THE

EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE

то THE

GALATIANS.

CHAPTER I.

In this chapter, (1,) After a general and proper salutation, the apostle expresses his surprise and concern that the Galatian believers should so soon have suffered themselves to be led aside from the simplicity of that gospel which he had first planted among them, 1-10. (2,) He shows them that the doctrine which he had preached among them was not received from men, but by the revelation of the Lord Jesus; and, as a proof of the divine authority of his mission, gives some account of his behaviour before and after his conversion, and mentions some facts that had succeeded thereupon, 11-24.

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A. M. 4062. PAUL, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead ;)

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3 Grace be to you, and peace from A. M. 4062. God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

h

4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he from this present evil world, will of God and our Father:

2 And all the brethren which are with me, might deliver us unto the churches of Galatia : according to the

a Verses 11, 12.b Acts ix. 6; xxii. 10, 15, 21; xxvi. 16; Tit. i. 3. Acts ii. 24. Phil. ii. 22; iv. 21.- -1 Cor.

xvi. 1.

NOTES ON CHAPTER I.

Rom. i. 7; 1 Cor. i. 3; 2 Cor. i. 2; Eph. i. 2; Phil. i. 2. Matt. xx. 28; Rom. iv. 25; Chap. ii. 20; Tit. ii. 14.- b Isa. lxv. 17; John xv. 19; xvii. 14.

Jerusalem, nor by that at Antioch. The Holy Ghost indeed ordered the prophets at Antioch (Acts xiii. 2) to separate Paul and Barnabas; but it was to the work whereunto he had called them formerly. This separation was simply a recommending them to the grace of God by prayer; and in fact it is so termed, Acts xiv. 26."-Macknight. And God the Father, who raised him from the dead-And after his resurrection sent him from heaven to make me an apostle. And all the brethren who are with me

joining with me in this letter, attest the truth of the facts which I relate; unto the churches of Galatia— Or the several societies or congregations of professing Christians which have been collected in that province. Grace be to you, &c.-See on Rom. i. 7.

Verses 1-3. Paul, an apostle-Here it was necessary for Paul to assert his authority, otherwise he is very modest in the use of this title. He seldom mentions it when he joins others with himself in the salutations, as in the epistles to the Philippians and Thessalonians; or when he writes about secular affairs, as in that to Philemon: nor yet in writing to the Hebrews. Not of men-Not commissioned from them. It seems the false teachers had insinuated, if not openly asserted, that he was merely-And agree with me in what I now write, and by an apostle of men; made an apostle by the church at Antioch, or at best by the apostles in Jerusalem. This false insinuation, which struck at the root of his authority and usefulness, in the exercise of his office, St. Paul saw it necessary to contradict, in the very beginning of his epistle. Perhaps he also glances at Matthias, who was an apostle sent from a general meeting at Jerusalem, as mentioned Acts i. 22. Neither by man-As an instrument. He here seems to have had Peter and James in his eye, whom alone he saw at his first coming to Jerusalem, after his conversion, and denies that he was appointed an apostle by them. But by Jesus Christ-"Paul was first made an apostle by Christ, when Christ appeared to him in the way to Damascus, Acts ix. 15. And three years after that his apostolic commission was renewed, Acts xxii. 21. So that he was sent forth neither by the church at

Verses 4, 5. Who gave himself for our sins-See on 1 Cor. xv. 3; that he might deliver us from this present evil world-From the ignorance and folly, sinfulness and guilt, corruption and misery, wherein it is involved, and from its vain and foolish customs and pleasures, that friendship and society with worldly men, and that inordinate desire after, and attachment to worldly things, which is enmity against God, Rom. viii. 7; James iv. 4; according to the will of God-Without any merit of ours. St. Paul begins most of his epistles with thanksgiving, but writing to the Galatians, who had generally departed from the truth, he alters his style, and first

