The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 115

prudent to make it (of. Introduction, pp. organizations which be was setting on foot xvi.-xviii.). in the Gentile world stand to the doctrine It is well to observe, in reference to this of the twelve and to the Church organize.- whole p11ss11ge (vers. 6-10), the extent to tions framed by them in connection there- which the apostle goes in identifying Bar- with at Jerusalem and in Judaia? These ne.bas's position with his own. Barne.bllB last were assumed to be from heaven; were \ad laboured with himself as evangelizing those more recent phenomena, of doctrines •apostle" sent forth with himself from the taught and societies formed by Paul, in Antiochian ChUJ'ch, e.nd both before and harmony with the previous onee? Unques- after ttat missionary journey in the neigh- tionably and glaringly there were important bourhood of Antioch itself. Accordingly differences between the external religions he tells his readers that the " pillars " had life of the twelve and the Jewish believers, without qualification recognized the work and the external religious life whieh Paul of them both and had fraternally greeted taught the Gentile Churches to adopt. The their further prosecution of it. But it is of twelve and the Jewish Christians in general himself alone that he speaks when he con- still practised in their daily life the usages trasts Cephas's apostleship of the circum- of Mosaism, blending the use of such out- cision with his own apostleship (for this is ward forms and ceremonies as appertained implied) to the Gentiles. The reason for to Christian discipleship with those older this is that BarnabllB was not an apostle in habits of life preserved intact ; in the that other higher sense of the term in which Gentile Church oa moulded by Paul the Cephas and himself were (see Introduction, usages of Mose.ism were altogether wantin:. Dissertation I.). Again, when mentioning Was the seal of Heaven to be recognized the stipulation which the "pillars" made, as affixed to the Pauline doctrine and the that we should be mindful of their poor, he Pauline Church life, as certainlv as it WflB does not add, " the very thing this which seen to be affixed to the doctrine of the we were of ourselves resolved to do," but twelve and the Jndreo-Christian Church makes the observation with reference to life? Yes. The verdict of the great himself only. This is explained by the leaders of the Jewish Church decided for unhappy rupture which St. Luke tells of the full recognition of the Pauline doctrine as so soon after occurring between them- and the Pauline Church life as in root and which account of St. Lulce's finds thus here essence identical with their own, and flB a latent confirmation. What we otherwise equally with their own derived from heaven. know of Barnabas's character leaves no It was a decision come to in the teeth of room to doubt but that he too zealously set intense and deeply ingrained ptejnrlices himself to carry out the stipulation in that prompting to the adoption of a different separate sphere of work among Gentiles conclusion ; and must have been due to which, after the rupture, he engaged in. overpowering evidence leaving them no But this is no longer St. Paul's business, alternative, seconded we may believe by the while relating facts falling under his own secret swaying of their souls by the Holy cognizance. And this consideration throws Ghost. We cannot help reflecting (1) how light upon the time of the action expressed disastrous the effects would ho.ve been of by the aorist /u,ro66111T11: it does not mean, a decision of another kind ; (2) how re- " I 114d already before been forward to do markably is here illustrated the essential so;" for then he would not have left out oneness of the Christian life amidst most Barnabas; but, "thenceforward in my whole extreme diversity in its outward mani- subsequent cnreer I zealously made it my festation; and (3) what a strong o.ttestatiou buainess," the aorist embracing the whole is afforded to the certain truth of the in one view. gospel, revealed to the world through two Further, our attention is arrested by wholly distinct channels of communication, the extreme importance and the pregnant which yet concUJ'?ed in delivering what was significance of the incident here related. in reality one and the same message. Here was one who, neither directly nor Ver. 11.-In the ne.rrative which the indirectly, owed to those who had been apostle next proceeds to give, several poiuts, previously sent forth by Heaven flB teachers we may suppose, were definitely meant by of the gospel, either his conversion, or his him to be intimated to his readers. Thus knowledge of the Ohristian doctrine, or to those Gentile Galatians who were waver- his mission to preach; but had nevertheless ing in their attachment to himself and to gone forth proclaiming what he affirmed to the gospel which he had preached to them, be Christ's gospel communicated to him by he shows his claim to their firm affeotiouo.te Divine revelation, gathering disciples to be adherence, on the ground of the steadfast- baptized into Christ, and combining such ness with which, as before at Jerusalem so disciples into Churches. In what relation now afresh in Antioch, he had successfully did this dootrino of Paul and the Church B'!Berted their rights and their equal stand•  80 THE EPISTLE TO 'l'HE GALATIANS. [cu. u. 1-21.