Charles Ellicott Commentary Galatians 2:9

"and when they perceived the grace that was given unto me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision;" — Galatians 2:9 (ASV)

James, Cephas, and John.—In a few manuscripts and patristic quotations, the reading is Peter and James and John. This doubtless arose from the tendency to exalt St. Peter, though the reading (which is found in Tertullian and Origen, and therefore must date back to the second century) is too early to be directly connected with the pretensions of the Papacy. The way in which St. Paul speaks respectively of St. Peter and St. James is in strict accordance with the historical situation. When he is speaking of the general work of the Church (as in the last two verses), St. Peter is mentioned prominently; when the reference is to a public act of the Church of Jerusalem, precedence is given to St. James.

Who seemed to be pillars.—Rather, who are held (same word as reputed above) to be pillars. The metaphor is a natural one and is found frequently in classical writers. It was in common use among the Jews as a designation for the great Rabbinical teachers.

Right hands of fellowship.—The giving of the right hand is a symbol of friendship. Instances occur, both in the East and West (compare Xenophon, Anabasis 2.4.1; Tacitus, Histories 1.54 and 2.8), in which images of clasped right hands were sent when suing for an alliance.