Jerusalem. — ev6'eu$, immediately) This is chiefly connected with atfijXQov, I went away. The sudden fitness of the apostle is denoted, Acts ix. 20, he straightway preached. [Moved, how ever, by peculiar modesty, he willingly yielded the palm to his senior colleagues, if at any time they were present. — V. g.] Jerome construes sinews with iva evayysXt^u/j^af, that I might forthwith preach. — ov Vfttfawtifm*) I had not recourse to flesh and blood, for the sake of consulting them. The same verb, and aved'spriv, occur ii. 6, 2. The dictionaries (which see) make no distinction between the single and double compound verb. But the apostle seems to have considerately made the distinction, so that vpbs means, besides, further, i.e., divine revelation was suf ficient for me [I went no further than it]. — trapx/ Kai a/]aar/, to flesh and blood) i.e., to man or men, ch. ii. 6; comp. Matt. xvi. 17, note.
17. Ovds avyXQov) Neither went I up ; so dv5jX0s, John vi. 3. — 'lepoffoXvpa, to Jerusalem) the seat of the apostles. — 'Apafiiav, Arabia) a country of the Gentiles. — KaXiv wfstfrpt-4'oi, again I re turned) Paul here takes for granted that his journey to Damascus, on which he had been converted, was previously known. — Aaf&attxbvy Damascus) of Syria. There is no other Damascus than that of Syria, but I have added the mention of Syria, because he had been formerly speaking of Arabia, etc.
18. Tpiaj three) After he had given proofs of the apostolic office. — /tfropTjtfa/) a weighty expression,1 as referring to an im portant matter. He did not say idsTv [though Engl. Vers. so renders it, to see}, but i<rropri<rai, " which," (says Chyrs.) " is said by those who accurately observe (o/ xara^avQavovTsi) great and splendid cities." Plutarch represents Solon and many others as having tra velled for the purpose of acquiring great wisdom and information (/Vrop/ag). Julian, when he was about to consult the diviners in the cities of Greece, alleged as the cause of his going, the extensive information of Greece (xaff hropiav r^g 'EXXadoc), and of the schools there. Greg. Naz., Or. 4, Cresoll. theatr. rhet., p. 163. — lisrpov, Peter) Therefore Paul preferred him to the
Th. 'lorap, i'vyui; to become acquainted with anything by visiting and inquiry, Pol. ix. 14, 3. ' Ivrop. rivet, to become acquainted with one by a face to face interview. — ED. See Wahl. Clav.
8
other apostles, ch. ii. 7. — dexairevre, fifteen) during so short a time, Paul means to say, Peter would not have been able to have made me an apostle.. [It is profitable to observe rather carefully, what are the dealings of God with thee, that when cir cumstances permit, thou mayest confidently appeal to them even after a long interval. — V. g.]
19. Tbv ddsXpbv ro\j Kvplov, the Lord *s brother) cousin of Jesus. There was no other James, the Lord's brother, and an apostle.
20. 'idou, behold) viz. l<rr/, it is ; for on means tliat.}
21. THX0ov, I came) with the Gospel, ver. 23.
22. TJJS Iwdafag, of Judcva) with the exception of Jerusalem.
23. *o diuxuv, he who persecuted) He had been very well known by this name, nor was the name Saul itself so celebrated, as that of the persecutor.
24. 'Ed6%a?ov9 they glorified) And in the present day the Church glorifies God in Paul. [Remember thou to observe the same thing (to glorify God) as often as a good report (about some one converted from ungodliness), has been brought to thee.
— V. g.] — sv l//,o/, in me) comp. note to ver. 16. They glorified God previously, they now glorified Him also on account of Paul.