any obligation to conform to the opinions or prejudices of other men ? This, however, is a freedom which I have not availed myself of. Nay more, Atn I not an apostle ? Be- sides the rights which belong to all Christians, have I not all the prerogatives of an apostle ? Am I not on a level with the chief of the apostles ? Who of them can show a better title to the office ? There were three kinds of evidence of the apostleship. 1. The immediate commission from Christ in the sight of witnesses, or otherwise confirmed. 2. Signs and won- ders, and mighty deeds, 2 Cor. 12, 12. 3. The success of their ministry. No man could be an apostle who had not seen the Lord Jesus after his resurrection, because that was one of the essential facts of which they were to be the witnesses. Acts 1,22. Neither could any man be an apostle who did not receive his knowledge of the gospel by immediate revelation from Christ, for the apostles were the witnesses also of his doctrines. Acts 1, 8. 10, 39. 22, 15. Gal. 1, 12. The necessity of this immedi- ate mission and independent knowledge is insisted upon at length m the epistle to the Galatians. In proof of his apostle- ship Paul here appeals only to two sources of evidence ; first, to his having seen the Lord Jesus ; and second, to the success of his ministry. Ye are my work in the Lord. That is, either, you in the Lord, your being in the Lord (i. e. your conversion), is my work ; or, the words (eV Kvptw) may mean hy the Lord^ i. e. by his co-operation. The former explanation is to be preferred, as the apostle's object is to state in what sense they were his work. It was as being in the Lord. The connection of this verse, and of the whole chapter, with what precedes is obvious. His design is to show that he had him- self acted on the principle which he urged on others. Neither as a Christian nor as an apostle had he insisted upon his rights, without regard to the prejudices of others or the good of the church.
2. If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you : for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
If to others^ i. e. in the estimation of others, I he not an apostle^ surely I am to you. Whatever pretence others may have to question my apostleship, you certainly can have none ; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord. Your con- version is the seal of God to my commission. The conversion 7*