1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:
The epistle to the churches of Galatia was written to correct a false doctrine that had appeared suddenly among them (Gal 1:6). Jewish teachers in the churches were claiming that Christians should keep certain ceremonies of the Law (Gal 4:9-11) and that Gentiles must be circumcised (Gal 6:12). The purpose of this apostolic letter was to refute the doctrinal errors of the Judaizers and to expound the foundational truths of the Gospel of Christ. It was urgently needed at this crucial time in Christianity and it had immediate positive effect upon the churches of Christ, who became much more settled in this matter. As time went on, the blinded Jews became even more set in their Judaism and the truth-seeking Jews became more and more convinced that in Christ all things had become new. Jesus had predicted this would happen in the parable of the pounds (Luke 19:26).
The precarious condition of the churches in Galatia provoked this epistle. At the beginning, they had wholly accepted Paul’s message and authority (Gal 4:13-15), but now they were in grave danger of being led astray by these Jewish teachers, probably from Jerusalem (Acts 11:27; 15:1; Gal 2:12), who claimed their authority was greater than Paul’s. Their false idea was to pervert the gospel of Christ (Gal 1:7) by linking salvation to keeping certain parts of the Law.
The region of Galatia was evangelized by Paul and Barnabas in the late 40s (Acts 13:1-4). And Christian churches spread and grew rapidly there, with many converts from both Jewish and Gentile backgrounds (Acts 14:1). Galatia was an important region commercially, being a sort of land-bridge between Palestine and Europe. Perhaps for that reason it became the first region to be evangelized beyond the Palestinian area. The seven churches of the Revelation were located to the near west of this region, which today is found in the country of Turkey.
Scholars do not agree on the date that this epistle was written. Many think it was Paul’s very first epistle, but some maintain that it was written years later. The key point in this debate is whether the book reaffirms the rules established by the Jerusalem Council concerning the Church’s stance on Gentile converts (see Acts 15), or whether the book predates that Council and forms the background for its decision. There are arguments for both positions.
The early date is primarily supported by the fact that the Jerusalem Council’s verdict would have bolstered Paul’s argument that Gentiles not be circumcised, yet he does not mention that official letter at all (Acts 15:23-31). Therefore, that Council (ca A.D. 49) had apparently not taken place, putting the date for the book about A.D. 48, soon after Paul and Barnabas returned from their first mission trip (Acts 13:2; 14:26-28). Luke seems to have taken care to organize the book of Acts chronologically and one marker is the death of Herod Antipas in A.D. 44, which he has placed about the time that Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch after giving the church at Jerusalem an offering of money (Acts 11:27-30; 12:21-25) and then were sent by the Spirit to evangelize among the Gentiles in Galatia (Acts 13:1-2). Shortly thereafter, the churches of Christ were shook by the circumcision situation which induced this epistle.
Some try to correlate Paul’s Jerusalem visit of Galatians 2:1-10 with that described in Acts 11:22-30. While the two accounts do agree that he and Barnabas went up by revelation (Gal 2:2), the timeframe does not match, for Paul says he returned to Jerusalem fourteen years after (Gal 2:1). Using the very earliest date (his conversion in A.D. 33), places that trip about A.D. 47, which is after his mission trip and thus far too late to be the “relief journey” of Acts 11:27-3. On the other hand, the fourteen years correlates exactly to the time of his return to Antioch after his mission trip (Acts 14:26-28), when the contention between the Jews and Gentiles reached a point of crisis (Acts 15:1; Gal 2:11-13). Paul’s glowing testimony of the Gentiles’ acceptance of the Gospel upon concluding his mission trip only exacerbated the disapproval of the Jewish Christians, who thought it was necessary for all men to keep parts of the Mosaic Law. It is my belief that sometime during this contentious period, but before the Jerusalem Council, Paul wrote the book to the Galatians (about A.D 48).
Advocates for the later date believe that Gal 2:1-10 is Paul’s own testimony of the Jerusalem Council. They set the time of writing about A.D. 56, soon after he had revisited the churches of Galatia (Gal 1:6). Supporting this view is Paul’s seeming reference to two prior Galatia visits: Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at the first (Gal 4:13), which may imply he had preached a second time also. Paul’s first visit was in about A.D. 46 and he revisited them 7-8 years later. Jesus died in A.D. 33 and Paul was converted soon thereafter, quite likely in the same year, but no later than A.D. 34.
