Galatians 1:17

οὐδὲ, “nor even.” For if I did not choose to consult others it might have seemed reasonable that I should confer with the Twelve.

ἀνῆλθον, Galatians 1:18; John 6:3[56]. Cf. ἀναβαίνω Galatians 2:1-2 and often in Gospels and Acts. ἀνά. See Galatians 2:1, note.

[56] Is affixed to a word it means that all the passages are mentioned where that word occurs in the New Testament.

εἰς Ἰεροσόλυμα. The Aramaic and Greek form; Galatians 1:18; Galatians 2:1 Paul[57]; while Ἰερουσαλήμ Galatians 4:25-26 is the Hebrew form. On the occurrence of the two forms elsewhere see W.H. Appendix, p. 160.

[57] Is affixed to a word it means that all the passages are mentioned where that word occurs in the New Testament.

πρὸς τοὺς πρὸ ἐμοῦ�. The priority of their apostleship formed the only reason why it was likely that he should go.

ἀλλὰ�. In the Pauline Epp. Romans 15:28[58]. I went quite away from Jerusalem and any other place where I was likely to meet with Christians. Not, of course, in order that he might preach to the heathen (in spite of the mention of this in Galatians 1:16) but that he might be alone. This would not exclude some evangelistic activity if the opportunity presented itself, but it cannot have been the primary object of his withdrawing from Christian counsellors.

[58] Is affixed to a word it means that all the passages are mentioned where that word occurs in the New Testament.

εἰς Ἀραβίαν. Perhaps he wandered through various parts of the large kingdom of the Nabathaeans, extending at that time from Damascus to the Sinaitic peninsula. It is hardly probable that he went to Mt Sinai itself. See Appendix, Note A.

καὶ πάλιν ὑπέστρεψα εἰς Δαμασκόν. Why does he mention this fact? Because as he did go there it was the simplest way of calling attention to the fact that he did not go to Jerusalem even now. Observe that he has not stated that his conversion was near Damascus; the πάλιν is an undesigned coincidence with Acts 9:3.

NOTE A

Arabia in Galatians 1:17 and Galatians 4:25

THE terms Arabia and Arabians, as used during the first century A.D., referred not only to the peninsula proper including the Sinaitic peninsula (Galatians 4:25), but also especially to the kingdom of the Nabathaeans. So Josephus expressly in Antt. I. 12. 4 § 221. He also speaks of Arabia being on the east of Peraea (B.J. III. 3. 3 [§ 47]), of its being visible from the Temple towers (B. J. v. 4. 3 [§ 160]), and of its limit in the country of Gamalitis (Antt. XVIII. 5. 1§ 113). The Nabathaeans, who presumably came from a more southern part, were settled in Petra B.C. 312 (if not even earlier, in the first half of the 5th cent. B.C. see Malachi 1:3), and from that time came into frequent touch with the Seleucid, Egyptian, Jewish, and Roman rulers, holding their own with some ease, on account of the natural difficulties of their country. The limits of their kingdom changed, but in the first century A.D. extended as far north as the neighbourhood of Damascus. Damascus itself was under the suzerainty of Rome, but the cessation of Roman coinage there after 33–34 until 62 A.D. makes it probable that during those years it was in the hands of the Arabians, probably ceded to Aretas IV. by Caligula. Thus St Paul’s notice, 2 Corinthians 11:32, is so far confirmed. See further Schürer, English Translation, I. ii., pp. 345 sqq., C. H. Turner in Hastings, D.B. I. 416, and Nöldeke in Hastings-Selbie, D.B. s.v. Arabia.

It is then clear, if the language of Josephus is sufficient guide, that when St Paul speaks of spending two years in Arabia he may mean anywhere in the kingdom of the Nabathaeans, from near Damascus down to the Sinaitic peninsula. As he does not give any closer definition he probably wandered from place to place. He may even have gone as far south as Mt Sinai, but we know too little of the possibilities of travelling at that time in Petra and the districts bordering upon it to be able to say that he could do so. It may be doubted whether the sentimental reason of visiting the scene of the giving of the Law would have appealed to him just after his conversion. The case of Elijah was wholly different: to him the revelation to Moses was the highest conceivable; not so to St Paul.