Galatians 2:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He says, "Those great and glorious men, whom all everywhere extol, are themselves witnesses of what I say, namely, that this is pleasing to Christ. They were convinced of its truth by the deeds themselves and were assured by experience itself. Therefore they gave me the right hand, and not only me, but Barnabas also. They did this so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised." What richness of understanding, and what unanswerable proof of agreement! He shows that their teaching was in accord with his teaching, and his teaching was in accord with theirs. The same thing was pleasing to both sides: that they should preach thus to the Jews, and he thus to the Gentiles. Therefore he added, "that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised." Do you see that here by circumcision he means not the act itself, but the Jews? When he speaks of the act of circumcision itself, wishing to show its distinction, he contrasts it with uncircumcision. For example, he says, "Circumcision is profitable if you keep the law. But if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision" (Rom 2:25). Again, "Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any power" (Gal 5:6). But when he calls the Jews by this name and wishes to indicate not the act itself, but the people, he contrasts it not with uncircumcision, but with the Gentiles. The Jews are contrasted with the Gentiles, and circumcision with uncircumcision. Thus, when he says above, "He who worked through Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised worked also through me for the Gentiles," or here, "we to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised," he does not mean the act itself. By this word he names the Jewish people, contrasting them with the Gentiles.

Thus he says the following: "But on the contrary, they gave me the right hand of fellowship." Then again, in the middle, he says, "seeing that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been entrusted to me," and so on in order. It was not only that they did not correct me. They even praised me and agreed that Barnabas and I should go with the gospel to the uncircumcised, that is, to the Gentiles, while they should go to the circumcised, that is, to the Jews. Here he shows himself equal to Peter.

Thus no obstacle to faith would arise from either side, and no one would be deprived of faith in Christ because of circumcision or uncircumcision." "One was appointed chiefly for the Jews, and the other for the Gentiles." Concerning the mention of the three apostles, St. John Chrysostom observes, "Where Paul needed to compare himself, he mentions Peter alone. But where he had to present testimony, he names the three together, and with praise." To this Bishop Theophan adds, "James stands first because of his presidency in the Church of Jerusalem, and not merely as the brother of the Lord. For his holiness of life and love for the Lord, he was held in greater honor than all in Jerusalem. The Apostle expresses this by calling him, together with Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, that is, honored pillars, supports, and guides of the true way."

He attributes to Christ the grace of apostleship given to him and names the Apostles themselves as witnesses of this, saying, ‘and when they knew the grace.’ He did not say, ‘when they heard,’ but ‘when they knew,’ that is, when they were assured by the works themselves.

Do you see how he finally showed that his preaching was pleasing both to Christ and to the Apostles? This grace would not have been given to him, nor would it have worked in him, if such preaching had not been pleasing to Christ.”

By virtue of this assurance, the holy Apostles had only to give their right hands to Saint Paul and Barnabas. This was a sign of complete agreement with him in everything and approval of his manner of acting. This they did.

“James and Cephas and John.” James is the same as above, the brother of the Lord. Because of the holiness of his life and his love for the Lord, he was in great honor among all in Jerusalem and presided in the Church of Jerusalem.

He is placed first because of this presidency, not because he was the brother of the Lord. Chrysostom remarks here: “Where he needed to compare himself, he mentions Peter alone.

But where it was necessary to present testimony, he names the three together, and with praise.” “Who seemed to be pillars.” Pillars are support, protection, and markers of the way.

All this applies to the Apostles mentioned in relation to the faith. “Who seemed” means “who are pillars of the faith and are honored as such by all” (Oecumenius).

Chrysostom remarks: “By the word ‘seemed’ he does not deny that they truly were such. He brings in the opinion of others and says that those great and glorious men, whom all everywhere exalt, are themselves witnesses of what I say.

They testify that this is pleasing to Christ, and that they learned its truth from the works themselves and were assured of it by experience.” Ambrosiaster says the same: “Saint Paul says, I confirm by the Apostles more renowned among the others, who are called pillars for their firmness, that grace has been given me by God.

I confirm also that the gift of primacy in preaching among the Gentiles has been given me, as Peter has primacy in preaching among the circumcised.”

“They gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship.” They gave the right hands of fellowship as a sign of companionship and complete agreement, one mind and one action.

“He shows that his opinion agreed with theirs, and their opinion agreed with his” (Chrysostom). “It did not appear that the elder Apostles disagreed with Paul in anything.

When he said that he had received perfect knowledge of the Gospel, they did not deny it or wish to add anything to him as though he were imperfect. On the contrary, they appeared not as reprovers of imperfection, but as approvers of perfection” (blessed Augustine).

“To me and Barnabas.” “As he places with Peter the best men among the Apostles, so he joins Barnabas to himself, who was united with him by the will of God.

Yet he attributes the grace of primacy in preaching to the Gentiles to himself alone, as he attributes it to Peter alone in preaching among the Jews. Thus the Apostles of the circumcised gave right hands to the Apostles of the Gentiles as proof of common agreement” (Ambrosiaster).

“Paul and Barnabas were given the right hands of fellowship by James, Peter, and John so that, because of the difference regarding observance of Jewish customs, no one would think that their Gospel itself was different.

It was also so that there might be one-minded communion between the circumcised and the uncircumcised” (blessed Jerome).

“That we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.” “It pleased both sides that these should preach in this way to the Jews, and the others in that way to the Gentiles” (Chrysostom).

This is not exclusive, but predominant. Paul and Barnabas proclaimed the truth even in Jerusalem itself. Later, everywhere they first addressed the Jews with preaching, and only then turned to the Gentiles (see Acts 17:1-4; Acts 18:4-9; Acts 19:8-9).

Peter and John also worked among the Gentiles, after all who could believe had believed in Jerusalem and Judea, while those who did not believe became more and more estranged from the believers and hostile toward them.

Blessed Jerome resolves it in this way: “The question arises: What then? If Peter had found someone among the Gentiles ready to believe, would he not have brought him to the faith?

And if Paul had found such a person among the circumcised, would he not have imparted to him the baptism of Christ? This question is resolved thus: one was appointed chiefly for the Jews, the other for the Gentiles.

This was so that those attached to the Law might have someone to follow, and that those who were strangers to the Law might have a ready teacher and guide.

In general, both had one goal: to gather the Church of Christ from all the nations. We read that Peter baptized Cornelius, and that Paul often preached Christ in the Jewish synagogues.”