Was Paul made an apostle
by GOD or by MAN?

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. "

Dr. John Gill in his Exposition of the Old and New Testaments states,

"[Paul] asserts himself to be an apostle, which was the highest office in the church, to which he was immediately called by Christ, and confirmed in it by signs and wonders. This he chose to mention, because of the false teachers, who had insinuated he was no apostle, and not to be regarded...."

The apostle Paul was indeed made an apostle directly by God!

Before his conversion Paul was a ZEALOUS persecutor of Christians. God (Jesus as a spirit Being) blinded Paul and caused him to repent when he was on his way to Damascus to hunt for believers and drag them back to Jerusalem for punishment. After three days God instructed a disciple living in Damascus, Ananias, to visit Paul in the city and heal him of his blindness. Ananias, however, told God he was reluctant to see Paul because of his notorious reputation for persecuting Christians. God's answer to Ananias confirms the very special nature of Paul's calling and leaves no doubt that he was sent (the word apostle means "one who is sent") to preach the gospel:

"But the Lord said to him, (Ananias)  'Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.  For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.' ” (Acts 9:15-16, NKJV)