Paul on Level of the Big Three

Galatians 2:6 And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.) 

These leaders with the big reputation were most likely the three apostles listed in vs. 9, James, Peter and John.  These men had nothing additional to add to what Paul had been shown by God.  By saying they had nothing to add, Paul puts himself on the same level as these men. This position validated Paul as an apostle himself. Paul got revelation straight from the horses mouth, Jesus, and did not need any help in understanding the gospel.

God Revealed it to Me

Galatians 2:2   I went there because God revealed to me that I should go....

Paul wants everyone to know that his trip to Jerusalem wasn't from his own planning or cunningness.  He was divinely instructed to go.  It was revealed to him by God to go.  This affirms Pauls mission wasn't from human initiation.  He is not working in conjunction with mens plans or even his own plans.  It also shows that his authority is a God given one.  It is the authority of divine revelation.  This reinforces Paul's point in 1:12 that the gospel Paul was given was through revelation.

It's Not an Argument from Reasoning

 ¹¹ Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. ¹² I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

It is important that Paul establishes where his version of the gospel comes from.  Paul lets all know the gospel he preaches is really not his version at all.  he didn't learn it from his own studies, he didn't learn it from those around him, he didn't learn it from the apostles themselves.  There was no human source, not others, not even himself.

The gospel he preaches came from direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

Paul talks about how he was zealous in following the Jewish religion, but something divine happened in his life.  Gods grace exploded upon him and God revealed his Son to Paul.

For three years Paul was in Arabia, away from the influential men of the faith.

Because it was 3 years later that Paul met with Peter the statements of 1:11,12 stand strong.