Prefatory Galatians. PREFATORY REMARKS remarks. TO THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE GALATIANS. THE Galatians were descendants of the ancient Gauls, who leaving their native country, now France, wandered into Asia Minor, and established themselves in a part of the country, which from them, was called Gallo-græcia, or Galatia. These Gauls having little intercourse with their neighbours, long continued a rude and illiterate people; yet they wanted neither inclination nor capacity to receive instruction; for when St. Paul came among them, they listened with rapture to his preaching, & soon formed themselves into a number of churches. Not long after the Galatians had embraced the Gospel, certain false teachers from Judea, zealous for the Mosaic institutions, came among them; and to discredit Paul, and counteract his influence, represented him as inferior to the other apostles; as their disciple, but differing from them in doctrine; and although they acknowledged Jesus Christ and his religion, they insisted, that circumcision and observance of the ritual law were still necessary to salvation, and that the three great apostles Peter, James, and John had taught those doctrines. Perceiving therefore how great an obstacle these impositions would be to the conversion of the Gentiles, Paul in this Epistle, which is supposed to have been written about A. D. 53, strenuously vindicates the liberty of the Gospel, that is, its freedom from Jewish rites; and shews, that in point of authority he was in no respect inferior to other apostles; he also treats of justification by faith, of the temporary use and of the abolition of the Mosaic law; and shews that faith in Christ alone, without the Jewish ceremonies, is sufficient to obtain everlasting life; and finally he exhorts the Galatians to persevere in their Christian liberty, but to use it rightly; and not either by licentiousness, or superstition, neglect the impor tant duties of Christianity. THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead,) 2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia : 3 Grace be to you, and Chap. i. Paul reproveth peace, from God the Father, & 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 forever 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: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you,a and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. 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 persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. 11 But I certify you, brethren, that the Gospel, which was preached of me, is not after man. a There be some that trouble you. Paul here alludes to the numerous Jews, who traversed the countries, where the Gospel had been preached, and taught that the rites and ceremonies of the law of Moses were necessary to salvation. This ceremonial law is what Paul means by another Gospel, or rather no Gospel. the Galatians. 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.b 13 For ye have heard of my conversatione in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it; 14 And profited in the Jews' religion, above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred d not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia,and returned again unto Damascus. 18 Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. 19 But other of the apostles b By the revelation, &c. The false teachers had endeavoured to lessen Paul's authority with the Galatians by teaching, that he was not an apostle of Jesus Christ; but that he had been intrusted only by the other apostles, and that he had even departed from their doctrine. c Conversation, conduct or behaviour. d Conferred, consulted.. saw I none, savee James the Lord's brother. 20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God I lie not. 21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; 22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ: 23 But they had heard only, that he which persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. 24 And they glorified God in me. he received means I should run,a or had run, in vain. 3 But neither Titus,b who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be cireumcised: 4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty,c which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage :d 5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you. 6 But of those, who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me; God accepteth no man's person;) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:e 7 But, contrariwise, when a I should run, &c. I should labour, or had laboured in vain. b But neither, &c. However, not even Titus, although a Greek, &c. c Our liberty, our freedom from the burthensome and painful rites of Moses. d Into bondage, under the ceremo nies of the law. nicated nothing, no part of the Gos e In conference added, &c. commupel, neither knowledge, spiritual gifts, nor authority. * In the four first verses of this chapter Paul tells the Galatians that his was the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, which his enemies denied, and that it did not require Gentiles to observe the rites of the Jewish law; and as evidence of it, he says, that the apostles at Jerusalem did not disapprove of it, nor did they compel Titus, who was a Gentile convert, to be circumcised, notwithstanding the presence of false brethren, who were zealous for the support of the Jewish rites. the Gospel, &c. Chap. ii. Justification by faith. they saw, that the Gospel of the uncircumcision ƒ was committed unto me, as the Gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter ig 8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles ;) 9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. 10 Only they would that we should remember the poor : the same which I also was forward to do. 11 But when Peter was come to Antioch I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles; but when they were come, he withdrew, and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. f The Gospel of the uncircumcision; the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles. & The Gospel of the circumcision, the preaching of the Gospel to the Jews. N.B. It may here be remarked, that circumcision, because it was one of the distinguishing and peculiar rites of the Israelites, frequently signifies the Jews; and uncircumcision the Gentiles. ; 13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly, according to the truth of the Gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews ? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,h 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is, therefore, Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.i Not sinners, &c. not idolatrous Gentiles. f i For I through breaking the law am pronounced dead, by the curse or sentence of the law, so that, if I live, it must be by the free grace of God. 20 I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God; for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. CHAP. III. 1 He asketh what moved them to leave the faith, and depend on the law. 6 They that believe are justified, 9 and blessed with Abraham. O FOOLISH Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law,a or by the hearing of faith Pb s Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? a By the works of the law, on account of performing the works, or observing the ceremonies of the law of Moses. In the first verses of this chapter Paul is reasoning to show those Galatians, whom he had taught the Gospel,& to whom he had imiparted spiritual gifts; but who had been seduced by false teachers, that under the Gospel, the rites of Moses, that is sacrifices, circumcision, &c. are no longer necessary to salvation. b By the hearing, by the obedience of faith. and blessed. 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5 He, therefore, that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was account. ed to him for righteousness.c 7 Know ye, therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying,d In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then, they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written,e Cursed is every one, that continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the law, to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident; for, The just shall life by faith.f ċ Abraham believed God, &c. Paul here alludes to Gen. xv. 5. d Saying, Gen. xii. 3. e It is written, Deut. xxvii. 26. f The just shall live by faith; this sentence is sometimes translated; The just by faith, that is, those, who have the justifying faith of Abraham, shall live. See Rom. iii. 8. |
