manner, his withstanding Peter publicly, for withdrawing himself from the converted Gentiles, is a fact utterly inconfiftent with the pretended fuperiority of Peter above the other apoftles, vainly imagined by the Roman pontiffs, for the purpose of aggrandizing themfelves as his fucceffors, above all other Chriftian bishops.

Ver. 8. Wrought inwardly alfo in me. For this tranflation of Engyne fee 1 Cor. xii. 10. note 1.-In this and the preceding verfe, the apoftle fhews the grounds on which James, Peter, and John, acknowledged him to be an apoftle of equal authority with themfelves, as mentioned in the following verfe.

Ver. 9.-1. Who were thought to be pillars. O Soxevres. See 1 Cor. vii. 40. note. Pillars being used to support and adorn`buildings, the apofiles are fitly called Pillars, because they were both fupports and ornaments of the church. This title, Lightfoot fomewhere tells us, the Jewish Doctors gave to the members of the great Sanhedrim.

2. The right hands of fellowship. Barnabas, equally with Paul, had preached falvation to the idolatrous Gentiles, without requiring them to obey the law of Mofes. Wherefore, by giving them the right hands of fellowship, the three apoftles acknowledged them to be true minifters of the gofpel, each according to the nature of his particular commiffion. Paul they acknowledged to be an apoftle of equal authority with themfelves. And Barnabas they acknowledged to be a minifter fent forth by the Holy Ghoft to preach the gofpel to the Gentiles. This diftinction it is neceffary to make, because it doth not appear that Barnabas was an apostle in the proper fense of the word. The candour which the apoftles at Jerufalem fhewed on this occafion, in acknowledging Paul as a brother apoftle, is remarkable; and deferves the imitation of all the minifters of the gofpel, in their behaviour towards one another.

3. They to the circumcifion. In purfuance of this agreement, the three apottles abode for the moft part in Judea, till Jerufalem was deftroyed. After which Peter, as tradition informs us, went to Babylon, and other parts in the east and John into the Leffer Afia, where he was confined fome years in Patmos for the teftimony of Jefus, Rev. i. 9. But James was put to death at Jerufalem in a popular tumult, before that city was destroyed.

Ver. Ic.-1. That we would remember the poor. The Jews in Judea expected efpecial attention and affiftance from their brethren in the provinces; and even from fuch Gentiles as became profelytes to Judaism, See Paul's life, Illuftrat. No. xxv.-The apoftles therefore wifhed

the

9 And knowing the grace which was bestowed on me, James, and Cephas, and John, who were thought to be pillars,' gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we SHOULD GO to the Gentiles, but they to the circumcifion. ' 2

2

9 And thus knowing the grace of apostleship (See Rom. i. 5. xv. 15, 16.) which was bestowed on me, James, and Peter, and John, who were esteemed chief fupporters of the church, gave to me and Barnabas their right hands, in token of my fellowship with them in the apoftolic office, and in token that Barnabas was fent forth by the Holy Ghoft, to preach the gofpel to the Gentiles: and agreed that we should travel among the Gentiles, while they preached to the Jews in Judea.

10 Only DESIRING that we would remember the poor; which very thing I also made hafte to tiles, which very thing I also made

10 The only thing they defired was, that we would remember to make collections for the poor, among the Gen

do.

II (AE, 104.) Moreover when Peter came to Antioch, I oppofed him

hafte to do, among the converted Gen

tiles in Antioch.

II Moreover, to fhew that as an apoftle, Peter is not fuperior to me, I inform you that when he came to

the converted Gentiles to pay the fame attention to their Chriflian brethren in Judea, which the Jews paid to their Jewish brethren in the mother country.

2. Which very thing I also made hafle to do. The three apoftles having propofed to Paul and Barnabas, to make collections among fuch of the Gentiles as they converted, for the relief of their poor brethren in Judea, Paul readily agreed to do it; but from a more generous principle than merely that of relieving the neceffities of the poor. For as the Jewish believers were extremely unwilling to affociate with the converted Gentiles, Paul hoped, that the kindnefs, which he doubted not the Gentiles would fhew in relieving their Jewish brethren, might have a happy influence in uniting the two into one harmonious body or church. Wherefore, as the Jewish believers in Antioch had formerly fent relief to the brethren in Judea, by the hands of Barnabas and Saul, Acts xi. 30. the apoftle, when he returned from this interview to Antioch, proposed the matter, without delay, to the Gentile converts there, in the perfuafion that they would cheerfully comply with his request. This I think is implied in his telling the Galatians, that after the three apoftles defired he would remember the poor, he made hafte to do that very thing.

Ver. 11.-1. Peter came to Antioch. Antioch was fituated on the Orontes, in Syria: and being the feat of the Macedonian empire in Afia, it was inhabited chiefly by Greeks; and foon became as remark

able

food him to the face, be- πον αυτῳ αντες ην, ότι κατεγ

cause he was to be blamed.

