What does Paul mean when he says his gospel came by revelation?
Paul means his gospel was not received from men, nor taught by the Twelve, chief priests, or rabbis. It was a supernatural revealing directly from the ascended Lord in glory. God Himself revealed the doctrines of grace to Paul by revelation, making his message independent of human instruction.
Les explains that Paul did not go back to Jerusalem to check with the Twelve, even though that would have been the logical thing to do after they had spent three years with the Lord. Paul says the gospel he preached was not after man: he neither received it of man, nor was he taught it. Instead, God revealed directly to him the doctrines of grace. He was not taught by the Twelve, the chief priests, or the rabbis. He got it from the Ascended Lord in glory by revelation, which is a supernatural revealing. Revelation in Scripture means exactly what it says.
For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
More Questions
What does Paul mean when he says he received something by revelation?
When Paul speaks of revelation, he is always referring to that which Christ revealed from His position in the heavenlies.
How did Paul receive the doctrine that appears in his letters?
Everything Paul wrote in his letters came by revelation from God, not from attending a seminary in Jerusalem taught by Peter, James and John, and not from picking up their notes or doing research.