D. PAUL TO THE GALATIANS CHAP. I.

Acts 18
True doctrine
rejoices to be
handed down
purely &
simply.
1. Part of the
epistle, in
which he
offers himself
as a true
apostle
called by
Christ, & to
have learned
the gospel
from the
same, and not
inferior to the
other
apostles.
Many, by
things and
hearers,
confirm the
dignity and
legitimate
calling of
doctrine,
before
progress is
made to
stabilizing
the doctrine.
One who
comes out of
the school of
God himself,
not of men,
should be
heard with a
benevolent
mind.
Proposition.
The calumnies
of the
pseudo-
apostles
against Paul.
Paul says
the gospel is
not from man
but from God
himself.
Acts 2. 1.
Acts 9.

Acts 5: "We must obey God rather than men." Thus, the Apostle otherwise circumcised Timothy; he shaved his head in Cenchreae in the manner of those making a vow; he was purified at Jerusalem with four other men; but he did that for the sake of protecting common peace, and not on the condition as if they were necessary or contributed to salvation. But where they had wanted to urge Titus to be circumcised, he preferred to displease all his Jews than to corrupt the gospel or to do anything against Christ; therefore, one must prudently see how far it will be convenient to please men, and never, for the sake of human favor, incur the wrath of God. And thus far the introduction.

(But I make known to you, brothers, the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I did not receive it from man, nor did I learn it, but through the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my conversation formerly, etc.)

This epistle is indeed written to confirm the evangelical doctrine which he himself had previously handed down, namely that men are justified by faith, not by the works of the law. But before he comes to this cause, he wanted to demonstrate that he is a true apostle and to assert his own authority against his adversaries, so that with this established, the doctrine itself might obtain so much the more weight and dignity. Nor will one fight for the gospel conveniently who has not first declared that he is a legitimate Apostle. Therefore, firstly, he proves that he did not draw his doctrine from the school of the other apostles, but received it from God himself; and thus he begins:

But I make known to you, brothers, the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. This is the Proposition: The Gospel which was preached through me is not according to man, but through the revelation of Christ. Inserted, however, is a certain exposition or interpretation of the previous part, when he says: "For I did not receive it from man, nor did I learn it." The adversaries, indeed, to abolish the sound doctrine of Paul and to stabilize their own false doctrine, had scattered, as we also said in the argument, that Paul was not a true apostle, as one who had not been with Christ; and that what he preached he had learned from certain disciples or other men of lower rank. Moreover, since he was not solidly learned, he had been rebuked by the true and highest apostles in certain things, and not fully instructed. They also observed legal things in circumcising Timothy and others of that kind among the apostles: even though he taught that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law; and for that reason his doctrine should by no means be received. Against this calumny, the Apostle wanted before all things to expose that he is a true apostle and that he learned his gospel from Christ himself, not from any men. He uses a corrective speech. Therefore, he constitutes it thus as if in an enthymeme: I did not learn the gospel from man; therefore I learned it from God. He presupposes, which is also the fact, that knowledge of divine things must necessarily be received either from man or from God himself. Hence, truly, it is that he says his gospel is not according to man: namely, that by interpretation he exposes that he did not receive it from man, as if handed down by hand, nor did he learn it, as disciples are wont to say something from preceptors. Something is explained. Namely, he did not receive the very apostolic gift, nor did he learn the evangelical doctrine itself from any man. We, indeed, all, and as many as were called to ministry in the church after the apostles, procure for ourselves some kind of knowledge by reading, writing, the sharpness of our wit, and other gifts of the spirit with help over a long time; but the apostles, and among them easily the first, D. Paul, were taught suddenly and by God himself, especially when they received the holy spirit in the form of tongues; even though they had learned many things from Christ while he was still placed on earth. (Yet, that knowledge is not to be despised because of that, as if it were not from the gifts of the Holy Spirit; indeed, the first affection for these studies must always be sought from the Holy Spirit.) Hence Paul says that he had the gospel through the revelation of Jesus Christ. For in the shortest space of time, with one voice of Christ heard, he was made an apostle and a most experienced preacher.

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