For years the Apostle Paul was virtually an “insignificant” new Believer in Jesus, at least to the Churches and Christians of Judea. Even though Saul (Paul’s pre-conversion name) was educated in Jerusalem, as a Pharisee! (His own words, “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city, Jerusalem, at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.” Acts 22:3, Gamaliel being a prominent teacher of the Torah, the Law of Moses.)

But to our text today, our Lesson:

From Paul’s continuing autobiography … “And I was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: but they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.” Galatians 1:22-23

Paul’s point in the paragraph we are ending today (Galatians 1:11-24) is that he did NOT receive his Gospel from anyone at Jerusalem. That his Message was NOT man inducted or derived! BUT THAT … HE LEARNED THE THINGS OF GOD IN A PRIVATE (SORT OF) WAY! IN THE BLEAK DESERT OF ARABIA, TAUGHT BY THE “REVELATION” OF GOD, BY THE HOLY SPIRIT!

The legalistic (majoring on the Law of Moses) believers in Jerusalem did not even know how Paul looked! (This would be a dramatically different crowd that the Pharisees and Scribes and Chief Priests with whom Paul had fellowshipped prior to his salvation!) He was “unknown by face” to them, to the real saints in Judea. By the way, the Greek for “unknown” is “agnoeo,” and has come to be our English word “agnostic!” Literally, “without knowledge.”

The Believers in and around Jerusalem had only “heard” of Paul!

Plus, they were afraid of him, based  on his reputation as a Christian killer! “And when Saul was come (after about 3 years in Damascus and Arabia) to Jerusalem, he assayed (attempted) to join (kollao, meaning ‘to be glued, to cleave’) himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid (had a “phobia”) of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.” Acts 22:26, they probably thought he was an “undercover” officer for the Jews who were not saved, the Pharisees!

But, “Glory to God,” look what they heard about Paul … “That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.”

What a testimony!

Part sad.

Part thrilling.

Paul sought to “destroy” the faith of young Christians, this verb (“portheo”) means “to waste. Or “to overthrow!” As in “ransacking” something.

And “to persecute” (in Greek spelled “dioko”) someone means: “to chase them down,” here clearly trying “to do them harm.” Alternatively, “to put them to flight!”

But, as I said above, Saul the persecutor has now become Paul the preacher! (Or will be called “Paul” soon, beginning on his first missionary journey!)

Oh yes, there’s one more verse in the chapter!

Galatians 1:24 … “And they glorified God in me.” So said Paul, humble as he was.

As in “another soul has been saved!”

Wow, what a thought I am having.

It would truly be great if all us Christians lived lives concerning which it could be genuinely claimed: “To God be the glory … for his/her salvation!!!”

I never want to bring shame on His Name!

I want to be the kind of person in whom God can receive Glory!

I have said it already … what a testimony!

“He which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. And they glorified God in me.”

Paul, an independent Preacher of the Word.

Not a factory made, cookie-cutter, conforming-to-Jerusalem kind of Servant!

Truly, a Jesus man, a CHRIST-ian!

Obligated to no one … except His Saviour!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell