Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 2 · Verse extract 1 – Verse extract 2
Verſe. 1. Then fourtene yeares after I vvent vp to Ieruſalem.
PAVLE taught that the Gentiles were iuſtified by faith onelyonly without the works of the law.Paules doctrine. This doctrine when he had publiſhed abroad among the Gentiles, he commeth to Antioch, and declareth to the Diſciples what he had done. Then they which had bene trained vp in the old cuſtomes of the law,Contention of ſuch as vvere turned from the Ievves, againſt Paule. Acts. 15.89. The declaration of Paule and Barnabas as touching thoſe things vvhichwhich vvere done among the Gentiles. roſe againſt Paule with great indignation, for that he preached to the Gentiles libertie from the bondage of the law. Wherevpon followed greate diſſention, which afterwards ſtirred vp new troubles. Paule and Barnabas ſtoode ſtrongly to the truth, and teſtified, ſaying: whereſoeuer we preached among the Gentiles, the holy Ghoſt came and fell vponupon thoſe which heard the word: and this was done through out all the churches of the Gentiles. But we preached not circumciſion, neither did we require the keping of the law, but we preached onelyonly faith in Ieſus Chriſt: and at this preaching of faith, God gaue to the hearers the holy Ghoſt. The holy Ghoſt therefore doth approue the Faith of the Gentiles without the law and Circumciſion. For if the preaching of the Goſpell and faith of the Gentiles in Chriſt had not pleaſed him, he had not come downe in a viſible ſhape vponupon the vncircumciſed which heard the word. Seing then by the only hearing of faith he came downe vponupon them, it is certaine that the holy ghoſt by this ſigne hath approued the faith of ye Gentiles. For it doth not appeare that this was euer done before at the preaching of the law.
Then the Ievves and many of the Phariſeis which did beleue, and notwithſtanding bare yet a greate zeale to the law, earneſtly ſtriuing to maintaine the glory thereof, ſette themſelues fiercely againſt Paule, VVhat they aunſvvere to Paule in this diſputation, vvhichwhich are ſo earneſt for the lavve.(who affirmed that the Gentiles were iuſtified by faith onelyonly without the works of the lawe) contending that the lawe ought to be kept, and that the Gentiles ought to be circumciſed: for otherwiſe they could not be ſaued. And no maruell: for the very name of the lawe of God is holy & dreadfull. The heathen man, which neuer knew any thing of the law of God, if he heare any man ſay: This doctrine is the law of God, doubtles he is moued. How thē could it be but yt the Ievves muſt nedes be moued, & vehemently contend for the maintenāce of the law of God, which euen from their infancie had bene nuſled and trained vp therein?They that vvere conuerted from among the Ievves hardly forſooke the lavve.
We ſee at this day how obſtinate the Papiſts be in defending their traditions and doctrines of Deuils. Wherefore it was much leſſe to be maruelled, that the Iewes did ſo vehemently and zelouſly ſtriue for the maintenance of their law, which they had receaued from god. Cuſtome is of ſuch force, that where as nature is of it ſelfe inclined to the obſeruation of the law, by long continuance it ſo confirmeth nature that now it becommeth a double nature.Cuſtome is a double nature Therefore it was impoſſible for the Ievves which were newly conuerted to Chriſt, ſodenly to forſake the lawe: who though they had receaued the faith of Chriſt, thought it neceſſary notwithſtanding to obſerue the lawe. And with this their weakenes God did beare for a time, vntill the doctrine of the Goſpell might be plainely diſcerned from the lawe.God alvvayes beareth vvith the infirmities of his people. 1 Reg. 8.21. Exod. 34.6.7. So he bare with the infirmitie of Iſraell in the time of King Achab, when the people halted betwene two religions. He bare alſo with our weakenes, while we were vnderunder the blindnes of the Pope: For he is long ſuffering and full of mercy. But we muſt not abuſe this goodnes and patience of the Lord, nor continue ſtill in our weakenes and errour, ſithens the truth is nowe reueiled by the cleare light of the Goſpell.
