You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth.
22 And [de] was [emen] unknown [agnoeo] by face [prosopon] unto the churches [ekklesia]
of Judaea [Ioudaia] which [ho] were in [en] Christ: [Christos]
KJV-Interlinear
22 And I
was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; NASB
Nor known by face, simply means that he had not gone to meet with nor met any of the Christian churches that had been springing up either in Jerusalem or outside of Jerusalem, namely Judea.
Do you remember the subject of this chapter?
When Paul had left for the region known as Syria, today's modern Turkey, he was still unknown by face, in Judea. That simply indicates that he did not meet with anyone and they had not met with him.
This also indicates his initial point that he did not get his instructions on doctrine from the early churches, from their members, from the thought that was prevalent in that early time following the Cross.
In Christ, indicates that they were neither Judaism followers nor pagan followers, but had been converted to Christianity and therefore were learning or had learned the new concepts of Christ from the Apostles and others that had either been with Jesus, or were closely associated with those early teachings.
Pauls point here is that he received his knowledge directly from Jesus Christ, and not from anyone else. He was not influenced by the apostles or any others who were inclined to the Christian beliefs.
Therefore, these things which he has been teaching, and is going to teach, and has written and is going to write, come not from hearsay, not from tradition, not from cultural history, not from the instruction of others in any way shape of form, but came from Christ alone and from Christ only, and therefore his words are truth, untainted, pure and have no influence from any social systems of beliefs or popular thought.
