v. 1. Various uses of apostle may be seen, Heb. iii. 1; Matt. x. 14; Luke xxii. 14; Rom. i. 1, xi. 13; 1 Cor. iv. 9. The word is translated messenger, 2 Cor. viii. 23; Phil. ii. 25. Not of men, neither by man. Not commissioned from men, from the apostles, etc.; nor by the agency of man, but by Jesus Christ. The general sentiment is, that his apostleship was not of human authority. It rested on divine appointment alone. The word translated of, has the sense of by. It sometimes means the author or cause, Matt. xvi. 21; 1 Cor. iv. 5; Rev. xii. 6. By Jesus Christ. He had seen Christ with his bodily eyes, in the same manner that Peter had, Acts ix. 3, 16, xxii. 14, 15; 1 Cor. xv. 8; 1 Tim. i. 12. These passages cannot refer to Paul's having seen Christ during Christ's life on earth, though the fact itself is possible; nor can it refer to a mere acknowledgment of the doctrine of Christ, nor to the ecstasy mentioned 2 Cor. xii. 2. He places the appearance of Christ to him, on precisely the same ground as all the other appearances of the risen Saviour. Matthias was chosen an apostle by God, through the means of men. Titus was selected by Paul; but Paul was chosen by Christ himself, without human intervention; therefore, an apostle in the highest sense of the term. Acts xiii. 2, refers to a particular work-a sort of special deputation, about nine years after his designation to the apostleship. By God the Father, Acts xxii.

14, and texts where the part which God the Father takes in the work of redemption is mentioned; which raised him from the dead; adduced to show the superiority of the gospel over the law. It was an illustrious proof of the dignity of Christ, and of Paul's office conferred on him by Christ, not in his state of humiliation, but of his glory;-all tending to refute the calumnies of his adversaries. The contrast shows that Christ cannot be a mere man.

v. 2. Brethren, brother-ministers at the place from which he was writing, 1 Cor. i. 1; 2 Cor. i. 1; compare Phil. iv. 4; all, sometimes applied to three or four. By joining others in the salutation, he showed that they agreed with him in preaching the same doctrines. Timothy and Silas, (probably others,) were at Corinth; churches at Pessinus, Tavium, Ancyra, etc. The omission of the usual epithets, 1 Cor. i. 2; Eph. i. 1, may have been intentional as implying some degree of reprehension.

v. 3. Grace, etc. See Numb. vi. 24-26; Ruth ii. 4, 5; Ps. cxxix. 8; also the introductions to Paul's Epistles generally.

The vast

v. 4, 5. Who gave himself, etc. superiority of the gospel over the law, is here shown in respect to the expiation for sin. "Christ can do that for you, which the law cannot; why then turn away from Christ to the law, which cannot profit you?" Isa. liii. 4-6, 8, 10-12; Dan. ix. 24, 25 Mark xiv. 24 ;

Luke xxiv. 46, 47; Rom. v. 6-9; Col. ‘i. 14; Tit. ii. 13; 1 Peter ii. 21, 24; 1 John ii. 2; Rev. i. 6. "Paul, in a manner, in every word, handleth the argument of this Epistle. He hath nothing in his mouth but Christ, and, therefore, in every word, there is a fervency of spirit and life. Christ hath given what? Not gold, nor silver, nor beasts, nor paschal lambs, nor an angel, but himself. For what? Not for a crown, not for a kingdom, not for our holiness, or righteousness, but for our sins."-Luther. It is, however, frequent with Paul to break out in ascriptions of glory to Christ. That he might deliver, etc. Gen. xlvii. 9; Matt. xiii. 22; Mark iv. 19; Rom. xii. 2; 1 Cor. i. 20, ii. 6, 8; Eph. ii. 1; 2 Tim. iv. 10. These words may be intended indirectly to refute the slanders of those who represented Paul as preaching continuance in sin, that grace might abound, Rom. vi. 1. World, present, imperfect, and sinful state; present, perhaps referring to a state where vice and sorrow shall be unknown. According to the will of God and our Father. The Father is joined; teaching the Galatians that it was the Father's good pleasure that they should trust in Christ for salvation, and not in works of the law; and, explanatory, even, Matt. xxi. 15; John x. 12; Acts xxiii. 6; 1 Thess. i. 3; Titus ii. 13. To whom, &c., struck with the magnitude of the blessings bestowed by Christ, Paul bursts forth into adoration. Rom. i. 25; 2 Cor. xi.

31. Whenever he recalls the mercy of God, he is led to glorify him.

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel; 7 which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed! 9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed! 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

v. 6. The abruptness, shows the astonishment of the apostle at the conduct of the Galatians. Him that called you. This expression is used elsewhere, exclusively of God, generally of God the Father, Rom. viii. 30, ix. 12, 24; 1 Cor. i. 9, vii. 18, 19, 21, 22; Gal. v. 8, Eph. i. 1, 4; 1 Thess. ii. 12. Referring it to

13;

Christ in this connection, would be a forced mode of construction. Others refer it to Paul as the instrument of their outward calling. The sense is "God, who has called you to be his people, not on account of your merits, but alone on account of the grace of Christ," Rom. v. 15; 2 Cor. i. 12; 2 Thess. ii. 16. The guilt of their defection was greatly increased, because they had so soon turned away from the true gospel.

v. 7, may be thus rendered, "These false teachers introduce another gospel or doctrine respecting justification, than that which I preached; though, strictly speaking, it is no gospel at all, but a mere perversion;" or, "of this whole thing in question, there is no other cause, but such as arises from the persons who trouble you." Trouble, John v. 4, 7; compare with Ezek. xxxii. 2; Acts xv. 24; Gal. v. 20.

v. 8, 9. Paul, with the utmost confidence, proceeds to the vindication of his doctrine. We, used for the first person throughout the Epistle. "Do not tell me of any men, however exalted, who preach another doctrine; for if an angel from heaven," &c. It is a rhetorical mode of expression, showing, in Paul's usual energetic manner, the unchangeable truth of the gospel. The false teachers tried to overwhelm him with names and human authority. He asserts that in this matter, the highest created authority is of no account. Accursed, corres