Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:20

Paul acquaints us with what his own judgment and practice were. 

• That he was dead to the law. Whatever account others might make of it for his part, he was dead to it. 
• He knew that the moral law denounced a curse against all that did not continue in all things written in the law and therefore he was dead to it, as to all hope of justification and salvation that way. 
• As for the ceremonial law, he also knew that it was now antiquated and superseded by the coming of Christ. He was therefore dead to the law, through the law itself. By considering the law itself, he saw that justification was not to be expected by the works of it (since none could perform a perfect obedience to it) and that there was now no further need of the sacrifices and purifications of it, since they were done away in Christ. 
• A stop was put to them by Jesus offering up himself a sacrifice for us; and therefore, the more Paul looked into it the more he saw that there was no occasion for keeping up that regard to the law which the Jews pleaded for. 
• Paul had renounced all hopes of justification by the works of the law, and was unwilling any longer to continue under the bondage of it; but he was far from thinking himself discharged from his duty to God.
• On the contrary, he was dead to the law, that he might live for God. 
• The doctrine of the gospel, which he had embraced, instead of weakening the bond of duty upon him, strengthened and confirmed it; and though he was dead to the law, yet it was only in order to his living a new and better life to God.
•  (as Rom. 7:4, 6), Paul's new life would be more agreeable and acceptable to God than his observance of the Mosaic law.
• A life of faith in Christ, and, under the influence of Jesus, was a life of holiness and righteousness towards God. 

Paul also acquaints us with

• That, as he was dead to the law, so he was alive to God through Jesus Christ.
•  (v. 20): I am crucified with Christ, etc. 

And here Paul gives us an excellent description of the life of a believer.

• He is crucified, and yet he lives; the old man is crucified (Rom. 6:6), but the new man is living; 

• he is dead to the world, and dead to the law, and yet alive to God and Christ; 

• sin is mortified, and grace quickened. 

• He lives, and yet not he. This is strange: I live, and yet not I; 

• he lives in the exercise of grace; 

• he has the comforts and the triumphs of grace; and yet that grace is not from himself, but from another. 

• Believers see themselves living in a state of dependence.  

• He is crucified with Christ, and yet Christ lives in him; this results from his mystical union with Christ, by means of which he is interested in the death of Christ, so as by virtue of that to die unto sin; and yet interested in the life of Christ, so as by virtue of that to live unto God. 

• He lives in the flesh, and yet lives by faith; to outward appearance he lives as other people do, his natural life is supported as others are; yet he has a higher and nobler principle that supports and actuates him, that of faith in Christ, and especially as eyeing the wonders of his love in giving himself for him. 

• Hence it is that, though he lives in the flesh, yet he does not live after the flesh. 

• Those who have true faith live by that faith; and the great thing which faith fastens upon is Christ’s loving us and giving himself for us.  

• The great evidence of Christ’s loving us is his giving himself for us; and this is that which we are chiefly concerned to mix faith with, in order to live for him.

Lastly, The apostle concludes...if righteousness comes by the law, then it must follow that Jesus Christ has died in vain; for, if we look for salvation by the law of Moses, then we render the death of Jesus needless: for to what purpose should he be appointed to die, if we might have been saved without it?

Adapted from Matthew Henry's Complete Exposition of the Entire Bible 

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:19

For I through the law am dead to the law

• The apostle further replies to the objection against the doctrine of justification, being a licentious one, from the end of his, and other believers, being dead to the law.
• Paul owns he was dead to the law, not in the sense as to not regard it as a rule of walk and conversation, but to not seek for life and righteousness by it, nor to fear its accusations, charges, menaces, curses, and condemnation.
• He was dead to the moral law as in the hands of Moses, but not as in the hands of Christ. 
•  He was dead to it as a covenant of works, though not as a rule of action, and to the ceremonial law, the observance of it, and much more as necessary to justification and salvation.