Moreouer, they that ſtoode againſt Paule, VVhat they had to ſay for themſelues that reſiſted Paule.affirming that the Gentiles ought to be circumciſed, had to lay for themſelues, firſt the law and cuſtome of the countrey, then the example of the Apoſtles, and laſt of all the example of Paule himſelfe who had circumciſed Timothy. Wherefore if Paule in his defence ſaid, that he did not this of neceſſity, but for Chriſtian louelove and liberty, leſt they which were weake in faith ſhould be offended: which of them would beleue him? Herevnto all the people would aunſwere: Since it is euident that thou haſt circumciſed Timothy, thou maiſt ſay what thou wilt: notwithſtanding thou haſt done it. For this is a matter farre paſſing all mans capacity, and therefore they could not vnderſtand it.
Moreouer, no defence can ſerue when a man hath loſt the fauour of the people and is fallen into ſuch deadly hatred and contempt. Paule therfore ſeeing this contention and theſe clamours daily to encreaſe more and more, and being alſo warned by reuelation from God: after fourtene yeares (beſides thoſe wherin he had preached in Damaſcus and Arabia) he goeth vp againe to Ieruſalem, to conferre his Goſpell with the other Apoſtles: yet not for his owne cauſe, but for ye peoples ſake.
Now this contention touching the obſeruation of the law, exerciſed Paule a long time after, and wrought him much trouble. But I doe not thinke yt this is the contention which Luke ſpeaketh of in the .15. of the Acts, which happened (as it appeareth) by and by after ye beginning of the Goſpell. But this hiſtory which Paule here mencioneth, ſeemeth to be done long after, when Paule had now almoſt eightene yeares preached the Goſpell.
Verſe. 1. VVith Barnabas, and tooke vvith me Titus.
Paule taketh vntounto him vvitneſſes Barnabas and Titus.He ioyneth vntounto himſelfe two witneſſes, Barnabas and Titus. Barnabas was Paules companion in preaching to the Gentiles freedome from the ſeruitude of the law. He was alſo a witnes of all thoſe things which Paule did,Barnabas. and had ſeene the holy Ghoſt geuen vntounto the Gentiles which were circumciſed and free from Moſes law, by the onelyonly preaching of faith in Ieſus Chriſt, & he only ſtucke to Paule in this poynt: that it was not neceſſary that the Gentiles ſhould be burdened with the law, but that it was enough for them to beleue in Chriſt. Wherefore by his owne experience he teſtifieth with Paule againſt the Ievves, that the Gentiles were made the children of God & ſaued by faith alone in Ieſus Chriſt, without the law or circumciſion.
Not as hauing any ſoueraintie, othervviſe then an Euangeliſt, or chiefe of the eldershippe of the churches. 1 Tit. 1.5.Titus was not only a Chriſtian but alſo the chiefe ouerſeer in Crete: For vntounto him Paule had committed the charge of gouerning the churches there. Tit, 1. And this Titus was a Gentile.
Verſe. 2. And I vvent vp by reuelation.
For vnleſſe Paule had bene admoniſhed by reuelation, he had not gone vp to Ieruſalem. But becauſe God warned him by a ſpeciall reuelation, and commaunded him to goe vp, therefore he went. And this he did to bridle or at leaſt to appeaſe the Ievves that beleued and yet obſtinatly contended about the keeping of the law, to the ende that the truth of the goſpell might be the more aduaunced and confirmed.
Verſe. 2. And I communicated vvith them touching the goſpell.
You heare thē that at length, after .18. yeres he went vp to Ieruſalem, and conferred with the Apoſtles touching his goſpell.
Verſe. 2. VVhichWhich I preach among the Gentiles.
