GALATIANS 1:17-21 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.) 21 Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
*NSB Paul decided to go to Arabia the kingdom of the Nabatean Arabs, extending from Damascus to the Red Sea, including parts of modern Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.
Jerusalem; Thayer: 1) denotes either the city itself or the inhabitants
2) "the Jerusalem that now is", with its present religious institutions, i.e. the Mosaic system, so designated from its primary external location
3) "Jerusalem that is above", that is existing in heaven, according to the pattern of which the earthly Jerusalem was supposed to be built
3a) metaph. "the City of God founded by Christ", now wearing the form of the church, but after Christ's return to put on the form of the perfected Messianic kingdom
4) "the heavenly Jerusalem", that is the heavenly abode of God, Christ, the angels, saints of the Old and New Testament periods and those Christians that are alive at Christ's return
5) "the New Jerusalem", a splendid visible city to be let down from heaven after the renovation of the world, the future abode of the blessed
Literal: Jerusalem = "set ye double peace". The Greek word is Ἱεροσόλυμα Hierosoluma.
Arabia; Thayer:
1) a well known peninsula of Asia lying towards Africa, and bounded by Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, Babylonia, the Gulf of Arabia, the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean
Literal: Arabia = "desert or barren". The Greek word is Ἀραβία Arabia.
Damascus; Thayer:
1) one of the most ancient and most important cities of Syria lying in almost lovely and fertile plain at the eastern base of the Antilibanus
Literal: Damascus = "silent is the sackcloth weaver". The Greek word for Damascus is Δαμασκός Damaskos.
Moving to Verse 18.
Galatians 1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.
Years; Signifies a year, in Greek. In this case 3 years. It's possible that this was actually about 354 days if we go by the calendars of the day. So when Paul says he was in Damascus for 3 years, he could have been saying about 1,062 days. The Greek word is ἔτος etos. Strong's G2094.
NSB* This could be 36 months or else a shorter period measured from the end of one year through a complete year, and ending early in the 3rd year. The 3 years could begin at the time of Paul's conversion or his departure to Arabia. Undoubtedly Paul and Peter talked at length about Christ and the gospel during the 15 days Paul was in Jerusalem.
Remained; The King James uses the word "abode". To stay over, i.e. remain (figuratively, persevere). The Greek word for abode is ἐπιμένω epimenō. Strong's G1961.
Days; day, i.e. (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the Jews as inclusive of the parts of both extremes); figuratively, a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context). In this case 15 days. The Greek word is ἡμέρα hēmera. Strong's G2250.
Moving to Verse 19.
Galatians 1:19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
NSB* The apparent reference to James the Lord's brother, as being one of the other apostles indicates that the word apostles was not always restricted to "the twelve" (see Matt 10:1-4, 1 Cor. 15:5).
Brother; My Notes: This word in scripture has a lot of meanings, but one of them means male children of the same parents. Looking at the way this is worded, I think Paul is explicitly implying this meaning. It just seems odd that he would take time to make this distinction instead of just saying "except James". I know this goes against the Catholic position that Jesus's mother Mary remained a virgin. I am just going by what it says and what the wording is. Brother in the Greek is ἀδελφός adelphos. Strong's G80.
Thayer lists these other means of the same word. Thayer:
1) a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother
2) having the same national ancestor, belonging to the same people, or countryman
3) any fellow or man
4) a fellow believer, united to another by the bond of affection
5) an associate in employment or office
6) brethren in Christ
6a) his brothers by blood
6b) all men
6c) apostles
6d) Christians, as those who are exalted to the same heavenly place.
Moving to Verse 20 and 21.
Galatians 1:20-21 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.) 21 Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
Before God; Thayer denotes; 1) in the presence of, before 1a) of occupied place: in that place which is before, or over against, opposite, any one and towards which another turns his eyes. The Greek word for "before" here is ἐνώπιον enōpion. Vine's (def A-9c) from en, "in," and ops, "the eye," is the neuter of the adjective enopios, and is used prepositional, "in one's sight or hearing,". Strong's G1799.
Lie; "to deceive by lies" (always in the Middle Voice in the NT), is used"falsely," lit., "lying" (AV, marg.). The Greek word is ψεύδομαι pseudo. Vine's (def C-1), Strong's G5574.
Syria; Dodson notes: Syria, a great Roman imperial province, united with Cilicia.The Greek word is Συρία Suria.
Cilicia; Cilicia, a Roman province between the Taurus range of mountains and the coast in the south-east corner of Asia Minor, linked up with the province of Syria. The Greek word is Κιλικία Kilikia.
*NSB Who Were The Galatians?
It is difficult to decide who Paul was writing to in the book of Galatians. In Paul's time, the word Galatians had both an ethnic and political meaning. The ethnic Galatians were Celts who migrated from central Europe to Asia Minor in the third century B.C. They settle in an area around Ankara, the capital of present-day Turkey. In Paul's day the native Galatian dialect was still spoken there, although Greek had been accepted as the language of business and diplomacy. By New Testament times there was a Roman province called Galatia that was larger than the original ethnic area. Territory to the south which was not ethnically Galatian was included in the province. Pisidia as well as sections of Phrygia and Lycaonia were formerly part of Galatia. Whether Galatia refers to the people or to the province would indicate who the original readers of the letter to Galatians were. The usual view until the last two centuries was that Paul addressed "North Galatia", or congregations of ethnic Galatians located in the northern part of the providence. Personal contact of the apostle with these churches may be referred to in Acts 16:6 and 18:23. However, a "South Galatian" theory is more widely held today. According to this view, Paul wrote to churches in the southern part of the province, that is, to the churches he founded on his missionary journey (see Acts 13:14, Acts 14:24) and later revisited (see Acts 16:1-5). An obvious strength of the North Galatian view is that the northern part of the province was Galatia in both senses: ethnic and political. Also, it has been asserted that Paul's description of the fickleness of his readers was a well-known characteristic of the ethnic Galatians in the north. On the other hand, a strong case can be made for the South Galatian view. Paul normally used Roman provincial names, as did Luke in the Book of Acts. Also, the most natural understanding of Acts 16:6 and Acts 18:23 is that Paul retraced his steps from the first missionary journey (see Acts 13:, 14), at the beginning of his second and third journeys. With the Biblical and historical evidence divided as it is, there have been notable scholars on both sides of the Galatian question. Neither theory is clearly superior, though it seems the South Galation view fits better with Acts. The question is important for assigning a date to the letter. In either case, it is obvious that the book was addressed to the church which was struggling with Judaizers, a group that insisted the Gentile converts keep the requirements of the law. Paul's letter was a stern rebuke of this faction in the church. By adding the law to the gospel message, this group was in effect rejecting Jesus' free offer of salvation.
Takeaway: This section is about Paul's journey, but also a statement that he isn't lying. I think we can apply this to all of life. Lying is not only dangerous and unnecessary, but it is also a sin.
*Nelson Study Bible.
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