APOSTLE PAUL Life Summary A native of Tarsus, the capital city in the Roman province of Cilicia,[5] Paul wrote that he was a Hebrew born of Hebrews, a Pharisee,[30] and one who advanced in Judaism beyond many of his peers. He also wrote that he was unmarried, at least as early as his writing of I Corinthians 7:8, however some hold that he may have been married prior to that, due to certain textual analyses of his writings,[31] and other similar rationale. His initial reaction to the newly formed Christian movement was to zealously persecute its early followers and to violently attempt to destroy the movement. Pauls dramatic conversion while on the road to Damascus was clearly a life-altering event for him, changing him from being one of the early movements most ardent persecutors to being one of its most fervent supporters.[7] After his conversion, Paul began to preach that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.[32] His leadership, influence, and legacy led to the formation of communities dominated by Gentile groups that worshiped Jesus, adhered to the Judaic moral code, but relaxed or abandoned the ritual and dietary teachings of the Law of Moses. He taught that these laws and rituals had either been fulfilled in the life of Christ or were symbolic precursors of Christ, though the exact relationship between Paul the Apostle and Judaism is still disputed. Paul taught of the life and works of Jesus Christ and his teaching of a New Covenant established through Jesus death and resurrection. The New Testament does not record Pauls death. Early life Geography relevant to Pauls life, stretching from Jerusalem to Rome The two main sources of information by which we have access to the earliest segments of Pauls career are the Bibles Book of Acts and the autobiographical elements of Pauls letters to the early church communities. Paul was likely born between the years of 5 BC and 5 AD.[33] The Book of Acts indicates that Paul was a Roman citizen by birth, more affirmatively describing his father as such, but some scholars have taken issue with the evidence presented by the text.[34][Acts 16:37][Acts 22:25-29] His was a devout Jewish family in the city of Tarsus—one of the largest trade centers on the Mediterranean coast.[35] It had been in existence several hundred years prior to his birth. It was renowned for its university, one in which students could receive a superior education. During the time of Alexander the Great, who died in 323 BC, Tarsus was the most influential city in Asia Minor.[36] In his letters, Paul reflected heavily from his knowledge of Stoic philosophy, using Stoic terms and metaphors to assist his new Gentile converts in their understanding of the revealed word of God.[37] He would also rely heavily on the training he received concerning the law and the prophets, utilizing this knowledge to convince his Jewish countrymen of the unity of past Old Testament prophecy and covenants with the fulfilling of these in Jesus Christ. His wide spectrum of experiences and education gave the Apostle to the Gentiles[Rom. 1:5] [11:13] [Gal. 2:8] the tools which he later would use to effectively spread the Gospel and to establish the church solidly in many[38] parts of the Roman Empire.[39] Paul referred to himself as being of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee.[Phil. 3:5] The Bible reveals very little about Pauls family. Pauls nephew, his sisters son, is mentioned in Acts 23:16. Acts also quotes Paul indirectly referring to his father by saying he, Paul, was a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee.[Acts 23:6] Paul refers to his mother in Romans 16:13 as among those at Rome. In Romans 16:7 he states that his relatives, Andronicus and Junia, were Christians before he was and were prominent among the apostles. The family had a history of religious piety.[2 Timothy 1:3][40] Apparently the family lineage had been very attached to Pharisaic traditions and observances for generations.[Philippians 3:5-6] Young Saul learned how to make the mohair with which tents were made.[Acts 18:1-3] Later as a Christian missionary, that trade became a means of support for him, one that he could practice anywhere. It also was to become an initial connection with Priscilla and Aquila with whom he would partner in tentmaking[Acts 18:3] and later become very important teammates as fellow missionaries.[Rom. 16:4] While he was still fairly young, he was sent to Jerusalem to receive his education at the school of Gamaliel,[Acts 22:3] one of the most noted rabbis in history. The Hillel school was noted for giving its students a balanced education, likely giving Paul broad exposure to classical literature, philosophy, and ethics.[39] Some of his family may have resided in Jerusalem since later the son of one of his sisters saved his life there.[Acts 23:16] Nothing more is known of his background until he takes an active part in the martyrdom of Stephen.[Acts 7:58-60;22:20] Paul confesses that beyond measure he persecuted the church of God prior to his conversion.[Gal. 1:13-14] [Phil. 3:6] [Acts 8:1-3] Although we know from his biography and from Acts that Paul could speak Hebrew, modern scholarship suggests that Koine Greek was his first language.