Paul is one of the most famous
persons in history mainly because of his contributions to Christianity. He is
responsible for the mass spreading of Christianity during the days of the Early
Church without fear of his own life. What may be his greatest impact though was
the letters he wrote known as Paul’s Epistles. Paul was not a disciple of Jesus
Christ, but instead Paul was a man known as Saul. Saul was known for his
persecution of Christians. After his salvation on the road to Damascus, Paul
spent time in Arabia and Damascus, visited Jerusalem, visited Tarsus and
Syria-Cilicia area, went to Antioch, and spent time with Barnabas in Judea.
This was the first 14 years of Paul’s new life after his conversion. The rest
of Paul’s life is when he was sent out by Barnabas of the church at Antioch on
his first missionary journey. His mission was to tell the Gentiles about
Christ. Then Paul travelled to the churches of his first journey during his
second missionary journey. He continued to preach in Asia Minor during his third
missionary journey. After his missionary works and his Epistles he wrote to
multiple churches Paul was eventually imprisoned and taken to Rome where he was
eventually persecuted. Paul’s new life was 34 years old before he was beheaded
in 68 A.D. Paul devoted his new life to Christ and brought the Gospel to many
different cultures and people groups. Paul was truly a man of God.
Acts
21:39 describes where Saul was born and his ancestry. He was a Jew born in
Tarsus in Cilicia. Acts 22:3 describes Saul’s education, “I am a Jew, born in
Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel,
strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you
all are today.” Saul considered himself a Pharisee in Acts 23:6, “Brethren, I
am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees;…” The Pharisee’s were a group that “stood
true to the law under Antiochus Epiphanes’ proscription of Judaism in 168 B.C.
They were rigid legalistic separatists, with watchwords of prayer, repentance,
and charitable giving.”[1]
Saul was a believer in Judaism and was therefore against Christianity. The
persecution of the Early Church began with the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7.
“They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit!’” Acts 7:59. The next chapter, the first verse describes
Saul’s agreement with the stoning of Stephen. Acts 8:1 says, “And on that day a
great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all
scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”
Paul recounts Stephen’s martyrdom in Acts 22:20, “And when the blood of Your
witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching
out for the coats of those who were slaying him.” Saul was an enemy of the
church and threw many Christians in prison. Saul’s Jewish background made him
bold and fearless as a Christian. Goodwin describes Saul’s Jewish background
saying, “A severe training as a strict Pharisee does not seem the most
promising preparation fro the future Apostle to the Gentiles. But Paul’s
weakness was his strength. ‘We may safely say that if Saul had been less of a
Jew Paul the apostle would have been less bold and independent.’”[2]
Saul
became Paul in 36 A.D. while on the road to Damascus. Acts 9 describes Paul’s
salvation, “and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to
the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you
persecuting Me?’” Saul was led into Damascus where he stayed for three days
without eating or drinking. A disciple named Ananias was told by the Lord to go
and see Saul and lay his hands on him. Acts 9:15 describes the mercy of the
Lord on Saul, “But the Lord said to him, (Ananias), ‘Go, for he, (Saul), is a
chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and
the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s
sake.’” Ananias went to Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who
appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you
may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit” Acts 9:17. Saul
regained his sight, got up, and was baptized. The NIV Application Commentary
says this on Saul’s conversion, “The conversion of Saul of Tarsus has been considered
one of the most crucial events in the history of God’s dealing with humanity.
This man will dominate the rest of the book of Acts and, as the apostle to the
Gentiles, lead the way in taking the gospel to the ends of the earth.”[3]
As
soon as Paul became converted and baptized he started preaching in Jesus’ name
to the people around him. The people around him received mixed signals from
Paul because the Jews knew him now as a traitor and the Christians did not know
if they could trust him yet. Paul stayed in Damascus for some say three years
after his conversion. Paul was bold, but was warned by Ananias to not be as
bold. “Although moderation was urged upon him by Ananias, let us say, who was
by tradition a lawyer, Saul knew of no moderate ways to the truth.”[4]
Paul, because of his own miraculous conversion, did not want to stop other
people from experiencing the same as him. Galatians 1:17 describes where Paul
went after his conversion, “nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles
before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.”
After three years in Arabia and Damascus, the Arab king Aretas IV was going to
apprehend Paul and because of this Paul fled to Jerusalem. Paul was an outcast
to the Jews and even the Christians and that is why he sought refuge in
Jerusalem. He did not have anyone to seek refuge from, but he went there
anyways because of the atmosphere of spirituality in Jerusalem. Paul spent
fifteen days in Jerusalem where he spent his time with Peter and Jesus’ brother
James. Paul was moved by Jesus and visited Syria-Cilicia area and Tarsus. The
time table is not exact in where he spent most of his time, “Saul disappeared
into Tarsus for four years or fourteen years: it is impossible to know.”[5]
How long he spent where is unknown, but it is known that he did not deny Jesus
ever again. Afterwards, he went to Antioch.
