The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 73

me.king he.voo of," the "fe.ith " is identified sidered himself e.e e.lready then equipped with the Church which held it' (comp. ver. with the requisite knowledge. (2) The 13). We mo.y heartily accept Estius's com- apost!e had no occas_ion to hasten away into ment, citetl by Meyer," Quie. Christi fidelibus Arabia t? find Gentiles to evangelize. Da- fidem extorquere niteba.tur," while we still mascus itself was a Gentile city in which think it intolerably he.rsh to understand Jews, though forming BO numero~s a settle- "faith," as Meyer does, in a subjective sense. ment there as to have more than one syna- Ver. 24.-And they glorifted God in me gogue (Acts ix. 2), were, however only (1<al l6&!a.(011 Iv lµ.ol .,-1,,, 0,611); and they were alien dwellers. (3) It appears do'nbtfnl gwrifying God in me; that is, for whe.t they whetherit was the Divine will that St. Paul recognized as God's work in me e.nd through should exercise his ministry among Gentiles me; in my own conversion, e.nd in my immediately and in the first imtanr.,e. In effective ministering of the gospel to others. narrations of his ministerial work, especially The 111 denotes the sphere in which they in its earlier stages, whether as related by found OCCBSion for praising God. Instances St. Luke or BB sketched by St. Paul himself of e. somewhe.t simile.ruse of the preposition (see Acts ix. 20-22; xxvi. 20), the apostle a.re 1 Cor. iv. 2, z11.,.,,.,.,., ,,, .,-ois 011<0116µ.ocs: is exhibited as addressing himself in the ver. 6, ''Iva. iv .;,,,.,,, µ.li611n : ix. 15; diva. first instance to Jews and to those Gentiles oii.,-co "'l'"'l'T«< ,,, lµ.ol. The sentence is not who were found attaching themselves to the essential to the line of thought in vers. 21- Jewish worship, and only subsequently 23. The apostle was probe.bly prompted to turning to the uncircumcision. 2. A differ- e.dd it by the comple.cency which he felt in ent view has found acceptance with most the interest e.nd sympathy which in those recent expositors, namely, that he went days the Jewish ChUl'ches showed towards away into Arabia with the view of with- him-sentiments which afterwards faded drawing himself from all human society; too much away into those of suspicion and alike breaking himself off from bis old alienation (comp. Acts xxi. 21). He rejoices Pharisean associates among the non-believ- to remember, and he will have the Galatian ing Jews, and detaching himself even from Churchmen know, that once the believers of those Christian Jews who had been con- the circumcision were proud of him, and strained to own him as "brother" (Acts ix. were satisfied that he was preaching the true 17) ; in order that, by uninterrupted devo- gospel of Christ. And his preaching was tion to prayer, by meditation and study of the same now as it had been then. the Holy Scriptures unbiassed by any ex- traneous human influences, and, above all, .ADDITIONAL NOTES. by laying himself open to supernatural communications from the Lord Jesus, and Ver. 11.-Thepurpose of St. Paul'sjourney to the informing operation upon his soul of into Arabia. The paraphro.se given above the Holy Spirit, he might win his way into in the Exposition exple.ins why it is that the more perfect at-oneness with the facts, apostle mentions his going into Are.hie.. It principles, and schemes of life, all hitherto is because,e.t that juncture, be left De.me.sous so strange to him, which had been just now to go nowhere else, e.nd because this was e. presented to hie soul. It will readily occur country where there was no man to teach to the reader's mind how analogous such 11 him the gospel. It explains, I say, why feature in St. Paul's history would appear St. Paul mentions the journey into Are.hie.; to that six weeks' retirement of the Lord the journey itself it does not explain. But Jesus himself which intervened between his this is a point which now claims considera- baptism and his entrance upon his public tion. 1. By ancient commentators it wo.s ministry, to which reference w,is mlule generally supposed that the apostle hastened above. If, in the case of the guiltless arnl into Arabia in order at once to begin holy One, such a period of devout seclusiou " preaching the Son of God among Gen- was deemed meet, how ruuoh more was it tiles," in conformity with the Di vine pur- meet, and even above all things necessary, pose in calling him to be an apostle, stated in the case of oue both in nature we,ik 11ncl in ver. 16. 'l'o this view there are three ob- sinful, e.ud with habits of thought and feel- jections. (1) If lhis lte.d been his object in ing up to that hour so alien to the work taking that journey, the apostle might have to which he wos now hciug summoned I been expected to have added to the state- The apostle's statement would tloubtl~ss ment," I went o.we.y into Arabia," some hint havo been more clearly suggestive of this of such evangelizing work, e.g. "preaching view if he had written, "I "'-ant awl\y into the Lord Jesus," or the like. Such o.n the wildernesses of Aro.bi!\." But if the addition would have told most forcibly for pe.ro.phmse above offered interprets his tenor his o.rgument, o.s showing, by his proceed- of thought justly, it did uot, lie within hi~ ing nt onoe to preaoh the gospel whioh he present scope that he should iu,licate the bad received from God, tho.t ho ho.d con- purpose of his journey at a.II ; it su.tliceJ  33 THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. [cu. 1. 1-24.