Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 2 · Verse extract 7-8 – Verse extract 10
Verſ. 7.8. But contrarivviſe vvhen they ſavve that the Goſpell ouer vncircūciſion vvas committed vntounto me, as the Goſpel ouer circumciſion vvas vntounto Peter (for he that vvas mighty by Peter in the Apoſtleship ouer the circumciſion, vvas alſo mighty by me tovvards the Gentiles.)
With theſe words Paule mightely confuteth the falſe Apoſtles: For here he chalengeth to himſelfe the ſame authoritie which the falſe Apoſtles attributed to the true Apoſtles. And he vſeth here a figure which is called an Inuerſion, returning their argument againſt themſelues. The falſe Apoſtles (ſaith he) doe alledge againſt me the authoritie of the greate Apoſtles, to maintaine their cauſe. But I contrariwiſe doe alledge the ſame againſt them for my defence, for the Apoſtles are on my ſide. Wherefore O my Galathians, beleue not theſe counterfet apoſtles which bragge ſo much of the authoritie of the Apoſtles againſt me. For the Apoſtles when they ſaw the Goſpell ouer the vncircumciſion to be committed to me, and knew of the grace that to me was geuen, gaue to me and Barnabas the right hands of felowſhip, approuing my miniſterie and geuing thankes vntounto God for the gift which I had receiued. Thus he retourneth the argument of the falſe apoſtles vponupon them ſelues. And here is alſo in theſe wordes an ardent vehemencie, and more contained in matter, then in wordes is able to be expreſſed.
This ſeemeth to be a hard text,To Peter is cōmitted the Goſpell ouer circumciſion. and to Paule ouer vncircū ciſion. Actes. 10.17. where Paule ſayth that the goſpell ouer the vncircumciſion was committed vntounto him, & ouer the circumciſion vntounto Peter, when notwtſtanding Paule almoſt eueryevery where preached to the Iewes in their Sinagoges, and Peter likewiſe to the Gentiles. There are examples & teſtimonies of both in the Acts. Peter conuerted the Centurian wt his familie, which was a Gentile. He wrote alſo to the Gentiles, as his firſt epiſtle teſtifieth.1. Peter. 1.1. Paule preaching Chriſt among the Gentiles,Actes. 9.20. entreth notwithſtanding into the Sinagoges of the Iewes, and there preacheth the goſpel. And our Sauiour Chriſt in Mathevv and Marke commaundeth his apoſtles to goe throughout the whole world, and preach the Goſpel to eueryevery creature.Mat. 23.9.10. Marc. 16.15. Paule likewiſe ſayth: The goſpel preached to eueryevery creature vvhichwhich is vnderunder heauen. Coloſſ. 1.5.6.Why then doth he call himſelfe the Apoſtle of the Gentiles, and Peter with the other, the Apoſtles of the circumciſion?
This queſtion is not hard. Paule here hath reſpect vntounto this, that the other Apoſtles remained ſpecially in Ieruſalem, vntil God called them vntounto other places. Thus ſtoode the matter then for the time, that whiles the politicall ſtate of the Iewes continued, the Apoſtles ſtill remained in Iudea: but when ye deſtruction of Ieruſalem approched, they were diſperſed throughout the whole world.Actes. 13.1.2. Peter the Apoſtle of the Ievves, and Paule of the Gentiles. But Paule as it is written in the Actes, by a ſingular vocation was choſen to be the Apoſtle of the Gentiles, and being ſent out of Iudea, he traueled through ye countreys of the Gentiles. Now were the Iewes diſperſed almoſt throughout ye whole world, and dwelt here and there in cities and other places amongs the Gentiles. Paule comming thether was wont (as we read in the Actes) to goe into the Sinagoges of the Iewes,Actes. 9.20. Paule preached alſo to the Ievves. and by this occaſion he firſt brought vntounto them as the children of the kingdom, this glad tidings, that the promiſes made vntounto the fathers, were now accompliſhed by Ieſus Chriſt. When they would not heare this, he turned to the Gentiles, as Luke witneſſeth, where he bringeth in Paule thus boldly ſpeaking againſt the Iewes:Act. 13.45.46. Math. 10.6. It vvas neceſſary that vve should firſt preach the vvord of God vntounto you: but ſeing ye reiect it, & iudge your ſelues vnvvorthy of euerlaſtīg life, loe vve turne to the Gentiles. And in the Actes:Actes. 28.2…. Be it knovvne therfore vntounto you, that this ſaluation of God is ſent vntounto the Gentiles, and they shall heare it. Wherefore Paule was ſent ſpecially vntounto the Gentiles. But becauſe he was a detter vntounto all,Rom. 1.14. and became all things vntounto all mē, therfore, occaſion being offered, he went into the Sinagoges of the Iewes, where not only the Iewes, but alſo ye Gentiles heard him preaching Chriſt. Otherwhiles he preached publikely in the market place, in houſes, and by the riuers ſides. He was ſpecially then the Apoſtle of the Gentiles, as Peter was of the Iewes: who notwithſtanding preached Chriſt to the Gentiles alſo when occaſion was offered.
