Where did Paul go to begin his ministry after his two weeks with Peter in Jerusalem?
After spending two weeks with Peter in Jerusalem, Paul went directly from Jerusalem up to his home area of Cilicia, specifically Tarsus. That region was Gentile territory, not the Jewish congregations in Palestine, marking the start of his ministry in the opposite direction from Peter and the apostles.
Les explains that Paul was not far removed from Palestine, yet he was in total Gentile territory when he began his ministry after the two weeks with Peter. Paul went from Jerusalem directly up to his home area of Cilicia, into the area of Cilicia and Tarsus. Les says the Holy Spirit inspired this statement to show Paul had nothing to do with those Jewish congregations in Palestine, because Paul was going to be separated from all that. He had no ministry to the Jews in Judea, just as the twelve had no ministry to the Gentiles when Jesus sent them out. It was a complete fork in the road: Paul was sent in the very opposite direction from Peter and the apostles. He went into a total new Gentile area, though there were no doubt some Jews in all areas of the Roman Empire. Meanwhile, Jewish believers in Jerusalem and Judea had heard only that the one who once persecuted them was now preaching the faith concerning Jesus the Lord Christ, which he once destroyed.
Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;