Throughout the New Testament there are several noteworthy characters who draw a reader 's attention and help share the Good News message. This being said just who are these characters? There is of course the most important one who is known as Jesus, then there are those like Peter and John the Baptist who are often mentioned throughout the Gospels, but by far one of the most prominent characters (aside from Jesus) is Paul the Apostle. But, the question then becomes just why can Paul be placed at such a high standing? In party the reason for this is because he wrote much of the New Testament, but not only this he also lived quite the interesting life. For instance, his life prior to his conversion adds important information to his post conversion …show more content…
If this is done than a reader might not realize that Paul was raised to have an extensive knowledge of the Old Testament, as well as, followed many other Jewish laws and traditions. He was circumcised eight days after he was born, he followed the laws religiously, and often times, "...in his epistles Paul referred to his Jewish heritage," (Polhill, 1999). In fact, before his conversion Paul was actually a Pharisee. Sadly, though he hated the new believers of the times, meaning that his response to them could by no means be considered positive. Paul actually went around from place to place throwing men and women alike into jail, killing those he could, and in general tried to disband the Christian churches. As a whole he hated Christian people and was helping other Jewish leaders get rid of them as best he could. Thankfully, though Christ Himself, so to speak, "seized" Paul and showed him that Jesus was the Messiah, leading to Paul 's …show more content…
However, even when looking to the first letter Paul wrote it is essential that the reader keep in mind that prior to this Paul had already been traveling about and ministering to churches all about, meaning he would have already experienced many things. So, with this thought in mind the first letter he wrote was Galatians. Paul is believed to have been in Antioch when he wrote this letter and the year is believed to have been A.D. 49, which would have been during his first missionary journey. Now, the reason why Paul wrote this letter is because he had learned that the church of Galatia was not only stumbling in their walk, but had outright turned from Paul 's teachings. At the time a group known as the Judaizers were misleading church into believing that Gentiles needed to follow the same laws set out for the Jewish people, claiming that this was the necessary for salvation. Paul was adamant that this was not at all true and reiterated to the church that all they needed to do for salvation is accept Christ as their savior. The main difference between what Paul was saying and what others were trying to convince the church of Galatia is essentially that Jesus was not the only way to salvation, an idea that angered Paul
I have always seen scripture as the Apostle Paul stated in his letter to Timothy, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” (2 Timothy 3:16 ESV). I see this statement of the Apostle Paul’s directed more to the OT, because the OT would have been readily available to most NT churches of that time period. The churches would have still been receiving portions of the NT scripture well after the Apostle Paul 's statement in 2 Timothy 3:16. For a person to truly understand the scripture we must be careful that our presuppositions do not hinder or distort the scripture and its original meaning. When studying scripture I always look to challenge my own personal
Paul’s first transcribed missionary journey ended with the Council of Jerusalem, which as a result, allowed a widespread conversion of Gentiles to the new Christendom. Paul, Barnabas, John and Mark’s preached the Gospel in areas that AGAPE Bible Study says were “Cyprus, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, and Antioch” (http://www.agapebiblestudy.com/ 1998). This journey witnessed the Apostles travel a staggering 2250 kilometers around Asia minor, Syria and Cyprus. Once they returned back to Antioch, they heard word of people preaching the notorious idea that one must be Jewish to follow Jesus: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved”(NRSV Acts 15). Paul completely opposed this, and travelled to Jerusalem to discuss the issue with Apostles and Elders. Paul, along with other apostles, addressed a congregation of Gentiles, Jews, Elders and other Apostles. After much discourse, the altered verdict was in favour of Gentiles not needing to become Jewish, follow Jewish law or be circumcised to become Christian. The Council’s letter to the Gentiles states to “abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from sexual immorality” (NRSV Acts 15:29), a divergence from aging Jewish law and the 613 Mitzvot. Before the Council, there were a huge amount