"through the law"; 

• That is, either through the law or doctrine of Christ.
• The Hebrew word signifies properly doctrine, and sometimes evangelical doctrine, the Gospel of Christ; 
• See Isaiah 2:3 and then the sense is, that the apostle was taught by the doctrine of grace not to seek for pardon, righteousness, acceptance, life, and salvation, by the works of the law, but in Christ; by the doctrine of the Gospel, which says, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.
• Paul became dead to the law, which says, do this and live: or through the books of the law, and the prophets.
•  The writings of the Old Testament, are sometimes called the law.
• Paul learned that righteousness and forgiveness of sins were only to be expected from Christ, and not the works of the law.
• Righteousness and forgiveness of sins, though manifested without the law, yet are witnessed to by the law and prophets.
• The principle of grace formed in his soul, he became dead to the power and influence of the law of works.
•  He was no longer under the bondage of that, but under grace, as a governing principle in his soul.
• The word law, used twice here, may signify one and the same law of works.
• The meaning maybe, either that through Christ's fulfilling the law in his stead, assuming a holy human nature the law required, and yielding perfect obedience to it, and submitting to the penalty of it, he became dead to it.
• He became dead to the law through the body of Christ, see Romans 7:4 and through what he did and suffered in his body to fulfil it; 
• Or he became dead to the law through the use, experience, and knowledge of the law, when being convinced of sin by it, and seeing the spirituality of it, all his hopes of life were struck dead, and he entirely despaired of ever being justified by it.
•  Now the end of his being dead to the law, delivered from it, and being directed to Christ for righteousness, was he says:

that I might live unto God; 

• That I might not live in sin, in the violation of the law, in neglect and defiance of it, or to himself, or to the lusts of men, but to the will of God revealed in his word, and to his honour and glory; 
• Therefore it most clearly follows, that though believers are dead to the law, and seek to be justified by Christ alone, yet they do not continue, nor do they desire to continue in sin, 
• Believers do not indulge themselves in a vicious course of living, but look upon themselves as under the greater obligation to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

Adapted from John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:18

Circumcision was an issue that was dividing the Hebrew and Gentile Christians. Hebrews were required to be circumcised by the law. Gentiles were not under the law and therefore not following this. However, some of the Hebrew followers of Jesus began to expect Gentile followers of Jesus to follow the law about circumcision. Paul disagreed with this quite vocally.

Paul preached the foundational doctrine of Jesus' teaching that sinners are justified by faith alone and no one is under the law. 

Romans 7:4 and 6:7 backs this up that we died to the law through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. We died to sin through Jesus' sacrifice when we place our faith in him for our salvation. We don't need to follow rules or laws to follow Jesus. 

Christians are free of the Mosaic law. 

Why would we want to place ourselves back under sin? Jesus is not the minister of sin. He died as a ransom sacrifice or sin offering for all of us and rose from the dead three days later and ascended to heaven to be with his Father God. Titus 2:14 says,

who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:17

Paul believed sin can never be justified. 
There is no good reason for sin. God does good BECAUSE of who he is. I can't go on sinning to prove how good God is by giving me grace and salvation. Romans 3:7-8

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:15-16

What did we believe in Christ for? Was it not that we might be justified by the faith of Christ? And, if so, is it not folly to go back to the law, and to expect to be justified either by the merit of moral works or the influence of any ceremonial sacrifices or purifications?         Matthew Henry's Complete Bible Commentary

•  I Paul, and you Peter and Barnabas, and the rest of the Jews at Antioch. 
• Some are Jews by grace, in a spiritual sense, as all are that are Christ's, that are true believers in him, that are born again, and have internal principles of grace formed in their souls, of whatsoever nation they be; see Romans 2:28. 
• Others become Jews by being proselytes to the Jewish religion: such were the Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven, that were dwelling at Jerusalem, when the Spirit was poured down on the apostles on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:5, 
• these here spoken of were such as were Jews by birth; they were born so, were descended of Jewish parents, and from their infancy were brought up in the Jewish religion, and under the law of Moses, and in the observance of it. Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:14

Last Week I Wrote

Paul felt he was standing up for the gospel of Jesus against the hypocrisy of the apostle Peter who was a pillar of the Jewish Christians. 
The hypocrisy Paul spoke of was that Peter had been eating with the Gentile believers on a regular basis, but had stopped when the men sent by James arrived in Antioch. 

Paul stated earlier in Galatians that Peter was afraid of the Jewish circumcision group sent from James in Jerusalem and the other Jewish believers followed his example. I don't understand this because in Acts 10:11-29 Peter was given a vision or dream from God to teach him that nothing God creates is unclean or impure. He even stated this to Cornelius the Centurion when he arrived at Cornelius' house. 

While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”

No wonder Paul thought Peter was a hypocrite!

We are living under grace through Jesus Christ, not legalism.

