Why did Paul distance himself from Peter, James, and John in Galatians 1?
Paul distanced himself from Peter, James, and John, the twelve apostles of Israel, under Holy Spirit inspiration, to keep his apostleship pure from any legalism of Judaism, of which they were the epitome. He insists he neither received it of man nor was taught it, but by revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, now in glory.
Les explains that Paul, by Holy Spirit inspiration, was distancing himself from the twelve apostles of Israel—Peter, James, and John—to keep his apostleship pure from any of the legalism of Judaism, of which Peter, James, and John were the epitome. In Galatians 1:12 Paul says he neither received it of man nor was taught it, but by the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is now in glory. Les also connects this to Paul’s Acts 22 account: while praying in the temple, he saw the resurrected, ascended Lord, who told him to depart from Jerusalem because they would not receive his testimony, and that He would send him far hence to the Gentiles.
For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.