I favor the earlier date, for the Gentile/Jewish debate was raw in those very years and Paul’s authority as an Apostle was still in formation. These are the main topics of the book. Paul was the one Apostle who fully understood, by direct revelation of Christ apparently, the adoption of the Gentiles as children of Abraham through the work of Christ. The similarities of the epistle of Galatians to Paul’s letter to the Romans also point to the early date of composition, for the material in Galatians is introductory to that of Romans. In Galatians, Paul’s primary topic is identity: who is a true child of Abraham and therefore an heir of the promises. In Romans, Paul advances to explore the ramifications of this truth in the plan of God.
All the brethren which are with me. According to the facts I have listed here, it seems that Paul was writing from Antioch. Paul usually names a few of his companions in his epistles or sends greetings from the church that he is writing from, but in this case he does not. This is another detail which supports the early writing date, before the churches of Galatia became acquainted with the brethren in Judea and Antioch.
3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Grace and peace are standard elements of greeting in every one of Paul’s epistles except for the book of Hebrews, which some believe was written by someone else. The strongest evidences are that Paul wrote Hebrews and that the introduction was removed to hide his identity. It would have been counter-productive to have “Paul” (a Gentile name), at the forefront of that book’s argument to the Jews. See my notes there.
By offering himself up to be our sin offering, Christ has delivered (exaireo) us from the world. The Greek word also means “to pluck out” (Mat 5:29) or “rescue” (Acts 23:27; 12:11). He gave himself, which stresses that Christ, of His own will, chose to come to this earth and save Mankind. This verse presents the purpose of God in sending Christ to the world in simplest terms.
This present evil world refers to the philosophy, actions and values of the kingdoms of the Devil (Luke 4:5-6). The Apostle makes a similar statement in Colossians 1:13, Who hath delivered (rhuomai) us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son. This is an invisible, spiritual change of kingdoms, for being rescued from this present evil world does not equate to being physically plucked from it. Instead, we are spiritually removed from it, we are no longer of the world (John 17:11-16). Later in this epistle, Paul testifies that while he is living in the flesh, he is dead to the flesh (Gal 2:20).
These are strong words that are easily forgotten because we continue to walk about in this present evil world even after Christ has delivered us from it. How important it is to keep our eyes set on things above (Col 3:1), always remembering that we have been plucked out from the evil glories and powers of this Age in order to live entirely for Christ. The False Prophet’s subtle tactic is to get people to build an image of the Beast (the glory and power of the World) and fall down and worship it. All such have received his evil mark and know his name (Rev 13:11-18).
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Several of Paul’s epistles were written for correction and rebuke, but he usually begins with some words of recognition and praise. To the churches of Galatia however, the Apostle sets down the reprimand early and directly. “I marvel how quickly you have left Christ for a perverted gospel.” It was God who had called them (Gal 5:8; 1Thes 5:24), yet they were now listening to another voice. Which is not another, or, “which is no gospel at all.”
Some trouble you and would pervert the Gospel. The background for this epistle (in my view) was the contention recorded in Acts 15:1, when certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. In the next chapter, Paul describes how these men first came to Antioch and then their false doctrine quickly spread to the churches of Christ in other regions. It was a serious question in those early years of the Gospel.
The Jerusalem Council did much to solidify the churches of Christ in this matter. The Council agreed with Paul’s insight and Scriptural proofs that doing the deeds of the Law was no longer a part of God’s will for Mankind. Apparently, the Spirit helped Paul to understand that if Christ be true, then the works of the Law were ended. His brilliant mind had probably recognized that these were mutually exclusive faiths even before Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus. Until that moment, Paul had chosen the old, known Law of Moses.
However, when Jesus showed in power and truth that He was really alive, the Apostle Paul was honest and humble enough to admit he had been wrong. In that instant, he accepted a tremendous paradigm shift which changed his whole world. He threw off the rituals and ceremonies of the Law and followed wholly after Christ (Php 3:7-15). It was clear to him that if justification is by Christ, then it cannot come by doing the works of the Law (Gal 2:16). Some of the Jews did not see it that way. They wanted to accept the Christ who lived as a Jew.
8 But 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. 9 As 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.
The Gospel of Christ, preached by the Apostles and recorded in the New Testament, is complete and everlasting (Rev 14:6), being the fulfillment of the Law (Mat 5:17). Whosoever changes this once delivered faith (Jude 1:3) into any other gospel shall be accursed. The Apostle’s severe repudiation of the false teaching in Galatia is equal to the one found in the last verses of the Holy Scriptures: Whosoever shall add unto these things, or take away from the words, will suffer the removal of his name from the book of life (Rev 22:18-19). The truth of the Gospel allows for new revelation; the Scriptures are God’s Word which will never pass away (Mat 24:35; John 12:48). So do not believe something new even if an angel from heaven were to preach it. It is a sober warning, for Satan came to Jesus quoting Scripture; at times he even impersonates an angel of light (2Cor 11:14).