For among the Iewes he ſuffered the law & circumciſion for a time, as the other Apoſtles did: I am made al things vntounto all men, ſaith he, 1. Cor. 9: yet euer holding the true doctrine of the goſpel,Paule ſo defendeth the goſpel, that he vvill hauehave all things geue place vntounto it. Actes. 13.3…. which he preferred aboue the law, circumciſion, the Apoſtles, yea & an Angell from heauen. For thus ſayth he vntounto the Iewes: Through this Chriſt is preached vntounto you the forgeuenes of ſinnes. And he addeth very plainly: And from all things, from the vvhichwhich ye could not be iuſtified by the lavve of Moſes, by him eueryevery one that beleueth is iuſtified. For this cauſe he ſetteth forth and defendeth the doctrine of the goſpell ſo diligently eueryevery where, & neuer ſuffereth it to come in daūger. Notwt ſtanding he did not ſodenly breake out at the firſt, but had regard vntounto ye weake. And becauſe the weake ſhould not be offended, ther is no doubt but he ſpake to the Iewes after this maner: If that vnprofitable ſeruice of Moſes law which nothing auaileth to righteouſnes, do ſo highly pleaſe you, ye may kepe it ſtil for me, ſo that the Gentiles which are not bound to this law, be not charged therwithall.
Paule confeſſeth then, that he cōferred the goſpel wt the Apoſtles, (but ſayth he) they profited me or taught me nothing: but I rather for the defence of the libertie of the goſpel, in the preſence of the Apoſtles did conſtantly reſiſt thoſe which would needes force the obſeruation of the law vponupon the Gentiles, and ſo did ouercome them. Wherfore your falſe apoſtles lie in ſaying that I circumciſed Timothie, that I ſhaued my head in Cenchrea, and that I went vp to Ieruſalem at the commaū dement of the Apoſtles. Nay rather I glory that in going vp to Ieruſalem by the reuelation of God, and not at the commaundement of the Apoſtles, and there conferring my Goſpell with them, I brought to paſſe the cōtrary, that is to ſay, obtained that the Apoſtles did approue me, and not thoſe which were againſt me.
Now,The queſtion that vvas hādled in the meting of the Apoſtles. the queſtion whervpon the Apoſtles conferred together in this*The practiſe of the church in the time of the Apoſtles, as touching Synodes and conferences, teach vsus novv to vſe the ſame, vvhen vve hauehave any controuerſie. aſſembly, was this: whether the keping of the law were neceſſary to iuſtification or no? To this Paule aunſwereth: I hauehave preached vntounto the Gentiles, according to my goſpel which I receaued from God, faith in Chriſt and not the law: and at this preaching of faith they receaued the holy Ghoſt: and hereof Barnabas ſhall beare me witnes. Wherfore I cōclude that the Gentiles ought not to be burdened with the law, nor to be circumciſed. Notwithſtanding I geue no reſtraint to the Iewes herein. Who if they will nedes kepe the law and be circumciſed, I am not againſt it, ſo that they do it with fredome of conſcience. And thus hauehave I taught and liued among the Iewes, being made a Ievv vntounto the Ievves: holding euer ye truth of the goſpel notwtſtanding.
Verſe. 2. But particularly vvith them that vvere the chiefeſt.
That is to ſay, I did not onelyonly conferre with the brethern, but with thoſe that were the chiefeſt among them.
Verſe. 2. Leſt by any meanes I should run, or had run in vaine.
VVhy Paule ſayth, leſt I had run in vaine.Not that Paule doubted that he ran or had run in vaine, for as much as he had now preached the goſpel .18. yeres (for it foloweth incontinēt in the text, ye he had continued firme & conſtant all this while & had preuailed) but for that many did thinke that Paule had therefore preached the goſpell ſo many yeres in vaine, becauſe he had ſet the Gentiles at libertie from the obſeruation of the lawe. Moreouer, this opinion daily more and more increaſed, that the lawe was neceſſary to iuſtification. Wherfore in going vp to Ieruſalem by reuelatiō, he ment ſo to remedy this euill, yt by this conference all men might plainly ſee his goſpell to be in no poynt contrary to ye doctrine of the other apoſtles: to the end yt by this meanes he might ſtop the mouthes of the aduerſaries, which would elſe hauehave ſayd that he ran or had run in vaine. Note here by the way, the vertue of mans righteouſnes, or of the righteouſnes of ye law to be ſuch, that they which teach it, doe run and liue in vaine.