The pillars and the poor (2:7–10)

Says The leaders “saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised” (Gal 2:7). “James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship” (2:9; οἱ δοκοῦντες στῦλοι εἶναι; δεξιὰς ἔδωκαν ἐμοὶ καὶ Βαρναβᾷ κοινωνίας). “They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do” (2:10). Later Paul writes that “Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem” (Rom 15:26); Acts tells of relief “to the brothers living in Judea” (Acts 11:29).

Ramsay concludes on 2:2 that “Paul consulted the three leaders privately and apart, not in public council”. Lightfoot notes the present tense there: “‘I preach,’ not ἐκήρυσσον, ‘I preached,’ for his Gospel had not changed.” Eusebius says James was the one “to whom the episcopal seat at Jerusalem had been entrusted by the apostles”. These are their readings.

Implies Because the leaders “added nothing” to Paul (2:6) and gave the right hand of fellowship on recognizing the grace given to him (2:9), the text presents his gospel as unaltered by them, with the poor as their one request.

Uncertain Whether “the poor” are the Jerusalem believers in particular, and how 2:10 relates to the gift of Rom 15:25–26 or to Acts 11:29–30, are open; this background does not fix the meaning of the text.