Not from men, nor through a man (1:1)

Says Galatians 1:1 opens Παῦλος ἀπόστολος (Paulos apostolos, “Paul, an apostle”) and qualifies the title at once with two negative phrases: οὐκ ἀπ’ ἀνθρώπων (ouk ap’ anthrōpōn, “not from men”) and οὐδὲ δι’ ἀνθρώπου (oude di’ anthrōpou, “nor through a man”). ἀπό with the plural names the source; διά with the singular names the channel. The positive clause answers the second phrase: ἀλλὰ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ πατρὸς (alla dia Iēsou Christou kai theou patros), one διά governing both persons. God the Father is then described by an aorist participle, τοῦ ἐγείραντος αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν (tou egeirantos auton ek nekrōn, “who raised him from the dead”).

Implies A single preposition over Jesus Christ and God the Father joins them as the one channel of the commission, set against both a human source and a human go-between. The same contrast returns in 1:11–12, where the gospel is “not according to man” and was not received from a man. On ἀπόστολος as one sent with a commission, see the note on Romans 1:1.

Says The BSB reads “Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man”. The participle “sent” is supplied in English; the Greek joins the two negative phrases directly to ἀπόστολος.