jeremiah1five
Well-known member
I've come across many who post Galatians 1:11-12 in which Saul states he received "revelation of Jesus Christ" and this led me to understand that in the way this passage is quoted and used that the poster believe that Jesus Christ left 'the right hand of God', came back to earth and sat face to face and one-on-one with Saul and taught him all he wrote about. This isn't true.
Now, I don't know about you but as a born-again Christian the thing Saul experienced on the road to Damascus in Acts 9 is the same experience that happened to me with a light and a voice from heaven speaking to me. Now, I cannot say if the light was witnessed by others in fellowship (Church), nor will I tell you what the voice said to me because it is between me and the Lord, but it played out the same way as with what happened with Annanias when in prayer when the Lord spoke to him and told him some things about Saul that confirmed to Saul that what the voice told him was true. Saul adds more information about his experience in Acts 22.
The point I want to make is that Saul, being a rabbi taught in the rabbinic tradition and was a Pharisee of Pharisees 'above many mine equals' was a perfect choice to receive the ministry he did for as being a rabbi he knew what the Hebrew Scriptures (Law, Psalms, Prophets) said about all that he knew of the Jewish religion. Given the experience on the road to Damascus and whatever discussions he had with Annanias, Saul left for Arabia for three years and other places to read and study the Old Testament Scripture I'm sure he had copy of to search the Scripture to understand and make sense of the New Covenant era all of Israel found itself in. Everything Saul wrote about in his letters to Jewish Christians at the various Jewish home churches in the locations to which he addressed his letters were to give his understanding of what he learned from the Old Testament to help others in the Jewish religion and from their bible this "new thing" (Isaiah 43:19) God was doing in the earth towards His covenant people Israel, and that is the New Covenant prophesied in Jeremiah 31.
The things Saul came to understand and which he wrote about is the same understanding we can come to when we read and study the Old Testament about Jesus Christ. Everything we read in the New Testament comes from the Old Testament. When any of the apostles wrote in their gospel (Matthew) or in their letters (Saul, Peter), they would say something and then quote an Old Testament passage to support what they've said or wrote in order to help those they wrote to help them to understand the New Covenant era Israel as a people found themselves in. None of the writers of what came to be the New Testament ever sat face to face after Pentecost and taught personally by Jesus Christ. ALL that these men knew (except for the twelve) ALL came to understand things based upon their knowledge of the Old Testament Scripture. It took Saul up to fourteen to seventeen years (depending on when you date his Galatian letter) to come to the understandings he did and of which he wrote to others of the Jewish religion about what he found in Scripture. But from members comments it seems to me many have elevated Saul to 'god' status thinking Jesus Himself left heaven to sit with Saul and teach him everything he wrote about. Nothing can be further than the truth. The revelation Saul said he received came from reading and studying the Scripture under the anointing and nothing more. We, or at least, some of us, do the same thing and the Holy Spirit reveals things about what we read that enlarge our understanding of the "so-great salvation" and our faith in Jesus Christ. This dynamic occurs to any submitted believer who searches the Scripture to find out the truth about their faith in order to believe what the bible teaches and not what man teaches through commentaries or other theology books. So, what books did Saul have? He definitely had a copy of the Tanakh, the Talmud, the Mishnah, and maybe the writings from others in the Jewish religion of their interpretation of the Torah. Many Gentile Christians - if there such a thing - don't know it but a great deal of Saul's rabbinic training comes out in his letters, from arguing a point to actually coming to conclusions when he argues with himself in his letters about something in the Old Testament. He'll bring up a point, argue it, come to a supposed conclusion, then bring out the correct interpretation. You can find some of these rabbinic arguments where he says, "God forbid!" Saul was a rabbi. Saul was a Pharisee. After his conversion he continued to be obedient to the Law of Moses as did every born-again Jew that came to accept Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah. Saul was a Pharisee. Why wouldn't his rabbinical training come out in his letters? A study of the origins of the Pharisees and the Sadducees is very interesting and help one to gather the knowledge to understand these two groups and their influence in the Jewish religion (post-exile) and their interaction with Jesus Messiah.
13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
2 Timothy 4:13.
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 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:
14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. 24 And they glorified God in me.
1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Galatians 1:11–24 to 2:1-2.
