“Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.”

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter,

The word “then” means after that, referring to the time following Paul’s three-year stay in Arabia and Damascus. After waiting three years, Paul finally returned to Jerusalem to see Peter (Acts 9:26-30). When Paul left Jerusalem previous to his conversion, he went to Damascus to murder and imprison Christians. However, he came back as a believer! He left as a beast but returned as a champion for Christ.

We obtain the English word history from the Greek word for to see. When Paul says he went to see Peter, the word carries the idea of making a social call on his fellow apostle. Paul wanted to become acquainted with Peter. They told each other their story. During these fifteen days, they spoke of God’s grace and work in their lives. This must have been a great time of fellowship.

and remained with him fifteen days

Paul wanted to know Peter better. He stayed in Jerusalem only briefly because his life was threatened there (Acts 9:29). There was no time for Peter to train Paul theologically or certify his ministry in fifteen days, so Paul did not obtain his doctrine of grace from Peter.

After fifteen days, Paul fled for his life. It took some courage to go back to Jerusalem. He was not afraid to face the past. We cannot get away from our past by running away from it. We deal with it by facing it.

Principle:

Iron sharpens iron.

Application:

Christians are not live to themselves. Believers should not live by themselves. We need the fellowship of other saints. There is a richness to fellowship with saints.