“I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” - Galatians 1:12
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In this first chapter, from verses 1:11–24, the apostle Paul is making something very clear: the gospel he preaches did not come from men, nor tradition or rabbis. It came from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. This is crucial because in Galatia, people were trying to change the gospel by adding rules and external requirements. Paul confronts this and confirms that the gospel was revealed by Jesus Christ. No human intervention is needed.
Furthermore, Paul warns the Galatians not to receive or listen to any other gospel (Gal 1:8) and also not to please men. Then Paul reminds the Galatians of who he was: a zealous persecutor of the church and deeply committed to the traditions. Paul says God “set me apart before I was born” and “called me by his grace.” This phrase is really important: before Paul's life was changed, God had already important plans for his life.
Paul emphasizes that after the Damascus conversion, he did not immediately
go to seek approval from human leaders in Jerusalem. Only after three years did
he meet Peter and James briefly. Even then, the point was not dependence on
human authority but confirmation of what God had already done.
What important lessons can we learn from this first chapter in the Galatians epistle? Firstly, the gospel is not something we can customize, add to or change as we like. Second, God’s grace is stronger than our background history. God’s calling reaches into places we would consider impossible.
Galatians 1:11–24 is such an important reminder how God transforms and turns around lives
completely.
Reflection on Galatians 1:11-24 by Hanne
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