So what happened after Saul was baptized in Damascus by Ananias? Acts 9:19 “Now for several days he was with the disciples who were in Damascus, ²⁰ and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” ²¹ All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” ²² But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.”

I find it interesting that his first proclamation was “He is the Son of God.” That was what Christians had been saying about Jesus that made Saul want to kill them for blasphemy. Now he has a simple message: “He really is the Son of God.” The Muslims tells us that God does not have a Son, that Christians added that doctrine, that Jesus was only a prophet who never claimed to be the Son of God. Saul saw the resurrected Jesus and that was sufficient proof to him that Jesus really was the Son of God. Saul also confounded the Jews in Damascus by “proving” that this Jesus is the Christ. The Greek word for proving is sumbibazó: To unite, to bring together, to instruct, to prove. Thayer’s says this means “to cause a person to unite with one in a conclusion or come to the same opinion, to prove, demonstrate“. It can imply the act of proving or concluding something through logical reasoning or evidence.

So how would Saul prove that Jesus was the Christ (the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah)? The method is this. He would show all the predictions made by the Old Testament prophets that the Messiah would have to fulfill in order to prove that he was the Messiah. Examples would be Micah 5:2 that he must be born in Bethlehem. His lineage would have to be from David as shown in Matthew’s genealogy in Matthew 1. He would have to do many miracles such as sight to the blind, etc. as predicted in Isaiah 35. He would have to fulfilled all the predictions in Isaiah 53 about being pierced, scourged, hung between 2 thieves, buried in a rich man’s tomb, and raised from the dead. There were more of these predictions. Saul would show all these predictions and then tell how Jesus fulfilled every single one of them, the most important of which was Jesus’ resurrection the which Saul is now a witness of. The conclusion of this argumentation would be that Jesus was the predicted Messiah. Faith in Jesus is based on such logical, rational arguments. It is not just a fell good religion. It is not just an accept it by blind faith relgion. In Acts 17:31 God “gave proof that Jesus would judge the world by raising him from the dead.” God gave us plenty of proof that Christianity is the only true religion.

This was the method Saul used in the synagogues in trying to convert Jews. Acts 17:1 “Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. ² And according to Paul’s custom, he visited them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, ³ explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” Again, rational logical reasoning giving proof or evidence from the Old Testament Scriptures using the same method as in Acts 9:19-22. Notice in these verses that specific evidence was given that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. That prediction would be from Isaiah 53 mainly where he was a “man of great pain” (53:3), pierced for our offenses (53:5 his crucifixion), by his wounds we are healed (53:5), oppressed and afflicted (53:7), and that He would see His offspring and prolong his days (53:10 his resurrection after death. The Jews could not imagine a Messiah who would die such a horrible suffering death, not to mention a subsequent resurrection. But Saul (called Paul by the time of Acts 17:1-3) showed them that Jesus’ death did not disqualify him from being the Messiah, and that his resurrection was predicted. The Jews simply missed the entire fulfillment of Isaiah 53 by Jesus. Unbelieving Jews today still miss it. It is amazing that they can be so blind to the fulfillment of Isaiah 53 which is in their Old Testament Scriptures.

What happened next is a little difficult to sort out. Galatians 1:¹⁵ But when He who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, ¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.” This suggests that he went to Arabia after his conversion very soon after his conversion. This was right after Acts 9:20-22 where he did some immediate proclaiming Jesus to be the Son of God and Messiah. Either that or his trip to Arabia came immediately after his convfersion but was very short such that it could still be said that he began proclaiming Christ in Damascus immediately after his conversion.

How long did he stay in Arabia? Galatians 1:¹⁸ Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him for fifteen days. ¹⁹ But I did not see another one of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.” Most say that he was in Arabia 3 years, but Acts 9 says that ²³ When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, ²⁴ but their plot became known to Saul. They were also closely watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; ²⁵ but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.” So he spent many days in Damascus before the plot to kill him. So the 3 years of Galatians 1:18 is probably the total of 3 years spent in Arabia and Damascus after his conversion and not just 3 years in Arabia.

What did he do during that time, however long it was, in Arabia? We don’t know. Pure speculation but he perhaps spent time reflecting on his conversion. He makes it a point in Galatians 1 to say that he received his gospel directly from Jesus and not from the other apostles, so perhaps the Holy Spirit spent a lot of time with him instructing him in the new covenant teachings and how he was to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. To me, this time is when the Spirit would make it clear to Paul that the Gentile converts would not have to be circumcised or keep the Law.

