Acts 9:26

One may well be much at a loss here to understand how it is that, whereas in the Epistle to the Galatians Paul says, "I went not to Jerusalem," but "into Arabia" and "to Damascus," and, "After three years I went up to Jerusalem," and "to see Peter" (Gal. i. 17), here the writer says the contrary. There, Paul says, "And none of the Apostles saw I;" but here, it is said Barnabas "brought him to the Apostles." Well, then, either Paul means, "I went not up with intent to refer or attach myself to them" - for what saith he? "I referred not myself, neither went I to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me:" or else, that the laying await for him in Damascus was after his return from Arabia; or else, again, that the visit to Jerusalem was after he came from Arabia. Certainly of his own accord he went not to the Apostles, but "assayed to join himself unto the disciples" - as being a teacher, not a disciple - "I went not," he says, "for this purpose, that I should go to those who were Apostles before me: certainly, I learnt nothing from them." Or, he does not speak of this visit, but passes it by, so that the order is, "I went into Arabia, then I came to Damascus, then to Jerusalem, then to Syria:" or else, again, that he went up to Jerusalem, then was sent to Damascus, then to Arabia, then again to Damascus, then to Caesarea. Also, the visit "after fourteen years," probably, was when he brought up the alms to the brethren together with Barnabas (Gal. ii. 1): or else he means a different occasion (Acts xi. 30). For the Historian for conciseness, often omits incidents, and condenses the times. Observe how unambitious the writer is, and how he does not even relate that vision, but passes it by. "He assayed," it says, "to join himself to the disciples. […]

It is worth questioning here how, on the one hand, in the Epistle to the Galatians he says that I did not go up to Jerusalem, but to Arabia and Damascus, and after three years to Jerusalem, and that he saw Peter and that he …

"He assayed," it says, "to join himself to the disciples. And they were afraid of him." By this again is shown the ardor of Paul's character: not only from the mouth of Ananias, and of those who wondered at him there, but also of those in Jerusalem: "they believed not that he was a disciple:" for truly that was beyond all human expectation. He was no longer a wild beast, but a man mild and gentle! And observe how he does not go to the Apostles, such is his forbearance, but to the disciples, as being a disciple. He was not thought worthy of credit.

"Assayed," it says, "to join himself to the disciples." He did not come up to them unabashed, but with a subdued manner. "Disciples" they were all called at that time by reason of their great virtue, for there was the likeness of the disciples plainly to be seen.

When he had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples. Let us not believe that he came to the apostles in Jerusalem immediately after being baptized, but as he himself wrote to the Galatians, first he went to Arabia and then returned again …