Bottom line: Jesus Christ did not leave heaven, come back to earth and personally face to face teach Saul all that he wrote about in his letters. Saul gained his 'revelations' simply by reading and studying (the Old Testament for him) the bible under the anointing and allowing the Holy Spirit - NOT YOUR SPIRIT - lead and guide you in understanding the bible.
Now, I don't know about you but as a born-again Christian the thing Saul experienced on the road to Damascus in Acts 9 is the same experience that happened to me with a light and a voice from heaven speaking to me. Now, I cannot say if the light was witnessed by others in fellowship (Church), nor will I tell you what the voice said to me because it is between me and the Lord, but it played out the same way as with what happened with Annanias when in prayer when the Lord spoke to him and told him some things about Saul that confirmed to Saul that what the voice told him was true. Saul adds more information about his experience in Acts 22.
The point I want to make is that Saul, being a rabbi taught in the rabbinic tradition and was a Pharisee of Pharisees 'above many mine equals' was a perfect choice to receive the ministry he did for as being a rabbi he knew what the Hebrew Scriptures (Law, Psalms, Prophets) said about all that he knew of the Jewish religion. Given the experience on the road to Damascus and whatever discussions he had with Annanias, Saul left for Arabia for three years and other places to read and study the Old Testament Scripture I'm sure he had copy of to search the Scripture to understand and make sense of the New Covenant era all of Israel found itself in. Everything Saul wrote about in his letters to Jewish Christians at the various Jewish home churches in the locations to which he addressed his letters were to give his understanding of what he learned from the Old Testament to help others in the Jewish religion and from their bible this "new thing" (Isaiah 43:19) God was doing in the earth towards His covenant people Israel, and that is the New Covenant prophesied in Jeremiah 31.
The things Saul came to understand and which he wrote about is the same understanding we can come to when we read and study the Old Testament about Jesus Christ. Everything we read in the New Testament comes from the Old Testament. When any of the apostles wrote in their gospel (Matthew) or in their letters (Saul, Peter), they would say something and then quote an Old Testament passage to support what they've said or wrote in order to help those they wrote to help them to understand the New Covenant era Israel as a people found themselves in. None of the writers of what came to be the New Testament ever sat face to face after Pentecost and taught personally by Jesus Christ. ALL that these men knew (except for the twelve) ALL came to understand things based upon their knowledge of the Old Testament Scripture. It took Saul up to fourteen to seventeen years (depending on when you date his Galatian letter) to come to the understandings he did and of which he wrote to others of the Jewish religion about what he found in Scripture. But from members comments it seems to me many have elevated Saul to 'god' status thinking Jesus Himself left heaven to sit with Saul and teach him everything he wrote about. Nothing can be further than the truth. The revelation Saul said he received came from reading and studying the Scripture under the anointing and nothing more. We, or at least, some of us, do the same thing and the Holy Spirit reveals things about what we read that enlarge our understanding of the "so-great salvation" and our faith in Jesus Christ. This dynamic occurs to any submitted believer who searches the Scripture to find out the truth about their faith in order to believe what the bible teaches and not what man teaches through commentaries or other theology books. So, what books did Saul have? He definitely had a copy of the Tanakh, the Talmud, the Mishnah, and maybe the writings from others in the Jewish religion of their interpretation of the Torah. Many Gentile Christians - if there such a thing - don't know it but a great deal of Saul's rabbinic training comes out in his letters, from arguing a point to actually coming to conclusions when he argues with himself in his letters about something in the Old Testament. He'll bring up a point, argue it, come to a supposed conclusion, then bring out the correct interpretation. You can find some of these rabbinic arguments where he says, "God forbid!" Saul was a rabbi. Saul was a Pharisee. After his conversion he continued to be obedient to the Law of Moses as did every born-again Jew that came to accept Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah. Saul was a Pharisee. Why wouldn't his rabbinical training come out in his letters? A study of the origins of the Pharisees and the Sadducees is very interesting and help one to gather the knowledge to understand these two groups and their influence in the Jewish religion (post-exile) and their interaction with Jesus Messiah.
13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
2 Timothy 4:13.
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 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:
14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. 24 And they glorified God in me.
1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Galatians 1:11–24 to 2:1-2.
Bottom line: Jesus Christ did not leave heaven, come back to earth and personally face to face teach Saul all that he wrote about in his letters. Saul gained his 'revelations' simply by reading and studying (the Old Testament for him) the bible under the anointing and allowing the Holy Spirit - NOT YOUR SPIRIT - lead and guide you in understanding the bible.
