What does it mean that Paul was an apostle not of men, neither by man?
Paul’s apostleship was not commissioned by any human body. The Antioch church did not commission him, and the Jerusalem church did not commission him; God did. His apostolic authority came by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead, not from men or through man.
Les explains that in Galatians Paul is writing to congregations in central Turkey, Galatia, that were being pressured to go back under the Law. Paul opens by asserting his apostleship was “not of men, neither by man.” That means the Antioch church did not commission him as an apostle, and the Jerusalem church did not commission him either; God did. Instead, his apostleship was “by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.” Galatians was written to correct false teaching and bring them back under the pure grace of God. Les also notes that because they had given in to false teaching, Paul leaves an important part out of his address to the Galatian churches in verse 2.
Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
More Questions
Why does Paul begin Galatians by calling himself an apostle?
In Galatians 1:1 Paul immediately reminds his hearers of the authority of his apostleship; he always comes at that first, asserting his absolute authority to proclaim the truths he is proclaiming.