The book of Mormon and other additions to the Word of Truth are categorically condemned by this passage. They are exposed to be frauds in their very origins because they preach a different gospel, one the saints of the Kingdom have not heard nor received. Today, one finds in Christian bookstores the accounts of secret words uttered by angels to certain ones in trances or dreams. Believe them not! Reject them immediately as those many which corrupt the Word of God (2Cor 2:17). The Apostle Paul never wrote more emphatically than he did on this occasion. Indeed, he restates the curse in verse 9, “We repeat, if anyone preaches any Gospel other than the one you have already received from us, let him be accursed.”
All false prophets are strictly and horrifyingly condemned by these verses. Let him that preaches the Word of Truth be keenly aware that he stands in a sacred place that requires a higher standard of integrity. His words and works shall be judged with greater condemnation (James 3:1). Be sure, o man of God, that you do not pervert the pure Gospel of Christ. Take it in your hands reverently, humbly, even fearfully. It is God’s Word and it must not be handled deceitfully (see 2Cor 4:2). In all diligence apply yourself to rightly divide the Word of Truth (2Tim 2:15). The unlearned and unstable wrest (distort, pervert) the Scriptures unto their own destruction (2Pet 3:16).
In an interesting prophecy, Moses warned the children of Israel that prophets would arise among them with the power to work such signs and wonders that the people of the Lord would be persuaded to worship other gods. Moses told them beforehand to expect these experiences, for God was testing their allegiance to Him. They were commanded to put all such false prophets to death (Deut 13:1-5). The Apostle Paul was concerned that the churches of Christ were allowing themselves to be corrupted. And if the building of God be corrupted, how shall we be saved? Whosoever corrupts the Gospel, corrupts the Kingdom of Christ. Whosoever introduces strange doctrines is in serious danger of hellfire. He is selling his own soul. Whosoever preaches any other gospel than what has already been preached, let him be accursed.
I infer from these verses that these false teachers were telling the people that Paul had changed his mind, that he was now also requiring Greeks to be circumcised (i.e. Acts 16:1-3). A later statement of Paul adds weight to this idea, “If I am now teaching that men must be circumcised, then why are the Jews still persecuting me?” (Gal 5:11). Whether that be the background for Paul’s fervid statement is debatable, nor does it diminish this serious condemnation of men perverting the message of the Gospel even today.
10 For 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. 11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Paul certified that his apostleship and Gospel did not come by man, but by God (Gal 1:1). He had been sent on a special mission to promote the Son of God, to preach Christ. He was a debtor to obey God and please Him in all things, to be the servant of Christ, to preach the gospel which he had received by revelation. The word persuade is the Greek peitho, which is often translated, “obey” (Gal 3:1; 5:7), which seems to be the meaning here: “Do I obey men, or God? Do I seek to please men, or God? If I seek to please men, then I am not a servant of Christ” (1Cor 2:4; Acts 5:29). We are either slaves to God or to Man (Eph 6:6; Luke 16:13). Later Paul says that if he were preaching to please men, he would not be suffering persecution (Gal 5:11). In a prior life, that is exactly what he had done, he persecuted the servants of Christ.
For I certify (gnorizo). “I assure you, declare unto you, make you aware (1Cor 15:1; Eph 3:3; 1Cor 12:3) that the Gospel I preached (past tense) unto you was not taught to me by any man, but was given to me by the revelation (apokalupsis)of Jesus Christ.” This word is found about 18 times in the New Testament, often in the sense of a physical appearance – which did happen in the case of Paul on the road to Damascus. However, apokalupsis also refers to a special inspiration or message from God and that has come to be practically the exclusive meaning of “revelation” today.
The key feature of the revelation that Paul received from God, and which he taught in the churches and recorded in the Scriptures, is God’s extension of grace to all people, tongues and nations. Before Christ, only Jews according to blood were blessed by the mercies of God, but now all have been made nigh by the blood of Christ (Eph 2:11-16). The promise that God made to Abraham so long ago was fulfilled (Gen 22:18). Paul was the Apostle that God chose to teach this new development in the ages-long plan of God and he recognized this as his special calling. See also Ephesians 3:1-11, where Paul explains in detail how that by revelation (Jesus) made known unto (him) the mystery…that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body (Eph 3:1-11). In the early years of the Gospel, the other Apostles struggled to understand, but Paul was able to provide key Old Testament Scriptures to prove it was hidden in the prophets.
