100 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. (Cu. Il.
worthy of their fellowship. He is careful to speak of it as a gift of God, dobeicar.
They gave the right hands of fellowship (deEvas édwxav xowwwvias). The phrase only herein N. T. A token of alli- ance in the apostolic office of preaching and teaching. The giving of the right hand in pledge was not a distinctively Jewish custom. It appears as early as Homer. Deissmann cites an inscription from Pergamum, 98 B.c., in which the Pergamenes offer to adjust the strife between Sardes and Ephesus, and send a mediator dotvat ras yeipas es cvAAVOLW to give hands for a treaty. See defsav or defsas duddvat, 1 Mace. vi. 58; xi. 50, 62; xiii. 50; 2 Mace. xi. 26; xii. 11; xiii. 22; and def. XapBavew to receive right hand or hands, 1 Macc. xi. 66; xiii. 50; 2 Macc. xii. 12; xiv. 19.* -The custom prevailed among the Persians, from whom it may have passed to the Jews. See Joseph. Antig. xvill. 9, 3. Images of right hands clasped were sometimes exchanged in token of friendship (see Xen. Anab. il. 4, 1). Tacitus (Hist. i. 54) says: “The state of the Lingones had sent, according to an ancient institution, right hands, as gifts to the legions, a signal token of good will.” On Roman coins often appear two hands joined, with various inscriptions, as Exercituum Fides ; Concordia ; Consensus. 'To give the hand in confirmation of a promise occurs Ez. x. 19. In Isa. Lxii. 8, God swears by his right hand.
10. Only. With only this stipulation.
We should remember (uvnpoved@uev). The only instance in N. T. of this verb in the sense of beneficent care. No instance in LXX. In Ps. ix. 12, there is the thought but not the word.
* Lightfoot says that, in patriarchal times, the outward gesture which confirmed an oath was different, and refers to Gen. xxiv. 2. But this usage is referred to in only one other place, Gen. xlvii. 29, and nothing is certainly known as to the significance of the act. See the interesting note on Gen. xxiv. 2, in Lange’s Commentary.
Cu. IL] THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. 101
The poor (1av rrwyav). The poor Christians of Pales- tine. Comp. Acts xxiv. 17; Rom. xv. 26, 27; 1 Cor. xvi. 3; 2Cor.ix.1. For the word; see on Matt. v. 3. In LXX ordinarily of those who are oppressed, in contrast with rich and powerful oppressors ; or of those who are quiet in con- trast with the lawless.
The same which (6— avr rodr0). Lit. which, this very thing. The expression is peculiarly emphatic, and brings out the contrast between Judaising hostility and Paul’s spirit of loving zeal. Rev. which very thing.
11. To the face (kata mpccwrov). As Acts iii. 13. The meaning is expressed in the familiar phrase faced him down. It is, however, rarely as strong as this in N. T. Rather before the face, or im the face of, meaning simply in the sight or presence of (lL. il. 31), or according to appearance (2 Cor. i. 7). The explanation that Paul withstood Peter only in appearance or semblance (so Jerome, Chrysostom, Theodoret, and other Fathers) is one of the curiosities of exegesis, and was probably adopted out of misplaced consideration for the prestige of Peter.
He was to be blamed (xateyrwopévos wv). A. V. is wrong. Rey. correctly, he stood condemned. Not by the body of Christians at Antioch; rather his act was its own condemnation.
12. Did eat with (cuvrycOev). A. V. misses the force of the imperfect, marking Peter’s custom. Not only at church feasts, but at ordinary meals, in defiance of the Pharisaic prohibition. Peter had been shown by special revelation that this prohibition was not binding (Acts x. 28; xi. 8, 9), and had defended that position in the apostolic conference acts xv. ( if.).