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Study 1: Paul the driving force.
Paul[1] was an intense
individual who was driven by forces that caused everyone to listen
and to react to his statements. To be taken seriously a person
must earn the right to be heard seriously. Paul paid his dues before
and after conversion. We’ll start with his background.
Saul was born in the city of Tarsus. In his defense
before the Roman commander, "…Paul said, ‘I am a Jew of Tarsus in
Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; ….’" (Acts 21:39).[2]
Paul referred to his hometown as a city that was out of the
ordinary. Considerable discussion has been made regarding “no
insignificant city.” Tarsus today is an insignificant city in
Turkey. During Roman times it was a very important city.
It was the capital of Cilicia which had two regions, one was a
fertile plain while the other was a wild, rough area. Linen was
produced from the fertile plane, today this plain is used to raise
cotton. It is thought that Paul learned his tent-making skills
from his father in a family business utilizing available linen.[3]
Tarsus was a college town by today’s terminology because it
boasted of many universities and higher schools of learning.
It is different from today because the students of Tarsus
universities were native born residents and generally did not come
from other places to be educated. Johnson notes that “Strabo
praises the Tarsians for their devotion to education and says that
the city has surpassed Athens, Alexandria and any other place where
there are schools of philosophy. At the same time he remarks that
the students are all natives who complete their education abroad and
seldom return home.”[4] He also
stated that the city was noted for its schools of philosophy and
rhetoric which resulted in several notable “philosophers and
grammarians”.[5]
Was Paul educated in Tarsus prior to his education under
Gamaliel? This is a huge puzzle that is debated heavily by
theologians. There is good evidence that Paul was well versed in
ancient philosophers from his debate on Mars hill (Acts 18:16-34).
Paul utilized philosophy and quoted from current secular authors of
his day in order to share Jesus with the men of Apollos.
In his defense to the Jews, Paul stated that he was educated
under Gamaliel “strictly according to the law of our fathers” (Acts
22:3). Translation creates a rather interesting problem.
Depending upon the way that Acts 22:3 is translated and punctuated
depends upon how to answer the question regarding Paul’s education.
"“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this
city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our
fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today" (Acts
22:3, NASB95) .[6] The
problem lies in “but brought up in this city”, if it is punctuated
to belong to Tarsus, then the implication is that he was educated in
both places. If it is punctuated (as the NASB does) to belong
to Jerusalem, then the majority of his education is thought to come
from Jerusalem. Scholars can’t agree on this point, however
most modern translations punctuate the passage to indicate
Jerusalem. A bias toward Jerusalem is understandably in place; it
is unthinkable for “Christians” to draw part of their roots from
Greek philosophy. The Greek manuscripts do not offer a conclusive
answer.
Tarsus gave Paul firsthand experience with the homosexual and
deviant behaviors that were present in the Greek culture. If
he were raised solely in Jerusalem it would have been possible to
have been raised in a “bubble” where he was protected from the
philosophies and approaches of the heathen culture.[7]
This places Paul in a unique position of authority since his
writings are not from theoretical deduction but rather from an
eyewitness perspective (Romans 1:18-32). For example, Paul was able
to argue the philosophical viewpoint of homosexuality from both the
perspective of the Old Testament and from his take on modern
philosophy. Paul had a broad base of understanding that
enabled him to initiate original ideas regarding his doctrine rather
than relying on rote learning from his educators. The debate
on Mars Hill demonstrates his ability to argue using current
philosophy. Even though this is an excellent example of his
versatility, it also demonstrates the advantage of a broad
education. Biblical commentators often take one of two camps when
investigating Paul; they will either ignore the Hellenistic
influence that he received through his early education or they will
play down the Jewish rabbinical teaching that Paul had received
under Gamaliel.[8] Paul’s life was
a magnificent mix of Hellenism and Judaism. Understanding his
educational background is extremely significant in understanding the
epistles. For example, Paul argues both sides effectively proving
the fallacy of worldly wisdom compared to God’s wisdom (1
Corinthians 1:18-22).
