Men and women of the Bible

Paul learned the Gospel from men

Ellen Gould White wrote: ‘Paul must receive instruction in the Christian faith and move accordingly. Christ sends him to the very disciples whom he had been so bitterly persecuting, to learn of them. ... Now Paul was in a condition to learn of those whom God had ordained to teach the truth. Christ directs Paul to His chosen servants, thus placing him in connection with His church. The very men whom Paul was purposing to destroy were to be his instructors in the very religion that he had despised and persecuted’ (Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 430).

Confutation

The Scripture does not teach such a thing, rather it teaches that the apostle Paul received the Gospel by revelation from Jesus Christ. Here is what Paul wrote to the Galatians: “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not” (Galatians 1:11-20). As you can see, when Paul was converted he did not consult any man, nor did he go to see the apostles of the Lord, but he went immediately into Arabia.

However, Paul received from Jesus by revelation also the various teachings he delivered to the saints, because, for instance, when he wrote to the Corinthians about the Lord’s Supper He said to them: “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said: ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me’. In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying: ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me’ (1 Corinthians 11:23-25 – NIV).

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