So far in Galatians we have learned the following:
- Paul has been sent by Jesus Christ and God the Father. (Jesus and God the Father are closely connected in Paul’s introduction)
- He is with other believers.
- He is writing to believers who live in the region of Galatia.
- He had traveled through the region of Galatia and preached to his audience in person.
- He is astonished that they have so quickly turned to a different gospel.
- He calls down a curse on anyone who preaches a different gospel.
Paul continues:
11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. (NIV)
This claim is of monumental significance. The foundation of Paul’s gospel is a revelation. Something was shown to him. And the person who gave this revelation to Paul is Jesus Christ. Paul didn’t reason his way into the gospel nor did he receive it from a mere human. It was given to him from above. (For more detail see his conversion story in Acts 9.)
This is similar to how Peter came to know the truth. When he said to Jesus, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven” (Matt. 16:16-17). Peter knew Jesus’ identity because it was revealed to him.
Ultimately, then, the Christian faith is based on a revelation. It’s not based on superior reason or logic. Those who accept the Christian faith are saying “we have received a revelation.”
Paul proceeds:
13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.
21 Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they praised God because of me.
Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
6 As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message. 7 On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. 8 For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. 9 James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. (1:13-2:10)
So Paul asserts that the good news of Jesus was revealed to him then he gives an overview of his background. His goal is to show how the revelation transformed his life as well as how that revelation remained pure, uncontaminated by human influence.
Here’s how he describes himself prior to the revelation:
- a persecutor, trying to destroy the church
- advancing in Judaism beyond many of his own age
- extremely zealous for Jewish traditions
He describes the revelation this way:
- “When God . . . was pleased to reveal his Son in me” (The preposition in is intriguing. We would expect to read “reveal his Son to me.” But this fits with Paul’s emphasis on Christ in believers.)
Here’s what he says about himself after the revelation:
- He did not immediately consult any human being.
- He went into Arabia. (Many have speculated that this was a missionary journey or some kind of meditation journey. N. T. Wright argues that Paul was going to Mt. Sinai where the Ten Commandments were given to Moses to make sure that he understood the revelation correctly.)
- He returned to Damascus.
- After three years he went to Jerusalem, where he met Cephas and James. But he did not travel extensively through the region of Judea because he was unknown to those churches. Those believers had only heard the report about him.
- Then he went to Syria and Cilicia.
- Fourteen years later he returned to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus.
- During that visit he had a private meeting with the leaders in Jerusalem, namely James, Cephas, and John.
- He presented his gospel to them.
- They added nothing to his message.
- Instead they gave full approval to Paul’s mission and message—to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised.
- Titus, who was a Greek, was not compelled to be circumcised. (The matter of circumcision arose because “some false believers had infiltrated our ranks.”)
In sum, Paul’s message was divinely received, uncontaminated by human influence, and fully approved by the leaders in Jerusalem. As a result, Paul is certain that he is on the right track. This is why he calls down a curse on anyone who preaches another gospel, including himself.
After graduating from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, I served as a high school Bible teacher in Asia. I enjoy traveling, writing, and playing the drums. For a deep dive into church history and the character of God, see my book Surprised by Hell.