i6 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [CHAPTER II. Wherefore, says he, we yielded to the Apostles, but not to these. Ver. 5. "That the truth of the Gospel might continue with you." l That we may confirm, says he, by our deeds what we have already declared by words, namely, that the " old things are passed away, behold they are become new; " and that "if any man is in Christ he is a new creature ;" (2 Cor. v: 17.) and that " if ye receive circum cision, Christ will profit you nothing." (Gal. v: 2.) In maintaining this truth we gave place not even for an hour. Then, as he was directly met by the conduct of the Apostles, and the reason of their enjoining the rite would proba bly be asked, heproceeds to solve this objection. This he does with great skill,forhe doesnot give the actual reason, which was, that the Apostles acted by way ofcondescension and in the use of a scheme, (ojxoi/0/.na) as it were ; for otherwise his hearers would have been injured. For those, who are to derive benefit from a scheme should be unacquainted with the design of it ; all will be undone, if this appears. Wherefore, hewho is to take part in it should know the drift of it ; those who are to benefit by it should not. To make my meaning more evident, I will take an example from our present subject. The blessed Paul himself, who meant to abrogate circumcis ion, when he was about to send Timothy to teach the Jews, first circumcised him and so sent him. This he did, that his hearers might the more readily receive him ; he began by cir cumcising, that in the end he might abolish it. But this reason he imparted to Timothy only, and told it not to the disciples. Had they known that the very purpose of his circumcision was the abolition of the rite, they would never have listened to his preaching, and the whole benefit would have been lost. But now their ignorance was of the greatest use to them, for their idea that his conduct proceeded from a regard to the Law, led them to receive both him and his doctrine with kindness and courtesy, and having gradually received him, andbecome instructed, they abandoned their old customs. Now this would not have happened had they known his reasons from the first ; for they would have turned away from him, and being turned away would not have given him a hearing, and not hearing, would have continued in their for mer error. Toprevent this, he did not disclose his reasons ; here too he does not explain the occasion ofthescheme, (olxovopia) but shapes his discourse differently ; thus : Ver. 6. " But from those who were reputed 1 [" In order that by our conduct the principle of Christian free dom should not be shaken and ye should not be induced to deviate from the truth of the Gospel by mixing it up with Mosaism." Meyer. G. A.] to be somewhat,2 (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me, God accepteth no man s person.)" Here he not only does not defend the Apos tles, but even presses hard uponthose holy men, for the benefit of the weak. His meaning is this : although they permit circumcision, they shall render an account to God, for God will not accept their persons, because they are great and in station. But he does not speak so plainly, but with caution. He says not, if they vitiate their doctrine, and swerve from the appointed rule of their preaching, they shall be judged with the utmost rigor, and suffer punishment ; but he alludes to them more reverently, in the words, " of those who were reputed to be some what, whatsoever they were." He says not, " whatsoever they are, " but " were," show ing that they too had thenceforth3 ceased so to preach, the doctrine havingextended itselfuni versally. The phrase, " whatsoever they were, " implies, that if they so preached they should render account, for they had to justify themselves before God, not before men. This he said, not as doubtful or ignorant of the rectitude of their procedure, but (as I said before) from a sense of the expediency of so forming his discourse. Then, that he may notseem to take theopposite side and to accuse them, and so create a suspi cion of their disagreement, he straightway sub joins this correction : " for those who were repu ted to be somewhat, in conference imparted nothing to me." This is his meaning; What you may say, I know not; this I know well, that the Apostles did not oppose me, but our sentiments conspired and accorded. This ap pears from his expression, " they gave me the right hand of fellowship > " but he does not say this at present, but only that they neither in formed or corrected him on any point, nor added to his knowledge. Ver. 6. " For thosewho were reputed to be somewhat, imparted nothing to me : That is to say, when told ofmy proceedings, they added nothing, they corrected nothing, and though aware that the object ofmy jour ney was to communicate with them, that I had come by revelation of the Spirit, and that I had Titus with me who was uncircumcised, they neither circumcised him, nor imparted to me any additional knowledge. Ver. 7. " But contrariwise." 2 [Lightfoot says, "The expression is depreciatory here, not in deed of the twelve themselves but of the extravagant and exclus ive claims set up for them by the Judaizers." So also Dr. Schaff. " The addition of TI elvai. and OTTOIOI betrays a certain irritation in reference to the opponents who would not concede Paul an esti mation given to the original Apostles." Meyer. G. AJ3 [" It is entirely in opposition to the context that Chrysostom Theophylact and Jerome refer this to the earlier teaching of the Apostles, making Paul say that whether at an earlier date they had been Judaizers or not was to him a matter of indifference." Meyer. G. A.]