Expositor's Bible Commentary 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)

The exact use and order of the names of the leading apostles in this verse should not escape notice. First, the order obviously corresponds to the relative positions and work of James and Peter as recorded in Acts. Peter was a great missionary. Hence, when Paul is speaking of the ministry to the Jews, Peter is prominent (vv.7–8). But in dealing with a particular and official act of the Jerusalem church, James (who apparently presided at the council) is mentioned in the first position, with the names of Peter and John following.

James, Peter, and John are called “pillars” of the church. Pillars were used in ancient building techniques to support the superstructure. Here are the ruins of the synagogue in Capernaum, the town from which Peter and John came .