He got nothing from them ; they added nothing to his knowledge of the gospel : he received no new instructions; they were perfectly independent one of another. They did not interfere with the course he had hitherto pursued, much less question its rightness. III. THE APOSTLES, ON THE CONTRARY, PRACTICALLY APPROVED ms COURSE. "But contrariwise, when they saw that I was entrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, as the gospel of the circumcision was to Peter ... they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship." 1. They acknowledged his perfect equality with Peter. (1) ..d.s to apostolic commission. "When they saw that I was entrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, as the gospel of the circumcision was to Peter." These words suggest: (a) That the gospel is a solemn trust. There are many human trusts from which men naturally shrink because of the risk, labour, and anxiety involved in their faithful discharge. Yet the apostle thanked God that the weightiest of all trusts bad been committed to him who was "a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious " (1 Tim. i. 13). Still be could say, " Who is sufficient for these things?" (b) The gospel is one, though it may be addressed to different circles of hearers. It is not implied in the apostle's language that there were two separate gospels-one for the Jews, and another for the Gentiles; for both Peter and Paul, as we know by their discourses and their Epistles, were in complete harmony as to the way of a sinne1~s salvation. (c) The gospel was committed to Paul, not by Peter or any other apostle, but by God himself. (2) ..d.s to apostolic success. "For he that wrought effectua!ly for Peter toward the apostleship of the circumcision, the same wrought for me toward the Gentiles." (a) '!'he equal success of the two apostles. The false brethren boasted that Peter's gospel was most effectual in conversions, and that he himself was a mighty worker of miracles. The success of Paul was equally manifest. (b) The true source of success in both cases was God himself, who worked mightily in the two apostles (Phil. ii. 13; 1 Cor. xii. 6). All gifts, all adaptation, all power, come from him. 'l'hus Divine appointment was signified equally in both cases by the effectual working of God. 2. The apostles acknowledged his official status and prerogative by giving him the right hand of fellowship in respect of future labours. "But when James, Cephas, and John, who have the reputation of being pillars, became aware of the grace that was given to me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right bands of fellowship, that we should go to the heathen and they to the circumcision." They recognized him as a fellow-labourer, "for the grace given t-0 him," both in respect to his success and his calling by grace to the apostleship. (1) Mark the wisdom of a divisum of labour. They made a sort of convention as to the limits of their future labours- a convention, however, which could not always be very strictly observed. Paul was, no doubt, mainly concerned with the Gentiles, but usually preached first to the Jews in all places that he visited. Peter and John resided in their later years among the Gentiles. But it was an arrangement, notwithstanding, that was well calculated to promote the growth of Christianity at a time of great friction between the Jewish and Gentile elements in the Christian Church. Peter could not have been universal bishop or pope, if he was the apostle of the circnmcision ; for he practically conceded to Paul the o.postolate of the largest part of the world-the Gentile nations. (2) The important bearing of this convention upon the position and authority of the apostle. Those who so frankly entered into this arrangement "had the reputation of bring pillars in the Church." They were so regarded even by the " false orethren " and the J udaists everywhere. '!'heir act was therefore calcnlated to cut the ground from unuer the feet of the disaffected, who would see in it an approval of Paul's gospel. (a) 'l'he apostle does not call the three pillars apostles, but " those in reputation,'' for one of them, James the Lord's brother, was not an apostle. (b) Peter was not head of the Church, for he received exactly the same commission as Pan!. Even James is mentioned here before Peter, evidently because of his permanent connection with the great centre of Jewish Christianity. It was very important for Paul to be able to quote James on his side. (c) The gospel does not stand upon the authority of one apostle, ~ny m_ore than of twelve. It is the gospel of God. (d) The conduct of th~ apostles m this whole transaction is wotthy of general imitation. They first exam10ed Paul's doctrine nnd listened with candour to his explanations, and then gave up their particular opinions when they became convinced of his Divine commission. OG THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. [en. 11, 1-21,
Yer. 10.-'1.'he claims of the poor saints in Jerusalem. "Only they asked us that we should remem_ber the poor; which very thing I also was forward to do." While they ga"l"'e us the right hand of fellowship that we should go to the Gentiles there was an agreement that we should remember the poor of the circumcision. ' I. Wno WERE THE POOR? They were the poor saints in Judrea, not in Jerusalem merely (1 Cor. xvi. 1). Their poverty arose, probably, from "the spoiling of their goods," so familiar in persecuting periods, as well as, perhaps, from forfeitinu0 business relations with their own countrymen. ,