Introduction to Paul Acts 9, 13-28

Early Life  Born in Tarsus (SE Turkey today)  Grew up in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3)  Studied under Gamaliel – a prominent teacher and Pharisee  May be an indication that his family was wealthy  Early prominence – while still young he was given official authority to direct the persecution of the Christians (Acts 8:2ff).

Paul’s Education  Nothing specific known other than under Gamaliel, a famous rabbinic teacher.  Knew Greek well enough to travel and teach in Greek speaking areas, wrote in Greek.  Would have studied Jewish wisdom traditions, OT and otherwise  Strong knowledge of OT, LXX

 Philippians 3:6 –Pharisee –Devoted to the Law and its proper observance –Persecutor of followers of Jesus – they did not keep the law appropriately.  This new belief would endanger Israel as a whole.  A “watchdog” for the ancestral ways  Viewed Christianity as a threat to Jewish identity

 The persecutions were viewed as disciplinary actions to bring them back in line with orthodoxy.  Saul was present at Stephen’s execution (Acts 8:1).  He led the persecutions in Jerusalem. –“Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.” (Acts 8:3)  He was then sent to Damascus to get the Christians who had fled there (9:1ff.).

Saul’s Conversion Acts 9, 22, 26  On his way to Damascus, the Lord confronted Saul.  He was blinded and sent on into Damascus.  Ananias reluctantly went to him, taught him, and then baptized him.  Saul stayed there awhile, but the Jews wanted to kill him, so he left.  Went to Arabia (Gal. 1:17; cf. 2 Cor. 11:32f).  Returned to Damascus then to Jerusalem.

 Acts omits the Arabia trip and says he went to Jerusalem. (Acts 2:26)  Barnabas went with him and introduced him to the apostles.  The Jewish leaders wanted to kill Saul, so the church leaders suggested that he go back to Tarsus for a while.  The Jewish leaders viewed him as a traitor and wanted him dead. They never “let it go.”

 After a few years, Barnabas suggested that Saul work with the church in Antioch.  Antioch was a multi-cultural church with both Jewish and Gentile Christians.  Two years later the church sent Saul and Barnabas on a missionary tour of Cyprus and Asia Minor.  For the next 16 years or so Saul traveled preaching, teaching and establishing churches.

 Tactics used against Paul –Getting Roman authorities involved by accusing Paul of being a troublemaker –Charges included economic, political, religious issues.  Paul was sometimes stoned, beaten, or imprisoned.  In spite of all this, Paul never gave up.

CHRONOLOGY OF PAUL’S MINISTRY  Fixed date - Proconsulship of Gallio C.E (52-53) – Corinth Conversion33 1 st visit to Jerusalem36 Famine visit to Jer.46 1 st miss. Tour46-49 Claudius’ Edict49-50

Jerusalem Council 50 2 nd miss. TourSpr. 50 – Fall 52 3 rd miss. TourSpr. 53 – Fall 58 Caesarean Sum. 58 – Fall 60 Imprisonment House arrest in Rome Spr. 61 – 63 Aegean Ministry ? Ministry in Spain ? Death in Rome66?

Paul’s Travels  First missionary tour –Cyprus –Asia Minor  Perga (Pamphilia) – Mark left the group  Antioch (Pisidia)  Iconioum  Lystra  Derbe –Back to Antioch

Jerusalem Council – Acts 15  Jewish Christians in Antioch were telling Gentiles who wanted to be followers of Jesus that they had to become Jews first  Peter was in Antioch working with the Gentile Christians, but when Christians from Jerusalem came, he stayed away from the Gentiles –Paul challenged him with being a hypocrite

 The leaders of the church in Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to talk with the apostles about this  Jerusalem Council –Apostles, elders in Jerusalem, Paul, Barnabas discuss this  Gentiles are to be accepted by the Church without their becoming Jews first  Gentiles should observe basic Jewish customs when eating with Jewish Christians

Paul’s Second Tour  Asia Minor –Mostly same places as before –Troas  Macedonia –Philippi –Thessalonica  Achaia –Athens –Corinth (18 mths) –Ephesus –Jerusalem - Antioch

Paul’s Third Tour  Asia Minor –Ephesus (3 yrs)  Macedonia – Achaia  Ephesus  Jerusalem

Paul’s Arrest and Trip to Rome  The Jewish leaders threatened Paul in Jerusalem  Roman officials took him into protective custody  They sent him to Caesarea to await trial  He was there two years –Exercised his right to see Caesar

 Shipwreck on the way to Rome  In Rome, he was under house arrest, at his own expense –Luke was with him all the way –Paul taught any who came to see him  Luke concludes Acts with these words: –“proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.”

Things to Consider When Studying Paul’s Letters 1. Paul’s letters were occasional. –Particular situations in mind. –Much of what he said was influenced by the situation. –We need to understand as much as we can about the situation addressed. –Most of what we can know must be inferred from the letters themselves.

–Similar to listening to one end of a telephone conversation. Much can be reconstructed, but realize this involves some circular reasoning. 2. Though addressed to specific situations, they contain truths and principles useful today. –Look for the principles within the specific occasion addressed, then apply them today. –A difficulty, then as now, is to apply these principles across cultures.

3. Paul’s letters provide only with part of his thinking. We don’t have a complete theology of Paul’s thinking – only on issues that were urgently needed at that time.  He mostly wrote people he had worked with and they knew much of his teaching. He was writing to clarify or reinforce. So he didn’t repeat all of his theology.  We know some of his thinking, but not all.  His teaching on the Lord’s Supper is in Corinthians only because they were having problems with it.

4. Paul’s letters were organized with great care:  Saluation  Thanksgiving/blessing – often a summary of the letter  Body –Theological developments –Paranesis –Travel notes, etc.  Closing

Studying Paul’s Letters  Who is he writing?  What can we know about his audience?  Why is he writing?  Read statements within the context of the paragraph, chapter, book.  Does he say similar things in other books/letters?

Importance of Paul  Wrote approximately ¼ of the NT.  ½ of Acts is about Paul & his ministry.  A pioneer in taking Christianity to new cultures.  Laid the groundwork for Christianity to become an international movement.  Helped shape the Church in dealing with difficult issues (Jew-Gentile; Church-State; conflict of cultures - ethics, etc.).

 He worked out a way to present a Jewish Messiah to a Gentile world as Lord. Gentiles were not interested in a Messiah, but a savior, Lord (Caesar was their Lord).  He was a master at moving from one culture to another and sharing the message of Christ on a level that rose above the culture yet spoke to the concerns of the culture.

 Obviously, Paul is a significant figure in the New Testament.  Luke worked with him so Acts has more about Paul than any other individual.  By the time the NT canon was developing the Church had already become primarily Gentile, so Paul’s influence is reflected in the amount of his writings included.

Order of the New Testament Books  Gospels – life and teachings of Jesus  Acts – a bridge from Jesus’ ministry to the life of the Church; also a history of the Church.  Paul’s letters – arrangement –Letters to Churches first then individuals –Order by length of letter