The phrase "in front of them all" tells me that Paul wanted everyone to hear what he had to say and for there to be clarity on his position about the issue of Gentile believers being required to follow Jewish law and for Jewish believers to continue to follow Jewish law in the matter of eating or "hanging out" with the Gentile believers. Paul had already emphasized that "His authority was from Jesus by revelation." (Galatians 1:12)

The authority of Jesus, as expressed in the Bible must be the guide I use in all situations.

What was Paul's "thorn in the flesh?"

No one knows what Paul was referring to. Scholars think it was a vision issue or some other physical problem. As for me, I think it could have been his regret for being a great persecutor of the church. (Galatians 1:13) After all, he was going to Damascus to search for Christians to put in prison when he met Jesus on the road and had his personal revelation. (Acts 9) 

I am basing my opinion about Paul's thorn in the flesh on what I know about my own life before Jesus. I love Jesus. I know Jesus loves me. Still, I find it hard to forgive myself for my before-Jesus-life of sex and drugs. 

Paul put men and women in prison for following Jesus. I can't imagine how awful it was for those people being in a cell with no sanitation, no beds, and meager amounts of food. I am sure he regretted having done these things just like I feel regret over having been a party girl who liked to work hard and play hard. 

Yes, I think Paul lived the rest of his life trying to make up for having been such a zealous persecutor. I believe that is why Jesus chose him to be the apostle to the Gentiles. Saul was educated, focused, and committed to following his beliefs. The qualities that made him such a zealous persecutor also became his greatest strengths as an apostle for Jesus. 

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:13

What is popular isn't always right and what is right isn't always popular. 
This slogan is what I thought of as I read Galatians 2:13. I use this slogan to teach kids to stand up for what is right, not for what is popular. 
Paul felt he was standing up for the gospel of Jesus against the hypocrisy of the apostle Peter who was a pillar of the Jewish Christians. 
The hypocrisy Paul spoke of was that Peter had been eating with the Gentile believers on a regular basis, but had stopped when the men sent by James arrived in Antioch. 

Paul stated earlier in Galatians that Peter was afraid of the Jewish circumcision group sent from James in Jerusalem and the other Jewish believers followed his example. I don't understand this because in Acts 10:11-29 Peter was given a vision or dream from God that nothing God creates is unclean or impure. He even stated this to Cornelius the Centurion when he arrived at Cornelius' house. 

While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”

No wonder Paul thought Peter was a hypocrite!

I note how Paul wrote,"...even Barnabus was led astray." 

Barnabus had been with Paul for years. Yes, years!  He knew what Paul taught concerning eating with the Gentiles. Barnabus had been eating with the Gentile Christians from the moment he began accompanying Paul. Paul must have felt abandoned and all alone when he penned those words.

Satan must have been doing a happy dance when Barnabus decided to follow Peter's example and stop eating with the Gentile Christians too. 

What could cause Peter to back away from eating with Gentile Christians after being given a revelation from God?  

After searching, I found a commentary, the InterVarsity Press commentary, at biblegateway.com that suggests conflict between the Zealots and Jewish Christians in Jerusalem was the cause of Peter's fear.  Fear of causing the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem to be punished by the Zealots because of his actions in Antioch could have been the cause of Peter deciding to not eat with the Gentile Christians. Barnabus and the other Jewish Christians would have had to make this decision too. 

If you knew your friends and family would suffer because of your actions, what would you do? Would you follow the gospel or back off from the gospel? 

Division in the Church
Division in the church isn't new; it goes all the way back to the division between Gentile Christians and Jewish Christians in the churches at Jerusalem and Antioch.
Division is a tool that Satan uses to distract Christians from being a servant of Jesus and carrying out the Great Commission of reaching out to people who haven't heard about Jesus. In short, Satan is trying to stop the number of people who come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This has been and still is Satan's mission today. 

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:11-12

Typed error in the picture: circumcicion should be circumcision 

Paul opposed Peter because he wouldn't take a stand. 

Peter had been following Paul's example of eating with the Gentiles and fellowshipping with them. However, he changed when the strictly Hebrew faction or circumcision group arrived in Antioch. 

Paul was 100% about sharing Jesus' teachings with the Gentiles and he wasn't happy with Peter for changing his actions and behaviors to make the circumcision group happy. 

Paul said Peter was afraid. 