Paul was a Roman citizen from birth. This indicates that
Paul was born into a family that was endowed for some reason with
Roman citizenship. The status as a citizen was not easily
attained. “Paul’s father must have been a Roman citizen since
Paul says he was born “free” (Ac 22:28). According to Jerome, Paul’s
parents migrated to Tarsus in 63 B.C. at the time of the Roman
conquest of Palestine.”[9] Little
is known of his family or why the Roman citizenship was granted.
Citizenship was difficult to acquire although there are many
possibilities where the citizenship could have been awarded. It
could have been given as a gift from Roman officials for service to
the Roman Empire. Citizenship was also known to have been
issued to soldiers who were honorably discharged from the Roman
military. The Roman Commander stated that he “acquired” his
citizenship for a large sum of money. Roman citizenship was
not for sale. The fees collected toward purchasing citizenship
only moved a person up the roster of those who stood in line for
citizenship. Therefore, even though a person could bribe an
official to put him on the list this was no guarantee that the
person would actually receive citizenship.[10]
Although unknown, it is thought that it is most likely that Paul’s
parents received citizenship through some sort of award for services
rendered to the Roman Empire.[11]
Citizenship was held by a very small percentage of those who lived
in the Roman Empire.[12]
When reading passages in the Bible such as when Paul was
exempted from scourging due to his citizenship, the importance of
citizenship is clearly demonstrated (Acts 22:23-28). The Roman
citizen had incredible rights which caused citizens to be treated
differently. Just because a person was born in Rome did not
make him a “Roman Citizen”. Those who held citizenship were
held in high respect because they must have found favor with Rome in
some sort of way. Bruce pointed out that the Roman citizen
held a few rights that no one else was entitled to: “These rights
and privileges included a fair public trial for a citizen accused of
any crime, exemption from certain ignominious forms of punishment
and protection from summary execution.”[13]
Paul used his citizenship as a great advantage during his ministry
both to protect himself from unnecessary punishment and to take
advantage of ministry opportunities.
When Paul claimed to be a Roman citizen, he had to be able to
produce proof. If a person were to claim to be a citizen and be
found to have made a fraudulent claim, then he would be executed for
his lie. New citizens who attained their citizenship would
carry a document of proof with them. Those born a citizen
would carry two documents, a form of a birth certificate and a proof
of citizenship. The father of the child had thirty days to
declare the child a Roman citizen and they had to make an
appointment with the provincial governor to make it official.
Several documents were created all of which were validated by
witnesses. It is also interesting that the Romans had three
names, first name, family name and a surname.[14]
The length training that Saul received under Gamaliel is
unknown. He was an incredibly influential biblical character
who was able to sway the opinion of the entire Sanhedrin (Acts
5:34-40). It was customary to train student Pharisees from the
teen years.[15] Gamaliel
was a head master who taught pupils the ways of the Pharisaic
traditions. These traditions included instruction in the
Mosaic Law as well as teachings that filtered down through the ages
through oral traditions.[16] This
training would most likely put any Bible based education to shame
today. The student was taught the letter of the law and oral
traditions. Training also taught how to defend the law through
intellectual reasoning, thereby given a comprehensive set of
techniques which were designed to evaluate, interpret, and apply
principles drawn from scripture.[17]
To conclude this lesson let us look briefly at what Paul did
with his broad background and education. When considering Paul
in his native unregenerate state, he had an impressive portfolio.
Paul was raised in a city that was known for its incredible
learning. It is a strong possibility that he was trained or mentored
in some way by the educators that taught there. Paul was a man
of privilege since his father was a Roman citizen and that heritage
was passed on to Paul. He was trained under the renowned
Gamaliel as a Pharisee. Gamaliel’s training was most likely
reserved for only the most elite students.
