But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. 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: And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; And 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. And they glorified God in me."
In today's lesson, Paul verified that he received the gospel straight from the mouth of Jesus Christ. In verifying those credentials, Paul said he had no contact with, nor doctrinal input from, the other Apostles except for a brief meeting with Peter in Jerusalem.
One studying the New Testament one should always remember that Paul was specifically chosen by Jesus Christ to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. No other Apostle, other than Peter, was so designated. Peter's example being the his interaction with Cornelius. Therefore, Paul's meeting with Peter may not have been so much about his being taught by Peter as it was about him teaching Peter.
By staying away from Jerusalem and not being burdened by the outside influence of the Jewish hierarchy that was being placed on the original twelve Apostles, Paul preached the gospel cleanly and without all the traditional pomp and ritual that the Jews attempted to force into it.
There are certain Old Testament laws that apply only to the Jewish race. Those laws did not then, nor do they now, apply to the doctrine that was preached by Paul.
The Original twelve Apostles were chosen by Jesus to teach the gospel to the Jews only; "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:: (Matthew 10:5)
As a matter of fact, they were explicitly told to stay away from the Gentiles; "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:" (Matthew 10:5)
The original twelve Apostles were bound to teach the gospel within the traditions and restrictions of ancient Hebrew law. From that tradition, water baptism and many other erroneous rituals have been wrongfully incorporated into much of, what is today considered, "Christian" teaching.~
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