[41][42] Conversion Main article: Conversion of Paul the Apostle Conversion on the Way to Damascus (1601), by Caravaggio Pauls conversion can be dated to 31–36[43][44][45] by his reference to it in one of his letters. In Galatians 1:16 Paul writes that God was pleased to reveal his son to me. In 1 Corinthians 15:8, as he lists the order in which Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, Paul writes, last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. According to the account in Acts, Sauls conversion took place in the city Damascus three days following his vision of the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus. The account says that he [Saul] fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Saul replied, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks. (Acts 9:4-5) According to the Biblical account, he was blinded for three days and had to be led into Damascus by the hand. During these three days, Saul took no food or water and spent his time in prayer to God. It was not until the arrival of Ananias of Damascus that Saul regained his sight, and only when Saul obeyed the command of Ananias to be baptized did he cease his praying and were his sins washed away. (Acts 22:16) (Acts 9:18). Luke, the author of Acts of the Apostles, likely learned of his conversion from Paul, from the church in Jerusalem, or from the church in Antioch.[46] Post-conversion Caravaggio (1571–1610), The Conversion of Saint Paul, 1600 Paul the Apostle, by Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn c. 1657 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, Isnt he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasnt he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests? Yet Saul grew more and more influential and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. —Acts 9:20-22 In the opening verses of Romans 1, Paul provides a litany of his own apostolic appointment to preach among the Gentiles[Gal. 1:16] and his post-conversion convictions about the risen Christ.[8] Paul described himself as a servant of Jesus Christ; having experienced an unforeseen, sudden, startling change, due to all-powerful grace—not the fruit of his reasoning or thoughts;[Gal. 1:12-15] [1 Cor. 15:10] having seen Christ as did the other apostles when Christ appeared to him[1 Cor. 15:8] as he appeared to Peter, to James, to the Twelve, after his Resurrection;[1 Cor. 9:1] called to be an apostle; set apart for the gospel of God. Paul described Jesus as having been promised by God beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures; being the true messiah and the Son of God; having biological lineage from David (according to the flesh);[47] having been declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead; being Jesus Christ our Lord; the One through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. Jesus lives in heaven; is Gods Son; would soon return.[8] The Cross he now believed Jesus death was a voluntary sacrifice that reconciled sinners with God.[Rom. 5:6-10] [Phil. 2:8] The Law he now believed the law only reveals the extent of peoples enslavement to the power of sin—a power that must be broken by Christ.[Rom. 3:20b] [7:7-12] Gentiles he had believed Gentiles were outside the covenant that God made with Israel; he now believed Gentiles and Jews were united as the people of God in Christ Jesus.[Gal. 3:28] Circumcision had believed circumcision was the rite through which males became part of Israel, an exclusive community of Gods chosen people;[Phil. 3:3-5] he now believed that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but that the new creation is what counts in the sight of God,[Gal. 6:15] and that this new creation is a work of Christ in the life of believers, making them part of the church, an inclusive community of Jews and Gentiles reconciled with God through faith.[Rom. 6:4] Persecution had believed his violent persecution of the church to be an indication of his zeal for his religion;[Phil. 3:6] he now believed Jewish hostility toward the church was sinful opposition that would incur Gods wrath;[1 Thess. 2:14-16] [7]:p.236 he believed he was halted by Christ when his fury was at its height;[Acts 9:1-2] It was through zeal that he persecuted the Church,[Philippians 3:6] and he obtained mercy because he had acted ignorantly in unbelief.[1 Tim. 1:13][40] The Last Days had believed Gods messiah would put an end to the old age of evil and initiate a new age of righteousness; he now believed this would happen in stages that had begun with the resurrection of Jesus, but the old age would continue until Jesus returns.[Rom. 16:25] [1 Cor. 10:11] [Gal. 1:4] [7]:p.236 Pauls writings give some insight into his thinking regarding his relationship with Judaism. He is strongly critical both theologically and empirically of claims of moral or lineal superiority [Rom. 2:16-26] of Jews while conversely strongly sustaining the notion of a special place for the Children of Israel.[9-11] What is remarkable about such a conversion is the changes in the thinking that had to take place. He had to change his concept of who the messiah was, particularly what he had perceived as the absurdity of accepting a crucified messiah.