AN INTRODUCTION to the GREATEST MISSIONARY EVER KNOWN: the Apostle Paul

Ministry of Paul, Lesson 1

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE GREATEST MISSIONARY EVER KNOWN: The Apostle Paul

10 September 2012

Bob Kaylor, Saving Grace Lutheran Church

All quotations from HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION c 1984

One cannot deny the powerful impact the apostle Paul had on the growth and development of the early church. His conversion provided powerful testimony to the resurrection of Christ. His missionary journeys led to the establishment of churches throughout the Mediterranean world and as "the apostle to the Gentiles", he helped widen the door to the church first opened by the apostle Peter.

In Luke’s history of the early church, the book of Acts, the majority of the book describes the life and journeys of Paul. Paul left a large imprint on the scriptures of the early church as well, authoring thirteen books of our New Testament. Evidently the Holy Spirit saw fit to emphasize the life and teachings of Paul as an example and source for learning about true discipleship to Jesus Christ

In this study series, we will harmonize Paul's own writings with Luke’s record of his life and travels, then supplement that with secular history. For the most part, we’ll do that by looking at places he went or that received his epistles. At each of those locations we’ll attempt to put the events of Paul's life in chronological order. We’ll also briefly outline his epistles and examine their themes in their historical setting. Lastly, we’ll piece together a possible itinerary and events leading up to his final years and martyrdom.

In this first lesson, we begin by noting Paul's life prior to his conversion, when he was better known as "Saul of Tarsus"...

PAUL’S EARLY LIFE AND TRAINING

HIS ANCESTRY AND YOUTH...

Ac 21:39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”

Ac 22:3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.

Ac 23:34 The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.”

1. Born in Tarsus of Cilicia

a. Cilicia was a Roman province in SE Asia Minor (modern Turkey)

b. Tarsus was the capital ("no mean city"), known for its school of literature and philosophy (said to exceed even those of Athens and Alexandria)

2Co 11:22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.

Ro 11:1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.

Phil 3:3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence.

Ac 22:25 As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.” 27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I am,” he answered. 28 Then the commander said, “I had to pay a big price for my citizenship.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. 29 Those who were about to question him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.

2. Born of Jewish ancestry

a. A Hebrew, or Israelite, of the seed of Abraham

b. Of the tribe of Benjamin

c. A Hebrew of the Hebrews (both parents Hebrews?)

3. Born a Roman citizen

a. Some think because Tarsus was a free city, but such a designation did not automatically impart citizenship

b. Evidently one of Paul's ancestors either purchased or was rewarded citizenship

-- We do not know the date of his birth, some place it around the time of Jesus' birth while others place it as much as nine or ten years later

HIS EDUCATION...

Ac 22:3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.

Ac 5:34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.

Ac 23:6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.”

Phil 3:5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;

Gal 1:13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

Ac 18:1 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.

1. Taught in Jerusalem by Gamaliel, a Pharisee and respected teacher of the Law

2. A son of a Pharisee, he became a strict Pharisee

3. He excelled above his contemporaries in Judaism

4. Was also trained as tent-maker

HIS CHARACTER...

Phil 3:6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

2Ti 1:3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.

Ac 23:1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.”

1Ti 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

1. He was zealous in persecuting the church, concerning the Law blameless

2. He served God with a pure conscience

3. Thus he was ignorant of his blasphemy and persecution

[His early life and training certainly put Saul of Tarsus on the "fast track" when it came to his religious faith. It was zeal in defending his faith that led to his brief but fervent career as...]

SAUL, PERSECUTOR OF THE CHURCH

AT THE DEATH OF STEPHEN...

Ac 7:57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Ac 8:1 And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.

Ac 22:20 And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’

1. Saul was present at the death of the first Christian martyr

2. He consented to the death of Stephen

MAKING HAVOC OF THE CHURCH...

Ac 8:3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

Ac 22:4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,

Ac 22:19 “ ‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these men know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you.

Ac 26:9 “I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

Ac 9:1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

1. Entering homes, dragging men and women to prison

2. Entering synagogues, imprisoning and beating those who believed in Jesus

3. He believed it necessary to do things contrary to the name of Jesus

a. Imprisoning believers by the authority of the chief priests

b. Casting his vote against them as they were put to death

c. Compelling them to blaspheme

d. Pursuing them to foreign cities (such as Damascus)

HIS LATER CONFESSION...

Gal 1:13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.

Phil 3:6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

1Ti 1:13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

1Co 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

1. Admits he persecuted the church "beyond measure" in an attempt to destroy it

2. It was due to his great zeal

3. Though ignorant, he was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent man

4. For such reasons, he considered himself the least of the apostles, not worthy to be called an apostle

CONCLUSION

Gal 1:22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they praised God because of me.

1Co 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

1Ti 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

1. From being the worst foe of the church, he was about to become one of its best friends

a. Saul the persecutor would soon become Paul the preacher

b. Paul attributed it to the grace and mercy of God

2. Everything in Paul's life prior to his conversion prepared him for the task the Lord would give him

a. His Jewish heritage and Roman citizenship suited him for preaching to both Jews and Gentiles

b. His training by Gamaliel would serve him well in his writings on the Law

c. His skill as a tent-maker would assist him in his travels

And of course, his conversion would serve as a wonderful example of God's mercy:

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners —of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” (1Ti 1:15-16)

NEXT WEEK: JERUSALEM: Center of Judaism & Saul-the-bounty-hunter’s Base of Operations