Galatians 1:18
18 Then [epeita] after [meta] three [treis] years [etos] I went up [anerchomai] to [eis] Jerusalem [Hierosoluma] to
see [historeo] Peter, [Petros] and [kai] abode [epimeno] with [pros] him [autos] fifteen [dekapente] days. [hemera]KJV-Interlinear
18 Then three years later I went
up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen
days. NASB
Paul explains with great care, that there was a
significant interval of time between his meeting with Christ on that road to
Damascus where Paul saw Christ and believed and thus was saved, and the time in
which he went to Jerusalem.
Three years had passed.
And the point here is that Paul did not gain his
knowledge of the true doctrine of the gospel, from anyone other than through
divine revelation from God.
His knowledge and understanding was therefore
correct and certain, and thorough.
The after three years, his ministry was to begin.
He then went to Jerusalem, to meet Peter, most
probably of the first time. Peter was
traditionally viewed as the leader of the apostles and therefore of
Christianity.
But remember that just three years prior, Paul,
then known as Saul, was the enemy of Christianity. He sought to persecute Christians, even to
the point of having them stoned to death.
So, in that regard, all Christians would likely be afraid of Saul.
And now that he seems to have changed, that most
certainly would have been suspect as a trap.
Nevertheless, Peter did meet with Paul and they then became acquainted. The fear of Paul would have been diminished
as a result of this meeting.
Paul states clearly that his knowledge came from
God during those three years. He
therefore does not imply that he went to Peter to consult about what he now
knows. After all, who could provide a
second opinion to Gods clear instruction?
And of course no one could or can do that.
He visited with Peter for fifteen days, and most
likely it was Peter who questioned Paul, because of Pauls extraordinary
conversion story, and subsequent instruction.
Then Paul moved on and went about his business as noted in the next few
verses.