Did this revelation come to Paul in a single moment, or over the course of some time? Those who believe it came in a flash of revelation from Christ point to 2Cor 12:1-4 as the possible episode. On the other hand, the present record hints at a longer period of time, for after his conversion Paul left Judea and went into Arabia (see Gal 1:15-19), probably to pray, search the Scriptures and be taught by the Spirit.
Paul took great care to validate his apostleship in this early epistle, and for two reasons. First, because he was not one of the Eleven who had walked with Christ during His ministry. He had very little contact with them. He was an Apostle born out of due time (1Cor 15:7-8). Nor was Paul ordained to the ministry by any bishop, church or Christian ceremony. Ananias did lay his hand Paul as a sign of His divine appointment (Acts 9:10-18); but it was not an investiture of authority from the Church. For this reason, Paul needed to provide the proofs of his calling. Clarke observes that presently, “many are far more anxious to show that they are legitimately appointed by Man than by God; and are fond of displaying their human credentials. Endless cases may occur where man sends and yet God will not sanction. And that man has no right to preach whom God has not sent; though the whole assembly had laid their hands on him.”
Secondly, it was important that Paul distinguish the Gospel that Christ had entrusted to him from the false gospels that other men were preaching. His authority came from God; where did theirs derive from? His Gospel was delivered unto him by divine revelation, where did theirs come from?
13 For 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: 14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
Paul did not downplay his errors and sins earlier in life, when he persecuted the churches of Christ (1Cor 15:9; Acts 22:3-4), although he did attribute it to spiritual blindness (1Tim 1:13) and zeal for the faith of his fathers (Php 3:4-7). This great persecution followed the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost in the city of Jerusalem and served to quickly push the Gospel into other regions (Acts 8:1-4).
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
In only a handful of occasions, the Scriptures say that God chose a certain person from the womb. Samson was chosen to be a Nazarite from the womb (Judges 13:5), and David testified to have been protected by God from the womb (Ps 22:9-10; 71:6). Jeremiah was sanctified and ordained to be a prophet of God before he was formed in his mother’s belly (Jer 1:5) and John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15). Likewise, Paul says that he was separated (aphorizo, see Eph 3:8; Mat 25:32; Luke 6:22; Acts 13:2) by Christ from the time of his birth to preach His name to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; 2Tim 1:11; Rom 11:13).
While Paul was separated unto the Gospel of God (Rom 1:1) before he was even born, he was not immediately called to that appointment. He was busy persecuting the churches of Christ when the call the came. Breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord (Acts 9:1-2), Paul was on the road to Damascus to arrest more Christians when Jesus spoke to him (Acts 9:3-7). When Paul heard Jesus say his name, Paul fully and whole-heartedly believed upon Him. He threw away all of his achievements and fame in Judaism and sought with the utmost earnestness to know this Man from Nazareth who he had been persecuting. The same zeal that he had earlier used against the Church, he now used to build it up and soon became equal to the chiefest Apostles of Christ (2Cor 12:11-12).
It was this mis-applied zeal that moved God’s hand of grace to Paul, who testified of himself, Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief (1Tim 1:13). Thus, God saw in Paul key reasons to choose and call him to this special work. Calvinists claim that God’s grace is unmerited, irresistible and poured out arbitrarily; a man cannot reject it. This is against the plain teaching of the Bible, which issue serious warnings that every man should take care to not fall from grace (2Cor 6:1; Gal 5:4; Heb 12:15). Beyond any doubt, a man can refuse God’s grace – and many have done so. I bear record of multiple, close acquaintances who were given opportunity after opportunity to receive God’s grace effectually, but threw it away again and again.
While Calvinists stress the part of God in extending grace, Anabaptists recognize a man must voluntarily receive that grace by emptying himself of every work and attitude of pride. Humility! How essential it is for God’s grace to effectively grow in a person. The conversion and life of Paul follows the standard formula of grace that is God has always shown to Mankind. He saw in Ruth something of worth and included her in Israel even though she was a Moabitess – that’s grace. Likewise, He saw in Paul something of merit and so He offered him grace, and Paul showed himself worthy of God’s choice. He humbled his heart, threw away all his personal achievements and fame and reverently accepted rebuke. These are key human responses to receive more of God’s power, to grow in grace (1Pet 5:5; 2Pet 3:18). By these two cords of Grace, power and pardon, we are throughly furnished unto all good works (2Tim 3:17). Paul testified how God’s grace worked in his life: By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me (1Cor 15:10). See my note for Hebrews 12:15.