sets down his main proposition, that we are saved by gospel unto you-Any other method of obtaining the merits of Christ alone: neither does he term them, justification and salvation; than that which we have as he does others, either saints, elect, or churches of formerly preached unto you-And confirmed by God. To whom be glory-For this his gracious will. such evident and uncontrolled miracles; let him be Verses 6-9. I marvel that ye are so soon-After || accursed-Greek, anathema: let him be cut off my leaving you; removed from him that called you from God, and Christ, and his people, and devoted into the grace-Or rather, by, or through the grace; to a perpetual and most dreadful curse. The aposof Christ-His gracious gospel, and his gracious tle speaks thus, because he was absolutely certain power. God is generally said to call men into the of his own inspiration, and that the gospel which he grace of Christ, but the phraseology seems here to had preached was the only true and genuine gospel point out Paul, and not God, as the person spoken of Christ. Of the word anathema, see on Rom. ix. of. For as he wrote this chapter to prove himself || 3; 1 Cor. xvi. 22. As we-I and the brethren who an apostle, his success in calling the Galatians to are with me; said before-Many times in effect, if the Christian faith was fitly mentioned as one of not in the same terms; or he refers to the declarathe proofs of his apostleship, as it implied that he tion made in the preceding verse, and speaks upon was assisted in that work by God. Unto another mature deliberation, after pausing, it seems, between gospel-Or pretended revelation from God, concern- the two verses; so say I now again—I solemnly reing the way of attaining justification and salvation, || peat it, as my deliberate judgment; if any man— a way entirely inconsistent with the very funda- || Or, any one (for the word man is not in the origimental principles of that doctrine which you were|| nal) whatever, whether man or angel; preach any first taught. As these Galatians were descendants other gospel than that ye have received-Already of the Gauls, as has been observed in the preface, it from our lips, and which ye have been taught by is the less to be wondered at that they were so un- us from Christ himself; let him be accursed-Set stable; the inhabitants of France, as M. Saurin ob- apart for destruction, which, if he repent not, and do serves, having been always reproached with taking not receive and maintain the truth as it is in Jesus, impressions easily, and as easily suffering them to will undoubtedly be his portion. be effaced. Which is not indeed properly another gospel-For what ye have now received is no gospel at all. It is not glad, but heavy tidings, as setting your acceptance with God upon terms impossible to be performed. But there are some-Who, on pre- || tence that their doctrine of justification by the law of Moses is authorized by God; trouble you-With doubts concerning my doctrine, and disturb the peace of the church; and would-If they were able; pervert and overthrow the gospel of Christ-This || if I did in fact please the men who know not God, the Judaizing teachers effectually did by teaching that justification could not be obtained purely by faith in Christ, but that circumcision and the observation of the Jewish ceremonies were necessary thereto; and the better to effect their purpose, they suggested that the other apostles, yea, and Paul himself, insisted on the observance of the law. But though we-I and all the apostles; or an angel from heaven-If it were possible; should preach any other

Verse 10. For-He here adds the reason why he speaks so confidently; do I now persuade, or satisfy, men-Is this what I aim at in preaching or writing? or God?-Do I endeavour, in my ministry, to ingratiate myself with men, or to approve myself to God? Or do I seek to please men-By a compliance with their prejudices or designs? For if I yet—Or still, as before my conversion; pleased men-Studied to please them; if this were my motive of action, nay,

I should not be the servant of Christ—I should not deserve the name of a Christian, and much less that of a minister and an apostle. Hear this, all ye who vainly hope to keep in favour both with God and with the world! And let all those ministers especially observe it, who either alter or conceal the doctrines of the gospel, for fear of displeasing their hearers, or to gain popularity.

Verses 11, 12. But I certify you, brethren-He

13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that "beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it;

14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my 1equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

Eph. iii. 3." Acts ix. 1; xxii. 4; xxvi. 11; 1 Tim. i. 13. Acts viii. 3.- Greek, equals in years. Acts xxii. 3; xxvi. 9; Philippians iii. 6.- -z Jer. ix. 14; Matthew xv. 2; Mark vii. 5.