Peter hasn't changed much, has he? He is still the disciple who said he would NEVER fall away from Jesus or deny him. However, Peter fulfilled Jesus' prediction and denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed after Jesus was arrested. Matthew 26:34  Peter's experience didn't change his later actions did it? He knew Jesus personally and was one of the first disciples to be chosen, but this just illustrates to me how the Lord chooses a weak vessel to accomplish his will. 

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:10

The apostle showed his charitable disposition, and how ready he was to own the Jewish converts as brethren, though many would scarcely allow the like favor to the converted Gentiles; but mere difference of opinion was no reason to him why he should not help them. Herein is a pattern of Christian charity, which we should extend to all the disciples of Christ. Matthew Henry's Bible Commentary

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:9

God had a plan for each of the disciples. 

Paul and Barnabus were to go to the Gentiles to preach Jesus' message and the other disciples were preaching to the Hebrew people. 

God has a plan for me today.

Today, I am reaching out to my sisters-in-faith and encouraging them to pray and listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised this wise counselor would come so that we would not be orphans. Amen? Part of God's plan for me is to help my sisters stand firm in their faith. I know this.

Additionally, I am called to write.

I don't know why, but I am being obedient. I may not be the greatest writer of all time, but I am being obedient. My writing is based on my faith and how I arrived at this point in my faith journey. Anytime I don't write for a week or two, the Holy Spirit calls me back to it. Yes, I feel discouraged at times, but my husband reminds me that what I am doing isn't about reaching masses of people. I am writing to be obedient to God. Hopefully, what I write will help someone but the point is----I am being obedient when I can't see a reward for my commitment. I am being obedient when I don't understand the plan. 

John 14:16-18

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 

Psalm 27:14

 14 Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:8

The Spirit of God
The Spirit of God can be seen in the works that Peter was able to perform because he had the Holy Spirit. Peter had the Holy Spirit working through him because it is confirmed by his works.

• curing the man that was lame from his birth
• striking Ananias and Sapphira dead for telling lies
• raising Dorcas from the dead
• communicating miraculous gifts by the imposition of his hands
• the conversion of 3,000 people by one sermon 

Paul knew the Spirit of God worked in himself in the same way that it did in Peter because he was also able to perform many miracles too. 

• striking blind Elymas the sorcerer
• healing the cripple at Lystra
• raising Eutychus from the dead
• with many other signs and wonders wrought by him among the Gentiles, 

Paul knew the same Spirit also accompanied the Gospel preached by him due to the conversion of multitudes, by which means many famous churches were founded and raised among the Gentiles; and this is another reason which induced the apostles at Jerusalem to take Paul and Barnabas into an association with them.
adapted from Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible at biblehub.com 

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:7

...was entrusted to me, as the gospel of the circumcision was to Peter...

• as the preaching of the gospel to the Jews was committed to Peter, and not to him only, but to James and John. 
• It must not be so understood, as if Paul might not preach to the Jews, or Peter might not preach to the Gentiles, for the contrary is evident from Acts 9:15, as to Paul, and from Peter’s preaching to Cornelius, Acts 10:1-48
• God designed the Gentiles to be more especially the province for Paul to exercise his ministry in, Acts 26:17, and accordingly he was specially sent out by the church, Acts 13:3
• Peter’s chief work was among the Jews.         adapted from Matthew Poole's Commentary at www.biblehub.com

Verse of the Week: Galatians 2:6

•  Though Paul conversed with the other apostles, yet he did not receive any addition to his knowledge, or authority, from them. 
• Perceiving the grace given to Paul, they gave to him and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, whereby they acknowledged that he was designed to the honor and office of an apostle as well as themselves. 
• They agreed that these two should go to the heathen, while they continued to preach to the Jews; judging it agreeable to the mind of Christ, so to divide their work. 
• Here we learn that the gospel is not ours, but God's; and that men are but the keepers of it; for this, we are to praise God. 

adapted from Matthew Henry's Bible Commentary at biblehub.com 

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:5

Memorizing an entire book of the Bible is a daunting task at which I am not succeeding.
However, this is NOT a failure because I am staying immersed in the Word of God. This immersion in the word is helping me to deepen my spiritual roots and I am sure Jesus is happy about that!

Additionally, I find myself speaking from the Bible as naturally as I breathe air. I don't mean I am quoting scripture, I'm not. What I am doing is speaking sentences and phrases from the Bible. I may not be quoting it, but the parts I have read and reread are appearing in my thoughts and speech automatically. I don't know how else to explain it. Is this as clear as mud?
Today I reread my study Bible's introduction to Galatians and Galatians 1:1 - 2:5. 

