Facing men who seek to undermine his ministry, Paul describes the events surrounding his conversion to prove the Judaizers are liars for making accusations that Jesus never directly called him to be an apostle. He reminds us that he persecuted the church before meeting Christ. Such an explanation provides a powerful contrast with his new calling as one of the Savior’s greatest ambassadors.

Galatians 1:15–17, “¹⁵ But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, ¹⁶ was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; ¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Facing men who seek to undermine his ministry, Paul describes the events surrounding his conversion to prove the Judaizers are liars for making accusations that Jesus never directly called him to be an apostle. He reminds us that he persecuted the church before meeting Christ. Such an explain provides a powerful contrast with his new calling as one of the Savior’s greatest ambassadors and is powerful evidence that Jesus met and changed Paul on the Damascus Road (Gal. 1:13–14). Paul knows more is needed to prove that Christ alone is the source of his gospel. There are also rumors that Paul relies on others for his teaching, and in Galatians 1:15-17, he answers them, emphasizing his independence as an apostle.

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