by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 6 But of those who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me; God accepteth no man's person ;) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me; 7 but contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; 8 (for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles ;) 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision;

10 only

they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

Ch. i., v. 15-17. "But when God, who selected

me from my birth, and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, neither did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I immediately departed to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus." Paul declares the extraordinary nature of his conversion; it was effected by divine power, and it was in accordance with the divine purpose. In regard to human salvation, the Bible asserts, 1st, eternal predestination or election, 2d, designation or setting apart from the birth, and 3d, as a result, conversion or effectual calling. Jer. i. 5, 10; Acts iv. 27, 28, xv. 18; Rom. viii. 29, 30, xi. 2; Eph. i. 4, 5, 11. The reason of Paul's vocation to the apostleship, was the gratuitous pleasure of God. There is no mention made of the ability and zeal, with which he would be likely to discharge his duties, as the cause why God made him a chosen vessel. Paul always ascribes it to the sovereign determination and grace of God. Reveal his Son, an inward communication of Christ, by which, independently of all human teaching, he was enabled to preach Christ. Any mere outward manifestation would have been transient. In, 2 Cor. xii. 2; Gal: i. 22; 2 Tim. i. 13. Revealed, "not that I should see him only, but that I should publish him among the Gentiles. How then can I preach

circumcision to them?" The order of events

in v. 16, 17, and Acts ix. may thus be stated. Paul's conversion A. D. 36, Acts ix. 1–18; Gal. i. 15, baptism, Acts ix. 18, certain days at Damascus, an indefinite short time, Acts ix. 19. Straightway, in a few days preaches Christ in Damascus, departs to Arabia, Gal. i. 17. His stay at Damascus had been so short that he might properly be said to depart immediately, (connecting the word immediately, v. 16, with went, v. 17,) returns to Damascus, probably after a short journey into the contiguous parts of Arabia, Gal. i. 17, remained in Damascus three years, Gal. 18, corresponding to many days, Acts ix. 23. (See an exact instance, 1 Kings ii. 38, 39.) Why Luke does not mention the journey to Arabia, we do not know. It was probably short and not marked with important results. It better agrees with the nature of the argument to suppose that he went to Arabia to preach the gospel, rather than for health or private meditation. He is showing that he had a full revelation directly from Christ of the nature of the gospel. He did not need, therefore, to depend on the deductions of his own mind, any more than on the teachings of the other apostles. He might, however, have had divine communications in Arabia. Some parts of Arabia near Damascus contained many Jews. Flesh and blood, Isa. ii. 22; Matt. xvi. 17. Apostles before me, not spoken in the conceited spirit of a new convert, but fully warranted by his extraordinary

conversion and call. It had been absurd for him, taught of God miraculously, to have applied for instruction to man.

v. 18. Three years, reckoning from his conversion, including journey to Arabia, or, (that was so short,) reckoning from that journey. How he left Damascus, see Acts ix. 23, 25; 2 Cor. xi. 32, 33. See and abode, very guarded, so as to give no trace of any doctrines received from Peter-see, implies no more than respect, giving no ground for the superiority, which the Romanists ascribe to Peter. Fifteen days, Acts ix. 28, with xxii. 17, 18. The first passage would lead the reader to suppose that Paul remained a considerable time at Jerusalem; the second indicates that his visit was short; while Gal. i. 19 defines it-a species of undesigned consistency not often found except in authentic narratives. His visit did not require much time. It probably included three Sabbaths. Acts xxviii. 14.

v. 19. James, undoubtedly James the Less, Mark xv. 40, son of Alpheus or Cleopas, and of Mary, the sister of the mother of Jesus. Brother, is used for a near kinsman, like a cousin, Matt. xii. 46, xiii. 55; John vii. 3; Acts i. 14. Compare Gen. xiii. 8, xiv. 16. Lord's brother, to distinguish him from the other James, who was not murdered till A. D. 44. "Having so long preached the gospel before I saw the apostles, and staying so little time with them, it cannot

be imagined that I should receive my instructions from them." The historian in Acts gives the general account; the apostle, who is the subject of it, particularizes.

v. 20-24. Lie not. See Rom. ix. 1; 2 Cor. xi. 31; 1 Tim. ii. 7. Behold, Luke ii. 10. Regions, Rom. xv. 23; 2 Cor. xi. 10. Syria. lay east of the Mediterranean, south of Mt. Taurus, west of the Euphrates, and north of Judea. Cilicia had Syria and the Mediterranean on the south, Pamphylia on the west, Lycaonia and Cappadocia on the north, and Syria on the east. "If I was unknown to the Christian churches in Judea, of course I did not derive my doctrines from them." On my ac

count, "the wolf had become a shepherd." They ascribed the merit to God, and regarded the whole as his work. Considering his total change, they could not well do otherwise. "You have then, not only the testimony of the people of Arabia and Damascus, but of all the churches of Judea."

Chap. ii., v. 1. "After the lapse of fourteen years I again went up to Jerusalem."

Some commentators think that this is to be reckoned from his conversion, as it is probable that that event would ever after be an era in his life, but the original words, translated then and after, are both adverse to such an opinion. The most natural way is to consider it to be fourteen years from the journey to Jerusalem mentioned,