ABRAHAM AND THE GENTILE 63

4. Epeita (`afterwards'), the retiring to Syria and Cilicia, and continuance there (1:21-24).

5. Epeita dia dekatessaron eton, the second visit to Jerusalem (2:1).

Chapter 2:11 does not start with epeita, but hote, and implies a fresh start, parallel to 1:15.

`Here the numbers derive their effect on his readers' minds from their greatness; and, if he had been able to use

the number 17, he would inevitably (according to my conception of his nature) have taken the expression which

enabled him to use the larger number'.

We believe that fourteen years after the apostle's conversion he went up to Jerusalem by revelation: this view is

taken by Macknight in his commentary. One suggested rendering of 2 Corinthians 12:2 is, `a man who had been

fourteen years in Christ' (cf. Rom. 16:7). If this should prove acceptable then the `revelation' of Galatians 2:1 and

the visions and revelations of 2 Corinthians 12 synchronize. Other writers of good standing take the opposite view,

that the fourteen years are to be added to the three, but this does not seem to fit in with the one great theme before

the apostle, his great object being, not to specify any particular number of visits to Jerusalem, but to clear away the

remotest suspicion that he received his commission or his message from the twelve.

The apostle's visit to Jerusalem which took place three years after his conversion was historesai Kephan, `to

make the acquaintance of Cephas'. It was a thing most natural that the apostle Paul should desire to make the

acquaintance of Peter, and to learn from him all that he could reveal concerning the earthly life and ministry of the

Lord Jesus. The visit was short, lasting but fifteen days, and Paul's own reference to it in later days indicates that in

a trance he received the command, `Make haste and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy

testimony concerning Me' (Acts 22:18). `They went about to slay him' is the statement of Acts 9:29. The one other

man of all men that Paul would wish to meet would be `James the Lord's brother', for while Peter's story would

begin at the baptism of John, James' story would begin with the birth and early life. James, the brother of John, was

killed with the sword (Acts 12:2), and the distinction between the two would not be necessary after that point.

Paul follows this statement with words, which - unless we realise the importance attaching to his narrative - will

seem unnecessarily solemn. `Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not'. It is for a

similar purpose that the apostle traces the history of the visit made after fourteen years. `They who seemed to be

somewhat in conference added nothing to me'. Let us see the passage as a whole, before considering it in detail.

a Paul goes to Jerusalem for the faith.

b Barnabas stands fast.

c Titus not compelled to be circumcised.

d Paul's stand for the truth of the gospel.

e Seemed to be somewhat.

f  Added nothing to me.

g Gospel of Circumcision. PETER.

g Gospel of Uncircumcision. PAUL.

e Seemed to be pillars.

f  Remember the poor.

A 11-13 a Peter comes to Antioch; overthrows faith.

b Even Barnabas carried away.

B 14

d Peter's walk, against the truth of the gospel.

c Compelled Gentiles to Judaize.

The perfection of the structure can be felt, even with our faulty presentation: point answers point, and insists

upon the one grand theme - Paul's absolute equality with Peter and the twelve. We are not so concerned as to

whether this visit in Galatians 2 is the same as that of Acts 12, or an earlier or a later one; this controversy fills many

a page in ancient and modern commentary: we are concerned that the reader shall not miss this critical lesson. Here,

in this first epistle, one subject is uppermost; not, as we might have supposed, the glory of Christ and the blessedness

of the gospel - that we know well was more to the heart of Paul than all this apparent `foolish boasting'- but the