In me
In Galatians 1, Paul twice says things happen “in him.” God reveals His Son “in me” (1:16). The phrase could mean “through me,” suggesting that Paul is an instrument of God’s unveiling of the Son. It’s just as possible, though, that Paul is himself the locus of that revelation; he is one of the places where God shows Himself.
At the end of the chapter, Paul says that everyone was glorifying God “in me” because he had turned from persecutor to preacher (v. 24). This could mean simply that everyone was glorifying God “on account of my conversion.” But the phrasing is more striking: Paul is the locus of praise - not the object of praise, but the “place” or the “instrument” through which praise is offered to God.
Peter Leithart
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute. He is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and culture, including Theopolitan, Defending Constantine, and Baptized Body.
In Medias Res
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