صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

affirming any falsehood, which they thought would promote their views.

Farther, the apostle's enemies pretended not only that he was an apostle sent forth by men, but that he was taught the gospel by Ananias, or by the brethren at Antioch, or by the apostles. at Jerusalem. For he solemnly averred, that he received the gospel from no man, nor body of men whatever, but from Christ himself, ver. 11, 12.-And in proof of that asseveration, he appealed to his manner of life, both before and after his conversion, as a thing well known: That before his conversion he furiously persecuted the church, ver. 13.-And was exceedingly zealous of the traditions of his fathers, ver. 14.-In that period, therefore, of his life, he had neither opportunity nor inclination to learn any thing from the Christians. And being so great a zealot for the law, if he afterwards taught, that no man could be justified by the law, nothing but the strongest evidence had induced him to take up that opinion.-He told them farther, that when it pleased God to make him an apostle, he consulted with no person in Damascus, no Jewish doctor concerning his commission as an apostle, nor any of the brethren concerning the things he was to preach, ver. 15, 16.-Neither did he go to Jerusalem, to receive the gospel from them who were apostles before him; but he went into Arabia, and again returned to Damascus; and there acting as an apostle, he preached the gospel, which he had received by revelation from Christ, in the synagogues, where, as Luke informs us, Acts ix. 22. he confounded the Jews who dwelled at Damascus, proving that Jesus is the very Christ, ver. 17.—And did not go to Jerusalem till three years after his conversion: And then abode fifteen days with Peter, lest keeping any longer at a distance from the apostles, it might be suspected that he was acting in opposition to them, ver. 18.-On that occasion Paul saw no other of the apostles except James the Lord's brother, ver. 19.-Having related these facts he solemnly appealed to God for the truth of them, because

OLD TRANSLATION. CHAP. I. 1 Paul an apostle, (not of men, nei- απ'

1

GREEK TEXT.

Παύλος, αποςολος (ουκ ανθρωπων, ουδε δι' αν

Ver. 1.—1. An apostle not from men. Perhaps in this Paul glanced at Matthias, who was an apostle sent from a general meeting at Jerusalem, as mentioned Acts i. 26.-Or his meaning may be, that he was not sent forth as an apostle from the brethren of Antioch. See note 3. on this verse.

they effectually established his apostleship, and confuted the calumnies of his enemies. For if it was true, that in his first visit to Jerusalem, after his conversion, he saw none of the apostles but Peter and James, although it had been in their power to have made him an apostle, it is not probable that without the knowledge and consent of the rest, they would confer that office on him, a new convert, of whose sincerity they had not as yet sufficient proof, ver. 20.-After spending fifteen days with Peter, which was too short a space of time for him to be instructed by Peter in the knowledge of the gospel, he went into the countries of Syria and Cilicia, whither he was sent by the brethren, because the Jews in Jerusalem, exceedingly enraged against him for having deserted their party, and gone over to the Christians, sought to kill him, ver. 21.-And from Cilicia, where he abode several years, he went, I suppose, into Galatia. Thus it came to pass, that for a long time after Paul's conversion, he was personally unknown to the churches in Judea; who had heard nothing more concerning him, but that he, who formerly persecuted the Christians, now preached the facts concerning Christ, which he had formerly endeavoured to disprove, ver. 22, 23.—This great change of behaviour in so violent an enemy, occasioned the churches to glorify God on account of his conversion, ver. 24.

From these things it is evident, that when Paul went into Cilicia, and from Cilicia into Galatia, he had seen none of the apostles but two; and that he had never been at any general meeting of the apostles, to receive from them, either the office of an apostle, or the doctrine of the gospel. And therefore if he converted the Galatians in some journey which he made into their country from Cilicia, the doctrine which he preached, and the miracles which he wrought, must have been bestowed on him, not by man, but by Jesus Christ, and by God the Father, as he himself hath affirmed.

NEW TRANSLATION. CHAP. I. 1 Paul an apostle, not (aw') from men neither (d') by

1

COMMENTARY.

CHAP. I. 1 Paul an apostle not sent forth from any society of men, neither appointed by any particular

2. Neither by man. Here Paul 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.

3. But by Jesus Christ. Paul was first made an apostle by Christ, when he appeared to him in the way to Damascus, Acts ix. 15. And three years

ther by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from

the dead)

2 And all the brethren

θρώπου, αλλα δια Ιησου Χριςου, και Θεου πατρος του εγείραντος αυτον εκ νεκρών)

2 Και οι συν εμοι παντες

which are with me, unto αδελφοι, ταις εκκλησιαις της

the churches of Galatia:

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

4 Who gave himself

for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 6 I marvel, that ye are

so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel:

Γαλατίας

3 Χαρις ύμιν και ειρηνη απο Θεου πατρος, και Κυριου ήμων Ιησου Χριςου,

4 Του δοντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπερ των ἁμαρτιων ἡμων, όπως εξεληται ήμας εκ του ενεςώτος

αιώνος πονηρου, κατα το θε λημα του Θεου και πατρος ἡμων·

5 Ἡ ἡ δόξα εις τους αιωνας των αιώνων αμην.

