The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 58

tbie exalted Jeeos bore to iodividoe.1 human of our being, a. miracle; and 1111 such the souls, in particule.r to Saul's own soul; and apostle himself manifestly regarded it. It further, of the relation which he bore to the is he.rd to believe but that he would have dispensations or God e.s dee.ling with his repudiated with high disdain (1 Cor. ii. 15) people, and as dealing with mankind at any attempt to solve the marvellonsness large ;-n perception of these things which of the phenomenon in the alembic of rational would then only be true and just when explanation; any theory which should find accompanied with e. duly appreciative, ee.tie- the phenomenon to be BBtisfactorily ac- fying, ndoring sense of the infinite excellency counted for by these or those conditions of what we.a thus disclosed to him, and of of his foregoing psychological history. its perfect adaptation to the wants of man These le.et may have prepared a fe.vour- e.e sinful. In short, this " revelation" to e.ble field of development ; bot he knew Saul "of Jesus Christ" involved that spiri- for a surety that the product itself was tual transformation which, in 2 Cor. iv. 6, no nature.I offspring of e.ny spontaneous the apostle describes in the following words : operations of his own mind. The very "It is God, that ee.idi Light shall shine out phrase in the verse before us, " the re-uelatum of darkness, who shined in our bee.rte, to of Jesus Christ," e.e well e.e the comparison give the light [or, illumination] of the which in 2 Cor. iv. 6 he draws between his knowledge of the glory of God in the face of spiritual transformation and the supematva.J. Jesus Christ." For in thnt passage, though operation of the Almighty'e fiat, "Let there in the form in which he clothes hie thought be light,'' plainly shows that he would have he speaks as if conjoining others with him- refused to e.llow the cause discoverable any- self, it appears almost certain that he is where else eave in the unexplainable opera.- describing there, e.e further on in vers. 7-12, tioue of sovereign, almighty grace. And in his own personal experiences (see beginning all prudence we should be content t.o be of note on ver. 8), and e.lso that he is de- herein not wiser than he. scribing that first introduction into his own Ver.13.-P'orye have heard(/i1<0J1Tirr•-yoip). understanding and bee.rt of the truths of the This "for" iutroduces the whole statement gospel, which qualified him thenceforward which follows down to the end of the chap- to fulfil bis mission to proclaim it. This ter ; for the entire section is written with e.ppee.rs confessedly to have been in e. very the view of subste.ntie.ting the assertion in marked degree e. miracle-a more.I and spiri- ver. 12, the.t he had not received the gospel tual miracle. In truth, the new birth of e. which he preached from me.n, hut solely- human soul into the kingdom or God (John through illumination imparted irumed.ie.tely iii. 8) must ever be such, coming we know from heaven. "Ye have heard," i.e. have not how. What, however, seems to dis- been told: e.s Acts xi. 1; John iv. 1, and tinguish this ce.se from most others, even often. "I am only stating whe.t ye he.ve from tbe.t of those previously called to be e.lree.dy been apprised of, when I tell you apostles, is the rapidity with which we.e of," etc. That the aorist tense of the Greek formed in Saul the mind of "an apostle of word does not limit the expression to e.ny the Gentiles "-a mind, that is,distinctly and one communication, such e.g. e.s one made unhe.ltingly conscious of the "mystery" by the apostle himself, is shown by the use which in Eph. iii. 3 he se.ys "was by reve- of this very aorist in Me.tt. v. 21, 33, etc. ; lation me.de known to him," the hitherto Luke iv, 23; John xii. 34; Eph. iii. 2; iv. kept be.ck " secret" of God's love in Christ 21; 2 Tim. i. 13: Jas. v. 11. The apostle to all the world, Gentile and Jew alike; of appears to hnve been himself in the bll.bit God's readiness and purpose to embrace of frequently telling the wondrous story of and bless with all spiritual blessings, with- whe.t he once had been e.nd of the change out any reference now to Mose.ism, every wrought upon him. We he.ve inst£1nces of human creature that simply repented and his doing this in full detail in his speech believed in Jesus Christ. As the proclama- from the stairs, and in his defence before tion to the world of this "mystery" was to Agrippa (Acts xxii.1-16; x.xvi.), and with be bis great and pre-eminently distinguish- less fulness in Phil. iii. 4-8; 1 Cor. xv. 8, 9. ing function, so e.t the very first he became It is therefore quite supposable that he had fitted and qualified for its discharge by its himself said as much e.lso in Galatie.. Wa impartation to his soul, not through slow obBerve, however, that the apostle does not processes of thought e.nd reasoning, but by an euy, "heard from me," e.s he might he.Te inward manifestation of the Christ, the sud- douo if be had himself been their informant: denness e.nd vividness of which oorrespouded e.nd, further, that the cffc,ct of the words, "ye in no small degree to the suddenness e.nd he.ve heard,'' does not, in point of construc- vividness of that outward manifestation of tion at lee.et, of necessity extend beyond the Christ whioh wa.s ei111ulte.neously me.de the fourteenth verse. We are therefore at to his corporeal sense. This presents itself liberty to surmise that what he here refers to us 11s, in the moral and spiritu11,l sphere t.o 11s having been told them relates simply 22 THB EPISTLE 'TO THE' GALATIANS, (oH, I, 1-24,