The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 69

St. Pnnl felt tbnt it was urgently needful for 1111 should deny thee, yet will I never him.. in the prosecution of bis great mission, deny thee," so soon rebuked by the triple to know Cephas well, he could not but have denial, e.nd the Lorrl's glance of reproving also felt that it was of importance for the love ; the appearing of the risen Christ to sucl'~ss of the great cause that Cephas him individull!ly on Easter Day ; the morn- should by personal intercourse be enabled ing scene by the margin of the Se!\ of to appreciate more certainly and distinctly Tiberias, with its triple confession of love than was otherwise possible what manner e.nd its triple charge; the closing scene on of man Saul himself now was, and should Mount Olivet; bis wondrously blessed dis- begin to recognize the gifts and calling course on the day of Pentecost ; his great whiob their common Lord had conferred work again with Cornelius, so full of in- upon him. Further, it is impossible not to terest for the newly constituted apostle of believe that Saul would welcome with joy the Gentiles now hearing it. The story, the opportunity which this visit would afford told, we may be sure, with quivering lips, him of obtaining, from the lips of one who with streaming eyes, with features kindling was a very principal eye-witness and minis- with a rapture of holy, heavenly joy, un- ter in the matter discoursed on, more precise folded e. marvellous record of the redeem- and more reliable accounts than it is pro- ing Master's love e.nd wisdom e.nd power in bable he had as yet received, of many pa.r- dee.ling with that humnn soul; e. Saviour's tieulars appertaining to Christ's sojourn work, such as might even in some respects upon earth. A.nd what a story Cephas had match that which Saul ho.d himself to re- to tell him ! With what ravishment of cord. A.nd this no doubt mutual int.er- listening attention would Saul drink in at che.nge of spiritual experience would reveal his lips the marvels of that Divine life and ea.eh to the other, so e.s they never could death, which it had been his privilege so else have been revealed. Saul had come closely to observe I A.nd, on the other side, thither for the purpose of acquainting him- what joy on earth had the elder apostle self with Cephas's personality; he went greater than that of pouring into a truly a.way knowing something of the weaknesses sympathetic bosom those precious treasures of his temperament, e.s well a.a e.ble to love of reminisoence. His two Epistles, written e.nd admire his loyalty of soul and straight- long after, evince clearly the profound, forwardness in action, his zee.l, the warmth, sweet compl.acency with which his mind the impetuosity even, of his affections, his was wont to dwell upon them. If, in Plato's tender entire devotion to his Lord. It is immortal 'Phmdo,' a disciple of the mar- interesting in this relation to remark the.t tyred Socrates, when invited by a fellow- when, in writing to the Corinthians, St. disciple, who by accident had not been at Paul recites historical proofa of Christ's A.thens at the time, to tell him the particu- reslln'ection, the five appearances of the lars of his master's death, would comply with risen Christ specified by him which were alacrity, "for that to him nothing ever we.a antecedent to the one vouchsafed to him- so sweet as to be remembering Socrates, self, are those which he was likely to he.ve whether telling of him himself or hearing been told of on the occasion of this visit, another do it" (ii. iii. 5, • Bekk '), how much when, as he states, he se.w, together with more might not Cephas feel thus in trans- Cephas, also James the Lord's brother. mitting to his attentive auditor those leaves Of those five e.ppeare.nces, the.t to "Ja.mes" of the tree of life which a.re for the healing the Lord's brother in all probability is not of the nations I Nor can we doubt that mentioned in the Gospels e.t all ; that to St. Cephas would rehearse to him the par- Peter only in the way of most cursory allu- ticule.rs of the Lord's dealings with his own sion by the Pauline evangelist St. Luke. It mdividnal spirit: hill own first interview would seem e.e if thus early was stamped on with its then mysterions word, " Thou shalt St. Paul's mind a form of historical recital be called Cephas I " the summons, " Follow ave.ile.ble for customary use ever after. The me ; " the restoration to health of his fever- certain truth of these appee.re.nces he then stricken wife's mother; the miraculous got to be assured of through persona.I testi- draught of fishes, with the outcry, "Depart mony home to himself by Peter e.nd by from we, for I e.m e. sinful R10.n I " e.nd the Ja.mes. And a.bode with him fifteen de.ya gre.cions response, "Fear not; from hence- (,cul '1rlµ,,wa 1rpos a6-rov 71µ,tpas 6E1ca1rt11-r,); forth thou shalt catch men ; " the walking and I t,arried with him fifteen days. The use on tbe i;ea, with its "Lord, ee.ve me I " the of the preposition here rendered " with" is confession of his faith, "Thou art the Christ, illustrated by I Cor. xvi. 6, 7; Me.tt. xiii. the Son of the living God," with the presently 56; John i. I; I These. iii. 4; 2 Thess. eulllli.ug shrinking from the .predicted croee, ii. 5. Since in the midst of e. populous city and the merited rebuke, "Get thee behind the propinquity e.nd (probably) e.ssooie.tion me, Se.tan I " the beatifying eight of the expressed by the preposition is referred to Transfiguration ; the co!Uident " Tho11gh the one individual Oepha~, the phr11$e, "l VH. I, 1-24.] THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. 33