THE reference in Gal. 1:17 to a visit of St. Paul to Arabia raises several difficulties, which may be conveniently summarized in the questions: (1) Why did he go to Arabia? (2) What does Arabia mean? (3) What is the connection of the incident with the ethnarch of King Aretas (of Arabia) mentioned in 2 Cor. 11:32? (1) Why did St. Paul go to Arabia?—The usual explanation is that he went away to meditate in the desert, perhaps on Mount Sinai. This exegesis is
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