Consider also how Gamaliel may have influenced Saul. Gamaliel
was intimately involved in the problem of the followers of Christ
(Acts 5:33-42). His advice set the stage for Saul to begin his
righteous war against the followers of Christ. Saul felt that
he was in the right to stamp out Christianity because it was
seemingly eroding away the integrity of the Jewish religion (Acts
9:1). Saul was passionate about Judaism and wanted it to
remain (Acts 9:13-14). It was the only true religion which
followed the only true God. He may have viewed himself as a
type of prophet who was single handedly called to pursue the
followers of Christ and stamp them out (Acts 7:58).[18]
Paul was raised in Tarsus which was a melting pot of philosophy; he
understood how corrupted principles breed more corruption. His
passion was based on preservation of the Jewish system in its pure
state. Saul was fervent and passionate about the God that he
believed in. It made sense that he would embark on a holy
mission that he was empowered to attempt to eradicate a cancer from
Judaism. To Saul in his pre-Christian state, Christianity was
the ultimate enemy against Judaism. It threatened the very
fiber of everything that he was raised to believe in. Saul went to
war against Christianity because he sincerely believed that Jesus
was a false prophet. Jewish tradition held that anyone who was
hanged on a tree was cursed, therefore Jesus could not be God
(Galatians 3:13). It made perfect sense for Paul to go on a
mission against Christianity.
[1] Paul was
originally named Saul in his lifetime. His name was changed
during the first missionary journey. Paul will be referred to
as Saul when the dating seems appropriate. The preferred usage
will be Paul.
[2] New
American Standard Bible: 95 update.
[3] Sherman E.
Johnson, “Studies in Bible Backgrounds Tarsus and the Apostle Paul”
Bible and Spade Vol. 10 (Spring 1981): 54.
[4] Johnson, 54.
[5] Ibid., 56.
[6] New
American Standard Bible: 95 update.
[7]David E.
Malick, “The Condemnation of Homosexuality in 1 Corinthians 6:9”
Bibliotheca Sacra Vol. 150 (October 1993): 330.
[8]Don N. Howell,
Jr., “Pauline Thought in the History of Interpretation”
Bibliotheca Sacra Vol. 150 (July 1993): 317.
[9]Carl F. H.
Henry, “The Christian pursuit of Higher Education”, Southern
Baptist Journal of Theology Vol. 1 (Fall 1997): 9.
[10] Fredrick
Fyvie Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free, (Grand
Rapids/Cambridge: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000)
37.
[11] Ibid., 37.
[12] D. A. Carson
and Douglas J. Moo. An Introduction to the New Testament.
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005), 355.
[13] Bruce, 39.
[14] Ibid, 39.
[15] Carson and
Moo, 356.
[16] Paul R.
Schmidtbleicher, “Law in the New Testament” Chafer Theological
Seminary Journal Vol. 9 (Fall 2003): 53.
[17] Daniel
Hayden King, “Paul and the Tannaim: A Study in Galatians”
Westminster Theological Journal Vol. 45 (Fall, 1983): 361.
[18] Carson and
Moo, 359.
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Study 2:
Paul’s conversion experience
Paul’s conversion is extremely difficult to understand by the
modern day reader. It is necessary to look at his background.
We will also consider how this influenced his conversion. In
the end it will enable us to better understand our walk with Christ.
Saul embarked on a mission to stamp out Christianity.
The scriptures seem to imply that Saul financed his mission out of
pocket without any financial support from the Jewish authorities.
If Saul had received financial support for his mission, then at the
time of conversion, this may have been an issue with the Jewish
authorities. Saul’s terrorist tactics may have been viewed as the
best tool to fight against Christianity. Saul was financially
stable enough to fund his campaign against Christianity. He
was charismatic enough to cause a troop of followers to accompany
him in his conquest. Paul was determined enough to convince
the Jewish leaders to issue letters of authority that authorized him
to arrest and transport Christians back to Jerusalem for
prosecution. Paul may have overstepped his bounds by condoning
the stoning of Stephen. He also invaded people’s homes and
took them house to house. Saul had become a bounty hunter who had a
license to do as he pleased in order to bring in those who were
deviant to Jerusalem.
The Jewish people were not allowed to stone anyone to death or
to crucify anyone for “just” any reason at all. They had
strict restrictions on their use of capital punishment. If the
sanctity of the temple were to be challenged, then the Jewish people
could stone a person to death for violation of the temple.
This is evident from the plaque that was found stating that if a
foreigner were to enter the inner courts they were responsible for
their own death.[1]
The Romans grandfathered the Jewish religion allowing the Jewish
people to maintain their ancient religion without Roman
interference. This relationship was dependent upon the Jewish
people maintaining their religion as it existed. It can be
implied that since Christianity was seen as an offshoot of Judaism,
Rome allowed the Hebrews to police their people.
