Galatians

Ver 15-16a. But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace, to reveal his Son in me,

Polycarp writes, "the strong root of your faith, spoken of in days long gone by, endures even until now, and brings forth fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sins suffered even unto death, [but] 'whom God raised from the dead, having loosed the bands of the grave'. 'In whom, though now you see Him not, you believe, and believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory'; into which joy many desire to enter, knowing that 'by grace you are saved, not of works', but by the will of God through Jesus Christ." (Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians, Ch 1).

Ver 16b. that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood,

John Calvin comments, "Immediately I conferred not. To confer with flesh and blood, is to consult with flesh and blood. So far as the meaning of these words is concerned, his intention was absolutely to have nothing to do with any human counsels. The general expression, as will presently appear from the context, includes all men, and all the prudence or wisdom which they may possess. He even makes a direct reference to the apostles, for the express purpose of exhibiting, in a stronger light, the immediate calling of God. Relying on the authority of God alone, and asking nothing more, he proceeded to discharge the duty of preaching the gospel." (Commentary on Galatians).

Ver 17. nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus.

Adam Clarke comments, "The aim of the apostle is to show that he had his call so immediately and pointedly from God himself, that he had no need of the concurrence even of the apostles, being appointed by the same authority, and fitted to the work by the same grace and Spirit, as they were." (The Adam Clarke Commentary).

Ver 18. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.

Tertullian writes, "But the fact is, having been converted from a persecutor to a preacher, he is introduced as one of the brethren to brethren, by brethren — to them, indeed, by men who had put on faith from the apostles' hands. Afterwards, as he himself narrates, he 'went up to Jerusalem for the purpose of seeing Peter,' [Galatians 1:18] because of his office, no doubt, and by right of a common belief and preaching." (Prescription Against Heretics, 23).

Ver 19. But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother.

Marius Victorinus comments, "Because when he said he saw no one else of the apostles except James, the reason was also included why he saw James: the Lord's brother, the one regarded as his brother according to the flesh." (Commentary on Galatians, translated by Stephen Andrew Cooper, pg. 266).

Clement of Alexandria writes, "Jude, who wrote the Catholic Epistle, being one of the sons of Joseph and [the Lord's] brother, a man of deep piety, though he was aware of his relationship to the Lord, nevertheless did not say he was His brother; but what said he? Jude the servant of Jesus Christ, because He was his Lord, but brother of James; for this is true; he was his brother, being Joseph's [son]" (Hypotyposeis).

Tertullian writes, "But there is historical proof that at this very time a census had been taken in Judaea by Sentius Saturninus, which might have satisfied their inquiry respecting the family and descent of Christ... And therefore, when to the previous question, 'Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?' He added the answer 'None but they who hear my words and do them,' He transferred the names of blood-relationship to others, whom He judged to be more closely related to Him by reason of their faith... That He adopted others only confirmed those in their relationship to Him whom He refused because of their offence, and for whom He substituted the others, not as being truer relatives, but worthier ones. Finally, it was no great matter if He did prefer to kindred (that) faith which it did not possess." (Against Marcion, 4.19).

Jerome writes, "Helvidius will answer, 'What you say, is in my opinion mere trifling. Your arguments are so much waste of time, and the discussion shows more subtlety than truth. Why could not Scripture say, as it said of Thamar and Judah, And he took his wife, and knew her again no more? Could not Matthew find words to express his meaning? He knew her not, he says, until she brought forth a son. He did then, after her delivery, know her, whom he had refrained from knowing until she was delivered.'... [he] produces Tertullian as a witness and... Victorinus bishop of Petavium." (Against Helvidius, 9, 19).

Ver 20. Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I’m not lying.

Jerome comments, "This may be simply taken as follows: What I write to you is true and I affirm, with God as my witness, that it has not been embellished with any lie or verbal artifice. Or perhaps it could be taken in a deeper sense: What I write to you is before God, that is, it is worthy of being seen by God. But why worthy of God's countenance? Because I do not lie. And just as the Lord fixes his eyes on the righteous but turns his face away from the unholy, so also now what I write is before the Lord. I who write do not lie; if I were to lie, my writing would not be before God. This holds true not only for what he writes now to the Galatians but also generally for all of his epistles inasmuch as he does not write what is untrue and his heart and words are never at odds with each other." (Commentary on Galatians).

Ver 21. Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

John Chrysostom comments, "After his interview with Peter, he resumes his account of his labours in the field which he had chosen, avoiding Judea, both because of his mission being to the Gentiles, and of his unwillingness to build upon another marts foundation. Wherefore there was not even a chance meeting, as appears from what follows." (Commentary on Galatians).

Ver 22-23. I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ, but they only heard, “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.”

Jerome comments, "Thus, he demonstrates that he had no teachers—not Peter, not James, not John, but only Christ, who had revealed the Gospel to him. It should also be noted that earlier he is said to have attacked the church but here to have attacked the faith (in the former case, he attacked people; in the latter, an entity)." (Commentary on Galatians).

Ver 24. So they glorified God in me.

Cyprian of Carthage writes, "You, if you should entreat for your offences, even in the very exit and close of your life below, if you should implore that God who is One and True, in the confession and faith of acknowledging Him, the pardon is given to you when you confess; the saving indulgence from God's pity is granted to you when you believe; nay in the very hour of death a transit is secured to immortality. This grace Christ grants, this work of His mercy He puts in our possession, by subduing death in the trophy of the Cross, by redeeming the believer with the price of His blood, by reconciling man to God the Father, and giving life to one who is mortal by heavenly regeneration... We Christians will be partakers in glory with Christ, in the blessedness of God the Father, rejoicing with perpetual gladness, in the presence of God for ever, and for ever yielding Him thanks. For he cannot be other than for ever happy and thankful, who, after living under liability to death, is rendered secure of immortality." (An Address to Demetrianus, 8.15).