Vncircūciſiō. Circumciſion.And here he calleth vncircumciſion the Gentiles, and circumciſion the Iewes by a figure named Synecdoche, which vnderunder part comprehē deth the whole: which figure is commonly vſed in the ſcripture. The goſpell then ouer vncircumciſion, is that which ſhould be preached to the Gentiles. This goſpell he ſayth was committed vntounto him, as the goſpell ouer circumciſion was vntounto Peter. For as Peter preached the goſpell among the Iewes, ſo did he among the Gentiles.
Paule receaueth not his goſpel of the other Apoſtles.This he often repeteth, yt Peter, Iames and Iohn, which ſemed to be the pillers of the church, taught him nothing, nor committed vntounto him the office of preaching the Goſpell, as hauing authoritie and rule ouer him. But they them ſelues (ſayth he) did ſee that the goſpell was committed vntounto me: but not by Peter. For as I did not receiue or learne my goſpel of man, ſo did I receiue no cōmaundement by man to preach the ſame, but both the knowlege and the cōmaundement to preach it amōg the Gentiles, I receiued immediatly from God: like as the charge was geuen of God vntounto Peter to preach the ſame among the Iewes.
This place witneſſeth very plainly that the Apoſtles had like calling,The Apoſtles calling equall. like charge, and all one Goſpell. Peter preached no other Goſpell then the reſt of the Apoſtles did, neither did he appoynt to others their charge and office:Equalitie among the Apoſtles. but there was an equalitie among them all, for they were all taught of God, that is, both their vocation and charge was wholy and immediatly from God. There was none therefore greater then other: none that had any prerogatiue aboue other. And therefore where the Pope vaūteth that Peter was the chiefe of the Apoſtles, that thereby he might confirme and ſtabliſh his vſurped primacie, it is an impudent lie.
Verſe. 8. For he that vvas mightie by Peter.
This is a confutation of an other argument of the falſe apoſtles. Why doe the falſe apoſtles boaſt (ſayth he) that the Goſpell of Peter was mightie, that he conuerted many, that he wrought many and great miracles, raiſed vp the dead, and with his ſhadow cured the ſick?Actes. 15.14. The Goſpell of Peter mightie. I graunt all theſe things to be true: but Peter receiued this power from heauen. God gaue a vertue to his woorde that many did beleeue him, and great miracles were wrought by him. The ſame power had I alſo: which I receiued not of Peter, but the ſame God and the ſame ſpirite which was mightie in Peter, was mightie in me alſo. I had the ſame grace: I taught many: I wrought many miracles, and through my ſhadow alſo I cured the ſicke. And this Luke teſtifieth in the .19.Actes. 19.11.12. of the Actes in theſe wordes: And God vvrought no ſmall miracles by the handes of Paule, ſo that from his body vvere brought napkins and handkercheefes, and the diſeaſes departed from them, and the euill ſpirites vvent out of them. Read more hereof in the .13.16.20.28. of the Actes.
To conclude, Paule wil be counted in no poynt inferiour to the reſt of the Apoſtles: and herein he ſtandeth with a godly and a holy pride. For he was compelled of neceſſitie to take vponupon him ſtoutly againſt Peter, The ſtoutnes of Paul is not carnall.and the zeale of God conſtrained him to be proud whether he would or no. Certaine prophane ſpirites, as Iulianus and Porphirius not conſidering this, thought it to be but a carnall pride that cauſed Paule thus to doe: ſuch as at this day we ſee in the Pope and his generation. But Paule had not here his owne buſines in hand, but a matter of Faith. Nowe, as concerning Faith we ought to be inuincible, and more harde if it might be, then the Adamant ſtone. But as touching charitie, we ought to be ſoft, and more flexible then the reede or leafe that is ſhaken with the winde, and ready to yelde to eueryevery thing. Therefore the controuerſie was not here touching the glorie of Paule, but the glory of God, the word of God, the true worſhip of God, true religion, and the righteouſnes of Faith, to the ende that theſe things might ſtill remaine pure and vncorrupt.
Verſe. 9. And vvhen Iames and Cephas and Iohn knevv of the grace that vvas geuen vntounto me, vvhichwhich are counted to be pillers, they gaue to me and to Barnabas the right hands of felovvship, that vve should preach vntounto the Gentiles, and they vntounto the circumciſion.
