ACC ~ Galatians 1 v18 - 24

OVERVIEW:

Paul visited Peter simply from goodwill (AUGUSTINE) and because of his high standing (MARIUS VICTORINUS), thus demonstrating his own humility. He remained long enough for a friend (CHRYSOSTOM), not long enough for a disciple. He recognizes James as an apostle (JEROME) and as the “brother of the Lord” (CHRYSOSTOM), though this is not meant literally (THEODORET). With an oath that does not transgress Christ’s precept (AUGUSTINE, JEROME) Paul shows that his gospel had taken effect even in his absence (MARIUS VICTORINUS) and that he had neither preached circumcision (CHRYSOSTOM) nor learned Christianity in Judea (JEROME), where Jews and Gentiles remained separate (AUGUSTINE). He candidly recalls his former sins (CHRYSOSTOM) and, though aware that his conversion was remarkable (MARIUS VICTORINUS), claims no merit (CHRYSOSTOM).

1:18a | Visiting Peter in Jerusalem

WHETHER HIS KNOWLEDGE CAME FROM PETER, TO WHOM CHRIST COMMITTED SO MUCH AUTHORITY. MARIUS VICTORINUS: For if the foundation of the church was laid in Peter, to whom all was revealed, as the gospel says, Paul knew that he ought to see Peter. When he speaks of seeing Peter, it is as one to whom Christ had committed so much authority, not as one from whom he was to learn anything. … “How,” [he implies], “could I learn this great knowledge of God from Peter in such a short time?” EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 1.1.18.

WHY VISIT PETER? CHRYSOSTOM: What greater humility of soul could there be? For after so many conversions, having no need of Peter or of speech with him but being equal with him in honor—for I say no more at present—he nonetheless goes up to him as to one who is greater and senior … and he says not “to see Peter” but to visit Peter, as people say when acquainting themselves with great and splendid cities. HOMILY ON GALATIANS 1.18.

FRATERNAL LOVE MAGNIFIED. AUGUSTINE: If, when Paul had evangelized Arabia, he subsequently saw Peter, it was not so that he might learn the gospel from Peter himself (for then he would have seen him before) but so that he might enhance familial love by being with the apostles. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 8 [1B.1.15-19].

1:18b | Remaining for Fifteen Days

WHY SO LONG? CHRYSOSTOM: Now to remain with him was an act of honor, but to remain with him so many days was one of friendship and extreme love. HOMILY ON GALATIANS 1.18.

WHY NOT LONGER? JEROME: He who had prepared himself for so long a time did not need any long instruction. And, though it seems excessive to some to investigate numbers in Scripture, yet I think it not beside the point to say that the fifteen days that Paul spent with Peter signifies [in late Judaic piety] the fullness of wisdom and the perfection of doctrine, seeing that there are fifteen psalms in a psalter and fifteen steps by which people go up to sing to God. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 1.1.18.

1:19 | Seeing James the Lord’s Brother

SOME NOT AMONG THE TWELVE WERE CALLED APOSTLES. JEROME: That some were called apostles apart from the twelve is a consequence of the fact that all who had seen the Lord and subsequently preached him were called apostles. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 1.1.19.

THE SOLEMN TITLE. CHRYSOSTOM: “And I saw no other but James the brother of the Lord.” See how much greater is his friendship for Peter, for he stayed on his account. … [He says of James] “I saw,” not “I was taught.” But see with what honor he named this man also. For he says not simply James but adds the solemn title. So free of jealousy was he. For had he wished only to indicate whom he meant he could have identified him by another name and called him the son of Clopas, as the Evangelist does. HOMILY ON GALATIANS 1.19.

WAS JAMES THE LITERAL, NATURAL BROTHER OF THE LORD? THEODORET: He was called “the brother of the Lord” but was not so by nature. For he was not, as some suppose, the son of Joseph by a previous marriage but the son of Clopas and cousin of the Lord. For his mother was the sister of the Lord’s mother. … He was thought by others to be the Lord’s brother, both because their mothers had the same names and because the families shared one house. And he was so called even by believers, both because of the extreme virtue that he possessed (for he was called “the Just”) and because of the kinship. For the sacred story of the Gospels tells us that the Blessed Virgin had no other son. For seeing her by the cross, the Lord gave her to the most divine John, but he would not have committed her to another if the blessed James, a man possessed of extreme virtue, had been her son. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 1.19.

1:20 | I Do Not Lie!

WHETHER A SACRED OATH DEFIES THE COMMANDMENT TO NOT SWEAR. AUGUSTINE: He certainly swears, and what oath could be more sacred? But an oath is not against the commandment when the “evil cause” is not in the swearer but in the incredulity of him to whom he is forced to swear. For we understand from this that what the Lord meant in prohibiting oaths was that everyone, so far as in him it lies, should not swear the oaths that many do, having the oath on their lips as though it were something lofty and elegant. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 9 [1B.1.20-24].

THE DEEPER SENSE. JEROME: Or perhaps this could be taken in a deeper sense, that “what I say to you is before God, that is, worthy of God’s countenance. And why worthy of God’s countenance? Because I do not lie.” EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 1.1.20.

1:21 | Into Syria and Cilicia

WHAT THIS PROVES. MARIUS VICTORINUS: What does he prove by all this? That his gospel had persuaded everyone, even in his absence. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 1.1.21-22.

1:22 | Not Known by Sight to the Judean Churches

WHAT SLANDER IS PAUL REBUTTING? CHRYSOSTOM: What is his aim in saying “I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea?” That you may understand he was so far from preaching circumcision to them that they did not even know him by sight. HOMILY ON GALATIANS 1.22-23.

THE BEARING OF HIS SHORT TIME IN JUDEA ON HIS APOSTLESHIP. JEROME: He discreetly returns to the main point, establishing that he had spent so short a time in Judea that he was unknown even by face to the believers. Hence he shows that he had no teachers—not Peter, not James, not John—but Christ, who had revealed his gospel to him. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 1.1.

THE VITALITY OF JEWISH CHURCHES APART FROM JERUSALEM. AUGUSTINE: It should be observed that Jews had believed in Christ not only in Jerusalem, nor were they so few that they had been absorbed into the Gentile churches, but they were so numerous that churches came into being from them. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 9 [1B.1.20-24].

1:23 | The Persecutor Preaches the True Faith

HYPERBOLE AND MODESTY. CHRYSOSTOM: What soul could be more modest than this? For when he is discussing the things that bring opprobrium on him, such as his persecution and plundering of the church, he narrates it with great hyperbole, putting his previous life on show; but the things which would enhance his reputation he passes by. HOMILY ON GALATIANS 1.23.

1:24 | Glorifying God Because of Paul

RECEIVING ONE PREVIOUSLY ASSAILED. MARIUS VICTORINUS: By “glorified God in me” he means they called him great. For what is so magnificent as to have your own opinion turned around and receive the one whom you previously assailed? This being so, you also should follow nothing else than the gospel preached to you by the one who is a miracle among the Gentiles, because he preaches the faith of Christ. EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 1.1.24.

DOES PAUL CLAIM ANYTHING FOR HIMSELF? CHRYSOSTOM: See here too how exactly he follows the principle of humility. For he says not “they were amazed at me,” “they praised me” or “they were astonished,” but he has shown that all was of grace by saying “they glorified God in me.” HOMILY ON GALATIANS 1.24.