[1 Cor. 1:21-25] Perhaps more challenging was changing his conception of the ethnic superiority of the Jewish people. There are debates as to whether Paul understood himself as commissioned to take the gospel to the Gentiles at the moment of his conversion.[48] Early ministry The house believed to be of Ananias of Damascus in Damascus Bab Kisan, believed to be where Paul escaped from persecution in Damascus After his conversion, Paul went to Damascus, where Acts 9 states he was healed of his blindness and baptized by Ananias of Damascus.[49] Paul says that it was in Damascus that he barely escaped death.[2 Cor. 11:32] Paul also says that he then went first to Arabia, and then came back to Damascus.[Gal. 1:17][50] Pauls trip to Arabia is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible, and some suppose he actually traveled to Mt. Sinai for meditations in the desert.[51][52] He describes in Galatians how three years after his conversion he went to Jerusalem. There he met James and stayed with Simon Peter for 15 days.[Gal. 1:13-24] Paul located Mount Sinai in Arabia in Galatians 4:24-25. Paul asserted that he received the Gospel not from man, but directly by the revelation of Jesus Christ.[Gal 1:11-16] He claimed almost total independence from the Jerusalem community,[6]:pp.316–320 (possibly in the Cenacle), but agreed with it on the nature and content of the gospel.[Gal 1:22-24] He appeared eager to bring material support to Jerusalem from the various budding Gentile churches that he planted. In his writings, Paul used the persecutions he endured, in terms of physical beatings and verbal assaults, to avow proximity and union with Jesus and as a validation of his teaching. Pauls narrative in Galatians states that 14 years after his conversion he went again to Jerusalem.[Gal. 2:1-10] It is not completely known what happened during these unknown years, but both Acts and Galatians provide some partial details.[53] At the end of this time, Barnabas went to find Paul and brought him back to Antioch. [Acts 11:26] When a famine occurred in Judea, around 45–46,[54] Paul and Barnabas journeyed to Jerusalem to deliver financial support from the Antioch community.[55] According to Acts, Antioch had become an alternative center for Christians following the dispersion of the believers after the death of Stephen. It was in Antioch that the followers of Jesus were first called Christians.[Acts 11:26] First missionary journey The author of the Acts arranges Pauls travels into three separate journeys. The first journey,[Acts 13-14] led initially by Barnabas,[56] takes Paul from Antioch to Cyprus then southern Asia Minor (Anatolia), and back to Antioch. In Cyprus, Paul rebukes and blinds Elymas the magician[Acts 13:8-12] who was criticizing their teachings. From this point on, Paul is described as the leader of the group.[57] They sail to Perga in Pamphylia. John Mark leaves them and returns to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas go on to Pisidian Antioch. On Sabbath they go to the synagogue. The leaders invite them to speak. Paul reviews Israelite history from life in Egypt to King David. He introduces Jesus as a descendant of David brought to Israel by God. He said that his team came to town to bring the message of salvation. He recounts the story of Jesus death and resurrection. He quotes from the Septuagint[58] to assert that Jesus was the promised Christos who brought them forgiveness for their sins. Both the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles invited them to talk more next Sabbath. At that time almost the whole city gathered. This upset some influential Jews who spoke against them. Paul used the occasion to announce a change in his mission which from then on would be to the Gentiles.[Acts 13:13-48] Antioch served as a major Christian center for Pauls evangelizing.[6] Council of Jerusalem Main article: Council of Jerusalem See also: Circumcision controversy in early Christianity Most scholars agree that a vital meeting between Paul and the Jerusalem church took place some time in the years 48 to 50, described in Acts 15:2 and usually seen as the same event mentioned by Paul in Galatians 2:1.[18] The key question raised was whether Gentile converts needed to be circumcised.[59] At this meeting, Paul states in his letter to the Galatians that Peter, James, and John accepted Pauls mission to the Gentiles. Jerusalem meetings are mentioned in Acts, in Pauls letters, and some appear in both.[60] For example, the Jerusalem visit for famine relief[Acts 11:27-30] apparently corresponds to the first visit (to Cephas and James only).[Gal. 1:18-20][60] F. F. Bruce suggested that the fourteen years could be from Pauls conversion rather than from his first visit to Jerusalem.[61] Incident at Antioch Main article: Incident at Antioch Despite the agreement achieved at the Council of Jerusalem, as understood by Paul, Paul recounts how he later publicly confronted Peter in a dispute sometimes called the Incident at Antioch, over Peters reluctance to share a meal with Gentile Christians in Antioch because they did not strictly adhere to Jewish customs.