Then later came a disciple to the Gentiles. His name was Saul. When he was converted the lord renamed him Paul. A large portion of the book of Acts is dedicated to the apostle Paul. He had all the traits of a disciple. He was born Hebrew. He was educated, extensive training, he was a Pharisee, knowledge of the Hebrew laws and faith. In the beginning Paul relied on himself to complete Gods missions. He went through harsh trials and training. The Holy Spirit had to break down Paul 's personal aspiration. Paul laid down his own will for the will of God. Later Paul ends up in prison. Even though Paul was chained, the Gospel of Christ was unbounded. Paul wrote letters to different churches. Those letters helped strengthen and build the Church. If he would of never been imprisoned, many letters would 've been
Throughout Paul’s Case, it is undeniable that Paul was incredibly egocentric. His mannerisms and attitudes portrayed a mind that is solely focused on his own needs and desires. Not once in the story did he pause to consider the effect his actions and insolence had on those in his life, except, perhaps, to worry about a punishment he might receive. As he returned home from his job, for example, he felt no concern over his father’s worry for him, and simply dreaded the lecture he knew may receive. Too a point, a certain amount of self-serving egocentrism is typical for many people, particularly teenagers. However, Paul’s mental state was not healthy or typical. He caused discomfort and anger in his authority figures, drove his peers away, and was unable to form a connection with his family. Those that he respected and admired no longer became real people after his imagination took hold. Instead, his mind morphed them into romanticized symbols of wealth, power, and the exotic. This fantasy and his pervasive self-centeredness may have be a form of self-defense.
The issue Paul addressed in Philippians 3 that he already was forced to address in his letter to the Galatians is the justification by faith in Christ and the vision of freedom from the Mosaic Torah. Paul’s mood during this part of his letter was angry. While using the Hebrew language to indicate how he feels.
Paul was inspired by God to write Romans. Before Paul preached justification by faith the other apostles were still trying to do what they felt God wanted then to do. Paul taught that obedience to the law is not enough to live a proper christian life. The other apostles did not know about a body of Christ for Gentile or Jew. I don't think the phrase "body of Christ" is mentioned anywhere else in the bible.
Paul’s belief was Jesus followers were all part of one body and belong to each other (Romans 12:5). He would not be happy with the body of Christ splitting into separate parts. In fact, there’s even a time when he calls out Peter for his hypocrisy in Galatians. Peter had been eating with the Gentiles until certain people came and then he separated himself from the Gentiles (Galatians 2:11-13). The other Jews followed his lead, creating a split in the body of Christ. Paul was all about unity.
Based that Paul wrote a letter to the believers of Rome, the Romans passage will obviously be of an epistolary genre. Romans 2:1-16 is on the premise that the Jews are going to be judged, only through their own works that they have done while on this earth. However, the following passage, Romans 2:17-3:8, the Jews do not even follow the law that they were taught from, especially the Pharisees during Jesus’ time, but they ask a question that Paul would answer if they have a clear advantage over the Gentiles since they have the law. Romans 3:21-31 indicates that righteousness is best described as having faith in Christ that those might be free of sin through the very sacrifice Christ gave so that our sins will be removed. A clear example of someone
Paul: Well, it was frustrating at first learning that people are having a hard time believing what has already happened. Some of the people are the Jews and Greeks. For the “Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom”