Paul was in a tedious position because he understood that
Judaism was protected by Rome as a religion. The Jewish people
were allowed to police their people and prosecute offenders of the
religious standards. The death penalty could only be given in
a few cases. If the temple was blasphemed, then the Jewish
people were authorized to use deadly force to protect it. If a
gentile entered beyond the gates of the outer court then it was
authorized that the Jewish people could stone them. Outside of
this, capital punishment was not allowed.
Paul stood by to condone the stoning of Stephen. The
account of Stephen’s defense does not contain any material that
authorized the people to stone him (Acts 7). Therefore, Saul
stood by and condoned murder; which in effect made Saul a murderer
according to the civil law. Due to Saul’s zeal he did not see
this as murder since he was defending the religion that Stephen was
working hard to destroy. Stephen called the Jewish people a
nation of murderers who murdered the prophets who had come to them
and murdered the Messiah, “the righteous One,” that they had long
waited for (Acts 7:52). It is worth pondering the reason why
God allowed Stephen to have the heavenly vision at just that moment
(Acts 7:54-56). One likely explanation is that God confirmed
through Stephen that his message was valid through giving him a
vision similar to the one that of Jacob’s ladder (Genesis 28:12-13).
Another possible reason for the vision is that Saul needed to
be confronted with the wickedness of his own heart. Saul had
lived a righteous life, one impeccable and above reproach. The
stoning of Stephen was a breech in his integrity and a turning point
where he went from being a religious zealot to a hypocritical
religious murderer. Saul stood at a crossroads to make a
decision to either drop the fight, or to commit to the fight against
Christianity with total commitment. Saul appears to have
chosen to forcefully prove his correctness by aggressively attacking
all Christians. It could be entirely possible that God used
this situation in order to draw Paul to a place where he would
realize his ultimate depravity. The hardest people to reach
are the religious people because they feel as if there is nothing
wrong with them.
The Jewish mindset of the day may have been different than we
think of today. Many today consider the Jewish people as being
under the law and mistakenly think that the Jews were justified by
keeping the law. The Jewish mindset was very similar to that
of evangelical Christians today. God chose the Hebrew nation
as His chosen people. Due to the fact of God’s blessing on
Israel, the Jewish people believed that they were going to heaven by
virtue of that choice. Sanders argued that the Jewish mindset
was that they were born “in” the Kingdom of God; the Jewish people
did not need to seek salvation.[2]
Keeping the law was not to earn their way into heaven but rather to
stay in favor with God thus insuring that at the point of death they
would still go to heaven.[3]
Religion attempts to appease God in order to find favor with Him,
the Hebrews felt that they were already in favor with God.
Evangelical Christians often have the same mindset. The cliché
“once saved, always saved” carries with it the attitude that once a
person is “in” the Kingdom of God, they are saved. They are unable
to be “unsaved” again. Similarly some Christians often believe that
they must perform good works in order to stay in favor with God and
to lock in salvation. How often it has been said that a
believer has certain trouble in their life because they have sinned
in some way! Understanding Paul’s thinking helps understand
him as he pursued his religious life.
Paul felt perfectly righteous in defending the Judaic system
that he was raised in because through Judaism was the only way to
the one true God. Christians were viewed as ones who were
introducing destructive heresies which were destroying Judaism.
There is one mark of conflict in this thought, when Paul received
his vision from the Lord one of the statements Jesus made was “…It
is hard for you to kick against the goads” (Acts 26:14). The
implication of this is that Paul understood that there was truth in
the testimony of Christians but like a stubborn animal he refused to
be guided by prodding of goads (the truth). The words of Jesus
indicate that Saul had a guilty conscious. Humanly speaking, it
would be difficult to determine guilt in defending Judaism due to
his biblical, traditional, and philosophical background.
Before pointing the finger at Saul and condemning him for his
actions, think of the rivalry that goes on with those involved in
sports. These incredible feelings that are associated with
organized sports give an example of the feelings that Paul had
toward Judaism.
Paul was on a mission to correct an obvious error.[4]
He was an angry man who was driven to eradicate Christianity.
