Galatiansনমুনা

Paul’s opponents likely accused him of opposing the apostles in Jerusalem. They may have claimed that Paul had been sent out by the “true” apostles with a different message, but was now preaching his own ideas. Paul clarifies: his message does not come from people, but directly from God.

He describes his calling as a direct revelation from Jesus Christ (v. 12). In verse 15, Paul uses language reminiscent of the prophet Jeremiah’s calling (cf. Jeremiah 1:5): “God set me apart in the womb and called me by his grace.” Like Jeremiah, Paul is sent to the nations — that is, to the Gentiles.

After encountering the risen Christ, Paul withdraws for a time. He takes three years to process what happened and to understand God’s plan for him. Only afterward does he go to Jerusalem to meet Peter — and even then, he stays only briefly. It is clear that his message is not the result of human teaching or authority. His commission is divine. His life demonstrates this: from a persecutor he became a messenger.

Reflection
Christian faith is not a personal opinion or a self-devised theory, but a response to God’s revelation. Paul emphasizes that what he proclaims was not learned, but received. Likewise, genuine faith begins not with religious curiosity, but with an encounter with the living God. Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot truly believe.