The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 77

appeo.rs of exceeding great weight, and in family connection, being n11t only through faot decisive. Jamee muBt have been a son his father a descendant of David's rl)y11l of our Lord's adoptive father. But if the lineage, but also the eldest " brother " ol person here cited by the no.me of Jamee wo.s the Lord Christ. He had been especially our Lord's brother in the sense now given, honoured by Christ's appearing to him he could not have been one of the twelve. singly after his resurrection. In personal How, then, are we to account for hie being character he is shown by his Epistle, as well mentioned in thie passage in a way which es otherwise, as a man singularly remark- certainly doea,prima facie, favour the sup- able for gravity, for habits of devotion, for position that he was an o.poetle? A solution intense single-minded earnestness, for magis- has been sought in the consideration that, terial prophet-like decisiveness of intelltct; in various places in the New Testament, the while, lastly, he was fitted by strictness of designation of "apostle" is applied to Mosaistic observance to be eminently ac- others besides those who were apostles in ceptable to the Israelitish sentiments of the the highest sense. There were in truth members of this particular Church. Alto- apostles in a secondary sense ; in that sense gether, it seems perfectly natural that he of ecclesiastical delegates which the reader should have been called to preside in it; to will find discussed in the dissertation on be, at least in effect, "Bishop of Jerusalem," the subject of "Apostles," in the Introduc- whether this particular title of "bishop," tion. But this will not help us here. For as afterwards currently understood, was in (1) James the Lord's brother cannot be shown his lifetime accorded to him or I10t. At all to have been an apostle in this secondary sense. events, it had then come to pass, and pro- (2) On the other hand, Barnabas both was bably in the. way now described had come such and is so designated (seep. xxxi., seqq.). to pass, that" Jo.mes e.nd Cephas and John" And Barnabas not only was at Jerusalem were recognized as being "pillars" of at the time here referred to by St. Paul, but Christendom. The conference just referreol was the very person that introduced Saul to to took place, it is true, some eleven years "the apostles" as a true convert (Acts ix. after the.t first visit of St. P.;ul's to Jeru- 27). '£he following seems to the present so.lem which he is here speaking of. In the writer a more satisfactory explanation:- account, however, given in the twelfLh From the time of the Ascension, the " bre- chapter of tho Acts, of events occurring six thren of the Lord" held, in the general or eight years before the conference (the estimation of believers, a position peculiar precise dates of these events are assigned to themselves. This is evidenced by the differently by different chronologers), and manner in which, in Acte i. 14, St. Luke only three or four years, possibly less, after refers to them. After enumerating the this visit, we have an indication afforded eleven apostles by their names, he con- us that James held this leading represen- nects with them, as forming with them an tative position even then. We are told interior circle of disciples, '' women" - that St. Peter, on the night of his mira- wives, we may suppose, or near relatives culous release from prison, in view of him- of apostles, perhaps also some other most self withdrawing for II time from the neigh- zealous female essociates with the sacred bourhood, bade the believers whom he body-" and M,uy the mother of Jesus, and found assembled at the house of John his brethren." Further on in the history, Mark's mother, to "e.nnouuce these tidings in the account given in the fifteenth chapter to James and the brethren." '£his putting of _the conference of " the apostles and forward of his name, coupled with who.t we elders," the mo.nner in which James, the read furtlleron, gives us a glimpse of James eldest of those brothers, is presented to the the Lord's brother as even then a foremost reader when assuming the initiative in pro- figure in the rulership of the believers of posing the final decision, gives the im- Jeruso.lem-tha very foremost figure, it pression, which has been almost universally should seem, among Christinns next to the ucquiesced in, that he spoke ns a presiding august twelve. Such being Jo.rnes's posi- officer would speak who felt it his place tion, we can undcrstnnd how it was that authoritatively to sto.te the judgment which St. Po.ul felt that, thouglL his hnving seen he anticipated tile meeting would adopt. James wns not precisely the same thing a11 This impression tallies perfectly with the seeing another apostle, yet it wns tanta- tmdition of Church history-a. tradition mount thereto in its bearing upon the auto- which there is nothing in the New Testa- biogro.phicnl sto.tement which he is now ment to discounteno.nce, but muoh to con- making, and tho.t therefore it wns a fact thtLt firm-that James wo.s the presiding elder or as muoh required to be taken account of us bishop of tbe Church of Jeruso.lom. That if he h,ld actually been an apostle. If he he should by general consent ho.ve boen bud said," Other than Cephas saw I of the oallcd to occupy this position was very apostles none," without mentioning J,rn1cs, nntur11l. Ho was distinguished by venerable the sto.tement, though in strict litemlucs11  THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. [orr. 1. 1-24.