Paul is a pivotal character of history. From a relative first-century obscurity, to a modern international figure, no one, aside from Jesus Christ himself, has been so influential. The Persecutor Exactly when Paul began his bloody mission of savagery against the church of Christ is unknown with any degree of precision.
So, when he shifted from persecuting Christians to leading more people to Christ, the tables turned and Christianity officially took off. Return To Jerusalem IV. Barnabas Seeks Saul b. Christians Are Born V.
Saul Is Paul Saul Enters Like many Christians today, Saul of Tarsus had a shady background, and while many Christians, prior to being saved, may have mocked and poked fun at the Christians around them, Saul took it to an entirely different level.
Saul was born in the city of Tarsus around 2 A. At the age of 10 Saul went to Jerusalem for schooling under a well known Jew by the name of Rabbi Gamaliel. It is improbable that Saul of Tarsus ever encountered Jesus, or listened to the strange speeches of the strange prophet which met with such a mixed reception Schonfield, Hugh J.
So what was it that caused him to persecute Jesus by persecuting His followers? Saul made his first appearance in the Bible in Acts 7: And the witnesses laid their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Perhaps it was the fact that Saul had become a Pharisee and Jesus had rebuked and debated with the Pharisees on many occasions. Neither Jesus nor His followers would condone the Pharisaic self righteousness and personal exaltation.
The answer may never be completely known, but one thing was for sure, Saul had made up his mind that he could not let the church continue as it intended and he was determined to do something about it. Necessary Evil Saul had a thirst for bringing the saints of God to what he was calling justice, and he intended to do it by any means necessary.
He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison. While Saul was going door to door checking for Christians, they were busy evading his judgment and as a result they scattered the gospel to more places Bock, Darrell L. This led Saul to request a warrant from the high priest.
He went to the high priest and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. Christianity would claim the very life that sought to destroy it.
Damascus Saul had procured the proper paperwork to drag the Christians from Damascus back to Jerusalem to stand trial for a crime they had not committed. He packed the essential gear on his donkey and set out to Damascus with a small group of men along side. Ananias was the one that Jesus chose to help Saul begin his transformation into Paul, but naturally he was hesitant to go to the man that had been singlehandedly persecuting the saints of God.
For this man is My chosen instrument to take My name to Gentiles, kings, and the Israelites. I will show him how much he must suffer for My name!
In an essence it is his calling, but he was not being called yet.The Calling of Saul of Tarsus. Print Reference this.
Disclaimer: His “calling” emphasized change but emphasized the conviction that the final expression and intent of Judaism had been born. Paul was born a Jew, and was a citizen of Tarsus where he was a tentmaker by trade. He received his rabbinic training in Jerusalem, under the.
Ephesians “I implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.” Ephesians “ to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”.
Paul of Tarsus Contribution to the development and expression of Christianity Paul of Tarsus (originally Saul of Tarsus) is widely considered to be central to the early development and adoption of Christianity.
The conversion of the persecutor, Saul of Tarsus, is one of the most significant events in the book of Acts.
Tragically, the theme is frequently misunderstood. Study this case history with us. Introduction Imagine for a moment that this is the week of Saul’s arrival at Damascus By this time Saul has gained a reputation as the ringleader of the movement to make Christianity extinct.
A devout Hellenistic Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, Saul was a member of the Pharisees and was taught by none other than Gamaliel, whom we have already met (Acts ).
The book of Acts contains important information for all today. Acts records the beginnings of the church and reveals the steps one must obey to become a Christian.
The life and travels of .