Galatians 2:6 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

But of those who seemed to be somewhat,— St. Paul having shewn, in the preceding verses, what passed between the false brethren, and him, now proceeds to shew what passed between the chief of the brethren and himself; and therefore some introduce the verse with these words: Thus we behaved ourselves towards the false brethren; but of those, &c. However the words, who seemed to be somewhat, may answer the original, they certainly carry to an English ear a diminishing and ironical sense, contrary to the meaning of the Apostle, who speaks here of those for whom he had a real esteem, and who were truly of the first rank; for it is plain by what follows, that he means Peter, James, and John. Besides, the phrase οι δοκουντες being taken in a good sense, Galatians 2:2 and translated those of reputation, the same mode of expression should have been retained when the same term occurs. Every one sees that there is something implied at the beginning of this verse. Most commentators add the words, I learned nothing; but this enervates the reason subjoined at the close of the verse;—I learned nothing of them,—for they taught me nothing; but it is very good reasoning, and suited to his purpose, to say that it was nothing at all to him how much those great men were in Christ's favour; "But as for those who were really men of eminence, what they were or are, matters not at all to me in the present instance; God accepts not the person of any man, but communicates the gospel to whom he pleases, as he has done to me by revelation, without their help: for in their conference with me, they added nothing to me;—they taught me nothing new, nor had they any thing to object against what I preached to the Gentiles." Peter, James, and John, who appear from Galatians 2:9 to be the persons here spoken of, seem, of all the apostles, to have been most in esteem and favour with their Master during his conversation upon earth: "But yet that," says St. Paul, "is of no moment now to me. The gospel which I preach, and which God, who is no respecter of persons, has been pleased to commit to me by immediate revelation, is not the less true; nor is there any reason for me to recede from it in a tittle; for these men of the first rank could find nothing to add, alter, or gainsay." This is suitable to St. Paul's design here, to let the Galatians see, that as he, in his carriage, had never favoured circumcision; so neither had he any reason, by preaching circumcision, to forsake the doctrine of liberty in respect to the law of Moses, which he had preached to them as a part of that gospel delivered to him by revelation.