Dr. Daniel Sloan, Ph.D
When it comes to studying the historical reliability of any event or story in history, one of the major keys to understanding is to have multiple independent sources of information, meaning that the sources are basically saying the same thing, but did not receive the information from the same source. This helps to create multiple independent sources of information. The more independent sources that describe an event or story in a similar way, the more likely that event occurred in that manner. When it comes to the story of Jesus, some people miss that Paul and the other apostles, like Peter and John, should be considered two independent sources both describing similar details about Jesus. Galatians 1:11-12 is a key passage in this argument.
What Did Paul Say was His Source?
In Galatians 1:11-12, Paul outlines who was his source of information about the Gospel message. He wrote, “But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ” (NKJV). Paul makes it very clear that his source for His information about Jesus did not come from the other apostles but instead came from Jesus Himself. If this is true, then Paul would have to be considered a different independent source on the story of Jesus.
How Does This Correlate to Acts?
One might wonder how the Book of Acts correlates with Paul’s message in Galatians. First, prior to Acts 9, Paul was an enemy of the church and a persecutor, so he would have had no traditional dealings with the apostles in that context. Indeed, if he had been in their presence at that time, he would have arrested them and tried to have them put to death. The only recorded time that Paul could have possibly heard the gospel would have been at Stephen’s martyrdom in Acts 7, but he clearly did not accept Stephen’s message as he continued to arrest and kill Christians.
In Acts 9, Paul is confronted by Jesus on the Damascus Road. It is likely this is what Paul was describing in Galatians when he said he received the message from “the revelation of Jesus Christ”. Indeed, in Acts 9:20 Luke describes Paul as preaching in Damascus that Jesus was the Son of God, something he clearly did not believe prior to his conversion. He did not go up to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles until some time later (Acts 9:26). Paul describes a similar account in Galatians 1:15-17. It is clear that Paul was converted and started preaching Jesus as the Son of God prior to meeting with the apostles if the texts of Galatians and Acts are to be taken at face value.
Why is This Significant?
The significance of this argument is exactly what Paul was arguing in Galatians 1. His critics were arguing that he was simply a secondhand apostle who only received his message from the apostles in Jerusalem. In contrast, Paul declared that he received his message from Jesus Himself and only later met with the apostles and was assured they were all preaching the same Gospel (Galatians 2). If this is true, which it certainly seems to be based on the textual evidence, then Paul and the other apostles can be seen as two independent historical sources that both proclaim the deity and resurrection of Jesus.
About the Author
Dr. Daniel Sloan is a professor of Biblical Studies and serves as the online Director of the Master of Arts in Biblical Studies and Master of Arts in Biblical Exposition at Liberty University. He has a PhD in Theology and Apologetics with a concentration in Old Testament from Liberty University. He also serves as the Pastor of Family Life at Fairfield West Baptist Church in Fairfield, Ohio. He served as the Managing Editor and Contributor on the Thomas Nelson Evangelical Study Bible (Spring 2023).