That is to ſay, when they heard that I had receaued my calling and charge from god to preach the goſpel among the Gentiles, & that God had wrought ſo many miracles by me: moreouer, that ſo great a nomber of the Gentiles were come to the knowledge of Chriſt through my miniſterie, and that the Gentiles had receiued the holy Ghoſt without the law and circumciſion by the onelyonly preaching of faith, they glorified God for this grace which was geuen vntounto me.
VVhat Paule calleth grace in this place.He calleth grace here what ſo euer he had receaued of God: to wit, that of a perſecuter and waſter of the Church, he was made an Apoſtle, was taught by Ieſus Chriſt, & enriched with ſpiritual gifts. And heerewithall he ſheweth that Peter gaue teſtimonie vntounto him,Peter alovveth the miniſterie of Paul. that he was a true Apoſtle, ſent and taught, not by hym ſelfe nor by the other Apoſtles, but by God alone, and not onelyonly acknowledged the miniſterie and authoritie of Paule, and giftes of the ſpirite which were in him, as heauenly things, but alſo approued and confirmed the ſame, and yet not as a ſuperiour and ruler, but as a brother and witnes. Iames and Iohn did …wiſe the ſame. Wherefore he concludeth that they which are eſſe… for the cheefe pillers amongſt the Apoſtles, are wholy with him and not againſt him.
Verſe. 9. The right handes of felovvship.
As if they ſhould hauehave ſayd: We (O Paule) in preaching the goſpel, doe agree with thee in all things. Therefore in doctrine we are companions and hauehave felowſhip togither therin: that is to ſay, we hauehave all one doctrine,Paule and the other Apoſtles taught all one goſpell. for we preach one goſpell, one baptiſme, one Chriſt and one faith. Wherefore we can teach or enioyne thee nothing, ſince there is one mutuall conſent betwixt vsus in all things. For we doe not teach any other or more excellent things then thou doeſt: but the ſame giftes which we hauehave, we ſee to be in thee alſo, ſauing that to thee is committed the Goſpell ouer the vncircumciſion, as the Goſpell ouer the circumciſion is vntounto vsus. But we conclude here that neither vncircumciſion nor circumciſion ought to hinder our ſocietie and felowſhip, ſince it is but one goſpell which we both preach.
Hetherto Paule hath proued by manifeſt witnes, not only from god, but alſo frō man, that is to ſay, the apoſtles, yt he had truely & faithfully preached the goſpel. Therfore he ſheweth that what ſo euer the falſe apoſtles ſayd to diminiſh his authority, is but fained and forged matter, and yt the teſtimony of the Apoſtles maketh for him, & not for the falſe apoſtles. But for that he is alone & wtout witnes, therfore he addeth an oth, & calleth God to record that ye things which he hath ſpokē are true.
Verſe. 10. VVarning onelyonly that vve should remember the poore: vvhichwhich thing alſo I vvas diligent to doe.
After the preaching of the Goſpel,A good miniſter muſt be carefull for the poore. Eſay. 61.1. Math. 11.1. Luke. 4.16. the office and charge of a true and faithful Paſtor is, to be mindful of ye poore. For where the Church is, there muſt needes be poore: who for the moſt part are the onelyonly true diſciples of the Goſpell, as Chriſt ſayth: The poore receiue the glad tidings of the Goſpell. For the world and the Deuill do perſecute the Church, and bring many to pouertie, who are afterwardes forſaken and deſpiſed of the world. Moreouer the world not onelyonly offendeth herein,The vvorld is forvvard to geue for the maintenaunce of vngodlines, but it careth not for Gods miniſters. but is alſo careleſſe for the maintenaunce and preſeruation of the goſpell, true religion, and the true ſeruice of God. There is none that will now take any care for the nouriſhing of the miniſters of the Church, and erecting of ſcholes: but for the erecting and ſtabliſhing of falſe worſhip, ſuperſtition and idolatrie, no coſt was ſpared, but eueryevery man was ready to geue largely what ſo euer could be made. And hereof came vp ſo many Monaſteries, ſo many cathedrall Churches, ſo many Biſhopprickes in the Popes church where all impietie raigned, with ſo great reuenues prouided for their ſuſtentation: where as now a whole Citie thinketh it much to finde one or two poore miniſters and preachers of the Goſpell, which before, whiles the Pope and all impietie raigned, was charged and burdened with finding ſo many Monaſteries and infinite ſwarmes of maſſing Prieſtes. To be briefe, true religion is euer in neede. And Chriſt complaineth, that he is hungrie, thirſtie, harbourles, naked and ſicke. Contrariwiſe,Math. 25.3…. falſe religion and impietie flouriſheth & aboundeth with all worldly wealth and proſperitie. Wherfore a true and faithful Paſtor muſt hauehave a care of the poore alſo: and this care Paule here confeſſeth that he had.