Galatians 1:16

To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: REVEAL HIS SON IN ME - in my inmost soul, by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 2:20: cf. 2 Corinthians 4:6). The revealing of His Son by me to 'the Gentiles' (so translate) was impossible, unless He had first revealed His Son in me: this He did at my conversion, but especially at the subsequent revelation from Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:12), whereby I learnt the Gospel's independence of Mosaic ceremonialism. THAT I MIGHT PREACH - the present [ euangelizoomai ...

16._To reveal his Son to me_. If we read it, “to reveal _by me_, ” it will express the design of the apostleship, which is to make Christ known. And how was this to be accomplished? By preaching him among the Gentiles, which the false apostles treated as a crime. But I consider the Greek phrase ἐν εμοὶ (29) to be a Hebrew idiom for _to me_; for the Hebrew particle ב (beth) is frequently redundant, as all who know that language are well aware. The meaning will therefore be, that Christ was revealed _to _Paul, not that he might alone enjoy, and silently retain in his own bosom the knowledge of Christ, but that he might preach among the Gentiles the Savior whom he had known. _Immediately I conferred not_. To _confer with flesh and blood_, is to consult with flesh and blood. So far as the meaning of these words is

15-24 St. Paul was wonderfully brought to the knowledge and faith of Christ. All who are savingly converted, are called by the grace of God; their conversion is wrought by his power and grace working in them. It will but little avail us to have Christ revealed to us, if he is not also revealed in us. He instantly prepared to obey, without hesitating as to his worldly interest, credit, ease, or life itself. And what matter of thanksgiving and joy is it to the churches of Christ, when they hear of such instances to the praise of the glory of his grace, whether they have ever seen them or not! They glorify God for his power and mercy in saving such persons, and for all the service to his people and cause that is done, and may be further expected from them....

Verse 16. _TO REVEAL HIS SON IN ME_] To make me know Jesus Christ, and the power of his resurrection. _THAT I MIGHT PREACH HIM AMONG THE HEATHEN_] For it was to the _Gentiles_, and the _dispersed Jews among the Gentiles_, that St. Paul was especially sent. Peter was sent more particularly to the _Jews_ in the _land of Judea_; Paul to those in the different Greek provinces. _I CONFERRED NOT WITH FLESH AND BLOOD_] I did not take counsel with _men_; σαρξ και αιμα, which is a literal translation of the Hebrew בשר ודם _basar vedam_, flesh and blood, is a periphrasis for _man, any man_, a _human being_, or _beings_ of _any kind_. Many suppose that the apostle means he did not dally, or take counsel, with the erroneous suggestions and _unrenewed propensities_ of _his_ _own heart_, or those of others; but no such thing is intended by the text. St. Pau

TO REVEAL HIS SON IN ME - This is to be regarded as connected with the first part of Galatians 1:15, “When it pleased God to reveal his Son in me,” that is, on the way to Damascus. The phrase evidently means, to make me acquainted with the Lord Jesus, or to reveal his Son to me; compare the Greek in Matthew 10:32, for a similar expression. The revelation here referred to was the miraculous manifestation which was made to Paul on his way to Damascus; compare 2 Corinthians 4:6. That revelation was in order to convince him that he was the Messiah; to acquaint him with his nature, rank, and claims; and to qualify him to be a preacher to the pagan....

EXPOSITION GALATIANS 1:1 _The_ _introductory greeting. _The style of this greeting, compared with those found in St. Paul's other Epistles, gives indications of his having addressed himself to the composition of the letter under strong perturbation of feeling. This transpires in the abruptness with which, at the very outset, he at once sweeps aside, as it were, out of his path, a slur east upon his apostolic commission, in protesting that he was "apostle, not from man nor through a man." It appears again in that impetuous negligence of exact precision of language, with which the mention of "God the Father" is conjoined with that of "Jesus Christ" under the one preposition "through," as the _medium _through which his apostleship had been conferred upon him. We cannot help receiving the impression that the apostle had only just bef

TO REVEAL HIS SON IN ME,.... This clause stands in connection with that in the preceding verse, "but when it pleased God"; the revelation of Christ in the apostle being the mere fruit and effect of God's will and pleasure: some versions read it "by me", making the apostle to be the instrument and means, by whom God revealed his Son Jesus Christ to others, which is a certain truth, but this is rather contained in the following clause: others read it "to me", and which also is true; for Christ was revealed to him in the glory of his person, the fulness of his grace, the necessity, suitableness, and completeness of his salvation; not objectively in the Gospel, or merely notionally, speculatively in the theory of things, but spiritually, experimentally, and savingly; and which is better expressed, and nearer the original, by "in him"; for he had an internal discovery of him as God's salvatio...

Galatians 1:1. _Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)_ Paul begins this Epistle by stating his commission as an apostle. In Galatia, he had been subjected to the great sorrow of having his apostle-ship called in question. Does he, therefore, give up his claim to the office, and retire from the work? No, not for a moment; but he begins his letter to the Galatians by declaring himself to be «an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ.» His enemies had said, «Paul was never one of the Saviour's twelve apostles; he is not like those who were trained and educated by Christ himself. No doubt he has borrowed his doctrine from them, and he is only a retailer of other men's goods». No, no,» says Paul, «I am an apostle as truly as any other of the twelve; ‘not of men, neither by man, but by Je

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE TESTIMONY OF PAUL CONCERNING HIS APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY AND THE GOSPEL CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The Introduction. (Galatians 1:1)_ 2. The Rebuke. (Galatians 1:6) 3. Paul's Gospel Given by Revelation. (Galatians 1:11) 4. How Paul became an Apostle Independent of Jerusalem. (Galatians 1:13) The introductory words of this Epistle are brief and of deep significance. He speaks of himself as an apostle not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father. His apostleship had been called in question and the gospel he preached branded as lacki

GALATIANS 1:11 begins a historical narrative proving Paul's independence of any human authority in his apostolic work. He learned by a revelation from heaven, not in any sense from flesh and blood: _cf._ Matthew 16:17. All natural human tendencies inclined him towards different beliefs. He was born and grew up in Judaism and was the best Jew of them all. But the God who predestinates had other thoughts for him. From his very birth onwards the words partially echo Jeremiah 1:5; Isaiah 49:1 a Divine plan was shaping his life to undreamed-of issues. At last God spoke to him in that powerful call which dead souls hear, and revealed Hi