Paul’s gospel is the gospel of grace (1:6). Grace is the Triune God, the Father, Son, and Spirit, processed to become our enjoyment. According to 1:6, we have been called in the grace of Christ. Through Christ we enjoy the processed all-inclusive Triune God. The gospel of grace is versus the law of Moses. John 1:17 says, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and reality came through Jesus Christ.” In John 1:16 we are told that “of His fullness we all received, and grace upon grace.” To receive grace upon grace is to continually receive of the processed Triune God for our enjoyment.
The gospel preached by the Apostle Paul was the unique gospel. It was the gospel of Christ (Gal. 1:7). Those who preach a so-called gospel that is different from the unique gospel pervert and distort the gospel of Christ and should be accursed (1:7-9).
In 1:11 Paul says, “For I make known to you, brothers, concerning the gospel preached by me, that it is not according to man.” Paul received a marvelous revelation of the gospel directly from the Lord Himself. Therefore, the gospel he preached was not according to man.
In verse 12 Paul goes on to say, “For neither did I receive it from man.” Concerning the gospel, Paul did not receive anything from Peter, John, or James.
In verse 12 Paul also says that he was not taught the gospel by man. Again and again he emphasizes the fact that man was not the source of his gospel. He did not receive the gospel from man’s teaching.
Paul concludes verse 12 with the words, “I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” This refers to the revelation given to the Apostle Paul by the Lord Jesus Christ concerning the gospel. We do not know in what way the gospel was revealed to Paul. Perhaps Paul received this revelation during his stay in Arabia.
Paul’s writings testify to the fact that he had received revelation directly from Christ. In his Epistles there are many marvelous expressions which no man could utter apart from divine revelation. Certain ancient philosophers, such as Confucius, have composed some writings that are regarded as important. But there is no comparison between the best of these writings and those of the Apostle Paul. As one who is familiar with the works of Confucius, I can testify that comparing his writings to the Epistles of Paul is like comparing clay to gold. If Paul had not received revelation from Christ, how could he have written the things he did? It would have been impossible. His writings prove that his gospel was not according to man, that it was not received from man, and that it was not taught by man, but that it was received through a revelation of Jesus Christ. The expressions Paul uses are too wonderful to have come from any source other than a revelation directly from the Lord Jesus Christ.
In verse 10 Paul says, “For am I now persuading men or God? Or do I seek to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I would not be a slave of Christ.” Paul was not seeking for men’s approval; neither was he seeking to appease men or to satisfy them. As a slave of Christ, he preached the gospel according to the revelation he received, not to please men, but to please God.