• In these verses, Paul makes the point that the truth of the gospel is free. Salvation is not earned, it is free. 
• If anyone shouldn't have been able to be forgiven, it was Paul because of his persecution of Jesus' followers.
• Jesus paid the price for all mankind. 
• Paul received the gospel from God, not man and he had to be bold in proclaiming it.
• The apostles he met in Jerusalem didn't disagree with him. The trouble was being caused by false followers who slipped into the church and gave the appearance of holiness. 
• These false followers were also adding rules to the gospel of Jesus. There are no rules in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jesus' gospel is simple - admit to God that you are a sinner, believe that Jesus is the Son of God and receive his gift of forgiveness from sin. Confess your faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. 

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:3-4

Paul shares that this was a crucial case because Titus was a Gentile.

In fact, Titus' parents were both Gentiles, unlike Timothy who had one Jewish parent and was therefore capable of being identified with the Jewish people. 

On the other hand, Titus was an uncircumcised Greek Gentile who was accompanying Paul and assisting in his ministry. 

"The "false brethren," Ga 2:4 ("certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed," Ac 15:5), demanded Titus' circumcision. The apostles, however, constrained by the firmness of Paul and Barnabas (Ga 2:5), did not compel or insist on his being circumcised. Thus they virtually sanctioned Paul's course among the Gentiles and admitted his independence as an apostle: the point he desires to set forth to the Galatians." Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Paul brought Titus about with him as a living example of the power of the Gospel upon the uncircumcised heathen.   Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:2

• 
  

I went in response to a revelation 

• Paul states this is, to show that he had not received the gospel from human beings. 
• He is careful, therefore, to state that he went up by the express command of God. 
• He did not go up to receive instructions from the apostles there in regard to his own work, but he went to submit an important question pertaining to the church at large. 

Meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders

• Paul made a private explanation of his motives and views, so that they might understand it before it became a matter of public discussion. 
• The point on which Paul made this private explanation was not whether the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles, for upon that they had no doubt after the revelation to Peter Acts 10; but whether the rites of the Jews were to be imposed on the Gentile converts. 
• Paul explained his views and his practice on that point, which were that he did not impose those rites on the Gentiles; that he taught that people might be justified without their observance; and that they were not necessary in order to salvation.

I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.

•  He stated fully the principles on which he acted; the nature of the gospel which he taught; and his doctrine about the exemption of the Gentiles from the obligations of the Law of Moses. 
• He thus satisfied them in regard to his views of the gospel; and showed them that he understood the system of Christianity which had been revealed. 
• The result was, that they had entire confidence in him, and admitted him to entire fellowship with them; Galatians 2:9.

I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain.

• Paul feared that if he did not lay the case before them privately, they would not understand it.
• Others might misrepresent him and when the case came before the assembled apostles and elders, a decision might be adopted which would go to prove that he had been entirely wrong in his views, 
• In order to secure a just decision, and one which would not hinder his future usefulness, he had sought this private interview, and thus his object was gained.

adapted from the Barnes Notes on the Bible for Galatians 2:2

Verse of the Week - Galatians 2:1

How are you doing on your memorization challenge? 

Personally, I don't know how much I have memorized, but I know more about Paul and his ministry than I did before I started this challenge.

As I sat reading this week's verse, I asked myself what I could gain from this one sentence. 

1. Fourteen years is a long time to be preaching and teaching the gospel. 
2. Paul also gained supporters like Barnabus and Titus who were willing to travel with him.
3. Traveling in biblical times was quite a journey. 
4. I wonder how many folks are traveling in primitive conditions to spread the Good News of Jesus today, or to resolve an issue with leaders in the church. 

My next course of action was to read the bible commentaries about this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible helped me to gain a better understanding of the verse in the context of Paul's ministry.

Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem,... 

