Galatians 2

The apostle relate that he had treated with the chiefest of the apostles James ,Peter and John at Jerusalem concerning his doctrine and that they in all parts approved the same without taking away or adding anything thereunto 3. that he had defended Titus against the false brethren that he should not be circumcised 7 thus the apostles of a token of unity in the doctrine gave him and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship 9 with agreement that they should preach among the Gentiles 11 Testifies also that afterwards at Antioch he reproves the apostle Peter because he having formerly used the Christian liberty among the Gentiles omitted the same because of certain Jews and so by his example brought the Gentiles unto Judaism 15 afterwards he proveth that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Christ 17. And that Christ is not thereby made a minister of sin 19 for as much as faith in Christ also reacheth and requireth the mortification of a sin and a new life and shews further that if righteousness were by the law Christ should have died in vain.

1. Afterwards fourteen years after [namely besides the three which he was in Arabia Galatians 1:18 being seventeen years after his conversion and 51 years after the birth of Christ] I went up [so the scripture speaks when man travels towards Jerusalem because it lay on high upon hills as soon on the contrary they that came from Jerusalem are said to come or go down see Mark 3:22 Acts 18:22]again to Jerusalem [the apostle after his conversion went divers time to Jerusalem first when he was come again out of Arabia after 3 years Acts 9:26 Galatians 1:18 afterwards with Barnabas bringing the collection to Jerusalem Acts 11:30 and 12.25and when he was sent by the church of Antioch with Barnabas to the Synod of Jerusalem Acts 15:2 again Acts 18:18 and finally because of his vow and to bring the collection thither when he was apprehended there Acts 21.15it seems that the apostle here speaketh of the journey when he was sent to the Synod which was held in the seventeenth year after his conversion] with Barnabas having also taken Titus with me [see of him Titus 1:3 him he seemeth to have taken with him being yet uncircumcised so to show in him before the false brethren the freedom from ceremonial law.]

2. And I went up by a revelation [namely of God who by his spirit and in visions always revealed to Paul where he would make use of his service see Acts 13:2 and 16.7,10 and 18.9and 19.21 and 22.17 and 23.11] and propounded [the Greek word signifies to relate any matter to one with mutual communication]to them namely to the apostle and teachers which were at Jerusalem this was publicly before all [the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles and in particular to them [namely so to have the better opportunity to understand my doctrine from me and to testify their agreements with me]who were in esteem [namely by reason of their gifts and repute in the church age or otherwise and consequently were in the fittest to judge thereof these are named verse 9] that I might not in anywise run that is fulfill the ministry of the gospel a similitude from those who contend running a race to winning the prize 2Timothy 4.7 ]or have run in vain [that is without producing any fruit among the Gentiles which should have so been if he had not hereby confuted and brought to naught the slanders of the false brethren.]

3. But neither Titus who was with me being a Greek [that is born of Gentile parents and for this cause uncircumcised]was necessitated [namely by the apostles which were at Jerusalem seeing they also understood that circumcision was abolished yet why nevertheless Paul caused Timothy to be circumcised see Acts 16:3]to be circumcised.

4. And that [the apostle gives a reason why who would not let Titus be circumcised that the false brethren which held circumcision still necessary to salvation Acts 15:1 might be hardened in their error but Christian liberty be better known]because of the crept in [that is who had deceit and dissimulation on betaken them to the church of the faithful]false brethren ]that is bearing indeed the name of the brethren and believers but really being enemies of the saving doctrine ]who were come in sideways [that is with feigned humility and profession privily slept into the church] to espy[namely for evil privilege to observe if they could find any occasion to reproach us]our liberty[namely from the ceremonial among which also was circumcision to take occasion from thence of reproaching us]which we have in Jesus [that is obtained for us by Christ as that which was presented by the ceremonies is fulfilled in him and by him Colossians 2:17] that they might bring us unto bondage [that is that we forsaking the Christian liberty should subject ourselves to the yoke of ceremonies as necessary to salvation.]

5. To whom we gave not place [a similitude taken from combatants or wrestlers who strongly resist their adversary and give not place see the truth of this saying Acts 15:1,2 &c]with subjection [that is that we should be subject to them or subject to ourselves to them I observing of the ceremonies] no not for an hour [the apostle yielded to the weak Jews for a time in observing of the ceremonies to gain them 1 Corinthians 9:20,22 and by degrees to bring them to the knowledge of Christian liberty but they would not give place or yield to these false brethren for the least time that they might not harden them in their own errors stiffneckedness]that the truth of the gospel might continue with you [that is this we did not out of the stiffneckedness or desire of contention but to defend the purity of doctrine of the gospel against them and maintain them in the church especially of Galatia.]

