former, * To the Jews, i. e. to those under the law, I became as a Jew, i. e. as one mider the law.'
" Not being myself under the law," jxrj wv avros virb vo/xov. This- clause happened to be omitted from the Elziver edition of the Greek Testament from which our translation was made, and therefore fails in the common EngUsh version. It is found, however, in all the more ancient manuscripts, in many of the fathers and early versions, and is therefore adopted by most modern editors. The internal evidence is also in its favour. It was important for Paul to say that although acting as under the law, he was not under it ; because it was a fun- damental principle of the gospel which he preached, that be- Kevers are freed from the law. " We are not under law, but under grace," Rom. 6, 14. It was necessary, therefore, that his compliance with the Jewish law should be recognized as a matter of volimtary concession.
21. To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God,. but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
Those icithoiit kao were the heathen, who had no written revelation as the rule of their conduct; comp. Rom. 2, 12. As, however, the word (avo/xos), icithoiit law^ means also recl^ less^ regardless of moral restraints, Paul is careful to explain in what sense he acted as without law. When among the Gentiles he did not conform to the Jemsh law ; in that sense, he was without law ; but he did not act as icithout lav; to God^ i. e. without regard to the obligation of the moral law ; but as under law to Christy i. e. as recognizing his obligation to obey Christ, whose will is the highest rule of duty. In other words, he was not under the Jewish law ; but he was under the moral law. He disregarded the Jewish law that he might gain those without law^ i. e. the Gentiles. When in Jerusalem, he conformed to the Jemsh law ; when in Antioch he refused to do so, and rebuked Peter for acting as a Jew among the Gentiles, Gal. 2, 11-21. It would have greatly im- peded, if not entirely prevented, the progress of the gospel among the heathen, had it been burdened with the whole weight of the Jemsh ceremonies and restrictions. Peter him- self had told even the Jews that the Mosaic law was a yoke which neither they nor their fathers had been able to bear, Acts 15, 10. And Paul said to the Galatians, that he had re-