Galatians 2:2

2. By revelation Note on Acts 15:4. Paul was publicly appointed to go to Jerusalem to discuss the question of circumcision, and he was doubtless divinely admonished to go and settle the query of his apostleship. So the parents of Jesus were concurrently admonished by the death of Herod and by divine intimation to return from Egypt. Prof. Lightfoot has collected three other such concurrences. Acts 9:29-30, compared with Acts 22:17, etc.; Acts 13:2-4; and Acts 15:28. Paul mentions this revelation to show that his apostleship, and the sanction of his apostleship, came alike, not from man, but from God.

Communicated Explained, set forth. It was, no doubt, a matter of great interest to those home apostles to know the secret of this young evangelist’s power of winning Gentiles to Christ, of spreading the gospel over distant lands, and of building churches in the great metropolises. Before the assembling in full council, those of reputation the pillars had consultation with him privately, to form their preparatory opinion. These pillars were (Galatians 2:9) James, Cephas, and John. Lest, depends upon communicated.

Run… in vain This does not mean lest my work should appear to be in vain, but lest it should be rendered vain. He entered into full, harmonious concert with the pillars of the Palestinean Church, lest they should, by fatal opposition through misunderstanding, destroy all his work. The opposition of the pillars implied the opposition of the entire apostolic college, and the entire Palestinean Church. This would, to all human view, be a devastating division in the young religion; and, as historically cutting off Paul’s Churches from the original fountain head, would have destroyed them, as, perhaps, the Churches of Galatia were destroyed, and still more completely.