6. And of them who were esteemed to be some what [that is the other apostle who are justly in great esteem with the churches]of what condition they were formerly[that is because what they were before they were called to be apostle or what advantage they had before I was called to be an apostle]indifferent to me [that is it matters not much or I regard not that or that doffers from any doing or teaching] God accepteth not the person of man [of this expression see Matthew 22:16 Acts 10:34 that is in matters of truth God respecteth not any outward advantage or esteem of those that teach the truth but only the matter itself]for they that were esteemed conferred nothing upon me [namely as concerning the doctrine of the gospel that should have learned ought for them which the Lord Christ himself revealed not unto me .]

7. But on the contrary [that is they did not reprehend nothing in my doctrine but also on the contrary acknowledge the same to be good and upright]when they saw [that is knew understood as verse 9] that the gospel of the foreskin [that is of the Gentiles who are uncircumcised verse 8 see Romans 2:26 and 3.30 and 4.12namely to preach the same chiefly amongst them]was committed unto me [namely by Christ himself and God the father as chapter 1 verse 1]even as to Peter of the circumcision [that is of the circumcised Jews to preach the same amongst them see Romans 3:30 and 15.8.]

8. For [the apostle here sheweth whereby the apostle saw and knew that the gospel was committed unto him namely by the powerful working of God through his preaching for the conversion of the Gentiles] he that wrought powerfully in Peter [namely the Lord Christ who accompanied the ministry of Peter with the powerful operation of his spirit] unto the apostleship of the circumcision he wrought also powerfully in me [or by me that is by ministry] among the Gentiles [namely to their conversion.]

9. And when James [see of him Galatians 1:19] and Cephas[that is Peter see of this name Matthew 16 verse 18 and John 1:43]and John [namely the son of Zebedee and brother of James the great who was beheaded by Herod Acts 12 see of him Matthew 4.21and 10.2 and 17.1] who were esteemed to pillars [namely as well of the society of the apostles as of the church because they by their ministry steadfastly defended and maintained the truth of the gospel and in especially were in great esteem in the church as an ornament of the same see 1.18 Revelation 3:12] knew the grace [namely of the apostleship Romans 1:5 or the operations and the fruits of grace or the gifts such as were speaking with strange tongue prophecy miracle and the like]which was given unto me they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of communion [namely for a sign and assurance that they acknowledged that they acknowledge that we had communion with them as well in the ministry of the apostleship as in the purity of the doctrine of the gospel]that we [namely I and Barnabas] should go to the Gentiles and they [namely Peter and the other two apostles] unto the circumcision [that is to the circumcised Jews see verse 7 .]

10. Only that we should remember the poor [namely to take care of the collection for them among the churches of the Gentiles] which I myself also diligent to do [this appears everywhere also in the epistle and especially Romans 15:27 1Corinthians 16.1 2 Corinthians 9:1.]

11. And when Peter came to Antioch [see of this city Acts 11:19]I withstood him to he face [that is in the presence of him and of all his declared verse 14 see also 2 Corinthians 10:1]because he was to be reproved[that is deserved to be reproved]

12. For before some came from James [why James had sent these to Antioch is uncertain some think to cause the state of the church there to be taken notice of or to give notice of something to the apostle being there]he did eat together [namely all kind of meat even that which was forbidden in the old testament following Christian liberty were he was assured by an heavenly vision Acts 10 so that he did well therein]with the Gentiles [namely who wee converted to Christ and had never been subject to the yoke of the ceremonial law but when they wee come he withdrew him and separated himself[that is he would no more eat with the believing Gentiles thereby feigning as if he understood that eating of all kinds of meat was unlawful for Christians wherein he did very ill as appears in that which follows]fearing them that is fearing that he should thereby give those Jews occasion to speak evil of him see the like Acts 11:2] that were of the circumcision [that is the Jews which were converted to the Christian religion and yet observed the difference of the meats according to the ceremonial law not yet being fully informed of abrogation thereof.]

13. And also the other Jews [namely who were become Christians and who had in some sort used Christian liberty] dissembled with him [the apostle calls this fact of Peter twice in this verse a dissembling which is when anyone doth or speaketh otherwise then he thinketh in his heart or mind which is lawful to do this these Jews did likewise being seduced by the example of Peter so that Barnabas [of him see Acts 11:22,30 and 13.1,2 and 15 .2] also was withal drawn away by their dissimulation.

