“For do I now seek to satisfy men or God? Or do I seek to please men? If I were yet pleasing men, I were not Christ’s bondman. But I let you know, brethren, as to the glad tidings which were announced by me, that they are not according to man. For neither did I receive them from man, neither was I taught them, but by revelation of Jesus Christ.
“For ye have heard what was my conversation formerly in Judaism, that I excessively persecuted the assembly of God, and ravaged it, and advanced in Judaism beyond many my contemporaries in my nation, being exceedingly zealous of the doctrines” (or traditions) “of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart even from my mother’s womb, and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me, that I may announce Him as glad tidings among the nations, immediately I took not counsel with flesh and blood, nor went I up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went to Arabia, and again returned to Damascus.
“Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to make acquaintance with Peter, and I remained with him fifteen days; but I saw none other of the apostles but James the brother of the Lord.
“Now what I write to you, behold, before God, I do not lie. Then I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. But I was unknown personally to the assemblies of Judea which are in Christ, only they were hearing that he who persecuted us formerly, now announces the glad tidings of the faith which formerly he ravaged; and they glorified God in me” (verses 10-24, JND).
In the first words of the epistle the inspired writer had said of himself, “Paul, apostle, not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father who raised Him from among the dead”; he was sent forth as Christ’s servant to make known His gospel;—was he to seek to satisfy men or God? The answer was at hand; “If I were yet pleasing men, I were not Christ’s bondman!” (verse 10). The gospel is not pleasing to men; they reject His grace; would keep God at a distance.
The Apostle insists at the outset that the “glad tidings,” or gospel, as the ordinary version has it, which he announced, were not according to man, nor received from man, nor was he taught them, but by revelation of Jesus Christ. Several references to revelations are found in the epistles; one that week by week on the Lord’s Day morning (less frequently for many, to their loss) addresses itself to the Christian heart, is 1 Corinthians 11:23-2623For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:23‑26). Important was it that Paul should know of the Lord’s institution of the memorial bread and wine, in partaking of which His people should have Him before their hearts according to His word, “This do in remembrance of Me.” Gathered in the fewest number, and in much feebleness, as they may be in these days, yet what is there on earth to compare with the meeting when the disciples come together to break bread as they did in Troas (Acts 20:77And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7))?
“Judaism,” or “the Jew’s religion” (verses 13-14) is the Apostle’s name for what had been owned of God, but could no longer be, since the cross. God-fearing souls there were who went on with it, but the case of Israel before God was closed when they rejected and put to death their Messiah.
Verse 16: God’s revealing His Son in Paul brings to our thoughts that other signally honored servant, Peter, whose confession of Jesus as Israel’s Messiah and more as the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:1616And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16)) brought to him:
“Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven.”
Peter was the first to whom the truth of Christ’s heavenly and divine glory was made known, as Paul was the first to learn of the union of Christ and the church (Eph. 3).
How much must have been included in those communications to Paul, when God was pleased to reveal His Son in him! “Immediately,” he says, “I took not counsel with flesh and blood, nor went I up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went to Arabia, and again returned to Damascus.”
As with Moses who, before entering upon his period of active service as the leader of the children of Israel, must spend forty years at the back side of the desert, so Paul must be alone in Arabia before he is ready for the Lord’s service.
Three years pass, and Paul goes to Jerusalem to make acquaintance with Peter, remaining with him fifteen days; what a meeting that must have been, as each learned of the other how the Lord had led him! This would be the occasion referred to in Acts 9:26-3126And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. 29And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. 30Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. 31Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. (Acts 9:26‑31).
“Then after a lapse of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me; and I went up according to revelation, and I laid before them the glad tidings which I preach among the nations, but privately to those conspicuous among them, lest in any way I run or had run in vain; (but neither was Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, compelled to be circumcised); and it was on account of the false brethren brought in surreptitiously, who came in surreptitiously to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage; to whom we yielded in subjection not even for an hour, that the truth of the glad tidings might remain with you.
“But from those who were conspicuous as being somewhat—whatsoever they were, it makes no difference to me; God does not accept man’s person; for to me those who were conspicuous, communicated nothing; but on the contrary seeing that the glad tidings of the uncircumcision were confided to me” (or, I was entrusted with the glad tidings of the uncircumcision) “even as to Peter that of the circumcision (for He that wrought in Peter for the apostleship of the circumcision wrought also in me towards the Gentiles) and recognizing the grace given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were conspicuous as being pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship that we should go to the nations, and they to the circumcision; only that we should remember the poor, which same thing also I was diligent to do” (chapter 2, verses 1-10, JND).
The fifteenth chapter of the Acts also tells of this conference, with the circumstances surrounding it. “Certain men which came down from Judea” taught the brethren at Antioch, that unless they were circumcised after the custom of Moses they could not be saved. This, as might be expected, caused a commotion, and no small discussion on the part of Paul and Barnabas against the men. In the wise ordering of God the matter was left open at Antioch in order that it might be taken before the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, for a decision which would maintain unity, silence opposition.
Acts 15 gives the outward history, while Galatians 2 brings out what governed the Apostle’s heart at this juncture. Paul, Barnabas and certain others were to go to Jerusalem to lay the matter before the leaders; Paul tells us that he went according to revelation and that he took with him Titus, a Gentile believer who had not been circumcised. Opportunity was then taken by our Apostle to put before the leaders at Jerusalem that which he taught—which, if we except Peter they had evidently not known, or had known but imperfectly before.
The result of this preliminary and private meeting was that Paul was acknowledged as having been taught of God altogether independently of themselves, and it was seen that his ministry was sent of God; he was acting for God as much as they. The leaders contributed nothing to Paul’s doctrine, but gave to him and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship that they should go to the nations, while the former, James, Peter and John, should go to the Jews.
We can see the wisdom of God in the time of this meeting; it was not until Paul had continued many years in the service of his Lord, and had, with Barnabas, carried the gospel far into the regions beyond Israel’s borders.
From Acts 15:5-295But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. 6And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 7And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. 12Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. 13And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: 14Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, 16After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: 17That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. 18Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. 19Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 21For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. 22Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 23And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: 24Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: 25It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. 28For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. (Acts 15:5‑29) we learn of the later meeting at Jerusalem called to consider the demand that believers (among the Gentiles) should be circumcised and should keep the law of Moses. Here Peter gave a clear testimony against this corruption of the gospel, showing that law-keeping for salvation was not in the purpose of God for Jew or Gentile; salvation was through grace alone (verses 7-11). The opposition was silenced and James expressed the judgment of the assembly that Gentile believers should not be troubled on this question.