[62] Writing later of the incident, Paul recounts, I opposed [Peter] to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong, and says he told Peter, You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?[Gal. 2:11-14] Paul also mentions that even Barnabas, his traveling companion and fellow apostle until that time, sided with Peter.[63] The final outcome of the incident remains uncertain. The Catholic Encyclopedia[62] suggests that Paul won the argument, because Pauls account of the incident leaves no doubt that Peter saw the justice of the rebuke. However Paul himself never mentions a victory and L. Michael Whites From Jesus to Christianity draws the opposite conclusion: The blowup with Peter was a total failure of political bravado, and Paul soon left Antioch as persona non grata, never again to return.[64] The primary source account of the Incident at Antioch is Pauls letter to the Galatians. Second missionary journey Saint Paul delivering the Areopagus sermon in Athens, by Raphael, 1515. This sermon addressed early issues in Christology.[65][66] Paul left for his second missionary journey from Jerusalem, in late Autumn 49,[67] after the meeting of the Council of Jerusalem where the circumcision question was debated. On their trip around the Mediterranean sea, Paul and his companion Barnabas stopped in Antioch where they had a sharp argument about taking John Mark with them on their trips. The book of Acts said that John Mark had left them in a previous trip and gone home. Unable to resolve the dispute, Paul and Barnabas decided to separate; Barnabas took John Mark with him, while Silas joined Paul. Paul and Silas initially visited Tarsus (Pauls birthplace), Derbe and Lystra. In Lystra, they met Timothy, a disciple who was spoken well of, and decided to take him with them. The Church kept growing, adding believers, and strengthening in faith daily.[Acts 16:5] In Philippi, Paul cast a spirit of divination out of a servant girl, whose masters were then unhappy about the loss of income her soothsaying provided. (Acts 16:16–24) They turned the city against the missionaries, and Paul and Silas were put in jail. After a miraculous earthquake, the gates of the prison fell apart and Paul and Silas could have escaped but remained; this event led to the conversion of the jailor.(Acts 16:25–40) They continued traveling, going by Berea and then to Athens where Paul preached to the Jews and God-fearing Greeks in the synagogue and to the Greek intellectuals in the Areopagus. Around 50–52, Paul spent 18 months in Corinth. The reference in Acts to Proconsul Gallio helps ascertain this date (cf. Gallio inscription).[18] In Corinth, Paul met Priscilla and Aquila who became faithful believers and helped Paul through his other missionary journeys. The couple followed Paul and his companions to Ephesus, and stayed there to start one of the strongest and most faithful churches at that time. In 52, the missionaries sailed to Caesarea to greet the Church there and then traveled north to Antioch where they stayed for about a year before leaving again on their third missionary journey.[68] Third missionary journey Paul began his third missionary journey by traveling all around the region of Galatia and Phrygia to strengthen, teach and rebuke the believers. Paul then traveled to Ephesus, an important center of early Christianity, and stayed there for almost three years. He performed numerous miracles, healing people and casting out demons, and he apparently organized missionary activity in other regions.[69] Paul left Ephesus after an attack from a local silversmith resulted in a pro-Artemis riot involving most of the city.[18] During his stay in Ephesus, Paul wrote four letters to the church in Corinth.[70] Paul went through Macedonia into Achaea and made ready to continue on to Syria, but he changed his plans and traveled back through Macedonia because of Jews who had made a plot against him. At this time (56–57), it is likely that Paul visited Corinth for three months.[18] In Romans 15:19 Paul wrote that he visited Illyricum, but he may have meant what would now be called Illyria Graeca,[71] which lay in the northern part of modern Albania, but was at that time a division of the Roman province of Macedonia.[72] Paul and his companions visited other cities on their way back to Jerusalem such as Philippi, Troas, Miletus, Rhodes, and Tyre. Paul finished his trip with a stop in Caesarea where he and his companions stayed with Philip the Evangelist before finally arriving at Jerusalem.[73] [Acts 21:8-10] [21:15] Journey to Rome and beyond After Pauls arrival in Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey, he became involved in a serious conflict with some Asian Jews (most likely from Roman Asia). The conflict eventually led to Pauls arrest and imprisonment in Caesarea for two years. Finally, Paul and his companions sailed for Rome where Paul was to stand trial for his alleged crimes. Acts states that Paul preached in Rome for two years from his rented home while awaiting trial. It does not state what happened after this time, but some sources state that Paul was freed by Nero and continued to preach in Rome, even though that seems unlikely based on Neros historical cruelty to Early Christians. It is possible that Paul also traveled to other countries like Spain and Britain.