THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE GALATIANS

The Galatians, soon after St. Paul had preached the Gospel to them, were seduced by some false teachers, who had been Jews and who were for obliging all Christians, even those who had been Gentiles, to observe circumcision and the other ceremonies of the Mosaical law. In this Epistle, he refutes the pernicious doctrine of those teachers and also their calumny against his mission and apostleship. The subject matter of this Epistle is much the same as that to the Romans. It was written at Ephesus, about twenty-three years after our Lord's Ascension.

 

 

[11] I withstood: The fault that is here noted in the conduct of St. Peter, was only a certain imprudence, in withdrawing himself from the table of the Gentiles, for fear of giving offence to the Jewish converts; but this, in such circumstances, when his so doing might be of ill consequence to the Gentiles, who might be induced thereby to think themselves obliged to conform to the Jewish way of living, to the prejudice of their Christian liberty. Neither was St. Paul's reprehending him any argument against his supremacy; for in such cases an inferior may, and sometimes ought, with respect, to admonish his superior.

 

 

 

 

[19] Because of transgressions: To restrain them from sin, by fear and threats.

[19] Ordained by angels: The law was delivered by angels, speaking in the name and person of God to Moses, who was the mediator, on this occasion, between God and the people.

 

[22] Hath concluded all under sin: that is, hath declared all to be under sin, from which they could not be delivered but by faith in Jesus Christ, the promised seed.

[24] Pedagogue: That is, schoolmaster, conductor, or instructor. 

 

[28] Neither Jew: That is, no distinction of Jew, etc.

 

 

Chapter 4

[3] Under the elements: That is, under the first rudiments of religion, in which the carnal Jews were trained up; or under those corporeal creatures, used in their manifold rites, sacrifices, and sacraments.

[10] You observe days: He speaks not of the observation of the Lord's day, or other Christian festivals; but either of the superstitious observation of days lucky and unlucky; or else of the Jewish festivals, to the observance of which, certain Jewish teachers sought to induce the Galatians.