Acts
13:1 says, “Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets
and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene,
and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.” Of these
two, Saul and Barnabas were set apart by the Holy Spirit; they also took with
them John Mark as their assistant. They were sent to Cyprus; the start of
Paul’s first missionary journey. Cyprus was the home of Barnabas, and they were
located in Paphos, Cyprus’ capital. In Paphos they encountered the chief Roman
official named Sergius Paulus, who was “‘an understand man’ who wanted to hear
the Word of God.”[6]
Paul was opposed by a man named Elymas, “But Elymas the magician was opposing
them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith” Acts 13:8. Paul was
filled with the Holy Spirit and made Elymas go blind which made Paulus believe
in the power of Jesus Christ and be saved. Acts 13:9 is also the first time
“Saul, who was also known as Paul” is used. After Cyprus they travelled north
to Perga in Pamphylia. While there they sat down in the Synagogue on the
Sabbath day and they began to preach to the people there. Acts 13:14-41
describes how Paul and Barnabas tell the story of Christ and His mercy and
grace to save the world. They spoke again the next Sabbath and had nearly the
whole city come to hear them speak. Acts 13:48 tells of the response the
Gentiles had, “When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and
glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal
life believed.” Paul and Barnabas were drove out of the city and went to
Iconium. Paul had a passion for the Gentiles and already many Gentiles had been
moved by Paul and the Holy Spirit. The city was divided between Jews and the
apostles in Iconium and eventually led to the threat of stoning of Paul and
Barnabas. They fled to Lystra and Derbe. Acts 14:7 describes Paul and Barnabas’
attitude everywhere they went, “and there they continued to preach the gospel.”
Even under heavy persecution and threats for their life they still preached the
gospel anywhere they went. In Lystra Paul heals a lame man and is called a god
like Zeus. Jews from Iconium and Cyprus came to Lystra and convinced others
that Paul was a heretic to have him stoned. He was left for dead outside the
city, but Paul had much more to accomplish before his death. Paul and Barnabas
went to Derbe to continue to preach. This was the end of Paul’s first
missionary journey as they returned through the cities they had previously
preached at and went home to Antioch.
Acts
15:36 is the start of Paul’s second missionary journey, “After some days Paul
said to Barnabas, ‘Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which
we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.’” That was their
mission, to return to all the churches they established on their first journey.
Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement regarding whether or not to take John Mark
and thus splitting up and Paul went to Cilicia with Silas. Acts 16 is where
Paul’s second missionary journey begins to take off as Paul travels to Derbe
and Lystra and meets Timothy. Paul loved Timothy and circumcised him because of
the Jews in the area. “Of all Paul’s companions Timothy was his favorite… he
was intimately connected with the apostle’s life.”[7]
They went on and passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, but Acts 16:6
says they were, “forbidden by the Holy
Spirit to speak the word in Asia.” Because of this blockade they went to west
into Macedonia instead of east into Asia. They were to travel to Philippi
because it was a very important city. While there he met a woman named Lydia and
he baptized her and her household. This lead to Paul saving a demonized girl
and the officials did not like what was going on in their city. They used Roman
law to convict Paul and Silas because the religion was not approved by Rome.
“He (Paul) and Silas were stripped and beaten and put in the city prison. It
looked like the end of their witness in Philippi, but God had other plans.”[8]
While in prison, Paul sought the guard to be saved and at night God sent an
earthquake to free them from prison. Paul saved the guard from killing himself
and the guard believed in Jesus Christ and was saved. The church in Philippi
was established. “This church would be the one that Paul cared for most. Paul’s
letter to the Philippians shows that he loved them. He writes to them with more
love than he does to the other churches.”[9]
Paul and Silas were released from custody because they were actual Roman
citizens and went to Amphipolis and Apollonia and Thessalonica (Acts 17:1). After
preaching for a brief amount of time in Thessalonica he had to leave after
establishing a church there. He went to Berea and established another church
there, but opposition made him leave there as well. This is when Paul travels
to Athens and is awaiting the return of Silas and Timothy who stayed in Berea.
Acts 17:16 says, “Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was
being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols.” Paul
preached in Athens for the rest of Acts 17 and after Athens he left for
Corinth. He had established a church
there, “however, the church there gave Paul many problems. He would have to go
back to Corinth many times.”[10]
This was the end of Paul’s second missionary journey and from there he started
to travel back towards Antioch, revisiting many places and even going to
Jerusalem for a short time.[11]
Paul’s
final missionary journey begins as he travels to Ephesus. The reason being was
“Paul knew the power of Ephesus; it could scatter the world.”[12]
Paul believed that populous cities were the best chance at advancing the gospel
because that is where it could spread around the world. He came to Ephesus and
began preaching and baptizing Christians with the Holy Spirit (Acts 19). Acts
19:11 describes Paul in Ephesus as, “God was performing extraordinary miracles
by the hands of Paul.” Paul spent two years in Ephesus and then plans to travel
to Jerusalem through Macedonia. Acts 19:21 says, “Now after these things were
finished, Paul purposed in the spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed
through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, ‘After I have been there I must also see
Rome.’” There was a riot in Ephesus as Paul departed and he went to Corinth
again. “During that visit, he wrote his Epistle to the Romans.”[13]
Paul was trying to get back to Jerusalem for the Passover but was unable to
accomplish this because of problems like a plot to kill him in Corinth.
