His accomplishments are astonishing given the rudimentary (by today's standard) level of transportation and other difficulties that exist in the first century. His amazing ministry lasts thirty-five years until his death at the age of sixty-six. God also heals him of his blindness.Īfter his conversion, the same zeal and single-minded dedication Paul had against Christianity transforms into a hyperactive-like quest to spread the gospel worldwide. These events lead to his total repentance and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. A spotlight from heaven shines on him (Saul) during his travel and the voice of Jesus asks "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?" (Acts 9:4) God strikes him blind and his traveling companions must lead him to the city. It is during his trip to Damascus that the pivotal event in the life of Paul occurs. He receives written permission from the temple's High Priest to rid the city's synagogues of any who believe in "the way." His intention is to arrest those who believe Jesus is the Messiah and escort them back to Jerusalem for punishment. How bad were the persecutions of Paul against the early New Testament church? His dedication to eradicating those believing in the teachings of Jesus led him to take bold actions, such as going from house to house in order to find believers (Acts 8:1, 3)!Īfter his efforts to stop the spread of early Christian beliefs in Jerusalem, he sets his sights on achieving the even more audacious goal of removing any Christian influence in the synagogues of Damascus. "For you heard of my (Paul is speaking) former conduct when I was in Judaism, how I was excessively persecuting the church of God and was destroying it And I was advancing in Judaism far beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more abundantly zealous for the traditions of my fathers." (Galatians 1:13 - 14, HBFV)
On reflecting on his pre-conversion days Paul says the following.
After seeing Stephen's life taken, he leads the first great wave of persecution against the early church. His Pharisaic zeal for God's law and dedication to stopping the early spread of Christianity knew no bounds. Paul is thirty years old when he is an official witness at the stoning of Stephen. It is led by the well-known and respected Pharisee Gamaliel. The early religious training Paul receives comes from the best Rabbinical school in Jerusalem. His birth in a Roman "free city" grants him Roman citizenship, a privilege he will exercise later in life. He was born into a Jewish family in the city of Tarsus.
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