Thomas Aquinas Commentary Galatians 1:15-17

"But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, [even] from my mother`s womb, and called me through his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood: neither went I up to Jerusalem to them that were apostles before me: but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned unto Damascus." — Galatians 1:15-17 (ASV)

After showing that he did not receive the gospel from any human source before his conversion, the Apostle now proves that he did not receive it from any human source after his conversion. In this regard, he makes two points:

1. He shows that he did not receive the gospel from any person at the time of his conversion.
2. He shows that he did not receive it after his conversion either (Galatians 1:18).

Regarding the first point, he does two things:

1. He shows that he did not receive or learn the gospel from the apostles.
2. He shows that he did not receive it from any other believer, stating, I went into Arabia, and again I returned to Damascus (Galatians 1:17).

Concerning the first of these, he does three things:

1. He shows the efficient cause of his conversion.
2. He shows its purpose (Galatians 1:16).
3. He shows its manner: immediately I did not consult with flesh and blood (Galatians 1:16).

In regard to the first point, he notes the twofold cause of his conversion: the good pleasure of God, which is divine election, and the call of the one who converts him. Regarding the first, he says, when it pleased him—namely, God. It was not when I willed, but when it pleased God, because it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy (Romans 9:16). As the psalmist says, The LORD takes pleasure in them that fear him (Psalms 147:11), and for it is God who works in us, both to will and to accomplish, according to his good will (Philippians 2:13).

He continues, who separated me—that is, God separated me, a rebellious man. Paul says of himself, I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God (1 Corinthians 15:9). He was a man breathing out threats (Acts 9:1) and a persecutor, to whom the Lord said, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? (Acts 9:4). He was one who said, I who before was a blasphemer (1 Timothy 1:13). Me, I say—a man such as this—He separated from my mother’s womb. Or, taken literally, this means God caused me to be born from my mother’s womb.

It is indeed true that God separates a person from the womb. Even though this is a work of nature, nature is an instrument of God. For this reason, even our own works are attributed to God as their primary author, as the prophet says, For you have wrought all our works for us (Isaiah 26:12). In the same way, any effect is attributed to the principal agent; hence Job says, You have clothed me with skin and flesh (Job 10:11). And he was separated from this womb to be justified, for the same one who makes us also justifies us: from my mother’s womb you are my God (Psalms 22:10).

Alternatively, from my mother’s womb could refer to the synagogue, whose womb is the college of Pharisees who trained him in Judaism: You go around the sea and the land to make one proselyte (Matthew 23:15). In this sense, the synagogue was his mother, as it is written, The sons of my mother have fought against me (Song of Solomon 1:5). Its womb was the Pharisees. From this womb, he was separated by the Holy Spirit to faith in the gospel: separated unto the Gospel of God (Romans 1:1).

A third interpretation is that his mother is the Church of Christ, and the womb is the college of apostles. In this case, God separated him from the womb of the Church—that is, from the college of apostles—for the office of apostleship and as a preacher to the Gentiles, when He said to the apostles, Separate me Saul and Barnabas (Acts 13:2).

Again, he calls the synagogue his mother because he was a Pharisee, and an outstanding one, which is why he is called a Pharisee of the Pharisees. He was zealous for the Law, being more abundantly zealous for the traditions of my fathers (Galatians 1:14).

Regarding the other cause of his conversion, he says, and called me by his grace. There are two kinds of call. One is external, as when God called him with a voice from heaven: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? ... Go into the city, and there it will be told to you what you must do (Acts 9:4, 6). In a similar way, He called the other apostles. The other call is internal. In this way, God calls through a certain inner instinct by which He touches the heart to turn to Him, as when He calls someone from the path of evil to good. This is by His grace and not our own merits: And whom he predestinated, them he also called. And whom he called, them he also justified (Romans 8:30). As Isaiah says, I have raised him up to justice (Isaiah 45:13), and Amos, He that calls the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name (Amos 5:8).

The purpose of his conversion is stated when he says, to reveal his Son in me. Christ is the purpose. Paul’s conversion is ordered toward Christ in two ways. First, by his works. He says, to reveal his Son, meaning that by what God did toward me—by converting me and forgiving my sins—He revealed what a great act of mercy was bestowed on me. As Paul writes, Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief (1 Timothy 1:15), and, But I obtained the mercy of God, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief (1 Timothy 1:13). Thus, in his conversion, God revealed His Son in the sense that the Son is called the grace of God. Likewise, God revealed Him in Paul’s actions; hence he says, For I dare not speak of any of those things which Christ has not worked by me, for the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, by virtue of signs and wonders (Romans 15:18). This is inasmuch as the Son is the power of God. Furthermore, he revealed Him in his preaching: We preach Christ crucified; unto the Jews indeed a stumbling-block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness, but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:23). This is inasmuch as the Son is called the wisdom of God.

Secondly, his conversion is ordered toward Christ by his words. He says, that I might preach him among the Gentiles. Whereas the other apostles preached the gospel of Christ to the Jews, Paul, on the Lord’s command, went to convert the Gentiles: It is a small thing that you should be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to convert the dregs of Israel. Behold, I have given you to be the light of the Gentiles (Isaiah 49:6). And again, For so the Lord has commanded us: that you may be for salvation unto the utmost part of the earth (Acts 13:47); Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, for a leader and a master to the Gentiles (Isaiah 55:4).

The manner of his conversion was perfect, both in its effect and in his understanding. Regarding its effect, he says, immediately I did not consult with flesh and blood. This means he was at once so completely converted that all carnal affection left him: It is easy in the eyes of God on a sudden to make the poor man rich . Here, "flesh and blood" is taken to mean the vices of the flesh, as in, flesh and blood cannot possess the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15:50), for the flesh lusts against the spirit (Galatians 5:17). It can also refer to the affection and love felt toward blood relatives, as when Jesus said, Flesh and blood has not revealed it to you (Matthew 16:17). Thus, the Apostle overcame his own vices and scorned his fellow Jews.

Furthermore, his conversion was perfect with respect to his understanding, because he was so instructed by Christ that there was no need to be instructed by the apostles. This is why he says, Neither did I go to Jerusalem—that is, to be instructed by them.

It was also not necessary for him to be instructed by any other of the faithful; hence he says, but I went into Arabia. It is as if he were saying, "I did not go to places where there were believers who might instruct me. Instead, I went to Arabia, where the people were not instructed in the faith but were unbelievers." Then he adds, and again I returned to Damascus, returning to his origins, for who can say who gave a course to violent showers, or a way for noisy thunder? (Job 38:25).

Someone might object, however, by pointing to Acts 9:25-26: In Damascus they let him down in a basket... and when he had come into Jerusalem, he attempted to join himself to the disciples. According to this, he did go to Jerusalem. To this, I answer that he did go, but not to be instructed. Or, better still, he did not go immediately but only after some time had passed. This is why he says in the next verse, Then, after three years, I went to Jerusalem (Galatians 1:18).