The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 129

says, the Mme gospel on both occasions. Openly he expotmded it to the Christiim1!'T1t Jerusalem, but entered into its doctrinal aspects more deeply in private, III. THE AI'OSTLE's VICTORY. "Titus was not compelled to be circumcised," Greek though he w11s. 1. The l,a,ngua9e implies that efforts had- been made to this end, not by the npost,les, however, but by "the false brethren." But these efforts were defeated by the council. Had the council been of the opinion of the false brethren, TitUB would have hc>cn compelled to be circumcised. 2. Mark the fii·mness of the apostle. "Not even Titus "-though he was brought into close contact with the Jews, and micrht therefore have taken a more conciliatory course toward them, especially in the gr~at centre of J udaist influence-" was forced to be circumcised." If the apostle yielded at Jerusalem, be must yield everywhere else. Yet he allowed Timothy to be circumcised at Lystra, but that was a case of deference to the scruples of weak brethren. For the ,;ake of gaining souls he will renounce liberty. But he will not allow the truth of the gospel to be sacrificed by men who say that circumcision is necessary to salvation. 3. Mark the ground of the apostle's firmness. "And this, because of false brethren insidiously brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ, that they might bring us into bonda.ge." That is, he resisted the circumcision of Titus, because the false brethren would have ta.ken advantage of the concession to bring the Gentiles into bondage to legal ceremonies. (1) Who were the false brethren? They were persons at Jerusalem, not at Antioch (2 Cor.xi. 26). They were brethren' only by profession, and therefore more dangerous than open enemies; "Pharisees at heart, these spies and traitors assume the name and garb of believers.'' The apostles did not coincide with them. They must have been Judaizers. Yet all Judaizers were not necessarily fal~e brethren; but these were Christians only in profession. (2) Their furtive attitude. They wtre "brought in insidiously," either into the ministry or into the membership of the Church. They bad a standing somehow that entitled them to influence the usage or doctrine of the Church. False teachers always enter the Church in disguise (2 Pet. ii. 1). "These bell-scouts are skulking in every corner" ('l'rapp). The policy of snch persons has nothing of Christian simplicity in it. {3) Their design. "To spy out our liberty which we have in Christ." Their work was " inspection for a sinister purpose." An impure intention was at ihe bottom of the movement. The liberty they threatened to destroy was not spiritual liberty in genera.I, but that which was compromised by the demand of subjection to the ceremonial law. The liberty of believers wa.s a present possession enjoyed by virtue of their union with Christ. 4. The result of the apostle's firmness. "To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour." If he ha.d done it once, Christian liberty would have been sacrificed. The characteristic truth of the gospel-justification by faith without the deeds of the Law-was now safe. It wa.s to "remain steadfast" with the Gentiles. Thus truth· and freedom were henceforth to go together. Vers. 6-9.-The apostle takes counsel with the other apoBtles on perfectly equal terms. He is still asserting his apostolic independence. L Hrs REBUKE OF THOSE wno LEA.NED UPON AUTHORITY. "Those high in reputation; whatsoever they were, it maketh no difference to me: God respecteth no man's person." The apostle .does not mean to di~parage either the reputation or the authority of the other apostles. It was not his interest to do so, because it was important for him to show that he was even acknowledged by them. But the false brethren had unduly exalted the authority of t-he "pillar apostles," so as to establish a sort of papacy in the Church. He was, therefore, led to show that, in matters of faith, the authority• of individuals has no weight; that we are bound to lean upon God, not upon men, even· though they be persons of position and respectability. "God accepteth no man's person." He may employ whom he pleases to carry out his work, and can qualify them fully for the purpose. The Galatians were " respecters of person~," inasmuch as !hey dep~e- ciated the apostle, because the twelve were apostles before him and enJoyed the peculiar privilege of personal intercourse with the Lord on earth. The apostle declares, in fact, that God did not p1efer James, or Cephas, or John to him, much less employ them to appoint him to apostolic office. II. 'fHE Al'OBTLE8 ADDED NOTHING TO HIS INFORMATION OB AUTHORITY BY THEin ACTION AT THE OONFEBENCE. "They who seemed to be somewhat added nothing to me.", OJI, Il, 1-21,1 THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. 95