Galatians 1:21
21 Afterwards [epeita] I came [erchomai] into [eis] the regions [klima] of Syria [Suria] and [kai] Cilicia; [Kilikia] KJV-Interlinear
21 Then I went into the regions
of Syria and Cilicia. NASB
The region of Syria being referred to is in and
around Asia Minor, Antioch being the capitol of Syria. And Tarsus being the capitol of Cilicia. Both places are in and along the southern
central border of present day Turkey.
This verse lines up perfectly with Acts 6 and Acts
15.
The point of his verse here is that Paul did not
remain in Jerusalem, but instead left Jerusalem and Judah, and went to Asia
Minor. A place where none of the Apostles
were located.
He continues his point of not receiving any
instruction or doctrinal teaching from any of the Apostles.
He was not influenced by any of the contemporary
thoughts of those early Christian years, nor swayed by any of the opinions that
may have been developing in the post-Cross months and years.
With the absence of Jesus here on the earth, it would
have been easy for the early Christians to get off track due to the
overwhelming existence of the Old Testament scriptures and very little new
doctrines applicable to the post-cross era.
Galatia was a living example of that drifting away from true doctrines.
Thus Paul was taken into the desert, much like
Moses and the early Israelites, and there he received instruction that would lead
to the greater portions of our New Testament.
Jerusalem and Judah was heavily influenced with
Judaism doctrines. Turkey was not.