does not, till now, give them even this appellation; that the gospel which was preached by me-Among you; is not after man—Of mere human authority and invention; is not from man, not by man, nor suited to the taste of man; for I neither received it of man-From the authority or interposition of any man; neither was I taught it—By any writing or any human method of instruction; but by revelation of Jesus Christ-Who communicated to me by inspiration his gospel in all its parts, and sent me forth to publish it to the world. If Paul did not receive the gospel from man, as he here asserts, and as we are therefore sure he did not, the perfect conformity of his doctrine with the doctrine of the other apostles, is a proof that he was taught it by revelation from Jesus Christ, who revealed to him at first his resurrection, ascension, and the calling of the Gentiles, and his own apostleship; and told him then there were other things for which he would appear to him. See on Acts xxvi. 16-18.

before and after his conversion.

a

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15 But when it pleased God, who A. M. 4039. separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

above the doctrines and precepts written in the law. These were what the evangelists and our Lord called the traditions of men, and their own traditions, (Mark vii. 8, 9,) to show that they were mere human inventions. "It was the characteristic of a Pharisee to hold these traditions as of equal authority with the precepts of the law. Nay, in many || cases, they gave them the preference. Hence our Lord told them, Mark vii. 9, Full well ye reject the commandments of God, that ye may keep your own traditions. The apostle mentions his knowledge of the traditions of the fathers, and his zeal for them, as things absolutely necessary to salvation, to convince the Galatians that his preaching justification without the works of the law, could be attributed to nothing but the force of truth communicated to him by revelation."-Macknight.

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Verses 15-17. When it pleased God-He ascribes nothing to his own merits, endeavours, or sincerity; who separated me from my mother's womb-Set me Verses 13, 14. For yehave heard of my conversa- apart for an apostle, as he did Jeremiah for a protion in time past—As if he said, To convince you phet, (Jer. i. 5,) and ordered my education with a that I received the knowledge of the gospel by im- view to that office. Such an unconditional predesmediate revelation from Christ, I appeal to my be- tination as this may consist both with God's justice haviour, both before and after I was made an apos- and mercy. And called me by his grace-By his tle; in the Jewish religion-Ev r Isdaιouw, in Juda- || free and almighty love, to be both a Christian and ism. The expression is well chosen; and, as L'En- an apostle; to reveal his Son in me-By the powfant justly observes, is not intended by the apostle || erful operation of his Spirit, (2 Cor. iv. 6,) as well of the religion originally taught by Moses, and con- as to me by the heavenly vision; that I might preach tained in his writings and those of the prophets, him among the heathen-Which I should have been but, as is evident from the latter part of the next || ill qualified to do, or even to preach him to mine own verse, of that which was practised among the Jews countrymen, had I not first known him myself; at this time, and consisted in a great degree in ob- || immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood— serving the traditions of the fathers, and the com- Being fully satisfied concerning the divine will, and mandments of men. How that beyond measure- determined to obey it, I took no counsel with any Kað væεрbohηy, exceedingly, and with the most insa- man, neither with my own reason or inclination, tiable rage; I persecuted the church of God-Wheth-which might have raised numberless objections; but er considered as individual believers, or as persons laid aside the consideration of all carnal respects united in religious societies and congregations; and|| and interests whatsoever. Neither went I up to wasted it-Ravaged it with all the fury of a beast of prey. So the word eropa, here used, signifies. And profited-Made proficiency in the knowledge and practice of Judaism; above many of my equals -Many of the same age with myself; in mine own nation-Or who were of the same standing in the study of the law; being more exceedingly zealous of the unwritten traditions of my fathers-Over and

Jerusalem-The residence of the apostles, to be instructed by, and receive commission from them. But I went into Arabia-Where there were few Christians, and none of them of any note. This course, we may believe, the apostle took by the direction of Christ, who sent him into that country, to instruct him in the duties of his office, and in the doctrines of the gospel, by immediate revelation.

19 But fother of the apostles saw I none, save Syria and Cilicia; * James the Lord's brother.

22 And was unknown by face unto the

h Romans ix. 1. Acts ix. 30. I Thessalonians ii. 14.

