Q. In the book of Galatians Paul writes that he was an apostle not of or by men. Was Paul made an apostle by MEN or by GOD?
A. In each introduction where Paul wrote he was an apostle (Greek: ἀπόστολος , Strong's Concordance Number #G652, meaning 'one who is sent' or a messenger), he attributes his calling to God or Jesus Christ or both (Romans 1:1; 1Corinthians 1:1; 2Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; 1Timothy 1:1; 2Timothy 1:1). Only in Galatians does he insert the parenthetical statement:
"Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), . . ." (Galatians 1:1, NKJV)
According to Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament,
"The bluntness of Paul's denial is due to the charge made by the Judaizers that Paul was not a genuine apostle because [he was] not one of the twelve."
B.W. Johnson, author of The Peoples New Testament states,
"...this Epistle [Galatians] was written on account of the disturbance made among the churches of Galatia by false teachers. These teachers sought to prepare a way for their doctrines by discrediting Paul. If they admitted that he was an apostle at all, they claimed that he was inferior to Peter and the Twelve; that he had received his gospel from them, and hence all must look to Jerusalem for the true gospel. "
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