[74] See His final days spent in Rome section below. Among the writings of the early Christians, Clement of Rome said that Paul was Herald (of the Gospel of Christ) in the West, and that he had gone to the extremity of the west.[75][76] Chrysostom indicated that Paul preached in Spain: For after he had been in Rome, he returned to Spain, but whether he came thence again into these parts, we know not.[77] Cyril of Jerusalem said that Paul, fully preached the Gospel, and instructed even imperial Rome, and carried the earnestness of his preaching as far as Spain, undergoing conflicts innumerable, and performing Signs and wonders.[78] The Muratorian fragment mentions the departure of Paul from the city [of Rome] [5a] (39) when he journeyed to Spain.[79] Visits to Jerusalem in Acts and the epistles Part of a series on Christianity Jesus Christ [show] Bible Foundations [show] Theology[show] History Tradition [show] Related topics[show] Denominations Groups [show] Christianity portal v t e This table is adapted from White, From Jesus to Christianity.[60] Note that the matching of Pauls travels in the Acts and the travels in his Epistles is done for the readers convenience and is not approved of by all scholars. Acts Epistles First visit to Jerusalem[Acts 9:26-27] after many days of Damascus conversion preaches openly in Jerusalem with Barnabas meets apostles First visit to Jerusalem[Gal. 1:18-20] three years after Damascus conversion[Gal. 1:17-18] sees only Cephas (Peter) and James Second visit to Jerusalem[Acts 11:29-30] [12:25] for famine relief There is debate over whether Pauls visit in Galatians 2 refers to the visit for famine relief[Acts 11:30, 12:25] or the Jerusalem Council.[Acts 15] If it refers to the former, then this was the trip made after an interval of fourteen years.[Gal. 2:1] Third visit to Jerusalem[Acts 15:1-19] with Barnabas Council of Jerusalem followed by confrontation with Barnabas in Antioch[Acts 15:36-40] Another[80] visit to Jerusalem[Gal. 2:1-10] 14 years later (after Damascus conversion?) with Barnabas and Titus possibly the Council of Jerusalem Paul agrees to remember the poor followed by confrontation with Peter and Barnabas in Antioch[Gal. 2:11-14] Fourth visit to Jerusalem[Acts 18:21-22] to greet the church Apparently unmentioned. Fifth visit to Jerusalem[Acts 21:17ff] after an absence of several years[Acts 24:17] to bring gifts for the poor and to present offerings Paul arrested Another[81] visit to Jerusalem[82] to deliver the collection for the poor Saint Paul arrested, early 1900s Bible illustration Last visit to Jerusalem and arrest Paul arrived in Jerusalem on his fifth and final visit to Jerusalem [Acts 21:17ff] in 57 with a collection of money for the community there. Acts reports that he was warmly received. But Acts goes on to recount how Paul was warned by James and the elders that he was gaining a reputation for being against the Law, saying they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews living among the gentiles to forsake Moses, and that you tell them not to circumcise their children or observe the customs.[Acts 21:21] Paul underwent a purification ritual in order to give the Jews no grounds to bring accusations against him for not following their law. Paul caused a stir when he appeared at the Temple, and he escaped being killed by the crowd by voluntarily being taken into Roman custody. When a plot to kill Paul on his way to an appearance before the Jews was discovered, he was transported by night to Caesarea Maritima. He was held as a prisoner there for two years, until a new governor reopened his case in 59. When the governor suggested that he be sent back to Jerusalem for further trial, Paul exercised his right as a Roman citizen to appeal unto Caesar.[18] His final days spent in Rome Acts recounts that on the way to Rome for his appeal as a Roman citizen to Caesar, Paul was shipwrecked on Melita (Malta),[Acts 28:1] where he was met by Publius[Acts 28:7] and the islanders who showed him unusual kindness.[Acts 28:2] He arrived in Rome c. 60 and spent another two years under house arrest (beyond his two years in prison in Caesarea).[18][Acts 28:16] Irenaeus of Lyons in the 2nd century believed that Peter and Paul had been the founders of the church in Rome and had appointed Linus as succeeding bishop.[83] Paul was not a bishop of Rome, nor did he bring Christianity to Rome since there were already Christians in Rome when he arrived there.[Acts 28:14-15] Also, Paul wrote his letter to the church at Rome before he had visited Rome.[Romans 1:1,7,11-13;15:23-29] Paul only played a supporting part in the life of the church in Rome.[84] The Beheading of Saint Paul by Enrique Simonet, 1887 Neither the Bible nor other sources say how or when Paul died, but Ignatius, probably around 110, writes that Paul was martyred.[85] Christian tradition holds that Paul was beheaded in Rome during the reign of Nero around the mid-60s at Tre Fontane Abbey (English: Three Fountains Abbey).[86] By comparison, tradition states that Peter, who was not a Roman citizen, was given the more painful death of being crucified upside-down.