The truth is, now that the Lord Jesus was gone to the way, Acts ix. 27. It does not appear that on this heaven, this was the only proper method of training occasion any thing was said, either by Barnabas or an apostle. For if the ministry of men had been || by Saul, concerning Christ's making Saul an aposused in instructing Saul, he would have been con- tle at the time he converted him, or concerning his sidered as an apostle of men, and on that account || sending him to preach to the idolatrous Gentiles, as might have been reckoned inferior to the other apos- is related by the apostle himself, Acts xxvi. 16-18. tles, who were all instructed by Christ himself. In These things were not mentioned in Jerusalem till Arabia, therefore, Saul continued more than two || Paul went up to the council, fourteen years after his years; and during all that time, it is probable, em- conversion, Gal. ii. 2, 7-9.” But other of the aposployed himself in studying the Jewish Scripturestles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother more carefully than ever, by the help of the new —Or kinsman, as the word here signifies; for he light which had been bestowed on him; in search- was the son of Alpheus, by Mary the sister of our ing into the true nature of the law of Moses, and Lord's mother. That Paul made so short a stay at in attending to such revelations as Christ was Jerusalem, at this time, was probably owing to pleased to make to him. And, by these revelations, Christ's appearing to him in a trance, while in the he acquired a complete knowledge of all Christ's temple, and commanding him to depart quickly doctrines, sayings, miracles, sufferings, resurrection, from Jerusalem, Acts xxii. 18. The brethren also, and ascension, and of the design both of the law and it seems, advised him to depart, because the Hellenof the gospel, and of the confirmation which the ist Jews were determined to kill him. gospel derives from the writings of Moses and the Verses 20-24. Now the things which I write unto prophets. Luke, in his history of the Acts, takes you-With respect to all these circumstances of no notice of this journey of the apostle into Arabia; them; I lie not-As I affirm before God, who but, from the manner in which it is mentioned here, searcheth the heart, and from whom nothing is hid. it seems probable that the apostle went into Arabia Afterward-Departing from Jerusalem; I went inalmost immediately after he recovered his sight and to the regions of Syria and Cilicia-To exercise strength, which had been impaired by the bright my ministry there, and, if possible, to bring those light with which Christ was surrounded when he among whom I was born and brought up, to the appeared to him, and by the terror into which he knowledge of Christ and his gospel. It appears was cast by that miraculous appearance; staying, || from Acts ix. 30, that some of the brethren in Jeruhowever, at Damascus, as we may infer from Acts salem, who advised him to depart, kindly accompaix. 19, certain days, after he had recovered his sight, nied him to Cesarea, a well known sea-port town on during which he preached Christ in the synagogues. the Mediterranean, from whence it seems he intendFrom Arabia he returned again unto Damascus-ed to go by sea to Tarsus. But, as he here says Where he boldly declared the necessity of believing in Christ, in order to salvation, even in the presence of those Jews whom he knew to be strongly prejudiced against that important doctrine, increasing, in the mean time, in strength, as is mentioned Acts ix. 22, confounding the Jews, and proving Jesus to be the very Christ.

that he went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, it is probable, that after embarking at Cesarea, contrary winds forced him into some of the ports of Syria; so that, altering his plan, he went through that country preaching the gospel, and from thence proceeded to Cilicia by land. And was personally unknown to the churches in Judea-Except to that Verses 18, 19. Then, after three years-Wherein of Jerusalem. In travelling from Damascus to JeruI had given full proof of my apostleship; I went up salem, after his return from Arabia, it seems by this, to Jerusalem to see Peter-And converse with him; that he did not preach or make himself known to and abode with him fifteen days-During which any of the Christians in the cities of Judea through they doubtless discoursed at large together on the which he passed. But they had heard only-This mutual success of their ministry. "This being wonderful account in general, which would doubtPaul's first visit to Jerusalem since his conversion, less spread rapidly through all the land; that he the brethren there shunned him, suspecting that he which persecuted us in times past-To imprisonfeigned himself a disciple with a view to betrayment and death, was become a convert to the relithem. But Barnabas, who probably had learned gion of Jesus; so that he now preacheth the faith the particulars of his conversion from Ananias, took || which once he destroyed-That is, the great truths and brought him to the apostles, (Peter and James,) of the gospel, which he once laboured with all his and declared to them how he had seen the Lord in might to extirpate from the minds of men, and from

Paul informs them of

CHAPTER II.

his journey to Jerusalem. A. M. 4042. churches of Judea which were in || persecuted us in times past, now preach- A. M. 4042. Christ: eth the faith which once he destroyed.

