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.
Oh how sweet the sound! The true gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is NOT tainted by man! Glory to God! That is good news! With so much floating around in the atmosphere today, it is nothing less than refreshing to know that the gospel of the Apostle Paul is purely heaven-sent and we can live out of its tangible reality every moment of our lives.
This word “certify” means to “have thorough knowledge of”. Paul had knowledge of the Holy God through a direct revelation from Jesus Christ Himself. Man did not give Paul His gospel. It was not from a system or organization, but directly from the Spirit of Jesus Christ to the spirit of Paul.
The word “received” is “paralambano” in the Greek and is defined as “to receive with the mind, by oral transmission: of the authors from whom the tradition proceeds, and by the instruction of teachers.” In other words, Paul did not receive his gospel through man’s traditions or teachers. He did not receive it initially through his mind, but primarily through his spirit directly from the Spirit of God!
Do you recall what Paul said in 1 Corinthians?
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:9-14).
Absolutely awesome! Today, many approach God on the level of the soul or body and expect to find Him. But the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord and God illuminates our mind, through our spirit, to reveal Christ Jesus in us. The Father of glory gives us a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
Remember what Paul prayed?
“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph. 1:15-20).
The word “taught” in Galatians 1:12 is “didask”, and it means something so enlightening I must share it with you. It is “to impart instruction or instill doctrine into one”. Paul was not indoctrinated by flesh and blood. Our Lord Jesus said to Peter,
“Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some [say that thou art] John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16:13-19).
We read further to see Paul’s gospel was given by the divine revelation of Jesus Christ himself. We can count on this gospel. It has been tested in time and space and tried in the fire. This gospel has been found true and purer than fine gold and silver. We can stake our very lives on this good news. We can count on this word all of our days on this earth.
This word revelation is awesome! The word is “apokalupsis” in Greek, and means “laying bare, making naked, a disclosure of truth, instruction, concerning things before unknown, manifestation and appearance.” It is also “used of events by which things or states or persons hitherto withdrawn from view are made visible to all.”
The Lord has revealed Himself to us through His gospel! He is no longer the hidden Lord, but open and made known to all He chooses to reveal Himself.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:7, “So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This word “coming” is also “apokalupsis”! We see as we wait in the Lord’s presence, He will begin to make Himself known to us! Paul wanted above all things to know His Lord.
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead” (Phil. 3:10-11).
“In knowing Yah Shua and the power of his resurrection and to partake in his sufferings and likened to his death — that I be able to attain to the resurrection from the house of the dead.” (Aramaic New Covenant – used by permission)
“To know him and the dynamis of his resurrection and the communion of his sufferings — being conformed to his death; if somehow I attain to the resurrection of the dead.” (exeGeses parallel BIBLE – used by permission)
“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:25-28).
“Whereof I, being a minister, as to the leadership of God given to me by you
to fulfill the word of God — the mystery being concealed from eternity and from generations, and now manifested to his holy: to whom God wills to notify what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among this peoples — the Meshiah in you, the hope of glory, whom we preach and doctrinate: and that all the sons of humanity understand with all wisdom — to present all the sons of humanity when perfected in Yah Shua the Meshiah.” (Aramaic New Covenant – used by permission)
“Whereof I became a minister, according to the administration of Elohim given to me to you to fulfill/shalam the word of Elohim— the mystery secreted from the eons and from the generations, but now manifested to his holy: to whom Elohim wills to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the goyim — Messiah in you, the hope of glory: whom we evangelize, reminding all humanity and doctrinating all humanity in all wisdom; to present all humanity completed/shalamed in Messiah Yah Shua.” (exeGeses parallel BIBLE – used by permission)
Just how do we receive Paul’s revelation? Simple.
“How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Eph. 3:3-5).
“How that by apocalypse he had me know the mystery; exactly as I pre— inscribed in few words, whereto, when you read, you can comprehend my comprehension in the mystery of the Messiah; which in other generations was not known to the sons of humanity, as it is now unveiled to his holy apostles and prophets in Spirit.” (exeGeses parallel BIBLE – used by permission)
Two things stand out here. First, the Holy Spirit of the living God must reveal this mystery of Christ. Paul prayed in Ephesians, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know…” (Eph. 1:17-18a).
“That the God of our Lord Yah Shua the Meshiah, the Father of glory, give you the spirit of wisdom and manifestation in the knowledge of him: enlightening the eyes of your heart.” (Aramaic New Covenant – used by permission)
This word “enlighten” is “photizo” in Greek and means “to give light, to shine, light up, illumine, to bring to light, render evident, to cause something to exist and thus come to light and become clear to all, to instruct, to inform, teach, and to give understanding to.”
Secondly, all we must do is read Paul’s revelation in the scriptures and ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to this mystery of the true gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God will take the written word of the revelation and transform it into the revelation of the heart. Just ask Him to open your heart’s eyes right now!
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