Galatians 1:11-17

¹¹ “For I would have you know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel which was preached by me is not of human invention. ¹² For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹³ For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; ¹⁴ and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.¹⁵ But when He who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, ¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.”

Verse 11: Paul emphasizes the divine origin of the gospel he preached. He wants the Galatians to understand that the message he proclaimed did not come from human wisdom or tradition. It was not a product of human invention or interpretation. Instead, it was a gospel directly revealed to him by Jesus Christ himself.

Verse 12: Paul further emphasizes that he did not receive the gospel from any human source. He did not learn it from other apostles or teachers. Instead, he received it through a direct revelation from Jesus Christ. This highlights the unique and authoritative nature of the gospel message he proclaimed. This is especially important in light of Paul’s insistence that grace not be mixed with law. God gave Paul a gospel of grace, not of law.

Verse 13: Paul now shifts his focus to his personal testimony. He reminds the Galatians of his past life as a zealous persecutor of the early Christian church. He acknowledges his violent opposition to the message of Christ and his attempts to destroy the church. This serves as a powerful testimony to the transformative power of the gospel. Paul went from being a zealous keeper of the Old Covenant law to a proclaimer of God’s grace.

Verse 14: Paul highlights his former devotion to Judaism and the traditions of his ancestors. He was highly esteemed among his peers and excelled in his zeal for upholding the Jewish customs and traditions. This underscores the radical nature of his conversion and the significant shift that occurred in his life when he encountered the grace of Christ.

Verse 15: Paul now reveals the divine plan and purpose behind his calling. He acknowledges that God had set him apart even before he was born. It was God’s grace that called him and transformed his life. This highlights the sovereignty of God in choosing and calling Paul to be an apostle.

Verse 16: Paul explains that God was pleased to reveal His Son, Jesus Christ, to him. This revelation had a specific purpose – that Paul might preach Christ among the Gentiles. It is important to note that Paul did not immediately consult with other apostles or seek their approval. This emphasizes the direct revelation and commissioning he received from God.

Verse 17: Paul continues to emphasize his independence and direct commissioning from God. He did not immediately go to Jerusalem to confer with the other apostles. Instead, he went to Arabia and then returned to Damascus. This further underscores the divine origin and authority of his apostleship.