The picture that we have of Saul at this point in time is revealing.
“Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples
of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him
to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to
the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem”
(Acts 9:1-2, NASB). Saul demonstrated through his actions and
attitude that he was sold out for the mission. Paul was
intensely focused on his mission of stamping out “The Way” and
actively put his plan into action by traveling to Damascus with a
band of henchmen.[5]
The story that we have regarding Paul’s experience on the road
to Damascus is fantastic. There are three accounts of this,
one by Luke (Acts 9:1-19) and two by Paul (Acts 22:4-21; 26:9-18).
The difference in the three accounts hinges on the audience that is
being addressed by the situation. Luke’s account focused on
the historical aspect of the conversion while Paul’s two accounts
were addressed to the Jews and to King Agrippa. Paul utilized
his testimony to reach out to the two parties while Luke was focused
on reporting a historical incident.
Here is a version of the story attempting to draw all three
accounts together: Saul and party were traveling to Damascus
to arrest, and transport those belonging to “The Way” back to
Jerusalem for prison. He was very angry and was breathing
murderous threats against those he was pursuing. Saul
encouraged imprisonment and capital punishment for those of “The
Way”.
On the road to Damascus, a bright light suddenly shown from
the sky. Saul was instantly knocked to the ground from the
brightness of it. His party also saw the light. They all
heard a voice speaking to Saul, but only Saul was able to discern
the words. The voice spoke to Saul stating “Saul, Saul, why
are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the
goads” (Acts 9:4; 22:7; 26:14).[6]
Saul asked “Who are you Lord?” (Acts 9:5; 22:8; 26:15).[7]
Jesus replied that He was the one who Saul was persecuting. He
received further instruction:
"But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have
appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to
the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I
will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the
Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they
may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to
God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance
among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me" (Acts
26:16-18).[8]
Saul was struck blind by the intensity of the light, yet no
one else in the party experienced blindness. He was instructed
to go into the city and wait; then he would be instructed as to what
to do. Saul’s followers led him by the hand into the city,
where he fasted and prayed for three days while waiting for the
answer. On the third day the Lord spoke to a disciple named
Ananias in a vision and instructed him to seek out Saul. Ananias
argued with the Lord explaining that Saul was extremely dangerous
and had a reputation for harming saints along with having the
authority to do so. The Lord replied that Saul was a special
instrument chosen by Him for a specific purpose and that Saul would
suffer greatly for the Name of Jesus. Ananias immediately went
to Saul and laid hands on him. He identified that Jesus sent
him so that he could receive his sight and be filled with the Holy
Spirit. Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes
and he could see. Ananias further advised Saul:
…The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and
to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.
‘For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen
and heard. ‘Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash
away your sins, calling on His name (Acts 22:14-16).[9]
Saul’s conversion sent him on a new mission, passionately
focused on Jesus Christ. The Scriptures do not indicate that Paul
was converted as we think of conversion. He was not changed
from a deviant form of thinking to a righteous form of thinking.
Paul was redirected in his thinking to recognize that Jesus is the
Messiah and that He is certainly alive.[10]
The anger/rage and murderous tendencies that drove Paul earlier were
forgiven by Christ and validated through the disciple Ananias. Paul
spoke of this change of attitude when giving the crux of salvation,
confessing that Jesus is Lord, and God raised Him from the dead,
believing with the heart and confessing with the mouth (Ro 10:9-10).
By coming to know Jesus as Messiah, Paul experienced the new birth
(John 3:3; Romans 6:14; 2 Corinthians 5:17). His entire
purpose and drive in life changed from that of eliminating
Christianity to that of promoting Christianity. Paul found in
Christ the completion of the Judaic system.[11]
He found the reason behind the law and the driving force behind all
of Judaism and Christianity. Paul became the ultimate New
Testament prophet with a spirit of urgency to introduce others to
the Messiah.[12] Paul
urgently refocused his energy toward establishing Christianity as a
fulfillment of Judaism.
In conclusion, Christians can understand conversion better by
studying Paul’s. It enables us to realize that God uses us
where we are at, but regenerates us entirely. Conversion is
simply a change of direction toward following the true God of all
eternity through Christ Jesus.
[1]Craig S.
Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary : New Testament
(Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Ac 21:28.
[2] E. P.
Sanders, Paul and Palestinian Judiasm: A comparison of Patterns
of Religion. (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1977).
[3] Carson and
Moo, 376.
[4] Bruce, 52.
[5] Ibid., 71.
[6] New
American Standard Bible: 95 update.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Carson and
Moo, 358.
[11] Bruce, 105
[12] Carson and
Moo, 359.
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Study 3:
Paul: Missionary driven by circumstances.
This study is going to focus on the some of the journeys of
Paul but will not trace his steps through each town because to do so
becomes extremely tedious. This overview will focus on Paul’s
purpose and the reasons behind the missionary journeys. Paul’s
journeys followed the commission of Jesus to the apostles, “…you
shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).[1]
The first 12 chapters of Acts are focused on early growth of
the church in Jerusalem. If it were up to the believers at the
time, the church would have stayed in Jerusalem. But God sent
them to the world.[2] One
initiator of this commission was Saul in his early zeal against the
church. The church was well established in Jerusalem and the
apostles were starting to focus on the mundane tasks of waiting on
tables and church politics (Acts 6). Seven men were chosen to
attend to these tasks, one of which was Stephen. He was
falsely accused of stirring up the people, speaking against the
temple and the law which was a capital offense (Acts 6:8-15).
In his defense, Stephen proved that he was supportive of the Law and
of the temple by a brilliant speech (Acts 7). His speech was
inspired by the Holy Spirit and the people were heavily under
conviction. At that time God gave him a vision of heaven,
which Stephen verbalized. Disregarding the evidence that
Stephen had placed before the rulers, the mob took him outside the
city and stoned him to death. Saul was instrumental in
encouraging this stoning.
The stoning of Stephen had other effects on the Jerusalem
church. Saul, now empowered to persecute Christians began a
campaign against the church. This resulted in the Jerusalem
church splitting due to believers fleeing for their lives before
Saul. The Jerusalem phase was completed and now God was moving
the people into the next phase of the plan, Samaria.
Samaria may be considered to be the Gentiles. The
conversion of the Gentiles by Peter demonstrated that God desired to
save the Gentiles as well as the Jews (Acts 10). The positive
response may have been the reason that Peter sought out Paul in
Tarsus (Acts 11:19-26). Peter discipled Paul for an entire
year and ministered with him (Acts 11:26). Agabus prophesied a
famine in Jerusalem (Acts 11:27-30) and a collection was made to
help believers there. Peter, Paul and Barnabas traveled back
to Jerusalem with the relief funds. Once there, Peter was
arrested, delivered by an angel, and the three of them quickly
departed Jerusalem with Paul returning to Antioch (Acts 12).
Persecution moved leaders and enhanced spreading the Gospel.
The church in Antioch felt the Spirit’s direction to send Paul
and Barnabas on a journey (Acts 13:1-3). The timing of this
was critical possibly because Paul and Barnabas had moved into the
limelight with those who were seeking out Christian leaders.
It may be that they embarked on this journey out of
self-preservation. One of the most effective ways to hide from
the persecutors was simply to stay on the move. This
missionary journey is the place where Saul begins to be referred to
as Paul. The name change is important because Paul did not
need protection from believers; he needed protection from
unbelievers who were seeking his life. The Holy Spirit sent
Saul on a journey where he effectively disappeared behind the name
of Paul. The first missionary journey may have been a flight
for safety as well as the call of God. The Holy Spirit uses
roadblocks in life to move His people into places where He desires
for ministry to take place. Paul had returned home after his
conversion, this may indicate that he was comfortable ministering in
Tarsus. The Holy Spirit had greater plans for Paul though, and
through the seeming trouble on the famine visit, the church and Saul
was motivated to move on.
Saul boarded a ship and traveled to the island of Cyprus
making a sweep over it preaching and teaching in the synagogues.
He then went to Pamphylia and toured southern Galatia. The
focus of this missionary journey was almost exclusively on Jewish
synagogues through the various cities. However, at Pisidian
Antioch Paul received intense opposition from the Jews. The
conflict escalated to a point where the Jews were blaspheming God.
