how is it that thou compellest.

Galatians 2:15

not sinners of the Gentiles] Sinners estranged from the covenant of grace, destitute of the Rule of the Law, men in a deplorate and desperate estate, such as the Jews accounted all the Gentiles and Paynims to be in, Eph. 2. 12. and yet themselves could not be justified by the Law, which they of all other might have made the least claime unto.

Galatians 2:16

by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified] See Romans 3:20.

Galatians 2:17

But if while we seeke to be justified] Before he goeth any further, he meeteth with their objection, who abhorred the doctrine of free justification by faith; because say they men are by this means withdrawn from the study of good works, and in this sort they framed their objection. If sinners should be justified through Christ by faith without the law, Christ should seeme to approve sinners, and as it were exhort them thereunto by his ministery: Paul answereth, that this consequence is false, because Christ destroyeth sinne in all true beleevers. For therefore, saith he, doe men flee unto Christ through the terrour and feare of the law, that being quit from the curse of the law, they may be saved by him, and that he together with his justifying them, beginneth in them by little and little that strength and power of his, which destroyeth sin, to the end, that the old man being abolished by the virtue of Christs death, he may live in them, and they may consecrate themselves to God: therefore if any man give himself to sinne after he hath received the Gospel, let him not accuse Christ, nor the Gospel, but himself, for that he destroyeth the worke of God in himselfe.

by Christ] Gr in. See Romans 3:4.

Galatians 2:18

destroyed] Gr. have dissolved.

Galatians 2:19

through the law am dead] Or, by. Gr. was. The law which terrifieth the conscience, bringeth us to Christ, and he only causeth us to die to the law. Indeed, because that by making us righteous, he taketh away from us the terrour of conscience, and by sanctifying us, causeth a through mortifying of lust in us, that it cannot take such occasion to sinne by the restraint which the law maketh. See Rom. 7. 10, 11.

Galatians 2:20

I now live in the flesh] By living in the flesh, he understandeth not walking according to the flesh, or living in a carnall and flesly manner, but living in this fraile and mortall body.

gave himself for me] What he speaketh of himself, belongeth to all true beleevers; but he applyeth the benefit of Christs passon to himself in particular, as well to teach us speciall faith and affiance in Christ, as to enflame our love to him, to whom we are as much indebted, as if he had shed his blood for us aone and in particular.

Galatians 2:21

dead in vain] Although there be many uses and benefits of Christs death, besides our justification; yet the Apostles argument is very strong, that there would have been no necessitie for our salvation that Christ should have died, and by his blood expiated our sinnes, if men might have been justified by the works of the law, either ceremoniall or morall.