“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 thereafter, referring to the time following Paul’s three-year stay in Arabia and Damascus. After waiting three years, Paul finally went to Jerusalem to see Peter (Acts 9:26-30). When Paul first left Jerusalem, he had gone to Damascus to murder and imprison Christians. However, he came back as a Christian! He left as a beast but came back as a champion for Christ.

We get 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 get acquainted with Peter. They told each other their story. This must have been a great time of fellowship. In fifteen days, they told of God’s grace and work in their life.

and remained with him fifteen days

Paul wanted to get to know Peter. He stayed in Jerusalem only a short time because his life was threatened (Acts 9:29). There was no time for Peter to train Paul theologically or certify his ministry, so Paul did not get 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 do not live to themselves. Christians do not live by themselves.