Paul did not receive the gospel from men, but from God. Paul’s authority is from God, and his ministry’s goal is solely to please God.
Paul is not preaching a gospel preached to him by men but the one revealed to him by Jesus. In the last part of this chapter, he tells his audience the incredible story of how the gospel was revealed to him and how God used Paul’s dark past to further spread the gospel and encourage other believers across the region.
Further, Paul is not preaching the gospel he received from God to please people, but to please God. Paul received a revelation directly from Jesus, and is being faithful to spread that word to people, regardless of whether they like it.
The Galatians were led astray by men, not God. As Paul explains, the gospel does not come from man but from God, so the idea that these Galatians would be fooled by a twisting of the gospel from men is particularly striking to Paul. He asks his audience, am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God?
If that were so, Paul—and the Galatians with him—would no longer be servants of Jesus, but servants of men.
Biblical Text
10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. 11 For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
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