Galatians 1:21

“Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.] For having disputed against the Grecians at Jerusalem, and being too hard for them, it so irritated them, that they were going to murder him; which being known to the brethren there, they got him out of the way, and had him down to Caesarea, and so to Tarsus, a city in Cilicia; where he was born; in which places and in the countries about he preached the Gospel of Christ; to Tarsus, Barnabas went for him seeking him, and finding him brought him to Antioch in Syria; and both in Syria and Cilicia he preached, no doubt with success, since we read of believing Gentiles and churches in those parts he afterwards visited; being sent along…”

“I came into . . . Syria and Cilicia--"preaching the faith" (Gal 1:23), and so, no doubt, founding the churches in Syria and Cilicia, which he subsequently confirmed in the faith (Act 15:23, Act 15:41). He probably went first to CÃ&brvbrsarea, the main seaport, and thence by sea to Tarsus of Cilicia, his native place (Act 9:30), and thence to Syria; Cilicia having its geographical affinities with Syria, rather than with Asia Minor, as the Tarsus mountains separate it from the latter. His placing "Syria" in the order of words before "Cilicia," is due to Antioch being a more important city than Tarsus, as also to his longer stay in the former city. Also "Syria and Cilicia," from their close…”

“Afterward I came ... - In this account be has omitted a circumstance recorded by Luke Acts 9:29, of the controversy which he had with the Grecians (Hellenists). It was not material to the purpose which he has here in view, which is to state that he was not indebted to the apostles for his knowledge of the doctrines of Christianity. He therefore merely states that he left Jerusalem soon after he went there, and traveled to other places. The regions of Syria - Syria was between Jerusalem and Cilicia. Antioch was the capital of Syria, and in that city and the adjacent places he spent considerable time; compare Acts 15:23, Acts 15:41. Cilicia - This was a province of Asia Minor, of which Tarsus,…”

“1:21-22 Paul was not working under the supervision of the apostles in Jerusalem nor of the churches . . . in Judea.”

“I came: Act 9:30, Act 11:25, Act 11:26, Act 13:1, Act 15:23, Act 15:41, Act 18:18, Act 21:3 Cilicia: Act 6:9, Act 21:39, Act 22:3, Act 23:34 Galatians 1:22”