Paul's not going to let these Galatians wonder about his authority to write this letter. In verse 1, "sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead".
In verses 11-12, "the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ."
There are a few writers, Josh McDowell maybe most notably, who offer three possibilities for the person of Jesus. If the biblical accounts are accurate (and McDowell provides a great deal of evidence that suggests they are), then Jesus is either a crazy person, a huge liar, or the Son of God. That same test could be applied to Paul. In writing that his message is the result of direct revelation from Jesus, Paul positions himself similarly. He's either crazy, a huge liar, or in fact, has received this message straight from God. He's putting himself out there in a big way, and after reading through 2 Corinthians, it's pretty clear he's not a liar. He's not making this up for personal gain. His life is brutally difficult.
Which leaves two possibilities. He's either nuts, or absolutely truthful and the recipient of incredible revelation from God. We'll consider this question as we continue through Galatians.
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