43 Paul Affirms the Gospel

PAUL AFFIRMS HIS APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY

II Corinthians 11:5-6

5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles, 6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things (KJV).

In Galatians, Paul discusses how after his conversion, he met Peter and James in Jerusalem and got their blessing to continue evangelism. Then, both he in Galatians and independently Luke in Acts recount how the Council of Jerusalem approved of his teachings and ordered the churches throughout the world to take Paul's position in the issue with Judaizers. Peter writes in his own epistle that Paul's writings are valid scripture (II Peter 3:15-16).
He seeks to declare that he was an apostle before he met the other apostles. When he finally did meet them, he was accepted as their equal. Further, he needed to rebuke Peter, the reputed chief apostle.