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. 19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
According to Paul’s testimony to the chief priests in Acts 22, he did return to Jerusalem following his Damascus’ conversion, but had no contact with the Apostles. Instead, he went to the temple to seek the truth and direction of Christ. While praying there, he fell into a trance and saw Jesus, who said to him, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning Me (Acts 22:12-21). By reason of this command, Paul left Jerusalem and the land of Judea completely and went into Arabia. It may be that he went to Mount Sinai (Gal 4:25), which would add a reason for his temple visit – Jerusalem lay between Damascus and Mount Sinai. Thus, it seems that alone in Arabia, Paul “received the gospel by the direct revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal 1:11-12), or as he says in this verse, It pleased God…to reveal (apokalupto) His Son in me (2Cor 4:6).
Paul gives this little history to show that his Gospel came to him directly from God. He did not hear it from the Apostles in Jerusalem, in fact, he did not even confer with flesh and blood at all. He received it by the revelation of Jesus Christ (Gal 1:12). Like Moses many years earlier, Saul went out into the desert to relearn all that he learned. Far from the tumultuous scene of Christianity emerging from corrupted Judaism, the Holy Spirit revealed to Saul the God-man Jesus Christ – in the Scriptures and in recent acts and great signs which culminated in the power of His resurrection. Upon his return to Damascus from Arabia, Paul became immediately active in evangelism, and eventually was forced to flee that city (Acts 9:22-25; 2Cor 11:32-33). He went to Jerusalem, where he met with Peter and James for about two weeks and then left for Tarsus (Acts 9:26-30). Three years had passed from the time of his Damascus’ road experience.
From the time of his conversion, Paul was given to know that his calling was to preach Christ among the heathen (ethnos). This Greek word is inter-changeably translated “Gentiles” or “nations” (and sometimes, “people”). The translation, heathen, seems inconsistent, for Paul preached Christ among every people and nation, Jew and Gentile alike. In the singular form, ethnos is used of the Jewish nation as well as Gentile nations (John 11:51).
Paul probably went to see Peter to discuss with him the new revelation of God’s grace being extended to the Gentiles. Peter’s vision of the Gentiles being accepted by God (Acts 10) seems to have taken place shortly after Paul’s conversion (Acts 9), while he was in Arabia receiving the same revelation from Christ. It was only natural that these two become better acquainted.
James the Lord’s brother. The name James appears twice in the list of Apostles: James the son of Alphaeus (the Less, Mark 15:40), and John’s brother James, the sons of Zebedee (Mat 10:2-3). The latter was killed by Herod early in church history (Acts 12:2), but James the Less continued alive in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13). This James is called the Lord’s brother on account of having been born to the other Mary (Mat 28:1; Luke 24:10), who was a sister of Jesus’ mother also called Mary (Mat 27:56).
This date, three years after Paul’s conversion which itself happened only a few months after Jesus’ death, provides a fixed end-date for Daniel’s 70 week prophecy (Dan 9:24-27). The Messiah would come, the angel told Daniel, after 69 weeks and would would confirm the covenant for one week; in the midst of the week He would cause the sacrifice to cease (speaking of Jesus’ death). During the last half of that week, crucial new elements of the Covenant were also confirmed, such as the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and Peter’s vision of God accepting the Gentiles. This verse establishes the ending point for the 70 weeks in a remarkable manner – the new Apostle to the Gentiles met with, and was accepted by, Peter and James in Jerusalem.
20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. 21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; 22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: 23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. 24 And they glorified God in me.
The reason for Paul’s solemn affirmation becomes apparent by what this history indicates: Paul, independent of Peter’s vision, received by revelation the good news of Jesus Christ – that salvation is available to and for all nations (Acts 22:21). Paul did not even see Peter until three years after his conversion. The book of Galatians is particularly themed on the Gentiles being accepted into the family of God by adoption, they are now children of Abraham too.
Paul ended his time in Arabia and returned to Damascus, the scene of his conversion. He did not stop in Jerusalem this time, probably because of God’s earlier warning (Acts 22:18). Luke does not mention Paul’s Arabian trip in his Damascus’ account, but confirms the time of it by saying, after that many days were fulfilled (Acts 9:23). This would have encompassed the days of his conversion, trip to Arabia, return to Damascus, and flight to Jerusalem (Acts 9:19-26). Paul spent 15 days in Jerusalem and then went to his hometown of Tarsus (Acts 9:30), a city in the region of Cilicia. After some time had passed, Barnabas traveled to Tarsus and brought Paul to Antioch of Syria, which was one of the most important centers of early Christianity. Antioch was located well beyond the border of Judea in northern Syria. So except for a few persons such as Peter and James, nobody in the churches of Judea would have recognized Paul until he went to Jerusalem at the end of the first missionary journey.