The Apostle Paul, who was born around the year 10 in Tarsus in Cilicia (present-day Turkey) and died between 64 and 67 in Rome, was a passionate defender of Christianity and dedicated a large part of his life to spreading the message of Jesus, helped to spread Christianity after his conversion.
Paul of Tarsus, the apostle Paul, is undoubtedly one of the best known biblical characters for all Christians. However, his story is extraordinary enough, that it is necessary to know it in detail, to observe everything that God did with this man known as the apostle of the Gentiles.
Paul for many believers is considered the greatest leader of Christianity. Therefore, in this article we will learn more about his story, so keep reading to learn about the incredible story of this biblical character.
Paul was an apostle of Christ, he is recognized as one of the greatest preachers of the gospel of Christ in all of history. He author of thirteen epistles of the New Testament. Before converting to Christianity he was known as Saul and persecuted the Lord’s Church.
Related: Why is Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles?
Biography of the Apostle Paul
Paul, the Roman name for Saul, was born in Tarsus in Cilicia (Acts 16:37; 21:39; 22:25). Tarsus was not an insignificant place (Acts 21:39), on the contrary, it was a center of Greek culture.
Tarsus was a university city that was near the northeast coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Although born a Roman citizen, Paul was a Jew of the Dispersion, a circumcised Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin, and a zealous member of the Pharisee party (Romans 11:1; Philippians 3:5; Acts 23:6).
The childhood and adolescence of the Apostle Paul have been the subject of much debate among scholars. Some hold that the Apostle Paul spent his entire childhood in Tarsus, only going to Jerusalem during his adolescence.
Others hold that Paul went to Jerusalem when he was still very young. In this case, he would have spent his childhood away from Tarsus. In fact, from his birth to his appearance in Jerusalem as a persecutor of Christians, according to the accounts in the Acts of the Apostles, there is little information about the life of the Apostle Paul.
Although it is not known with certainty at what age Paul left Tarsus, it is known with certainty that he was educated in Jerusalem under the renowned doctor of the law, Gamaliel, Hillel’s grandson.
Related: Who was Gamaliel in the Bible? The Story of Gamaliel
Paul had a deep understanding of Greek culture. He also spoke Aramaic, was heir to the tradition of Pharisaism, a strict observant of the Law, and more advanced in Judaism than his contemporaries (Galatians 1:14; Philippians 3:5,6).
Taking all these aspects into account, it can be said that his family had some resources and enjoyed a prominent position in society.
Paul the Apostle was a Roman citizen
The Apostle Paul had Roman citizenship. On this, he himself affirms that he was a Roman citizen by birth (Acts 22:28). This statement probably indicates that his citizenship was inherited from his father.
It is estimated that at that time at least two thirds of the population of the Roman Empire did not possess Roman citizenship. It is not known with certainty how the apostle’s father obtained said citizenship.
Some important and wealthy people were able to buy citizenship (Acts 22:28). Others obtained said citizenship for providing some relevant service to the Roman government. Roman citizenship granted some privileges, among which we can mention:
- The guarantee of a trial before Caesar, if required, in cases of accusation.
- Legal immunity to flogging before conviction.
- He could not be subjected to crucifixion, the worst form of death penalty at the time.
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Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor
The book of the Acts of the Apostles relates that when Esteban he was stoned, his clothes were laid at the feet of Paul of Tarsus (Acts 7:58).
After this episode of the death of Stephen, Paul of Tarsus assumed an important position in the persecution of Christians. He was given official authority to direct the persecutions. Furthermore, as a member of the Sanhedrin council, he cast his vote in favor of the death of the Christians (Acts 26:10).
Paul himself affirms that he “breathed with death threats against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). In addition to initiating the persecution in Jerusalem, he also requested letters from the high priest for the synagogues in Damascus.
His goal was to bring to Jerusalem everyone who was a follower of Christ, both male and female (Acts 9:2). Paul persecuted and devastated the Church of God (Galatians 1:13). He did so believing that he was serving God and preserving the purity of the Law.
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How was the conversion of Paul of Tarsus?
The accounts in the Book of Acts, and the Apostle Paul’s own notes in his epistles, suggest a sudden conversion.
However, some interpreters maintain that some experiences throughout his life must have previously prepared him for that moment. The experience of Stephen’s martyrdom and his house-to-house campaign of persecution of Christians can be examples of this (Acts 8:1-3; 9:1,2; 22:4; 26:10,11).
