Galatians 2:18 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

I make myself a transgressor.— Many commentators consider this verse as a continuation of St. Paul's speech at Antioch, and would render and connect it thus: "On the contrary, so far are we from being made sinners by neglecting justification by the law, that if we taught the necessity of its works, we should become transgressors, in building again the things which we destroyed." But if this interpretation was to be admitted, we should not only find it hard to clear up the argument, but must suppose that the following verses likewise are part of the speech to St. Peter, which would make them much less pertinent and natural, than if we suppose them the overflowings of St. Paul's devout heart in addressing the Galatians. His speech to St. Peter rather seems to have gone no further than the foregoing verse; and the conjunction γαρ is often used with such a latitude, that we might take it in the beginning of this verse to signify now, and so consider St. Paul as shewing here, that, whatever some insinuated to his prejudice, there was no inconsistency in his doctrine and practice with what he had then so openly declared.