14. But when I saw that walked not aright [Gr set not their feet that is as it were halted went not directly on to come to the scope and main end of Christian doctrine 1 Kings 18:21 Hebrews 12:13] according to the truth of the gospel [that is according to the purity according to the true doctrine of the gospel concerning Christian liberty] I said unto Peter in the presence of all [namely for as much as he sinned and gave offence openly and before all 1 Timothy 5:20]if thou who art a Jew livest after the manner of the Gentiles [namely hast eaten all kind of meat heretofore as the Christian converted among the Gentiles do also following Christian liberty verse 12] and not after the manner of the Jews why constraineth thou the Gentiles [namely by thy evil example which must necessarily move them to imitate it or because thou seemest to acknowledge them for no true Christian if they even as thou do not subject themselves to the ceremonial law] to live after the Jewish manner ? [namely to observe the ceremonial law which the Jews did in the old testament and was still committed to the converted Jews who did not yet understand Christian liberty for a time as an indifferent thing for edification sake but as concerning those that were converted from among the Gentiles it was decreed in the Synod of Jerusalem that they should not be burdened with it see Acts 15:10,28.]

15. We are[or we Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing c we namely I and thou Peter also for the apostle relate here yet how he spake to Peter]Jews by nature [that is by descent and birth Romans 2:17,28 and for this cause born under the ceremonial law]and not sinners of the Gentiles [that is not of Gentiles offspring who wee idolaters and great sinners strangers from the covenant of God see Ephesians 2:11 the apostle who say forasmuch as we apostles who are Jews seek not our justification in the works of the law but in the faith of Christ much less must men teach or constrain the Gentiles to seek their righteousness in the observation of the law Romans 3:9.]

16. Yet knowing [that is because we certainly know it]that a man [who or how so holy he might be]is not justified [what it is to be justified see in the annotation on Romans 3:20] by the works of the law [namely of Moses as well moral as ceremonial but [or except as Matthew 12:4 1 Corinthians 7:17 Galatians 1:7 Revelations 21.27 that is only by faith as the following words clearly import that] by the faith of Jesus Christ [that is when by a true and lively saith we receive the righteousness of Christ [that is when by a true and lively saith we receive the righteousness of Christ Romans 3:24,28]we have also believed in Jesus Christ [this is the cause why we apostles have received Christ by a true faith for had we been able to be justified by the law we should not have needed going to Christ]that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law that by the works of the law [this proof is taken out of the scripture of the old testament Psalms 143:2] no[Gr shall not be justified all flesh that is no flesh an Hebrew phrase as Psalms 143:2 Romans 3:20]flesh [that is man see Genesis 6:12 Isaiah 40:6] shall be justified.

17. But if we that seek to be justified in Christ [here now the apostle speaks further to the Galatians and answers an objection which they might cast forth against the former doctrine namely that the same makes man careless leads them to sin and that so Christ should harden a man in sin of this objection see also Romans 3:31 and chapter 6.1 ,2,3]are also found sinners ourselves [that is sin yet daily] in Christ then [that is will it not then follow from thence that Christ and c]a minister of sin?[that is this doctrine of a mans justification without the works of the law only by faith in Christ shall serve and give a man occasion to sin the more freely] far be it [see the annotations on Roman 6.2]

18. For if what I have broken down [namely by my earnest and continual admonition to flee from sin] I build the same up again [namely by a doctrine which should make such admonition of none effect and stir up man to sin] I make myself a transgressor [namely of Gods command and the laws of uprightness which ought to be in the faithful teacher.]

19. For I [that is doctrine of the apostle doth not of itself stir men up to sin he proveth by his own example passing by the example of the others because it may happen that this doctrine indeed by some be abused thereunto yet that which he saith to himself is true also in true believers] by the law [that is I have learned by the law that I am a great sinner according to the law subject to the curse and death and that the righteousness which the law requires is not in me and consequently that the law leaveth me in death] that I might live unto God. [That is, might lead a new and holy life, that is pleasing to God, according to his commandment: and for this cause not unto sin. See Romans 6:11.]

20. I am crucified with Christ: [How this is to be understood, See Romans 6:6. where the same is said, and further expounded] And I live , [namely, now truly , a spiritual life] (yet) no more I, [namely, such as I was before my conversion and regeneration] but Christ liveth in me. [namely, by his holy spirit, by which he leads me in the ways of God, and makes me fruitful unto good works] and that which I now live in the flesh, [that is, in this my natural life which he distinguisheth from the spiritual the same I live by the faith of the Son of God, [that is, although I have mine infirmities in that same flesh, yet I believe and trust that the Son of God hath satisfied for the same by his death: who also quickens me by his Sprit] who loved me, and gave up himself for me. [Namely, unto death, Romans 4:25.]

21. I abolish not [Which is done, when men believe not that Christ is perfectly our righteousness] the grace of God. [namely, which is given me through Christ, wherefore he spake in the former verse] For if righteousness be by the Law, the Christ is dead in vain; [or for naught, i.e. without cause, reason, need, or fruit, John 15:25.]