After 3 years (total time in Damascus and Arabia after his conversion, probably from AD 33-36) a plot to kill Saul was discovered and the disciples lowered him in a basket through the wall to safety and he fled from Damascus to Jerusalem. Details of this plot and escape are given in 2 Corinthians 11:³² In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, ³³ and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.”

So after 3 years he went to Jerusalem. Galatians 1:Galatians 1:¹⁸ Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him for fifteen days. ¹⁹ But I did not see another one of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.” Again, he is showing that he did not spend enough time in Jerusalem get his particular method of teaching of the gospel to the Gentiles (which did not include making them be circumcised) from the apostles in Jerusalem. I spent two whole years in a school of preaching that highly influenced how I preached the gpspel for the next many years after that. But Paul makes it a point to say that he only spent 15 days, hardly enough to get a complete school of preaching certificate from the apostes. Plus he only saw Peter and James the Lord’s brother. It is interesting that Paul calls James an apostles since he was not. The James who was one of the original 12 apostles was beheaded in Acts 12. James the Lord’s brother was converted and became a pillar of the church in Jerusalem, but he was not one of the 12 apostles. The Greek word for apostle just means “one sent” so it had a generic usage in addition to being used of the origiinal 12 apostles.

Acts 9 gives us more detail about what he did after his escape to Jerusalem. Acts 9:
²⁶ When he came to Jerusalem, he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus at Damascus. ²⁸ And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. ³⁰ Now when the brothers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus. ³¹ So the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace, as it was being built up; and as it continued in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it kept increasing.” I assume that these verses describe the 15 days of Galatians 1:18 that he spent in Jerusalem 3 years after his conversion, after he escaped the death plot. Apparently Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them of Saul’s seeing Jesus on the road and his conversion. But also apparently from Galatians 1:18,19 he only spent time with Peter in Jerusalem during that 15 days, but he was allowed to roam around Jerusalem freely, preaching the gospel during the 15 days.

So we have now tracked Saul from his conversion through the first 3 years in Damascus and Arabia and his escape to Jerusalem after 3 years where he spent 15 days. Acts 9:30 says that after that 15 days he was threatened again and the brethren sent him off to Tarsus, his hometown, where he apparently spent most of the next 14 years up to the Jerusalem conference in Acts 15 in about 40 AD. During that 14 years Barnabas came to Tarsus to get him and they spent a year in the new church in Antioch of Syria. Acts 11:²² The news about them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. ²³ Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with ^[u]resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; ²⁴ for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And considerable numbers were added to the Lord. ²⁵ And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; ²⁶ and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers of people; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. During that year in Antioch he made a 2nd visit to Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 11:²⁷ Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ One of them, named Agabus, stood up and indicated by the Spirit that there would definitely be a severe famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius. ²⁹ And to the extent that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brothers and sisters living in Judea. ³⁰ And they did this, sending it with Barnabas and Saul to the elders.” He apparently made his first missionary journey with Barnabas during that year in Antioch, which took 6-9 months.

Here is a very good outline of all this time sequence. https://www.dwellcc.org/essays/chronological-study-pauls-ministry#:~:text=Paul%20described%20his%20conversion%20in,%E2%80%9D%20(2:1).

A. The period from Paul’s conversion until the 1st trip to Jerusalem.

1. (Acts 9-12). Paul was converted on the road to Damascus
2. He entered Damascus and stayed there for an unknown amount of time (Acts 9:19)
3. Paul went to Arabia for an unspecified period, and returned to Damascus afterward (Gal.1:17).
4. The whole period from his conversion until his departure from Damascus is given as “3 years” (Gal.1:18)
5. He went to Jerusalem after this, and stayed for 15 days (Acts 9:26-29; Gal.1:18)

B. The period from the 1st visit until the 2nd visit to Jerusalem.

1. After the 15 days at Jerusalem, Paul was sent away to avoid capture, and sailed from Caesarea to the regions of Syria and Cilicia (Acts 9:30; Gal.1:21)
2. After a period ranging from 8 to 14 years, Paul traveled to Antioch with Barnabas and stayed for 1 year in Antioch (Acts 11:25; Gal.1:21-2:1 see below).
3. Paul then traveled to Jerusalem from Antioch, staying for a short time. This was in connection with the collection taken up in Antioch because of Agabus’ vision (Acts 11:27-30; Gal.2:1). He then returned to Antioch.

