Paul did not confer with the other apostles because God revealed His Son in him to preach among the Gentiles and kept him separate from the Twelve.
In Galatians, Paul writes that immediately after this revelation he conferred not with flesh and blood and did not go up to Jerusalem to the apostles before him, but went into Arabia. Les Feldick teaches that God deliberately did not want the new revelations He would give to Paul mixed with what the Twelve already understood, so Paul's apostolic instruction came directly from the risen Lord.
Galatians 1:15-17 — Paul explicitly states he did not confer with flesh and blood or go to the Jerusalem apostles after God revealed His Son in him.
Acts 9:15-16 — The Lord tells Ananias that Paul is a chosen vessel to bear Christ's name before the Gentiles, which is the commission behind Paul's independence.
In Galatians 1, Paul testifies that when God was pleased to separate him from his mother's womb and call him by His grace, it was to reveal His Son in him so that he might preach Him among the heathen. Immediately he conferred not with flesh and blood, neither did he go up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before him; instead he went into Arabia and returned again unto Damascus. He also certifies that the gospel he preached was not after man, for he neither received it of man nor was taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. In Acts 9, the Lord tells Ananias that Paul is a chosen vessel to bear His name before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel, and that He will show him how great things he must suffer for His name's sake.
Les Feldick emphasizes that from a human standpoint the logical thing for the newly-converted Saul would have been to go to Jerusalem and ask Peter, James, and John to fill him in, since they had been with the Lord for three years. Yet Paul makes the point by inspiration that he did not. Why? Les explains that God wanted to keep Paul as far from the Twelve as possible, because He did not want the revelations He was going to give Paul mixed up with what the Twelve had already understood. God did not send Paul back to Jerusalem to check in with the Twelve and join their ministry; He separated him totally, sent him out into the desert, and revealed these doctrines to him. Les notes that Paul later did visit Peter for 14 days, but other of the apostles he never saw one. He also points out that Paul had no connection whatsoever with the Twelve and would never have fit as Matthias's replacement, and that until believers separate the ministries of Peter and Paul, they will be in confusion.
Les says the logical, normal thing after Paul's Damascus road experience would have been to go right back to Jerusalem and tell Peter and the Eleven, 'Fill me in — you were with the Lord for three years.' But Paul makes the point by inspiration that he did not. Les says this is because God wanted to keep Paul as far from the Twelve as possible.
According to Les, when God zapped Paul off his horse on the road to Damascus and saved him, God did not send him back to Jerusalem to check in with the Twelve and become part of their ministry. Instead, He separated him totally from the Twelve, sent him out into the back side of the desert, and revealed these doctrines to him. Les sees this as part of the change of direction — God was now dealing with Paul to bear His name before the Gentiles.
Les notes that Paul did later go through Jerusalem for 14 days and visit with Peter, but he did not see the other apostles. That brief visit did not make Paul part of the Twelve's ministry; he still received his instruction and apostolic message directly through revelation from God, not through the Twelve.
Les teaches that many people did not recognize Paul's divine appointment as an apostle because he could not claim to have walked with Jesus in His earthly ministry. Yet 17 of the 28 chapters of Acts are given to Paul, who was not one of the original Twelve and was converted long after Pentecost. Les says the reason is that we Gentiles have a relation to Paul that we do not have to the other apostles. Until you separate the ministries of Peter and Paul, you will be like most of Christendom — in total confusion.
Paul's Gentile Commission
Les explains that Acts 9 marks a change in God's dealing with Israel to a new direction, with Paul being called to bear Christ's name before the Gentiles and to suffer great things for that name.
Immediately I Conferred Not With Flesh and Blood
Les highlights Paul's own words that right after his conversion he did not go back to Jerusalem to check in with the Twelve, even though they had been with Jesus for three years.
God Kept Paul From the Twelve
Les says the normal thing would have been to have Peter, James, and John fill Paul in, but God kept Paul as far from the Twelve as possible so the new revelations would not be mixed with what the Twelve already understood.
Paul's Apostleship Called Into Question
Les explains that some did not recognize Paul's divine appointment as an apostle because he could not claim to have walked with Jesus in His earthly ministry, so Acts 9 reviews his Damascus road calling.
Total Separation From the Twelve
Les says God did not send Paul back to Jerusalem to join the Twelve; He separated him, sent him into the desert, revealed the doctrines to him, and later allowed only a brief visit with Peter.
Paul's Unique Place in Acts
Les points out that 17 of Acts' 28 chapters focus on Paul, showing that Gentiles have a relationship to Paul that they do not have to the other apostles — confusion comes from mixing Peter and Paul.
Paul Not One of the Twelve
Les argues Paul had no connection with the Twelve and would never have fit as a replacement for Judas, even though some theologians thought Peter should have waited for him.
The Human Alternative
Les describes the natural human response — going back to Jerusalem to ask Peter and the Eleven to fill Paul in — but Paul instead went into Arabia, emphasizing his independence.
Galatians 1:15-17: But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
Paul directly answers why he didn't consult the apostles: God revealed His Son in him for the Gentile mission, and he conferred not with flesh and blood.
Acts 9:15-16: But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
Shows the Lord's commission for Paul to bear His name before the Gentiles while warning of the suffering that would accompany that calling.
Galatians 1:11-12: But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Explains that Paul's gospel did not come from men but by revelation of Jesus Christ, which is why he did not need the Twelve to instruct him.
Les Feldick notes that Paul did later go through Jerusalem for 14 days and visit with Peter, but other of the apostles he never saw one. That brief contact did not change the fact that the Lord had kept Paul separate from the Twelve for the revelation of the Gentile gospel.
Les Feldick says that some theologians thought Peter should have waited for Paul, but that would never have worked and Paul would never have fit. Paul had no connection with the Twelve and received his apostleship directly from the risen Lord.
According to Galatians and Les Feldick's teaching, Paul went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. Les explains that God separated Paul from the Twelve and revealed the doctrines of the new body of truth in the desert.
Watch the Teaching: Why Paul Didn't Learn From Peter — Galatians Chapter 1 Explained