Paul separated from the Twelve because the gospel he preached was not received from them or from any man, but directly by revelation from the ascended Lord.
Paul did not return to Jerusalem to be instructed by those who had spent three years with Jesus. Instead, Christ revealed the doctrines of grace to him from heaven. Les Feldick teaches that this separation was God's deliberate design so that Paul's new revelations would not be mixed with what the Twelve had already understood.
Galatians 1:11-12 — Paul directly states that his gospel was not after man, that he did not receive it from man, and that it came by revelation of Jesus Christ — the very basis for his separation from the Twelve.
Galatians 1:16 — Paul says he conferred not with flesh and blood after God revealed His Son in him, showing that he did not consult the Twelve.
Scripture shows that Paul did not receive his gospel from the Twelve. In Galatians 1, Paul insists that the gospel he preached was “not after man.” He says, “For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” His point is that he was not taught by the Twelve or by any human authority. Paul further explains that God revealed His Son in him so that he might preach among the Gentiles, and that immediately he “conferred not with flesh and blood.” Even when Paul later went to Jerusalem, he went “by revelation,” meaning God initiated the visit rather than Paul being dependent on the Twelve for instruction. These verses establish the scriptural basis for Paul's separation from the Jerusalem apostles.
Les teaches that Saul of Tarsus was totally separated from the Twelve from the beginning. Saul had been an enemy of the gospel, and when God saved him, He did not send him back to Jerusalem to check in with the Twelve or to become part of their ministry. Instead, God sent him into the back side of the desert and revealed the doctrines of grace to him privately. Les explains that Paul was so adamant that he did not receive his gospel from the earthly ministry of Christ. He had his own private seminary training with the ascended Lord from heaven. God wanted to keep Paul as far from the Twelve as possible so the revelations He would give to Paul would not be mixed with what the Twelve had already understood. Peter was the apostle of the Jew, and Paul was the apostle of the Gentile.
Les points out that Paul was entirely separate from the Twelve at first. Paul did not go back to Jerusalem to be filled in by Peter, James, and John. God did not send him to Jerusalem, nor did He make him part of the Twelve's ministry. He sent Paul to the desert for instruction. Later, Paul visited Peter for 14 days, but he saw none of the other apostles. When Paul later went to Jerusalem, he went by revelation — God instructed him — so that he could convince the Twelve that his gospel to the Gentiles was not connected with Judaism.
Les teaches that God wanted to keep Paul as far from the Twelve as possible. The reason was to keep the revelations He was going to give Paul from being mixed with what the Twelve had already understood. God called Paul from Gentile ground and sent him to the Gentiles. Peter, by contrast, was the apostle of the Jew, and Paul was the apostle of the Gentile. This separation was deliberate and God-ordained.
Paul did not receive his gospel from the earthly ministry of Christ or from the Twelve. Les emphasizes that Paul's “private seminary training” took place with the ascended Lord from heaven while Paul was in the desert. Everything Paul writes concerning doctrine comes from the ascended Lord after His death, burial, and resurrection, from His position at the Father's right hand. That is why Paul says he neither received it of man nor was taught it by man, but by revelation of Jesus Christ.
Because the ascended Lord revealed the doctrines of grace to Paul after the cross, Les maintains that our gospel must come primarily from Paul's writings. The Twelve were apostles of Israel, while Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles. Paul's separation from the Twelve establishes that his message is the distinct gospel of grace revealed by Christ after His ascension.
Paul's Separation in Galatians 1
Paul separates himself from the Twelve by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, showing he did not check in with them; Peter was the apostle of the Jew, Paul the apostle of the Gentile.
God Removed Paul from the Twelve
God did not send Paul to Jerusalem to join the Twelve; He separated him and revealed doctrines to him in the desert, and Paul later saw only Peter among the apostles.
Private Seminary with the Ascended Lord
Paul did not receive his gospel from Christ's earthly ministry; the ascended Lord personally taught him these doctrines of grace from heaven.
No Conference with Peter, James, and John
It would have been logical for Paul to seek the Twelve, but he did not, because God wanted to keep him far from them so divine revelations would not be mixed.
Later Jerusalem Visit by Revelation
Paul later went up to Jerusalem by revelation to convince the Twelve that his gospel to the Gentiles was not connected with Judaism.
“Conferred Not with Flesh and Blood” Refers to the Twelve
When Paul wrote that he conferred not with flesh and blood, he was specifically referring to the Twelve apostles at Jerusalem.
Paul Sent to the Gentiles
God called Paul from Gentile ground and sent him to the Gentiles, which sets him totally apart from the Twelve.
Revelations from the Glorified Lord
Everything Paul writes about our doctrine comes from the ascended Lord after His death, burial, and resurrection, from glory.
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.
Paul directly explains why his gospel is independent of the Twelve and of all human instruction.
Galatians 1:16: To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
Paul immediately says he did not consult people — specifically the apostles — after God revealed His Son to him.
Galatians 2:2: And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Paul's later meeting with the Jerusalem apostles was initiated by revelation, not by his need to receive instruction from them.
No. Paul did not go back to Jerusalem to check with the Twelve after his conversion. He wrote that he neither received the gospel of man nor was taught it; it came by revelation of Jesus Christ.
No. Les says Saul of Tarsus does not even come close to the Twelve. He had been an enemy of the gospel, and God set him totally apart from them.
It would have seemed logical because they had spent three years with the Lord, but Paul by inspiration says he did not. God wanted to keep him as far from the Twelve as possible so the new revelations would not be mixed with what they already understood.
Les teaches that Paul was referring to the Twelve. He was making sure his readers knew that he did not receive his doctrine from Peter, James, John, or any of the men at Jerusalem.
Watch the Teaching: Why Paul Was Never One of the Twelve — Acts 9 Explained