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23 But they had heard only, That he which 24 And they glorified God in me.

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the face of the earth; and they glorified God in me because it implied that the Christians in Judea be-That is, on my account, as they well might, believed him to be a sincere convert, and were perholding in me so wonderful an instance of the pow- suaded that his conversion would be an additional er and grace of God. This the apostle mentions, proof of the divine original of the gospel.

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CHAPTER II.

Here, in prosecution of the design on which he had entered in the preceding chapter, the apostle (1,) Informs the Galatians of his journey from Antioch to Jerusalem, and of his interview with the apostles there, who acknowledged the divine authority of his doctrine and mission, owned him as the apostle of the Gentiles, and received Titus, as an uncircumcised Greek, into their Christian communion, 1-10. (2,) He shows how he had publicly rebuked Peter himself at Antioch, for Judaizing, and how he had stood up in defence of the liberty of the church from Jewish impositions, 11–14. He thence, (3,) Takes occasion to enter on his proof of the doctrine of justification by faith, without the works of the Mosaic law, 15-21. A. M. 4056. THEN fourteen years after I went || nicated unto them that gospel which A. M. 4056. up again to Jerusalem with Bar- I preach among the Gentiles, but nabas, and took Titus with me also. 1privately to them which were of reputation, lest 2 And I went up by revelation, and commu- by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. * Acts xv. 2.b Acts xv. 12. Or, severally. NOTES ON CHAPTER II.

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e Phil. ii. 16; 1 Thess. iii. 5.

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where mentioned by St. Luke in the Acts; and Verse 1. Then fourteen years after my conver- what we read of him in the second epistle to the sion, I went up again to Jerusalem-This seems to Corinthians, (2 Cor. ii. 13; vii. 6, 14; viii. 6,) as be the journey mentioned Acts xv., several passages well as in that to Timothy, (2 Tim. iv. 10,) was here referring to that great council, wherein all the later by some years. He is here said to have been apostles showed that they were of the same judg- a Greek, (verse 3,) and being born of Gentile pament with him. From the history which the apostle rents, was not circumcised; but where or when he gives of himself to the Galatians in the preceding was converted is uncertain; only we may conclude chapter, it appears that from the time of his conver- he was converted by Paul, from the title he gives sion, to his coming with Barnabas from Tarsus to him of his own son after the common faith, Tit. Antioch, he had no opportunity of conversing with i. 4; and as he now took Titus with him from Anthe apostles in a body, consequently in that period tioch to Jerusalem, so he employed him afterward he was not made an apostle by them. And by re- on several occasions, and appears to have regarded lating in a similar way, in this chapter, what hap-him with great affection and endearment."-Dodpened when he went up from Antioch to Jerusalem, fourteen years after his conversion, in company Verse 2. And I went up-Not by any command with Barnabas, he proves to them that he was an from the apostles, nor to receive instructions in my apostle before he had that meeting with the apostles work from them; but by revelation-From God, in a body; for at that time, instead of receiving the directing me to go. The apostle does not say to gospel from the apostles, he communicated to them whom the revelation was made: it might be made the gospel, or doctrine, which he preached among to Paul himself, or to some of the prophets then the idolatrous Gentiles: not because he acknow- residing at Antioch. But this circumstance, that he ledged them his superiors, or was in any doubt went in consequence of a revelation, shows evidently about the truth of his doctrine, but lest it might have that the occasion of the journey was of great imbeen suspected that his doctrine was disclaimed by portance. It was, therefore, as has been observed the apostles, which would have marred his success above, very probably the journey which, at the deamong the Gentiles. And took Titus with me also-sire of the church at Antioch, Paul and Barnabas Though he was uncircumcised, that I might therein show my Christian liberty, and assert that of my Gentile brethren, against those who are so zealous in their attempts to invade it. "This is the earliest mention that we meet with of Titus, for he is no

undertook for the purpose of consulting the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning the circumcision of the converted proselytes, of which we have an account Acts xv., &c., where see the notes. Some indeed have been of opinion, that the journey to