IN THE EPISTLE

The pretext and fraud of the hypocrite or pseudo-apostles.

The excellence of the Gospel, from its authority, from the immutability and perfection of the word of God, does not admit correction or human addition.

The third reason: the excellence of the things themselves which are being dealt with, and the severity of the divine judgment; it must always be placed before the eyes.

1. The Apostle argues the cause of the Gospel in earnest.

2. He depraves nothing for the sake of men's favor. He treats divine things in God; there is a reason for the rendering of the gift: the word of God is respected and with greater importance.

God: they are ministers to man and glory; let the doctrine be proved.

they had understood before. For the Apostle does not wish to admit that they accept anything otherwise, or understand it in a different sense, than they learned from him previously. And thus hypocrites are accustomed to deceive, by saying, namely, that they do not bring forward a new doctrine, but only wish to explain more clearly that which was brought forward previously. Here, therefore, we learn that one must not consider who or what kind of person it is—namely, a man, an angel, or a bishop—who proposes doctrine to us, but only that we must see what pertains properly to the gospel handed down once for all. Furthermore, the excellence of the gospel is shown here, as it is that which, because it was revealed to us through the Son himself who is in the bosom of the Father, it can by no reason be changed, neither by men, apostles, or bishops, nor by angels, nor can anything be added to it, nor taken away; according to that of Deut. 4: "You shall not add anything, nor shall you take away from it," etc., and Apocal. at the end: "If anyone adds to these things, God will add upon him the plagues written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the book of life." Finally, we perceive openly here that all those who teach otherwise than Paul taught are under anathema. How, therefore, will they defend themselves, who were not ashamed to teach openly what fights against the writings of Paul?

(For now, do I persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men?) Others read in the accusative case: "Do I persuade men or God?" And in Greek it sounds thus: αρτι γαρ ανθρωπους πειθω η τον θεον for now do I persuade men or God? The meaning is: Do I propose human things, or divine things? Furthermore, do we act in such a way as if desiring to please men? Hence it appears that the apostle, so that he may render everyone more attentive, signifies two things in this very Introduction: first, that he is arguing the cause of the Gospel in earnest, and neither proposing anything nor [acting in a way that is not] pertinent to the Gospel. Next, that he wishes to deprave or dissimulate nothing for the favor of men. Even if it seems to have been done through an occupation a rhetorical technique of anticipating and refuting an objection, that he might repel from himself every suspicion of affected grace among men, which was the crime the pseudo-apostles falsely threw at him, saying that he taught the Mosaic law was not necessary for salvation for the sake of the favor of men, especially the Gentiles: contrarily, that he had observed the law itself among the Jews. And so he repels this calumny and casts the same vice back upon the pseudo-apostles. He urges it more, however, by proposing it through interrogation, in a certain form of communication. By these ways, however, a minister of the gospel deserves faith among the hearers, if, namely, he makes it testified that he wishes to propose nothing except what agrees in all things with the divine will and pertains properly to the gospel. Next, that he will do nothing to please men. For this disease occupies very many ministers of the word, so that, for the favor of men—especially the rich—or through fear of tyrants, they do not speak the truth clearly; or if they speak of it, they only lightly shadow it; and finally, that being completely neglected, they sing things that please men and prefer the traditions of men to the word of God, as many do at all times in the church. Men of this kind persuade, that is, they hand down human things and seek to please men.

(For if I had hitherto pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ.) An elegant subjection containing a reason from the opposite, that because he does not seek to please men, it notes that it can hardly be consistent that the same person both pleases men and is a faithful herald of the Gospel of Christ. It is almost so arranged that truth brings forth hatred and, as those who desire to please God, they displease men. It is difficult to serve God and Mammon: there is no agreement between light and darkness, or Christ with Belial. Thus it cannot be done that you hand down the gospel purely, through which you are pleasing to God, and at the same time mix in human traditions and things of that kind through which you might earn the favor of men. By preaching the gospel you can indeed please the pious, but you cannot help but displease the impious, whose sins are refuted and to whom the light of the gospel is always brought. Effort must indeed be given that, if it can be done with sound doctrine left unharmed and without any crime, we please all men: just as Paul also in 1 Corinth. 10 says that he pleases all in all things and becomes a Jew to the Jews and a Gentile to the Gentiles. But where the authority and grace of the ministry urge us, that must by no means be regarded here. The recommendation of true doctrine is the way in which a teacher of the word can capture an audience. The doctrine of the pseudo-apostles seeks to please men, concerning which are the things of God and the glory of Christ. The fourth reason declaring the certainty of the doctrine handed down by the Apostle from hatreds and dangers. If it were not solid and certain, it would be foolish to cast oneself into danger because of it. False teachers always do this, that their doctrine might be approved by men.