1. Fourteen years after (61a Sexateccdpwv érov). Rey. after the space of fourteen years. Comp. &’ érév mdedvev after several years, Acts xxiv. 17; &v jmepav after (some) days, Mk. ii. 1. Ava means after, that is, a given number of years being interposed between two points of time. Not, in the course of (Rev. marg.).
94 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. IL.
2. By revelation (cata amoxddvyiv). It was specially and divinely revealed to me that I should go. In what way, he does not state.
Communicated (aveOéunv). Only here and Acts xxv. 14. "Avda up, Tévat to set. ‘To set up a thing for the considera- tion of others: to lay tt before them.
Unto them (adrois). The Christians of Jerusalem gen- erally.
Privately (xa7’ idéav). The general communication to the Jerusalem Christians was accompanied by a private consult- ation with the leaders. Not that a different subject was discussed in private, but that the discussion was deeper and more detailed than would have befitted the whole body of Christians.
To them which were of reputation (rots Soxodcwv). Lit. to those who seem; are reputed. Men of recognised position, James, Cephas, John. Not his adversaries who were adher- ents of these three. It is not to be supposed that he would submit his gospel to such. The expression is therefore not used ironically. Paul recognises the honorable position of the three and their rightful claim to respect. The repetition of the phrase (vv. 6, 9) may point to a favorite expression of his opponents in commending these leaders to Paul as models for his preaching ; hardly (as Lightfoot) to the con- trast between the estimation in which they were held and the actual services which they rendered to him. He chooses this expression because the matter at stake was his recogni- tion by the earlier apostles, and any ironical designation would be out of place.*
Lest by any means | should run or had run in vain. Better, should be running. Comp. Philip. ii. 16. This is
* For the expression of doxodvres in Class., see Thucyd. i. 76; Eurip. Hec. 295; Troad. 609.
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sometimes explained as implying a misgiving on Paul’s part as to the soundness of his own teaching, which he desired to have set at rest by the decision of the principal apostles. On this explanation uw mas will be rendered lest in some way or other. But such a misgiving is contrary to Paul’s habitual attitude of settled conviction respecting that gospel which he had received by revelation, and in the preaching of which he had been confirmed by experience. In consult- ing the Christians at Jerusalem Paul had. principally in view the formal indorsement of his work by the church and its leaders. Their formal declaration that he had not been running in vain would materially aid him in his mission. My zs is therefore to be taken as marking an indirect question, whether — not possibly ; and the sense of the whole passage is as follows: “I laid before them that gospel which I preach to the Gentiles, that they might examine and settle for themselves the question whether I am not possibly run- ning or had run in vain.” The investigation was to be for their satisfaction, not for Paul’s.* Run (rpéxetv) is a favorite metaphor with Paul. See Rom. ix. 16; 1 Cor. ix. 24, 26; Gal. v. 7; Philip. ii. 16; iii. 18, 14.
3. Neither (oddé). More correctly, not even. So far were they from pronouncing my labour in vain, that not even Titus was compelled to be circumcised, although he was a Greek. Though approving Paul’s preaching, the apostles might, for the sake of conciliation, have insisted on the circumcision of his Gentile companion.
Being a Greek (“EAAny dv). Or, although he was a Greek. Const. closely with adv éuol with me. It was a bold proceed-