Chapter Two
Gal. 2:1. Then, after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.
Gal. 2:2. And I went up by revelation,
The cause of the first journey was Peter, and of the second — a revelation. And he brought Titus and Barnabas as witnesses of his preaching, that it was pleasing to the apostles.
Gal. 2:2. and presented there, and privately to those of particular reputation, the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles,
That is, the preaching of the gospel without circumcision. Why then, after so many years, did he set it before them, when he should have done this at the beginning and learned whether he was acting rightly or not? For it would be unreasonable that one who had labored for so many years should after this have need of instruction, unless he had labored in vain. But if he had come with the purpose of receiving instruction regarding his own ministry, this would indeed have been unreasonable. But since he saw that many were scandalized by the fact that Peter permitted circumcision while he did not circumcise, and through this he was subjected to the suspicion of violating the law, he came to Jerusalem by revelation, by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, in order to convince those who were scandalized that there is no disagreement in the preaching, and that those who permit circumcision wisely make a concession, as ones preaching to the circumcised; what is unreasonable about that? For the Holy Spirit moved him to go for the correction of others, and he naturally obeyed.
"And privately to those of reputation." Because many were being scandalized, Paul converses "privately," in private with the disciples of Peter, so that no strife would arise and so as to prevent a greater scandal. For very many were being scandalized, and if they had heard that Paul openly rejects circumcision, then there would have been an uproar and everything would have been thrown into confusion. Therefore, he converses in private, having as witnesses Titus and Barnabas, who would be able to declare to all people that the apostles also found nothing contrary in his preaching. And by calling them "those of reputation," he does not reject their significance, but alongside his own he also places the common recognition of all, just as he also said of himself: "I think I also have the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. 7:40), not rejecting the existence of this gift in himself, but pointing to the common opinion. So, "those of reputation," that is, the great, the renowned.
Gal. 2:2. "lest I am running or had run in vain."
That is, in order to teach those who are scandalized concerning me that I do not labor in vain, and not in order to learn myself, for how could I learn, when I received from the Father the revelation concerning the Son and His Gospel?
Gal. 2:3. But neither Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised,
Uncircumcised Titus, he says, was not compelled to be circumcised. And this serves as the most important proof that the apostles too permitted circumcision not as a law, but according to a certain economy, that is, as a temporary measure of prudent condescension to the weak, for the sake of believers from the circumcision, – and that they could not censure the preaching of Paul, whose disciple was uncircumcised.
Gal. 2:4. But because of the false brethren who had crept in, who came in secretly to spy out our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us,
The order of the speech is as follows: even on account of the false brethren who had come in, Titus was not compelled to be circumcised, that is, although my opponents were present, the apostles did not even for their sake compel Titus to be circumcised. But how does he call those who insisted on circumcision false brethren, if the apostles also accepted it? Because the apostles permitted circumcision out of condescension toward those who believed from the circumcision, as a preacher to the Jews; but those others did so as ones who established circumcision on principle and as defenders of the law, so to speak; for this reason he calls them false brethren. And by the expression "who came in secretly" he points to their crafty design, and by the word "to spy out" he gives us to understand that they are enemies. For spies come for no other purpose than precisely to find out everything and to clear the way for destruction and enslavement. This is exactly what they were doing. For they were watching to see who were the uncircumcised, who had freedom in Christ, that is, who were not subject to the law, in order to attack them and compel them to be circumcised, and to subject us again to the slavery of the law, from which Christ set us free. So then, from this it is clear that the apostles permitted what was under the law in order to gradually free people from this slavery, while those others acted so as to fasten this slavery firmly in place.
Gal. 2:5. We did not yield in submission even for an hour, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
He did not say "did not yield" to the word, but did not submit, because they were not doing this to teach us anything, but for subjection and enslavement. Therefore we obey the apostles, but not them. So that, he says, what we preached to you might remain firm and true. What exactly? That the old things have passed away, the law has been abolished, and Christ does not accept the circumcised, and circumcision brings no benefit whatsoever. Thus, in opposition to them, we showed that we also truly proclaimed to you the abolition of the law. Therefore do not depart from this truth.
Gal. 2:6. And from those who were reputed to be something, whatever they once were, it makes no difference to me: God does not regard the person of man.
Since it was natural for someone to object to him and say: how then did the apostles command circumcision? – he removes this objection, though he does not indicate the true reason, that they acted this way by special dispensation and out of condescension, fearing that the believers from among the Jews, upon hearing that the apostles permitted circumcision not for the sake of truth but for the sake of good order, might also fall away from them as destroyers of the law; for until then they had adhered to them precisely because they preserved the law. Therefore Paul conceals this reason, but presses hard upon the apostles, saying: "it makes no difference to me," that is, I have no concern with those of repute, with the great ones, evidently the apostles – whether they preach circumcision or not, since they themselves will give an answer to God, and although they are great and preeminent, God will not regard their persons, for He is no respecter of persons. And notice: he did not say "what they are," but "what they once were," showing that afterward they too ceased to preach in this way, when the preaching shone forth everywhere. Paul says this not in reproach of the saints, but wishing to benefit his listeners.
Gal. 2:6. And those of repute imposed nothing further upon me.
Whatever they may have been, he says, that is God's affair, but this I know: that they in no way opposed me and added nothing to my preaching, nor corrected it.
Gal. 2:7. But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter for the circumcised:
Gal. 2:8. (For He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles),
Gal. 2:9. And when James, Cephas, and John, who were reputed to be pillars, recognized the grace that had been given to me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised,
Some interpreted it this way: not only did they add nothing to correct my teaching, but on the contrary, they were even corrected themselves. But this is incorrect. For in what could they have been corrected by him? After all, each of them is perfect. So he says the following: "but on the contrary, they gave me the right hand of fellowship," — then still in the middle: "seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised," and so on in order. And not only did they not correct me, they even praised and agreed that I and Barnabas should go with the gospel to the uncircumcised, that is, to the Gentiles, while they would go to the circumcised, that is, to the Jews. Here he also shows himself equal to Peter. For He who entrusted to Peter the work of preaching the gospel to the Hebrews gave the same to me for the Gentiles. And notice how he showed that his preaching was not only pleasing to the apostles, but was also acceptable to God. For concerning the apostles he says that they "recognized the grace." He did not say "heard," but from the very deeds themselves "recognized." For how would God have given me this gift if such preaching were displeasing to Him? And again he mentions the three with praise. For "those reputed to be pillars," that is, the great ones whom everyone everywhere names and glorifies — they bear witness concerning me that my preaching is pleasing to Christ. Therefore they also "gave the right hand of fellowship," that is, they agreed, acknowledged us as partners, and showed that they were satisfied with my preaching, as in no way differing from their own word.
Gal. 2:10. Only that we should remember the poor, which very thing I was also diligent to do.
Having divided among themselves, he says, the work of preaching, we remembered the poor without division. For in Jerusalem many of those who had believed were deprived of their possessions by the unbelieving Jews and were in difficulty regarding necessary sustenance. The Greeks did not wage war so fiercely against the believers from among them as the Jews did against the Christians from among the Hebrews. Therefore Paul shows especial zeal in his care for them, as he himself testifies, that "I was eager to carry out precisely." For collecting alms everywhere from his disciples, he himself delivered them to them.