Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 1 · Verse extract 18 – Verse extract 23
Verſe. 18. Then after .iij. yeares I came againe to Ieruſalem, to viſite Peter, and abode vvith him .xv. dayes. And none other of the Apoſtles ſavve I, ſaue Iames the Lordes brother.
Paule graunteth that he was with the Apoſtles, but not with all the Apoſtles. Howbeit he declareth that he went vp to Ieruſalem to them, not commaunded, but of his owne accorde: Moreouer, not to learne any thing of them, but to ſee Peter. The ſame thing Luke alſo wryteth in the ninth chapter of the Actes: that Barnabas led Paule to the Apoſtles, and declared to them, how he had ſeene the Lord in the way, and how he ſpake vntounto him: Alſo how he had preached boldly at Damaſcus in the name of Ieſus. This witnes beareth Barnabas of him. All his words therfore are ſo framed to the purpoſe, yt they proue his goſpell not to be of man. In deede he graunteth that he had ſeene Peter and Iames the brother of our Lord, but none other of the Apoſtles beſides theſe two, and that he learned nothing of them.
He graūteth then that he was at Ieruſalem with the Apoſtles: and this did the falſe Apoſtles truely report. He graunteth moreouer that he had liued after ye maner of the Iewes, but yet onelyonly among ye Iewes. And this is it which he ſayth in the.Paule became all things to all men. 1. Cor. 9.20. 1. Cor. 9. vvhen I vvas free from all men, I made my ſelfe ſeruaunt to all men, that I might vvin the moe. To the Ievves I became as a Ievve, that I might vvin the Ievves, and I vvas made all things to all mē, that I might by all meanes ſaue ſome. He yeldeth then that he was at Ieruſalem with the Apoſtles, but he denieth that he had learned his goſpell of them. Alſo he denieth that he was conſtrained to teach the Goſpell as the Apoſtles had preſcribed. The whole effect then of this matter lieth in this word, to ſee: I went (ſayth he) to ſee Peter, and not to learne of him. Therefore neither is Peter my maſter, nor yet Iames. And as for the other Apoſtles, he vtterly denieth that he ſaw any of them.
But why doth Paule repete this ſo often, that he learned not his goſpell of men,VVhy Paule glorieth ſo much that he hath not learned his goſpel of any man. nor of the Apoſtles them ſelues? His purpoſe is this, to perſwade the churches of Galatia which were now led away by the falſe Apoſtles, and to put them out of all dout that his goſpell was the true word of God, and for this cauſe he repeteth it ſo often. And if he had not preuailed herein, he could neuer hauehave ſtopped the mouthes of the falſe apoſtles. For thus they would hauehave obiected agaīſt him: We are as good as Paule: we are the diſciples of the Apoſtles as well as he: Moreouer, he is but one alone and we are many, therfore we excell him, both in authoritie and in number alſo.
Here Paule was conſtrained to boaſt, to affirme, and ſweare, that he learned not his goſpell of any man, neither receaued it of the Apoſtles themſelues. For his miniſterie was here in great daunger, and al the churches likewiſe which had vſed him as their cheefe paſtor and teacher. The neceſſitie therfore of his Miniſterie and of all the Churches required, that with a neceſſary and holy pride he ſhould vaunt of his vocation, and of the reuelation of the Goſpell made open vntounto him by Chriſt, that their conſciences might be thorowly perſwaded yt his doctrine was the true word of God. Here had Paule a waightie matter in hand: namely, that all the Churches in Galatia might be kept in ſound doctrine: and to be ſhort, the matter was concerning life & death euerlaſting. For if the pure and certaine word of God be once taken away, there remaineth no more conſolation, life, or ſaluation. The cauſe therfore why he reciteth theſe things, is to retaine the Churches ſtill in true doctrine, and not to maintaine his own glorie, as Porphirie and Iulian doe falſly ſclaunder him. His purpoſe is then to ſhew by this hiſtorie, that he receaued his goſpel of no man: Againe, that he preached for a certaine time, namely the ſpace of three or foure yeares, the ſelfe ſame Goſpel that the Apoſtles had preached, by reuelation from God, both in Damaſcus and Arabia, before he had ſeene any of the Apoſtles.
Verſe. 20. And novve the things vvhichwhich I vvrite vntounto you, he hold I vvitnes before God, I lie not.
Wherefore addeth he an oth? Becauſe he reporteth an hiſtory he is conſtrained to ſweare, to the ende that the churches might beleue him, and alſo that the falſe Apoſtles ſhould not ſay:Paule ſvveareth. who knoweth whether Paule ſpeaketh the truth or no? Here you ſee that Paule the elect veſſel of God was in ſo great contempt among his owne Galathians, to whom he had preached, that it was neceſſary for him to ſweare that he ſpake the truth If this happened then to the Apoſtles, to hauehave ſo mighty aduerſaries, that they durſt deſpiſe them and accuſe them of lying, what maruell is it, if the like at this day happen vntounto vsus, which in no reſpect are worthy to be compared with the Apoſtles? He ſweareth therfore in a matter (as it ſeemeth) of no weight, yt he ſpeaketh the truth, namely that he taryed not with Peter to learne of him, but onelyonly to ſee him: but if you way the matter diligently, it is very weighty and of greate importance, as may appeare by that is ſaid afore. In like maner we ſweare after ye example of Paule: God knovveth that vve lie not. &c.
Verſe. 21. After that, I vvent into the coaſtes of Syria and Cilicia.
Syria and Cilicia are countreys neare ſituate together. This is it that he ſtill goeth about to perſwade, that as well before he had ſeene the Apoſtles as after, he was alwaies a teacher of the Goſpell, and that he receaued it by the reuelation of Chriſt, and was neuer any diſciple of the Apoſtels.
Verſe. 22, 23. For I vvas vnknovven by face vntounto the churches of Iudea, vvhichwhich vvere in Chriſt. But they heard onelyonly ſome ſay, he vvhichwhich perſecuted in times paſt, novv preacheth the faith vvhichwhich before he deſtroied. And they glorified God.
This he addeth for the ſequele and continuance of the hiſtory,The teſtimony of all the churches in Iudea for Paule. that after he had ſeene Peter, he went into Syria and Cilicia, and there preached, and ſo preached that he wonne the teſtimony of all the churches in Iudea. As though he would ſay: I appeale to the teſtimony of all the churches, yea euen of thoſe which are in Iudea. For the churches doe witneſſe, not onelyonly in Damaſcus, Arabia, Syria, and Cilicia, but alſo in Iudea, that I hauehave preached the ſame faith which I once withſtoode and perſecuted. And they glorifie God in me: not becauſe I taught that circumciſion and the law of Moſes ought to be kept, but for the preaching of faith and for the edifying of the churches by my miniſtery in the Goſpell. Ye therefore hauehave the teſtimony, not onelyonly of the people of Damaſcus and of Arabia, but alſo of the whole Catholike or vniuerſall church in Iudea.