Paul of Tarsus

Paul (Saul) of Tarsus

Role:

Originally named Saul, the apostle Paul was a devout Jew who was involved in the early Jewish opposition to Christianity. Born in tarsus (modern Turkey), about 10CE, he grew to become one of the most important Christian missionaries and theologians before his death, probably in Rome 62-67CE.

Paul played a leading role in confirming that Christianity was a separate religion from Judaism. There were many Jewish converts to Christianity who wanted to retain elements of the Law of Moses (e.g. circumcision), but Paul maintained that the laws of the Old Testament were fulfilled in Jesus and were not binding on Christians. This was a major issue in the churches he established in Galatia. The issue was finally settled at a conference in Jerusalem, at which Paul played a significant part. Paul was concerned that there should be no racial division in the churches between Jews and Gentiles (Gal 3:28)

Importance

Paul was a roman citizen, a Hellenistic Jew and a Pharisee. He never met Jesus of Nazareth, but was later to claim Jesus appeared to him after Jesus’ death. Paul became the most influential person in the development of Christianity, apart from Jesus Christ himself.

Paul’s early Christian experience is told in the New Testament book, the Act of the Apostles, where Paul soon becomes the focus of the book. He was converted to Christianity about 30CE while on the road to Damascus in Syria (Act 9). He was to arrest some of the early Christian leaders, but on the way had a vision of Jesus. From that point he became a Christian. After several years of reflection and training, he emerged as the most important and influential leader of the early church.

Christianity was initially considered a sect of Judaism, but under Pauls leadership became a separate religious tradition.

Challenge

The early church was initially a sect of Judaism that demanded obedience to the Law of Moses, including ritual and food laws. Paul challenged that concept and introduced a concept of a universal church that crossed ethnic lines. Acts 15 records the Jerusalem council where the issue of the Jewish law, was discussed. From that council, the decision was made to not require obedience to the Law of Moses.

Paul was an advocate of the Gentile church, and he became known as the ‘apostle to gentiles’. He embarked on three missionary journeys through Gentile territory, establishing churches as went, before his final trip to Rome.

The first journey (46-48CE) began at Antioch in Syria, included the island of Cyprus, the continued north as far as southern Galatia in modern day Turkey.

The second journey (49-52CE) revisited Galatia, but continued further west to include Achaia and Macedonia (modern Greece). Key places visited were