NOTES for Gal 1:11-12

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¹¹But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

¹²For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Paul tells us that the matter is by no means the unchangeability of views and convictions, even such fundamental ones as religious convictions. And as an example he gives himself: he was a convinced opponent of Christians and Christianity until he himself met the risen Christ on the Damascus road. Only after that meeting did Paul become what the Galatians knew him as: an apostle of Christ. Yet at the same time Paul, paradoxically, remained himself. But his situation looks paradoxical only at first glance.

The question is what "we ourselves" are. What does it mean to be truly oneself? Where should one look for one's true self? The simplest and fastest way is inwardly to set aside, at least for a time, everything that we call our own, because if we feel something to be ours, then it certainly is not we ourselves. To clear away all the physiological, psychophysical, and psychic layers. Then one can find one's true self. At first it may seem that we do not exist at all, but that is understandable, since we are used to seeing not ourselves, but our reflection in our own thoughts, feelings, and emotional states.

Of course, a human being is not only spirit but also nature. Yet the core of the human person is spiritual, not natural. If we are used to experiencing ourselves as nature, whether external and bodily or inward and psychic, if we are used to identifying ourselves with it, then when we first experience our existence as the life of the spiritual "I," we will most likely feel out of place. But only in this way can we understand who we really are and understand what we can become before God and people. Because here the question of the truth or falsity of our ideas, concepts, views, and most importantly our deeds and the choice we make opens to us in a completely different way.

Here one can turn from a persecutor of Christians into a Christian oneself and yet remain oneself, but only if something happens that touches this depth of the authentic, spiritual "I." So Paul calls the Galatians to remain at that depth, not orienting themselves by the outward, surface manifestations of their own "selves." Not to try to find on the surface what lies at this depth. Then it will become completely clear and obvious to them where the true gospel is and where the imaginary one is. And no external views, habits, or patterns will be able to hinder this recognition.

Other notes

For Gal 1:11-19

¹¹But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

¹²For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹³For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

¹⁴And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

¹⁵But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

¹⁶To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

¹⁷Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

¹⁸Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

¹⁹But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

With honesty and directness worthy of imitation, the apostle Paul in today's reading from the Epistle to the Galatians contrasts what is human and what is gracious in service to God. He says that while trying to serve God according to his own human understanding, he "persecuted the Church... being exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers"... Read more

With honesty and directness worthy of imitation, the apostle Paul in today's reading from the Epistle to the Galatians contrasts what is human and what is gracious in service to God. He says that while trying to serve God according to his own human understanding, he "persecuted the Church... being exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers." But when God was pleased, He revealed, that is, made manifest, the presence of the Son of God in him and appointed the apostle to preach Him among the Gentiles. It was no longer Saul of Tarsus himself, but God who was pleased to choose him for service; he could no longer bring himself and his zeal to people, but the Son of God; he was no longer sent to be zealous for correctness, but to proclaim salvation. This is the choice offered to us, Christians who read these words: to be exceedingly zealous for the traditions of the fathers, or to proclaim the Son of God. As the Didache says in its opening words (The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, a monument of Christian writing from the end of the first century), "There are two ways: one of life and one of death..."

For Gal 1:11-24

¹¹But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

¹²For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹³For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

¹⁴And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

¹⁵But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

¹⁶To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

¹⁷Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

¹⁸Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

¹⁹But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

²⁰Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

²¹Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

²²And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

²³But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

²⁴And they glorified God in me.

Speaking about his own spiritual path, Paul does not stress by chance that, while at one time he was a zealous... Read more

Speaking about his own spiritual path, Paul does not stress by chance that, while at one time he was a zealous adherent of Judaism, he later became a witness of Christ, who sent him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles (vv. 13-17). Apparently, in this way the apostle was answering possible reproaches that he himself had sharply changed his views on foundational questions of spiritual and religious life. If that is so, why should the Christians of Galatia not do the same, especially since the changes in their worldview were far less radical than those Paul had experienced?

But the apostle immediately notes a fundamentally important point concerning his spiritual path: the absolute sincerity of his search. If at first he was a zealous supporter of Judaism, it was not because he wanted to be "like everyone else," but because he was sincerely convinced that the way he lived and believed was right before God.

It was precisely this sincerity that helped him meet Christ and acquire the Kingdom. But one meeting on the Damascus road was not enough. Now he had to change his life decisively in order to become a witness of Christ. Here too Paul remained true to himself. He did not begin looking for anyone to confirm the truth of his revelation; he simply went to do the work God had entrusted to him (vv. 15-19).

Such sincerity is a pledge both of spiritual sobriety and of freedom from spiritual error. A spiritually sincere person will never look for detours in spiritual life in order to avoid problems, find an easier way to live in the Kingdom, or seek compromises where they are inadmissible. The preachers who distort the gospel, of whom the apostle speaks, were apparently insisting on the strict obligation for all Christians to observe Jewish religious prescriptions. This was caused most of all, no doubt, by the desire to avoid conflict with the Synagogue, which otherwise became inevitable. Clearly, such "spiritual searches" had nothing to do either with spirituality or with a genuine search. They could only distance a person from the Kingdom, as Paul does not grow tired of reminding them.

For Gal 1:11-24

¹¹But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

¹²For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹³For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

¹⁴And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

¹⁵But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

¹⁶To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

¹⁷Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

¹⁸Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

¹⁹But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

²⁰Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

²¹Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

²²And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

²³But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

²⁴And they glorified God in me.

The Apostle Paul is, after all, distinguished by an astonishing boldness that one is sometimes tempted to call impudence. Just consider what he says: after... Read more

The Apostle Paul is, after all, distinguished by an astonishing boldness that one is sometimes tempted to call impudence. Just consider what he says: after God revealed His Son to him, he “did not confer with flesh and blood”! Generally speaking, communicating only with God directly and ignoring the Church is a straight road to founding a sect... Wait. Does Paul ignore the Church? No, and no again. He comes precisely into the Church, becomes part of it, and begins to preach Christ—not apart from the Church. What he does not seek is human instruction or approval. God’s calling is sufficient for him, and he does not have to go to the apostles to have his calling confirmed. He joins the community that already exists and then goes out to preach... In essence, by not trying to contact the apostles, he is also not trying to obtain any additional authority. He does not need confirmation from human beings.

For Gal 1:6-12

⁶I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

⁷Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

⁸But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

⁹As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

¹⁰For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

¹¹But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

¹²For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Once again, Paul reminds us who matters most and who comes first. How often we really do seek people's favor and do things... Read more

Once again, Paul reminds us who matters most and who comes first. How often we really do seek people's favor and do things so that they will speak well of us. But Paul speaks plainly and sternly: “If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” We keep trying to combine the incompatible: to please both God and people, to follow our heart while still being liked by everyone around us. We fear human condemnation. We look over our shoulders: what will they say? What will they think? Paul does not look back. He has chosen his path and knows that he is following the path God appointed for him. Everything else is unimportant. Whatever anyone may say, we will be servants of Christ only if we give up the idea of pleasing each and every person.

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