C. The period from the 2nd until the 3rd visit to Jerusalem.

1. After the relief visit (2nd visit) to Jerusalem, Paul returned to Antioch.
2. Very soon afterwards, the 1st missionary journey began.
   • Paul, Mark, and Barnabas traveled from Antioch to Seleucia, the nearest port, then to Cyprus.
   • Then they went to Pamphylia which lies to the north of Cyprus in modern day Turkey.
   • From there, they went to Galatia, as far as the city of Derbe, but without Mark, who went home.
   • Then they went back through the same cities in the opposite direction.
   • Finally, they sailed from Perga back to Antioch of Syria.
   • This entire journey lasted from six to nine months, concluding before the storms of winter would have stopped ship travel in the Mediterranean.

Next comes the debate: Galatians 2:1 Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.” Was the trip to Jerusalem after 14 years the same trip as the visit to Jerusalem in Acts 15 for the conference to settle the issue of Gentile converts being forced to be circumcised. Or was it the trip to Jerusalem mentioned in Acts 11:27-30 where he carried famine relief money to the church in Jerusalem.

Here is a great article discussing this debate. https://evidenceunseen.com/new-testament/galatians/difficulties/is-this-passage-referring-to-the-council-of-jerusalem-in-acts-15-or-is-it-something-else The author of this article takes the view that the visit to Jerusalem in Galatians 2:1 was not the visit to Jerusalem for the conference in Acts 15. He show the similarities between Acts 15 and Galatians 2, but then points out the differences. I encourage you to read the article. He says that the visit to Jerusalem in Galatians 2:1 is the visit to Jerusalem in Acts 11:27-30 for famine relief. I think I agree with the author.

His main points that persuade me. 1) Acts mentions 3 visits to Jerusalem after his conversion (a visit after 3 years in Acts 9, a visit for famine relief in Acts 11, and a visit for the conference in Acts 15). Galatians only mentions two visits to Jerusalem (after 3 years in Acts 9 and then 14 years later Galatians 2:1). He is very specific about not going to Jerusalem any more than those two visits, so it seems that 2nd visit in Galatians 2:1 would have to be the 2nd visit in Acts 11.

2) Galatians 2 is private discussion with Peter, James, and John but Acts is a very public discussion. It would be reasonable that, if Galatians 2:1 is the same visit as Acts 11:27-30, Paul would visit the 3 men in private to discuss Gentile circumcision since he had only been to Jerusalem once 11 years earlier (the Acts 9 visit 3 years after his conversion. The same subject would be discussed later on his 3rd visit to Jerusalem in Acts 15 for the conference, but that debate was public and fueled by the Jewish brethren iinisting that Gentile converts be circumcised. The private discussion in Galatians 2 and Acts 11 was fueled by Paul himself.

3) It seems that, if the Galatians 2:1 visit was the same as the Acts 15 conference visit, Paul would have mentioned the letter that the conference came up with to send to all the churches. Instead, in Galatians 2 they just shake hands in agreement that the Gentile converts don’t have to be circumcised. Also in Galatians 2 Paul brings Titus as a test case of a Gentile convert who was not required to be circumcised and that is not mentioned at all in Acts 15.

4) In Galatians 2, even after the agreement Paul reached with Peter, James, and John, then later Peter on a visit to Antioch vacillates quickly later and is influenced by men from James (who is back in Jerusalem) to quit eating with the Gentile Christians. It seems unlikely that Peter, who was a main spokesman in Acts 15 of not requiring Gentile converts to be circumcised, would vacillate after the Acts 15 conference and do what is described in Galatians 2:¹¹ But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. ¹² For prior to the coming of some men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and separate himself, fearing those from the circumcision. ¹³ The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.” That vacillation seems like it more likely occured after just a brief private discussion with Paul in Galatians 2:1-10 on Paul’s 2nd visit to Jerusalem in Acts 11. Barnabas also vacillates in Galatians 2 in Antioch and it seems unlikely he would vacillate so quickly after being a main spokesman in Acts 15 if that were the same visit.

The author gives other reasons, but the ones discussed here convinced me. See what you think. Not a major issue at all, but some very interesting Bible study!

Wow that ended up long! But I hope it covers the 14 years following Saul’s conversion up to the Galatians 2:1 second visit to Jerusalem which was the 2nd visit to Jerusalem in Acts found in Acts 11:27-30. Thanks for reading!