Galatians 2:2

I exhort you all, therefore, to yield obedience to the word of righteousness, and to exercise all patience, such as ye have seen [set] before your eyes, not only in the case of the blessed Ignatius, and Zosimus, and Rufus, but also in others among yourselves, and in Paul himself, and the rest of the apostles. [This do] in the assurance that all these have not run in vain, but in faith and righteousness, and that they are [now] in their due place in the presence of the Lord, with whom also they suffered. For they loved not this present world, but Him who died for us, and for our sakes was raised again by God from the dead.

There would be still wanted that Gospel which St. Paul found in existence, to which he yielded his belief, and with which he so earnestly wished his own to agree, that he actually on that account went up to Jerusalem to know and consult the apostles, "lest he should run, or had been running in vain; " in other words, that the faith which he had learned, and the gospel which he was preaching, might be in accordance with theirs.

For their rudimentary belief, which was still in suspense about the observance of the law, deserved this concessive treatment, when even the apostle himself had some suspicion that he might have run, and be still running, in vain. Accordingly, the false brethren who were the spies of their Christian liberty must be thwarted in their efforts to bring it under the yoke of their own Judaism before that Paul discovered whether his labour had been in vain, before that those who preceded him in the apostolate gave him their right hands of fellowship, before that he entered on the office of preaching to the Gentiles, according to their arrangement with him.

That is, those through whom the commandments and gospel of God were being handed down, such as apostles and the rest. "To these men," he says, "I privately explained my gospel, which I preach among the Gentiles, so that if there was anything that they were handing on otherwise, they could correct it or could emend anything that I myself was handing on otherwise. This therefore was the cause of my going up to Jerusalem, and for this reason it was revealed to me that I should go up, so that it might be more readily known that my gospel to the Gentiles and their gospel to the Jews were the same." Now the purpose of his expounding it privately was that shame might be taken from among them, and they might communicate to one another the mysteries that they knew. Since they all shared one opinion and one gospel, what was it that he labored to persuade them of? That they should not add anything new or join anything to it. That is the cause of the present sin of the Galatians in following Judaism and the practice of circumcision, the sabbath and other things.

"So that I should not run or have run in vain." That is [he says], "lest I should fail to preach a full gospel. For if I have preached anything less, I have run in vain or I now run in vain."

His first journey was owing to his desire to visit Peter, his second, he says, arose from a revelation of the Spirit.

"And I laid before them the Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately before them who were of repute, lest by any means I should be running or had run in vain."

What is this, O Paul! thou who neither at the beginning nor after three years wouldest confer with the Apostles, dost thou now confer with them, after fourteen years are past, lest thou shouldest be running in vain? Better would it have been to have done so at first, than after so many years; and why didst thou run at all, if not satisfied that thou wert not running in vain? Who would be so senseless as to preach for so many years, without being sure that his preaching was true? And what enhances the difficulty is, that he says he went up by revelation; this difficulty, however, will afford a solution of the former one. Had he gone up of his own accord, it would have been most unreasonable, nor is it possible that this blessed soul should have fallen into such folly; for it is himself who says, "I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air." (1 Cor. ix: 26.) If therefore he runs, "not uncertainly," how can he say, "lest I should be running, or had run, in vain?" It is evident from this, that if he had gone up without a revelation, he would have committed an act of folly. But the actual case involved no such absurdity; who shall dare to still harbor this suspicion, when it was the grace of the Spirit which drew him? On this account he added the words "by revelation," lest, before the question was solved, he should be condemned of folly; well knowing that it was no human occurrence, but a deep Divine Providence concerning the present and future. What then is the reason of this journey of his? As when he went up before from Antioch to Jerusalem, it was not for his own sake, (for he saw clearly that his duty was simply to obey the doctrines of Christ,) but from a desire to reconcile the contentious; so now his object was the complete satisfaction of his accusers, not any wish of his own to learn that he had not run in vain. They conceived that Peter and John, of whom they thought more highly than of Paul, differed from him in that he omitted circumcision in his preaching, while the former allowed it, and they believed that in this he acted unlawfully, and was running in vain. I went up, says he, and communicated unto them my Gospel, not that I might learn aught myself, (as appears more clearly further on,) but that I might convince these suspicious persons that I do not run in vain. The Spirit foreseeing this contention had provided that he should go up and make this communication.