• That is, either after it pleased God to call him by his grace, and reveal his Son in him
• or after he had been at Jerusalem to see Peter, with whom he stayed fifteen days, and then went into Syria and Cilicia; 
• It was seventeen years after his conversion that he took this journey to Jerusalem he here speaks of 
• He seems to refer to the time when he and Barnabas went from the church at Antioch to the apostles and elders about the question, whether circumcision was necessary to salvation
• Acts 15:1 which entirely agrees with the account the apostle here gives of this journey, and which he went not alone

with Barnabas: and took Titus with me also

• Barnabas is mentioned in Luke's account (in Acts) as going with him at this time, but Titus is not.
• The apostle might judge it proper and prudent to take Titus with him, who was converted by him(Paul), was a minister of the Gospel, and continued uncircumcised.
• Paul might choose to have Titus along with him, partly that he might be confirmed in the faith the apostle had taught him; and partly that he might be a living testimony of the agreement between the apostle's principles and practice.
• By having Titus and Barnabas with him, he might have a competent number of witnesses to testify to the doctrines he preached, the miracles he wrought, and the success that attended him among the Gentiles; and to relate, upon their return, what passed between him and the elders at Jerusalem; for by the mouth of two or three witnesses everything is established.

"Though Paul conversed with the other apostles, yet he did not receive any addition to his knowledge, or authority, from them." Matthew Henry's Bible Commentary

Verse of the Week - Galatians 1:23 - 24

From Persecutor to Preacher

Though those churches in the country of Judea had never seen Paul in person, yet they had heard of him: 

• That he had been a persecutor of those which professed the doctrine of the gospel, which he here calls the faith, it being the object and the means of faith. 
• That there was such a change wrought in him, as that he was now become a preacher of that doctrine, for the profession of which he had formerly wasted and destroyed, the churches of Christ.                                 Matthew Poole's Commentary on Biblehub.com 

Verse of the Week - Galatians 1:21-22

First, I want to say that I am personally gaining knowledge and personal revelations from writing on Galatians every week. 

Paul was a living, breathing man and I feel as if I am beginning to know him. His story is pertinent today because human interactions are the same now, as in Paul's day. Our society and technology have changed, but our human interactions have not. Do you agree?

Paul went to churches who had already heard that the persecutor was now preaching the Gospel of Jesus (the report). 

I wonder if they were far enough from Jerusalem that they trusted his conversion experience more? After all, in Jerusalem the families of the arrested followers, whom Paul had arrested, would have been very suspicious of him. Wouldn't you? I know I would have been, but Paul did carry a letter from the church leaders in Jerusalem.

Paul Was Following in Jesus' Footsteps 

When Jesus was alive, he traveled in Syria and healed many, many people. I am sure these people remembered Jesus and were eager to hear his teachings from Paul. Paul was an effective speaker and many people came to listen to him. In a later travel in Matthew, it says Paul strengthened the churces in Syria and Cilicia. 

John Gill's Commentary On Galatians 1:21

"Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. For having disputed against the Grecians at Jerusalem, and being too hard for them, it so irritated them, that they were going to murder him; which being known to the brethren there, they got him out of the way, and had him down to Caesarea, and so to Tarsus, a city in Cilicia; where he was born; in which places and in the countries about he preached the Gospel of Christ; to Tarsus, Barnabas went for him seeking him, and finding him brought him to Antioch in Syria; and both in Syria and Cilicia he preached, no doubt with success, since we read of believing Gentiles and churches in those parts he afterwards visited; being sent along with others, with the letter and decrees of the synod at Jerusalem to them, and whom he confirmed;" 

Matthew 4:24

News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed--and He healed them.

Acts 15:23

With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings.

Acts 15:41

He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Verse of the Week - Galatians 1:18-20

John Gill Wrote*

• Then after three years, I (Paul) went up to Jerusalem... Not three years after his return to Damascus, but after his conversion; and now it was that he moved to become a member of the church at Jerusalem; 
• They did not care to admit him to the church, fearing that he was not a disciple, until Barnabas took him, and brought him to the Apostles Peter and James, and related his conversion and his boldness in preaching the Gospel at Damascus.
• Paul's view in going up to Jerusalem at this time was partly his own safety, being obliged to fly from Damascus, but chiefly to see Peter. 
• Paul went not to see what sort of a man he was, but to pay him a Christian visit; to talk with him about spiritual things; to know how the work of God went on under him...and to relate to him...but not to receive the Gospel from him, or to be ordained a preacher of it by him.
• Paul had already in the work of the ministry for three years before he made this visit to Peter; and besides, his stay with him was very short, (15 days) nor could he have received much from him, in so short a time, in an ordinary way.
• During this time, Paul wasn't just visiting with Peter but he was also coming in and going out at Jerusalem, where he preached boldly in the name of Christ and disputed against the Grecians.                           

*adapted from Gills Exposition of the Entire Bible