Question 1

What does Paul mean by not seeking to please men in this passage?

Accepted Answer

When Paul says he does not seek to please men, he is talking about his motive in preaching the gospel. He is not shaping his message to win human approval or to avoid offending people. He says that if his goal were to please people, he would not truly be a servant of Christ. Serving Christ means speaking God’s truth as it is, even when it is hard or unpopular. Paul uses this to show that his message is faithful to God, not adjusted to fit human expectations.

Question 2

How did Paul receive the gospel if not from other people?

Accepted Answer

Paul explains that the good news he preached did not come from any human teacher. He did not receive it from a person, and he was not trained in it like in a regular school. Instead, it was given to him by a direct revelation of Jesus Christ. This points back to his encounter with the risen Lord and God’s work in opening his eyes to who Jesus is. By saying this, Paul shows that his message has a divine source, not a human one, and so it should be trusted.

Question 3

Why does Paul talk about persecuting the church and advancing in Judaism?

Accepted Answer

Paul reminds the readers how he once lived so they can see how strong God’s work in him was. He had been very zealous for the traditions of his ancestors and had gone further than many of his peers in the Jewish religion. He even persecuted the church fiercely and tried to destroy it. By telling this, he shows that he was the last person who would have invented or adopted the gospel on his own. His change from persecutor to preacher shows that God’s grace, not human influence, turned him around.

Question 4

What does it mean that God separated Paul from his mother’s womb?

Accepted Answer

When Paul says God separated him from his mother’s womb, he is saying that God had set him apart for this work even before he was born. It points to God’s long-standing purpose and plan for his life. Paul had done nothing to earn this calling. Instead, God, in his grace, chose to reveal his Son to Paul and send him to preach among the nations. This highlights that Paul’s role as an apostle rests on God’s decision and kindness, not on Paul’s efforts or background.

Question 5

Why did Paul not consult with others or go to Jerusalem right away?

Accepted Answer

After God revealed his Son to Paul, he says he did not immediately ask advice from other people or go up to Jerusalem to see the earlier apostles. Instead, he went into Arabia and then back to Damascus. Only after three years did he visit Jerusalem for a short time, seeing Peter and James. He tells this to show that his understanding of the gospel did not come from being trained by the Jerusalem leaders. His message was given directly by Christ, and his later contact with the apostles did not create or shape it.

Question 6

Who are Peter and James in this passage, and why does Paul mention them?

Accepted Answer

Peter and James were leading figures among the early followers of Jesus. Peter was one of the original twelve disciples. James, called the Lord’s brother, was a key leader in the church in Jerusalem. Paul mentions that he stayed with Peter for fifteen days and saw no other apostle except James to show how limited his early contact with them was. This supports his point that his gospel did not come from sitting under their teaching but was already formed when he met them.

Question 7

Why does Paul take an oath saying he is not lying?

Accepted Answer

Paul says, “before God, I lie not” to stress how serious and honest he is being about his story. Some people were questioning his message and his authority, suggesting he was changing the gospel or acting on his own. By calling God as witness, Paul underlines that what he is writing about his past, his calling, and his travels is true. This honesty supports his claim that his gospel and apostleship are from God, not invented or borrowed for personal gain.

Question 8

What is the significance of the churches in Judea glorifying God in Paul?

Accepted Answer

The churches in Judea did not know Paul by face. They only heard the report that the man who once persecuted them was now preaching the faith he had tried to destroy. Their response was to glorify God because of him. This shows that people saw Paul’s change as God’s work, not as a human plan. His life became a reason for others to praise God. It also confirms that the churches accepted what God had done in him and did not view his message as false or opposed to them.

Question 9

What does this passage teach about God’s grace and calling?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that God’s grace is free and powerful. Paul was not looking for Christ; he was fighting against him. Yet God, by his own pleasure, called Paul by grace, revealed his Son to him, and set him apart to preach to other nations. Paul’s background did not qualify him. It actually made him seem like an enemy. Still, God had planned to use him. This teaches that God’s calling rests on his purpose and mercy, and that he can completely change a person’s direction for his glory.

Galatians 1:10

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.

Paul Preaches the Gospel

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Galatians 1:10

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.

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Paul Preaches the Gospel

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