12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles; but

when they were come, he withdrew, and feparated himfelf, fearing them which were of the circumcifion.

13 And the other Jews diffembled likewife with him; infomuch that Barnabas alfo was carried away with their diffimulation.

νωσμένος ην.

12 Про 18 yag ελθειν τις νας απο Ιακωβ8, μετα των εθνών συνησθιεν· ὅτε δε ήλθον, ύπεςελλε και αφωριζεν ἑαυ τον, φοβεμεν, τες εκ περιο

τομής.

13 Και συνυπεκρίθησαν αυτω και οι λοιποι Ιεδαίοι, ώςε και Βαρνάβας συναπηχε 9η αυτών τη ὑποκρίσει

able for the ingenuity and learning of its inhabitants, as for the beauty of its fituation, the magnificence of its buildings, and the greatness of its commerce. Hence Cicero, in his oration for Archias the poct, c. 3. fays, "Primum Antiochiæ (nam ibi natus eft) loco nobili, celebri "quondam urbe et copiofa, atque eruditiffimis hominibus liberaliffimifque ftudiis adfluenti, &c." The inhabitants of Antioch being of this character, it was much to the honour of the gofpel, that a numerous and flourishing church was fo carly gathered among a people fo improved and intelligent.-This interview with Peter in Antioch, is thought by fome to have happened before the council. See Gal. ii. 2. note 1. at the end.

2. I oppofed him perfonally. To fhew what kind of interpreters of fcripture fome of the most learned fathers were, I will obferve, that Jerome tranflates the phrafe zara powo, in this verse, fecundum faciem, that is, in appearance; and fuppofes Paul's meaning to be, that he and Peter were not ferious in this difpute, but by a holy kind of diffimulation, endeavoured, on the one hand, to give fatisfaction to the Gentiles, and on the other, not to offend the Jews. By fuch interpretations as thefe, the fathers pretended to juftify the deceits, which they used for perfuading the heathens to embrace the gospel.

3. Because he was to be blamed. Though the gift of infpiration beflowed on the apostles, fecured them from error in doctrine, it did not preserve them from all imprudence and fin in conduct: as is plain from this inftance. Wherefore the most advanced, whether in knowledge or virtue, warned by Peter's example, ought to take heed left they fall. The meeknefs and candour with which Peter behaved, when rebuked by his brother Paul, deferves great praife (fee Illuftration, pag. 119) and is highly worthy of the imitation of the minifters of the gofpel, and of all Chriftians.

Ver. 121. Certain perfons came from James. The persons who came from James, I imagine were meffengers who had been sent by the church at Antioch, to know his opinion concerning the converts from

among

perfonally, , because he was Antioch after the council I oppofed to be blamed.'

him perfonally in the prefence of the church, (ver. 14.) becaufe in this very affair of the Gentiles, he was blameable.

12 For before certain perfons zealous of the law came from James, he used to eat with the converted Gentiles in Antioch. But when they arrived he withdrew, and feparated himself from thefe, as if it had been a fin to eat with them. But the true reason was, his being afraid of the converted Jews.

13 And the other fews alfo hypocrifed with him, abstaining from the tables of the Gentiles. So that even Barnabas, who with me had preached falvation to the Gentiles without the works of the law, (Acts xiii. 39.) was carried away with them by their hypocrify.

among the idolatrous Gentiles. For as there were fome of that fort now in Antioch, the brethren there might think it neceffary to inquire, whether they were to be regulated by the decree paffed concerning the profelyte converts. And feeing Peter refufed to eat with the Gentiles, after the meffengers returned from James, it may be conjectured that James gave it as his opinion, that the converts from heathenifm, as well as the converted profelytes, ought to obferve the four neceffary things. For although he knew the truth in this matter equally with Peter, ver. 14. he may have thought it prudent to bind these precepts on the converted idolaters, for fear of offending the more zealous Jewish believers, who with a degree of rage, which it is difficult now to form any notion of, infifted on the idolatrous Gentiles obferving the four precepts. The other brethren at Antioch, who like Peter knew the truth, diffembled also from the fame motive. And the defection was fo general, that Barnabas himself joined in it. Nevertheless Paul fingly flood forth to ftem the torrent; and by his zeal and courage maintained the true doctrine of the gospel concerning the Gentiles, in fpite of that great oppofition.

2. Afraid of them of the circumcifion. The Jews reckoned it unlawful to eat with the profelytes of the gate, Acts x. 28. xi. 3. fome meats permitted to them being unclean to Jews.

Ver. 13. Was carried away with them. Chandler obferves, that the original word aways fignifies to carry or drive away a perfon againft bis will. Here it fignifies to carry away by the force of authority and example, in oppofition to judgment and conviction.

VOL. III.

K

Ver. 14.