Wherefore he says that he went up by revelation, and, taking Barnabas and Titus as witnesses of his preaching, communicated to them the Gospel which he preached to the Gentiles, that is, with the omission of circumcision. "But privately before them who were of repute." What means "privately?" Rather, he who wishes to reform doctrines held in common, proposes them, not privately, but before all in common; but Paul did this privately, for his object was, not to learn or reform any thing, but to cut off the grounds of those who would fain deceive. All at Jerusalem were offended, if the law was transgressed, or the use of circumcision forbidden; as James says, "Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of them which have believed; and they are informed of thee, that thou teachest to forsake the law." (Acts xxi: 20, et seq.) Since then they were offended he did not condescend to come forward publicly and declare what his preaching was, but he conferred privately with those who were of reputation before Barnabas and Titus, that they might credibly testify to his accusers, that the Apostles found no discrepancy in his preaching, but confirmed it. The expression, "those that were of repute," does not impugn the reality of their greatness; for he says of himself, "And I also seem to have the Spirit of God," thereby not denying the fact, but stating it modestly. And here the phrase implies his own assent to the common opinion.

(Chapter 2 - Verses 1, 2) Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. I went up by revelation, and I discussed with them the gospel that I preach to the Gentiles, but privately with those who seemed to be influential, so that I might not be running in vain or have run in vain. This matter arose because of false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery. And to speak more truthfully, the Greek word ἀνεθέμην conveys something different than what is understood among us, namely that we compare what we know with a friend and place it in their lap and conscience, so that, with equal counsel, what we know may either be approved or disapproved. Therefore, after fourteen years, he went up to Jerusalem. And he who had previously gone only to see Peter and stayed with him for fifteen days, now says that he went there to confer with the apostles about the Gospel. And he took along Barnabas, who was circumcised, and Titus, who was uncircumcised among the Gentiles, so that every word may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses (Deut. 19:15). But it is one thing to compare, another to learn. Among those who compare, there is equality; between the teacher and the learner, the one who learns is lesser. At the beginning of faith, he saw the apostles during their journey. After seventeen years (as he himself says), he speaks fully with them and humbles himself: and lest he might be running or might have run in vain, he inquires. For a twofold reason, so that the humility of Paul, who, as a teacher, had already surpassed the apostles who came before him in the whole world of the Gentiles, might be shown: and so that the Galatians may not say that they rejected his Gospel, also condemning those who presided over the Churches in Judea. Moreover, it also teaches that for the sake of the faith of Christ and the liberty of the Gospel, he dared to lead Titus, an uncircumcised man, to those same individuals who knew more about him, who accused him of breaking the Law, destroying Moses, and completely doing away with circumcision. And in the midst of such a great multitude of Jews and his enemies, who desired to shed his blood out of zeal for the Law, neither he nor Titus gave way to fear, but stood firm in necessity. They were able to obtain forgiveness, either in terms of position or authority of the elders, or in terms of the number of churches that believed in Christ from the Jews, or in terms of time, so as not to endure such great envy at the same time. Some say that after fourteen years he went up to Jerusalem, when a dispute arose among the believers in Antioch regarding the observance or omission of the Law, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. It was decided to go to Jerusalem and wait for the judgment of the elders, when Paul and Barnabas themselves were sent. And this is what is written in the Latin codices: We yielded to subjection for a time, so that the truth of the Gospel would persist among you. That is why, clearly, Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem as if it were doubtful, in order to confirm by the judgment of the elders that the grace of the Gospel had also been given to the believers, and that there would be no further doubt about the omission of circumcision. For it had been commanded by the letters of the apostles that the yoke of the Law should be removed from those who believed in Christ from the Gentiles. However, it can be understood that when he says, 'I conferred with them the Gospel that I preach to the Gentiles,' he means separately to those who seemed important, so that I might not run or have run in vain, and thus it can be understood that he shared with the apostles in secret the grace of Gospel freedom and the abolishment of the old Law, because of the multitude of believing Jews who were not yet able to hear about the fulfillment and end of the Law, and who, in the absence of Paul, had falsely boasted in Jerusalem that he was going on a pointless or fruitless journey, thinking that the old Law should not be followed. Not because Paul feared that he had preached a false Gospel among the Gentiles for seventeen years; but to show his predecessors that he was not running or had run in vain, as they had thought in their ignorance.

