voL, Iv. —7
98 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. (Cx. I.
the apostles were matters of indifference to him, but that he was indifferent about receiving his commission from them as recognised dignitaries of the church. The construction is: “To be something (elva/ rv) at the hands of (470) those who were of repute matters nothing to me.”
God accepteth no man’s person. Or more strictly, accepteth not the person of man. Parenthetical. AapPBavew mpoawrrov to receive or accept the face isa Hebraism. See on Jas. ii. 1. In O. T. both ina good and a bad sense; to be gracious, and to show favour from personal or partisan motives. In N. T. only here and L. xx. 21, both in a bad sense. Sim- ilar Hebraistic expressions are BAérev eis pdcawrrov to look at the face, Matt. xxii. 16: Oavudfew mpdcwra to admire the countenances, Jude 16: xavydcOa év rpocwry® to glory in the
face, 2 Cor. v. 12.
For—to me. Explaining the previous statement. To be of consequence because commissioned by those in repute mat- ters nothing to me (God accepteth not man’s person), for although they might have asserted their high repute and authority to others, to me they did not, as was shown by their imposing on me no new requirements.
In conference added nothing (ovdév mpocavéGevto). In conference is an attempt to conform the sense to ch. i. 16. The verb without the accusative, as there, means to confer with. Here, with the accusative, the meaning is laid upon or imposed on. Rend. therefore, imposed nothing on me. They imposed on me no new (pos additional) requirements ; no conditions or limitations of my missionary work.*
T. The gospel of the uncircumcision (70 evayyédov THs axpoBvorias). ‘The phrase only here in N. T. The gospel
* It is objected that this meaning is precluded by the middle voice, which requires us to render undertook. But the word in the middle voice is used in an active sense (see Xen. Cyr. viii. 5, 4). It may mean to lay woon another for one’s own use or advantage (Xen. Anab. ii. 2,4). Sohere. They imposed no obligations in their own interest as Jewish Christians.
Cu. IL] THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. 99
which was to be preached to the uncircumcised — the Gen- tiles. Lightfoot aptly says: “It denotes a distinction of sphere, and not a difference of type.”
8. He that wrought effectually (0 évepyjoas). See on 1 Th. ii. 13. Rey. omits effectually, but it is fairly implied in the verb.* Comp. 1 Cor. xii. 6; Philip. ii. 18; Col. i. 29. The reference is to God, not to Christ.
In Peter (Iletpm). Better, for Peter. In Peter would be ev Ilerpo.
Unto the apostleship (es). Not merely with reference to the apostleship, but with the design of making him an apostle. Comp. 2 Cor. ii. 12; Col. i. 29. Observe how Paul puts himself on an equality with Peter.
Unto the Gentiles “eis ra €0vm). To make me an apostle to the Gentiles.
9. Who seemed to be pillars (of Soxotvres ortrou civar). Better, who are in repute as pillars. The metaphor of pillars, applied to the great representatives and supporters of an institution, is old, and common in all languages.
The grace (r7v yap). Including all the manifestations of divine grace in Paul—his mission, special endowment, success in preaching the gospel—all showing that he was
* So Weizsicker, wirksam war: and Lipsius, sich wirksam erwiesen hat.
+ See Pindar, Ol. ii. 146, of Hector; Eurip. Jph. T. 50, 55, of the sons of a house. Hor. Carm. i. 35, 18, stantem columnam, of the public security and stability. Chaucer, of the Frere, Prol. to Canterbury Tales, 214,
‘‘ Un-to his ordre he was a noble post.’’ Milton, Par. ZL. ii. 8302, of Beelzebub:
‘¢in his rising seemed A pillar of state.”’
See also Clement, ad Corinth. V., and in N. T. 1 Tim. iii. 15; Apoc. iii. 12.