[87] In June 2009, Pope Benedict XVI announced excavation results concerning the tomb of Paul at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. The sarcophagus was not opened but was examined by means of a probe, which revealed pieces of incense, purple and blue linen, and small bone fragments. The bone was radiocarbon dated to the 1st or 2nd century. According to the Vatican, these findings are consistent with the tradition that the tomb is Pauls.[88] The sarcophagus was inscribed in Latin saying, Paul apostle martyr.[89] Hardships In 2 Corinthians 11:20-32 Paul provided a sampling of some of his adversities as a missionary. In comparing his experiences to those of some of the most eminent apostles, he wrote that he: worked much harder; was in prison more frequently; was flogged more severely; had been exposed to death again and again (five times he received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one, three times was beaten with rods, once was pelted with stones); was shipwrecked three times, spending a night and a day in the open sea; was constantly on the move; had been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from his fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers; had labored and toiled and had often gone without sleep; had known hunger and thirst; had been cold and naked. He concluded: Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.[2 Cor. 11:28] Writings Main article: Pauline Epistles Statue of St. Paul in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran by Pierre-Étienne Monnot. Of the 27 books in the New Testament, 14 have been attributed to Paul; 7 of these are widely considered authentic and Pauls own, while the authorship of the other 7 is disputed.[90][91][92] The undisputed letters are considered the most important sources since they contain what everyone agrees to be Pauls own statements about his life and thoughts. Theologian Mark Powell writes that Paul directed these 7 letters to specific occasions at particular churches. As an example, if the Corinthian church had not experienced problems concerning its celebration of the Lords Supper,[1 Cor. 11:17-34] today we would not know that Paul even believed in that observance or had any opinions about it one way or the other. He asks if we might be ignorant of other matters simply because no crises arose that prompted Paul to comment on them.[7]:p.234 Although approximately half of the Book of Acts deals with Pauls life and works, the Book of Acts does not refer to Paul writing letters. Historians believe that the author of Acts did not have access to any of Pauls letters. One piece of evidence suggesting this is that Acts never directly quotes from the Pauline epistles. Discrepancies between the Pauline epistles and Acts would further support the conclusion that the author of Acts did not have access to those epistles when composing Acts.[93][94] In Pauls writings, he provides the first written account of what it is to be a Christian and thus a description of Christian spirituality. His letters have been characterized as being the most influential books of the New Testament after the Gospels of Matthew and John.[8] Paul...only occasionally had the opportunity to revisit his churches. He tried to keep up his converts spirit, answer their questions, and resolve their problems by letter and by sending one or more of his assistants (especially Timothy and Titus). Pauls letters reveal a remarkable human being: dedicated, compassionate, emotional, sometimes harsh and angry, clever and quick-witted, supple in argumentation, and above all possessing a soaring, passionate commitment to God, Jesus Christ, and his own mission. Fortunately, after his death one of his followers collected some of the letters, edited them very slightly, and published them. They constitute one of historys most remarkable personal contributions to religious thought and practice.[8] Basic message E.P. Sanders finds three major emphases in Pauls writings:[8] His strongest emphasis was on the death, resurrection, and lordship of Jesus Christ. He preached that ones faith in Jesus assures that person a share in Jesus life (salvation). He saw Jesus death as being for the believers benefit, not a defeat. Jesus died so that believers sins would be forgiven. The resurrection of Jesus was of primary importance to Paul, as may be seen in his first letter to the Thessalonians[1 Thes. 1:9-10] which is the earliest surviving account of Pauls conversion. The resurrection brought the promise of salvation to believers. Paul taught that, when Christ returned, those who had died believing in Christ as the saviour of mankind would be brought back to life, while those still alive would be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air.[1 Thes. 4:14-18] Sanders concludes that Pauls writings reveal what he calls the essence of the Christian message: God sent his Son. The Son was crucified for the sins of humanity. After being dead three days, the Son was raised from the dead, defeating death. The Son would soon return. Those in Christ will live with him forever. Followers are urged to live by a set apart (sanctified) standard—And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.[1 Thes. 5:23]
Posted on: Sun, 18 Jan 2015 23:45:59 +0000
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