What he says [about meeting privately] could be understood as meaning that the grace of evangelical liberty and the obsolescence of the law that was now abolished was discussed in confidence with the apostles on account of the many Jewish believers who were not yet able to hear that Christ was the fulfillment and end of the law. And these men, when Paul was absent, had boasted in Jerusalem that he was running and had run in vain when he supposed that the old law was not to be followed.

"So that I should not run or have run in vain" we should understand to be addressed as if in a question, not to those with whom he compared his gospel in private but to those to whom he was writing, so that it might appear that he was not running and had not run in vain from the fact that by the testimony of the others he was certified not to dissent from the truth of the gospel.

Who could be so presumptuous and blind as to dare to trust his own judgment and discretion, when the vessel of election bears witness that he needs the partnership of his coapostles?

"I went up by revelation." And why, for that reason, did he not entrust them at the outset, but only after so many years? Since many, seeing those around Peter permitting circumcision while Paul did not permit it, were scandalized as though there were disagreement in the preaching, the Holy Spirit revealed to him his ascent to Jerusalem, so that those who were being scandalized might be persuaded that there was no disagreement in the preaching, but rather a dispensation in favor of permitting circumcision.

"and I laid before them the gospel." This is, I have shared, I have taken counsel with them.

"which I preach." Apart from circumcision.

"but privately." Since those of the Jews who had believed in Jerusalem were being offended if anyone forbade circumcision, and Paul's preaching removed it, so that it might keep them from being scandalized, he entrusted the preaching to them privately.

[PHOTIUS] Why privately? So that, without drawing attention first of all, I might not scandalize those newly converted by circumcision, and therefore absolutely prepare them to fall away from the faith of Christ, and destroy my course, and show my struggle and my zeal to have been in vain. For how is it not vain to run and have run, when, running to save, I again destroy others through thoughtless exactness? How then now, and publicly I am convicted; that it was progress, and that even certain principles dared to shape the administration. Or the "for fear that" may also be said as a question, as a confirmation of the fact that I do not run or have run in vain, but that I acted in all things with safety and foresight. [end of the excerpt by Photius]

"To those who seemed." The phrase, "to those who seemed," does not deny the existence of the leading men around Peter, but rather, as one might say, to those who are something, to those who are foremost.

"in case I might be running or had run in vain." For not that I might learn, "in case I might be running or had run in vain," or that I ran (for I knew from the revelation of Christ the exactness of the preaching); but that those who cause rebellion, implying the men around Peter, might learn that I do not run or have run in vain.

At the beginning, when he received the Gospel, he did not go up, nor did he put this to the Apostles. For, having learned from Christ, he did not need their teaching. As the time went by, however, and while he was teaching the nations the Gospel without circumcision, some became scandalized, since those around Peter did not dismiss circumcision, whereas he was alone in dismissing it. Thus, because the Holy Spirit wished to cut out this scandal of the others, ordered him to come up with witnesses and to put it to the Apostles that he preaches without circumcision, so that they too may join him and this scandal for human beings might be dissolved.

The cause of the first journey was Peter, and of the second — a revelation. And he brought Titus and Barnabas as witnesses of his preaching, that it was pleasing to the apostles.

That is, the preaching of the gospel without circumcision. Why then, after so many years, did he set it before them, when he should have done this at the beginning and learned whether he was acting rightly or not? For it would be unreasonable that one who had labored for so many years should after this have need of instruction, unless he had labored in vain. But if he had come with the purpose of receiving instruction regarding his own ministry, this would indeed have been unreasonable. But since he saw that many were scandalized by the fact that Peter permitted circumcision while he did not circumcise, and through this he was subjected to the suspicion of violating the law, he came to Jerusalem by revelation, by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, in order to convince those who were scandalized that there is no disagreement in the preaching, and that those who permit circumcision wisely make a concession, as ones preaching to the circumcised; what is unreasonable about that? For the Holy Spirit moved him to go for the correction of others, and he naturally obeyed.