What is really known is that Paul of Tarsus set out in a rage for Damascus with the intention of destroying the Christian community in that city. Suddenly, something unexpected happened, something that caused a radical change, not only in the life of Paul of Tarsus, but in the course of history.
«On the journey it happened that, as he approached Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying: – Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? –Who are you, Lord? he asked. -I am Jesus, whom you persecute – the voice answered. Get up and go into the city, and there you will be told what you have to do. (Acts 9:3-6)
When writing the Acts of the Apostles, Luke interprets the conversion of Paul of Tarsus as a miraculous act., a moment in which an avowed enemy of Christ became his apostle. The men who were with Paul heard the voice but did not understand the words. They were amazed, but they could not see anyone.
Related: What is an Apostle? Do they currently exist?
When did the Apostle Paul repent?
Paul saw the risen Christ and heard his words. This encounter was so important to Paul that the basis for his claim to the legality of his apostolate is based on this experience (1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:8-15; Galatians 1:15-17).
Considering that Paul of Tarsus had not been one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, in addition to having persecuted his followers, the need and importance of Christ’s personal revelation for Paul becomes evident. This experience profoundly transformed Paul of Tarsus, as can be seen:
Paul responded to the call of Christ: The first aspect of the change in the life of the Apostle Paul can be seen when he immediately responded to the voice of Christ: “Sr., what do you want me to do?” (Acts 9:6). This question marked the beginning of her new relationship with Christ (Galatians 2:20).
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Paul, from persecutor to preacher of the Gospel
The radical change that affected the life of the apostle Paul is evident in the message that he began to preach in the city of Damascus itself. This is really impressive.
He began to preach the Gospel in the very place where he intended to arrest the followers of Christ (Acts 9:1,2).
Before his conversion, Paul did not accept the divinity of Jesus. He even believed that by chasing his followers like a wild animal, trying to force them to blaspheme Jesus, he was doing God’s will (Acts 26:9-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3).
It is true that he saw Jesus as an impostor. After his conversion, his preaching was none other than to announce that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 9:20). The tough, rigorous, threatening and violent Pablo of yesteryear, after his conversion, he began to show tenderness, sensitivity and love. These characteristics are evident in his works.
Related: What is the love of God?
When did the ministry of the apostle Paul begin?
After his encounter with Christ, the Apostle Paul arrived in Damascus and was visited by Ananias. It was Ananias who baptized him (Acts 9:17,18). It was also there, in that same city, where Paul began his evangelizing work.
There is no detailed information about the early years of his ministry. What is known is that the Apostle Paul preached briefly in Damascus and then went to spend time in Arabia (Acts 9:20-22; Galatians 1:17).
The Bible does not clarify what he did there, or even where in Arabia he stayed. Later, the Apostle Paul returned to Damascus, where his preaching provoked such great opposition that he had to flee for his life (2 Corinthians 11:32-33).
At that time he fled to Jerusalem (Galatians 1:18). At that time he had completed about three years of his conversion. Paul tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him. It was then that Barnabas was willing to introduce him to the leaders of the Christians. However, his stay in Jerusalem was very brief, because again the Jews tried to assassinate him.
Because of this, the Christians decided to fire Paul, a decision that was confirmed by the Lord in a vision. According to what he himself affirms in Galatians 1:18, he only spent fifteen days with Peter.
Related: Story of the Apostle Peter: Who was Peter?
This information agrees with the account in Acts 22:17-21. Paul ended up leaving Jerusalem before he could join the others apostles, and also before being personally known by the churches of Judea. However, believers throughout that region were already hearing the good news about Paul.
«But in Judea the churches of Christ did not know me personally. They had only heard it said: “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he sought to destroy” “(Galatians 1: 22-23).
Silence in Tarsus and work in Antioch
Soon after, the Apostle Paul was sent to his hometown of Tarsus. There he spent a silent period of about ten years. Although these years are known as the silent period of the apostle Paul’s ministry, it is likely that he planted some churches in that region. Scholars suggest that the churches mentioned in Acts 15:41 were founded by Paul during this same period.
It is true that Barnabas, upon learning of the work that Paul was doing, requested the presence of the apostle in Antioch as an auxiliary worker. The goal was for Paul to help him in a promising evangelizing mission among the Gentiles.
Within a year, there was a period of great famine. Then the believers in Antioch contributed contributions to serve as relief to the Christians in Judea. These contributions were brought by Paul and Silas. With their mission accomplished, Paul and Silas returned to Antioch.
This period in Antioch was…