Galatians 1:22

“And was unknown by face, etc..] Or “in person”. This is said to prevent what might be objected, that though the apostle had not received the Gospel he preached from any of the apostles at Jerusalem; yet he might have had it from the churches that were in the land of Judea, and from some of the principal men in them; but this was so far from being truth, that he was not so much as known unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ; for there was not only a famous church of believers in Christ at Jerusalem, the metropolis of the land, but there were several congregated churches in the several parts of that country: by Judea we are to understand that part of the land of Israel so called,…”

“So far was I from being a disciple of the apostles, that I was even unknown in the churches of Judea (excepting Jerusalem, Act 9:26-29), which were the chief scene of their labors.”

“And was unknown by face ... - Paul had visited Jerusalem only, and he had formed no acquaintance with any of the churches in the other parts of Judea. He regarded himself at the first as called to preach particularly to the Gentiles, and he did not remain even to form an acquaintance with the Christians in Judea. The churches of Judea - Those which were out of Jerusalem. Even at the early period of the conversion of Paul there were doubtless many churches in various parts of the land, Which were in Christ - United to Christ; or which were Christian churches. The design of mentioning this is, to show that he had not derived his views of the gospel from any of them. He had neither been…”

“the churches: Act 9:31; Th1 2:14 in: Rom 16:7; Co1 1:30; Phi 1:1; Th1 1:1; Th2 1:1 Galatians 1:23”