"And privately to those of reputation." Because many were being scandalized, Paul converses "privately," in private with the disciples of Peter, so that no strife would arise and so as to prevent a greater scandal. For very many were being scandalized, and if they had heard that Paul openly rejects circumcision, then there would have been an uproar and everything would have been thrown into confusion. Therefore, he converses in private, having as witnesses Titus and Barnabas, who would be able to declare to all people that the apostles also found nothing contrary in his preaching. And by calling them "those of reputation," he does not reject their significance, but alongside his own he also places the common recognition of all, just as he also said of himself: "I think I also have the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. 7:40), not rejecting the existence of this gift in himself, but pointing to the common opinion. So, "those of reputation," that is, the great, the renowned.

That is, in order to teach those who are scandalized concerning me that I do not labor in vain, and not in order to learn myself, for how could I learn, when I received from the Father the revelation concerning the Son and His Gospel?

He gives his motive when he says, "according to a revelation from God," i.e., because God revealed and commanded him to go up to Jerusalem. From this can be gathered that all the acts and movements of the apostles were according to an instinct of the Holy Spirit: "The clouds spread their light which go round about" (Job 37:11).

Then when he says, "and communicated to them," he describes the conversation. About this he does three things:

First, he mentions the subject of their conversation;

Secondly, the persons with whom he conferred;

Thirdly, the reason why he conferred with them.

The subject about which he conferred was the Gospel; hence he says, "I communicated to them the Gospel"; the persons with whom he conferred were the senior and more outstanding apostles; hence he says, "but apart to them who seemed to be some thing." But the reason, both useful and necessary, was "lest I should run or had run in vain."

Regarding the first, he says, "I went up to Jerusalem" where "I communicated to them," as to friends and equals, "the Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles," not in order to learn, because I had already been taught by Christ, nor in order to be reassured, because I am so certain, that if an angel were to say the contrary, I would not believe him, as is plain above (1:8). But I conferred for two reasons: namely, to show the unity of my teaching with that of the other apostles: "That you all speak the same thing and that there be no schisms among you" (1 Cor 1:10). Hence he conferred with them as one having the same word as they, and not as an adversary. Also, to avoid false accusation from others. For the Apostle had not lived with Christ or been taught by the apostles, but immediately after his conversion began to preach things odious to the Jews, especially the vocation of the Gentiles and that they should not observe the justifications of the Law. So, then, he conferred about the Gospel.

But he indicates the ones with whom he did this, when he adds, "but apart to them who seemed to be some thing." As though to say: Not with all, but with those who were of some authority and importance among them, namely, with Peter, James and John and the other great ones: "Treat with the wise and prudent" (Sir 9:21). "But apart," not to talk or treat with them about ignoble or false things, as heretics do, but because he was aware of the presence there of Jews who brought false charges against him for his teachings about the Law. Hence, in order that the truth might prevail over false charges, he spoke apart with those who would not bring false charges against him: "Treat thy cause with thy friend, and discover not the secret to a stranger" (Prov 25:9); "Before a stranger do no matter of counsel: for thou knowest not what he will bring forth" (Sir 8:21). Thus the subject of the discussion as well as the persons are made known.

Then follows the cause, which was "lest perhaps I should run or had run in vain," i.e., lest I be thought to have preached to no purpose. He calls his preaching a "running" on account of the rapidity of his teaching, for in a short time he preached the Gospel from Jerusalem to Illyricum and even as far as Spain. Hence the word of Psalm (147:15) can be said of him: "His word runneth swiftly"; "Pray, brethren, that the word of God may run and may be glorified, even as among you" (2 Thes 3:1). But did he really wonder whether he was running in vain? I answer that he did not wonder for himself, but for those to whom he had preached, because if his teaching was not firmly held by them, he would have run in vain as far as they were concerned. So he wanted to confer with them, in order that when his hearers heard that his teaching was in agreement with that of the other apostles and approved by them, they would hold to it more firmly—then he would not be running in vain with respect to them: "I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty" (1 Cor 9:26).