Why did Paul need to be so thoroughly prepared before his Gentile ministry?
Paul was steeped in Judaism and needed time to cleanse his thinking and behavior. Also, the mysteries had never been revealed before, so understanding them took time. He had to be skilled in proclaiming them to Gentile idolaters. This preparation was part of his three-year training in Arabia.
Les explains that Saul of Tarsus was steeped in Judaism and was just as human as the rest of us, so it probably took a while to cleanse his thinking and behavior. On the other hand, giving him a clear-cut understanding of things that had never been revealed before would naturally take time. He had to be so prepared that when he returned from that Arabian experience and was ready to go out among the Gentile world, among abject Hagan idolaters, he was skilled in what he was proclaiming. Les sees this as part and parcel of the three-year training time down in Arabia. Paul makes it plain that all of this was revealed to him, and he took the responsibility of passing it out to the whole world.
More Questions
Why did Paul need such thorough preparation before preaching to the Gentiles?
Paul had to be so prepared that he was skilled in what he was proclaiming before going out among the Gentiles and abject heathen idolaters.