The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 107

Ohuroh of Jerusalem, and not one of the withstand the pressure which was for a. twelve apostles), and "Cephas and John" while applied for getting Titus circum- representing the twelve, who may be be- cised." Neither Titus, who was with me; lieved to have been e.ll of them at J eruse.lem being a Greek, was compelled to be circum- nt this time, though these two, certainly the oised (ot,6~ Tl-ros d 11/,v iµol, 'EM.71v t,v -l)va-y,c- lee.ding ones, e.re the only ones whose names d.11871 1rep,-rµ71871vc1.1); not e~en was Titus who there happened to be occe.sion for specifying. waa with me, bei'Tlf/ a Greek, CO'TWpel/,e,d, to Lest by any means I should nm, or had nm, be circu~ised. This, St. Pa.ul intimates, in vain(µ.{, .,,...,t els ,c,vov -rplxw ~ l6paµov). was a. crucial case. Titus was a. Gentile The comparison of I These. iii. 5 (µ{, -,,.ws pure; not (like Timothy) having one parent /-,,.,lpaue11 ~µa.s d 1mpd.(w11, ,cal e,s ICEVOv -ylv71-ra, of Jewish extraction and therefore capable d ,c&1ros -qµiiiv) shows that -rplxw ia the sub- of being identified with the Jewish people, junctive. The present tense, kst I should be but Gentile- born of both parents. The ntnning, points to the time of which he ia clause, "who was wilh me," after ver. I, writing e.nd the time onward therefrom. In was quite unnecessary for mere definition; clasaice.l Greek it would he.ve been -rplxo,µ,. in fact, it is not added for definition, but to The use of the verb -rplxw, "run," "rush mark the close association with an uncir- on," a fe.vourite word with the apostle, well cumcised Gentile which the apostle openly che.re.cterizea the zee.loua forwe.rd-apeeding displayed at Jerusalem. He took him with manner of his activity. '' In vain;" to an him, we may suppose, when he came before empty result; for no good. He intimates the Church at its public assemblies ; when that there ho.d been a danger lest the fruits he appeared before the select meeting of the of hie earnest work among the Gentiles, might apostles and elders; when he joined the through some cause get wrecked. That brethren in the agape and the Lord's this ia what he means is clear from 1 Thess. Supper-occasions of fraternal communion, iii. 5 just cited; and not that there had been in which the presence of a "dog," "an o.ny fear lest he might himself have been uncircumcised Greek," would be tenfold somehow mistaking his way; most especially, obnoxious. We cannot, by the way, but not lest he he.d been at all Iil.istaken in the marvel at St. Paul's great courage in thus doctrine which he taught, a thing which he acting. Not only was this paraded fellow- does not for one moment imagine. His ship with Titus sure to give deep offence work would have been in danger of being to the vast majority of his Christian brethren, spoilt if the Gentile Churches aa planted by but it might also well expose him to serious himself had been disowned or discounten- personal risks among the highly inflammable nnced by the mother Church, or if they had populace of the city. At Jerusalem his got split up into factious parties by the " soul was among lions." The two clauses, intervention, e.g. of persons coming "from "who was with me, being a Greek," illus- Jamee," telling them that they were not in trate the "not even." Openly displayed as a state of aal vation. To guard ngainst this was Titu.;;'s companionship with St. Paul danger, he was led by Christ himself to seek before the eyes of all the Jews, both believers a formal recognition of bis doctrine by the and unbelievers, and Gentile ns he was known npostles and the elders of the Jerusalemite to be, yet not even in his case was circumcision Church, and through them by that Church persistently insisted upon. The aorist tense itself. As the rank-and-file of the Jewish of ~va,,,cc/.11871 is significant of the ultimate believers at J eruse.lem were even bigotedly result; it implies that an attempt we.a made atte.ched to the Mosaic Law, and also re- to get Titus to submit to the rite, but fo.ile<l. garded St. Paul himself with great suspicion, We must observe thC1t St. Pnul does not he might very easily have foilecl of gaining write, "I was not compelled to circumcise the recognition he required, if he had at Titus," but" Titus was not compelled to be once brought the matter before the geneml circumcised.'' This appears to make a body. If their spiritual leaders had not first material difference. By putting it as he come forward in the cause of truth, it was has done, the e.postle intimates tbo.t it was but too probable that some fanatical Mosaiats to Titus himself that tho pressure was wo1!1ld ho.ve gained the ear of the multitude, npplied. Titus was plied, we may suppose, nnd hurried them away in a course of head- with theological argument, with appeals to long opposition to Paul and his teaching, his brotherly sympathies, with nppeals to from which it might have been very difficult his prudent oare for publio pence, with ufterw11.1·ds to recall them. threats of sooial and religious excommuni- Ver. 3.-Bnt (a,v.'); and yet. '' Though I cation, and with stern, indigmmt remou- explicitly stated to the leading men in the atro.nce. But susto.ined, as he all through Church of Jeruae.lem whC1t I taught respect- knew himself to be, by nt least St. Paul, ing the relation of Gentile converts to oir- if not e.lso by his fellow-deputies, he through cmnoision o,nd the l\fosC1ic Law, yet in tho it o.ll maintained his firm stand upon his end they, by their suppo1·t, enabled us to liberty. The "we" of the ,t~-iµ,v in ver. 5,  72 THE EPISTtE 'l'O 1'llE GALATIANS. (on. u. 1-21.