Eventually Paul sets off again and this time with Luke and they head to Troas.
In Troas Paul preaches and heals a boy who fell dead off a window seal (Acts
20:6-12). Paul leaves Troas and his goal is to get to Jerusalem now before the
last day of Pentecost. “On his final journey to Jerusalem, people warn Paul
several times that he will suffer. Nothing will stop him. Paul is sure that God
wants him to go there.”[14]
When Paul was told to go somewhere by the Holy Spirit he did not hesitate. He
would not stop no matter what the cost was because the Lord was telling him to
go.
Paul’s
journeys were over and even though he was warned to not go to Jerusalem he went
anyways. When Paul was in Jerusalem a mob gathered and he was beaten in the
streets before a Roman leader stopped the mob (Acts 21:27-33). Paul spoke his
defense to the mob because they wanted to arrest and sentence him to death.
Paul tells of his conversion and what the Lord had done for him since then
(Acts 22:1-21). Again, Paul’s Roman citizenship saved him from imprisonment as
the Roman leader let him go when he became aware of Paul’s citizenship. Acts
23:1-10 describes Paul before the Jewish Council. He opposes the Jewish Council
and while still in custody a group of Jews still conspire to kill Paul. He is
taken to Caesarea and tried before a man named Festus. While being tried, Paul
says in Acts 25:11, “If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything
worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of
which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to
Caesar.” Eventually, Paul appears before King Agrippa and has to defend himself
again (Acts 26). Paul is eventually taken to Rome and imprisoned. While in
Rome, Paul was able to stay in his own quarters under guard and this is the end
of the book of Acts saying, “And he stayed two full years in his own rented
quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God
and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.”
(Acts 28:30-31). Paul’s death is not a fact, but some say it came from
beheading by the hand of Nero, who was the emperor who also had Peter killed by
crucifixion.[15]
Others say that Paul went to Spain during Nero’s infamous persecution, but no
one is sure. It is assumed that Paul died by the hands of Nero in Rome.[16]
Paul
was a great man there is no doubt about it. He changed the minds of people all
over the world and his goals to reach the Gentiles were successful during his
life. He established many churches and was never scared to advance the gospel
around the world. When the Holy Spirit called him to move he did not hesitate
to move. He went where he was called and never forgot about the churches he
established. His letters he wrote to the churches he helped established are forever
kept in the Holy Bible. Paul was a Jew who hated Christians and anything to do
with Christianity, but would eventually be changed miraculously for Jesus. The
life of Paul can be studied and learned from in many different ways. Paul was a
man who changed the world for the good.
Bibliography
Merrill F. Unger, Gary N. Larson, The New Unger’s Bible Handbook, Chicago, Illinois: The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, 1966
updated 1984.
Frank J. Goodwin, A
Harmony of The Life of St. Paul, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1964.
Ajith Fernando, The
NIV Application Commentary, ACTS, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998.
Henrietta Buckmaster, PAUL A Man Who Changed the World, New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1965.
Warren W. Wiersbe, The
Bible Exposition Commentary NT Volume 1, Colorado Springs, Colorado: Cook Communications Ministry, 2001.
G. Barrie Wetherill, God’s
Message Goes to All Nations Unit 5, http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-study/early-church/nt05-lbw.htm,
2003.
G. Barrie Wetherill, God’s
Message Goes to All the Nations, Unit 6, http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-study/early-church/nt06-lbw.htm,
2003.
Justo L. González, The
Story of Christianity Volume I, New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2010.
Precept Ministries International, The New Inductive Study Bible, Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1995.
[1]
Merrill F. Unger, Gary N. Larson, The New
Unger’s Bible Handbook, (Chicago, Illinois: The Moody Bible Institute of
Chicago, 1966 updated 1984), 359.
[2]
Frank J. Goodwin, A Harmony of The Life
of St. Paul, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1964), 16.
[3]
Ajith Fernando, The NIV Application
Commentary, ACTS, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House,
1998), 294.
[4]
Henrietta Buckmaster, PAUL A Man Who
Changed the World, (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1965), 30.
[5]
Ibid., 37.
[6]
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary
NT Volume 1, (Colorado Springs, Colorado: Cook Communications Ministry,
2001), 457.
[7]
Frank J. Goodwin, 63.
[8]
Warren W. Wiersbe, 468.
[9]
G. Barrie Wetherill, God’s Message Goes
to All Nations Unit 5, (http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-study/early-church/nt05-lbw.htm,
2003), Part 3.
[10]
Ibid., Part 6.
[11]
Ibid., Part 8.
[12]
Henrietta Buckmaster, 151.
[13]
Warren W. Wiersbe, 484.
[14]
G. Barrie Wetherill, God’s Message Goes
to All the Nations, Unit 6, (http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-study/early-church/nt06-lbw.htm,
2003), Part 10.
[15]
Henrietta Buckmaster, 213.
[16]
Justo L. González, The Story of
Christianity Volume I, (New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers,
2010), 36.
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