6 Θαυμαζω, ότι έτω τα χεως μετατίθεσθε από του και λεσαντος ὑμας εν χαριτι Χριζου, εἰς ἕτερον ευαγγελιον

after that, his apostolic commission was renewed, Acts xxii. 21. So that he was sent forth, neither by the church at 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.

Ver. 2.—1. All the brethren who are with me. The brethren here mentioned were the brethren of Antioch, especially those who were the apostle's fellow labourers in the gospel. So the word brethren is used Philip iv. 21, 22. where the brethren are distinguished from the saints or laity. See the Pref. sect. 2. No. 2.

2. Το the churches of Galatia. Here it is remarkable, that the churches of Galatia are not, as the other churches to which Paul wrote, designed the churches of God, or of Christ, perhaps to signify that they did not deserve these honourable appellations, on account of their great defection from the truth of the gospel.

Ver. 4.-1. Evil age. Αίων ο πονηρό. In scripture the age or world is often put for the men of the world, and for their evil principles and practices. Thus Rom. xii. 2. Be not conformed, αιωνι τετῷ, to this age. See also Tit .ü. 2.-Locke is of opinion that αιων, world or age, here signifies the

[blocks in formation]

man, but by Jesus Christ, and by God the Father who raised him from the dead, and after his resurrection, sent him from heaven to make me an apostle ;

2 And all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia. These brethren, by joining me in this letter, attest the truth of the matters I am going to relate.

3 We wish grace to you, and happiness from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the Father dispenses his blessings to men,

4 Because he gave himself to death for our sins, that he might deliver us from the bad principles, and practices, and punishment, of this present evil age, agreeably to the will of our God and Father, who determined to save us by the death of his Son.

5 To whom, for that unspeakable favour, be ascribed by angels and men, honour and praise, through all eternity. Amen.

6 I wonder that ye are so soon removed from me, who called you into the gospel of Christ, which promises to sinners justification through faith; and that ye have embraced another gospel, or pretended message from God, concerning your justification:

Mosaic dispensation, because the word hath that meaning in some passages; and because Christ had delivered the Jews from that dispensation. But I do not see with what propriety the apostle could call the Mosaic dispensation evil.

2. According to the will of our God. By observing that Christ died for our sins according to the will of God, the apostle insinuates that the efficacy of his death as a sacrifice for sin, depends on the will, or good pleasure of God; accordingly it is resolved into the sovereignty of God, Heb. ii. 10.— Christ's dying for our sins was mentioned, to convince the Galatians, that the pardon of sin was not to be obtained by the Levitical atonements, nor by any service prescribed in the law. See ver. 7. note 2.

Ver. 6.-1. From him who called you into the grace of Christ. Though in ether passages God is said to call men into the grace of the gospel, I am of.

[blocks in formation]

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you,

than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man

preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

10 For do I now per

suade men, or God?ordo I seek to please men? forifi

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

10 Αρτι γαρ ανθρωπους πειθω, η τον Θεον; η ζητω ανθρωποις αρεσκειν, ει γαρ ετι

Chandler's opinion, that in this passage, Paul, and not God is spoken of. For, as he wrote this chapter to prove himself an apostle, his success in calling the Galatians to the Christian faith, was fitly mentioned as one of the proofs of his apostleship, as it implied that he was assisted in that work by God.

Ver. 7. 1. Which is not another. The Judaizing teachers, it would seem, affirmed that their doctrine concerning the justification of men by the sacrifices and other services of the law of Moses, was another and better gospel than Paul's; understanding by a gospel, a message from God concerning their salvation. But the apostle assured the Galatians, that that doctrine, so far from being another or different gospel from his, was no gospel at all; consequently deserved no credit whatever.

2. But some there are—who wish to pervert the gospel of Christ. Μεταςρε fa, literally, to overturn the gospel of Christ. This the Judaizers effectually did by their doctrine. For if men may obtain the pardon of their sins by the Levitical sacrifices, the sacrifice of Christ is altogether unnecessary. This Paul plainly declared to the church at Antioch, Gal. iii. 21.

Ver. 8.—1. Contrary to what we have preached to you. Whitby, following the Greek commentators, thinks wag' should be translated, besides what we have preached. But certainly the other apostles, and even Paul himself, preached things besides what he had preached to the Galatians. Wherefore if Whitby's translation is just, Paul's Anathema fell on himself.

2. Let him be anathema. The apostle, absolutely certain of his own inspiration, and of the truth of the gospel which he had preached to the Ga

« السابقةمتابعة »