From Persecutor to Preacher

It’s crucial to recognize the role this text plays in Paul’s overall argument. He has reminded the Galatians that there is no other gospel except the one he preached to them. His gospel is being discredited by false teachers in Galatia, who are also challenging his apostleship. Paul is accused of being a false apostle and of preaching a gospel tainted by his own opinions.

In this section of Scripture, Paul’s purpose is to defend both his apostleship and the gospel he preaches. In verse 11, Paul makes a definitive claim: “For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel” (Galatians 1:11, ESV). He emphasizes that he received his gospel directly from Jesus Christ (v.12), likely alluding to his conversion experience described in Acts 9. The rest o ...