Dr. Constable would argue that “Without question, the story of Saul’s ‘conversion’ is one of the most important events if not the most important event, that Luke records in Acts.” This is a key turning point in Acts, and the event spurs on the man eventually write much of the New Testament. Paul’s rebirth served as an example to the Gentiles, the apostles, and to our own lives. Because Paul was not fully Jewish, his presence earned equal potential for Jews and Gentiles to trust or dismiss him. This is evident in his persecution at the hands of Jews and Gentiles alike, particularly when both parties attempt to Stone Paul and Barnabas in Iconium. (Acts 14:2-5) Additionally, Paul’s Roman citizenship would play an enormous part in his missionary work further in his life. This attribute was unique to Paul amongst the apostles, giving him a unique privilege to work amongst the Roman culture more freely. Early after his encounter with Jesus, the church was extremely weary of Paul and his attempts to minister alongside them. How could God call the great persecutor of the church to the same role as those who followed Jesus in person? Even the church did not originally understand what Polhill calls “the complete transformation of Paul from persecutor of the church to the one who was persecuted for
Saul, which would soon be Paul, was brought up in a Jewish household and was taught by Gamaliel, Gamaliel was a very important and well-known teacher of the Jewish law. In many older Jewish writings he was called a "learned man". This would cause Saul to be of a higher estate or class because of being taught by Gamaliel. He later became a Pharisee because of his knowledge. His being a Pharisee meant that he believed in angel, demons, and a bodily resurrection from the dead, among other things. Being a Pharisee will help Saul later in his life. He was also a "zealot" of the Law. That was a Pharisee that took the meaning of the Law to the extremes. His job was to capture Jews who were trying to go to Damascus, which was against the laws at that time. After capturing them he would take them to Jerusalem where they would be tried for their " crime". Under some circumstances he would actually kill the Jews on the spot. All of this combined together was at that time considered a very "holy" or righteous person. Then on his way to Damascus Saul was stopped by a light that blinded him-It was the Lord. The Lord said "Saul, Saul why persecutest thou me?" Then the Lord led Saul to the city in which later Ananias was told to go to heal Saul. When Ananias healed him it also filled him with the Holy Ghost, or salvation. After Saul was healed both physically and spiritually he went and was baptized as proof of his conversion. This is where he was "righteous" in not only man's eyes but in God's.
After debate on the necessity of circumcision among the barbarians (Gentiles), the “Council of Jerusalem” took place to resolve the dispute. Acts recounts Paul attending the Council because he was “sent forth by the church” (προπεμφθέντες ὑπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας); effectively, Paul was summoned by those leaders in Jerusalem who possessed authority over him. This notion of subservience is in stark contrast with Paul’s aura of independence and pious. Paul records the events leading up the Jerusalem council including a “revelation” from God, which lead him to the city. There is a good chance that Paul was attempting to flaunt his autonomy regardless of whether or not it actually existed. Doctrinally, the conclusion of the Council at Jerusalem would have been a great victory for Paul. Paul’s vehement fight against the necessity of circumcision for the Gentiles was validated by the distinguished church leaders, namely Peter and James. As it is written in Acts, Paul was “dismissed” (ἀπολυθέντες) from the council, with only a few especially important Jewish laws for Gentiles to uphold. Possibly as a matter of hubris, Paul neglects to mention any laws imposed upon his gentile
He believed Christianity was heresy against his God, and took matters into his own hands. He began persecuting, and even killing Christians. In a wild turn of events Saul had an encounter with Jesus on the Road to Damascus, and ends up converting, and changing his name to Paul. Where things get interesting is Paul was not only a Pharisee, but a Roman citizen. This made him the perfect person to reach not only his fellow Jews, but his fellow Roman Citizens. Paul reached many non-Jewish people, or Gentiles, with the Gospel of Jesus. He is considered by most to be the greatest evangelist of all time. His witness to so many, including even important Roman leaders, shaped many events to
Acts is a bridge between the gospels and the letters. It accounts the story of Paul from his days of Christian persecution and how he became saved. It then accounts Paul as he travels from country to country preaching to the Jews and Gentiles. In each country he converts countless people into the Christian faith. He is also persecuted by nonbelievers, including the hypocritical religious authorities.
Today Christians see Christ somewhat through the prism of Paul's teaching. My dear follower, Luke, would write one of the Gospels as well as the Book of Acts. My life was vitally shaped by a dramatic meeting with Christ on the Road to Demascus and it was this drama, coupled with his fervor that would mold Christianity for the next two Millenia.