Paul made a public proclamation at that point that he was going to
reach out to the Gentiles. He left that city to travel to
Iconium. Paul began his ministry there in a synagogue contrary
to his earlier proclamation (Acts 14:1-7). Paul was being
followed by Jewish unbelievers who were determined to stop Paul’s
teaching. They were instrumental in causing Paul to be opposed
at every turn. In one incident where Paul and Barnabas were
mistaken for Zeus and Hermes, the opponents were successful in
causing Paul to be stoned. In spite of the conflict the
journey was very successful in establishing churches and believers
in the Lord Jesus. Paul returned to his home town in Antioch
with a great testimony of God working on the journey.
The followers who had persecuted Paul did not give up easily.
They convinced some of the followers of Christ that Paul had not
given them the entire gospel. A great dissention arose due to
those who claimed that Gentiles must keep the law (become Jewish
proselytes) and follow Jesus.[3]
Paul and Barnabas felt they should return to Jerusalem in order to
get an answer to the question. The Jerusalem council heard all
the evidence and ruled that it would not be fair to impose
restrictions on the Gentiles that the Jews themselves could not keep
(Acts 15:10). The ruling for Gentile converts: "but that we
write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols
and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood"
(Acts 15:20).[4]
Paul and John Mark had a disagreement on the earlier journey
and Paul was not willing to travel with him again (Acts 15:27-28;
13:13). This brings an interesting point in the story; once
again there is a split between believers. Paul and Barnabas
had made a good team. The interpersonal conflict split the two
leaders so that they partnered with other men to begin their
journey. God worked with a nasty situation to bring good out
of it. If Paul and Barnabas had stuck together, they would only
reach a few people for Christ. By splitting up they took the
previous lessons that were learned and doubled their efforts by
reaching working separately.
The excitement that Paul and Barnabas felt with the council’s
decision is apparent. They decided to return to the cities
that they had visited previously most likely to give them the good
news of the council (Acts 15:36).[5]
Paul’s intention was to return to familiar ground in order to
nourish the ministries he had began. Due to the split;
Barnabas took John Mark with him to retrace earlier steps while Paul
took Silas with him to travel overland to the north. Paul
strengthened churches along the way apparently intending to reach
those in Asia. The Holy Spirit had other plans for them.
Paul was not allowed to speak at all in Asia and they pressed
through the region until they came to Mysia where Paul received a
vision from the Lord. He saw a man in Macedonia calling for
help, so he traveled there.
The story takes an interesting twist here because Paul has a
greater Gentile focus. There are several conflicts with Roman
authorities where Paul for the first time exercises his rights as a
Roman citizen. He brilliantly uses the rights to his advantage
in preaching to people and in staying longer in order to minister.
Paul ministered in several places including Thessalonica, Berea,
Athens, and Corinth to mention a few. The journey was rich
with excitement as they traveled. One of the highlights of the
trip was the debate on Mars hill.[6]
This journey was marked with extreme civil conflict which proved to
be rich opportunities for ministry. One possible reason for
the change of focus is that Luke has started traveling with Paul
beginning with the second missionary journey and is reporting from
firsthand experience.
Paul’s third missionary journey covered a good portion of
ground previously traveled. However in this journey, we are
introduced to some intimate stories regarding escalating conflict
between Paul and the Greeks. Paul seems to have matured by
this time in the story. He is still fervent in spirit but
seems a bit more reserved when considering the accounts. He is
pictured at the beginning as a wise leader correcting the error of
Apollos (Acts 18:23-28); Priscilla and Acquila aid him in this task.
He then leads the disciples of John regarding the Holy Spirit.
Then in a city of magic, Ephesus, Paul displays some unusual
miracles by God blessing handkerchiefs and aprons which heal the
sick. Demetrius, the silversmith became concerned about his
loss of business due to Paul’s converting Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41),
and initiates a riot which is quickly put down by the town clerk.
Paul left the area after this and traveled to Macedonia and Greece.
He runs a circuit which he eventually departs Ephesus to make his
return trip to Jerusalem. The passage of his departure from
Ephesus is a unique insight into the level of concern that he had
for his people and the reciprocal care that they had for him (Acts
20:17-36).
Paul was driven by circumstances in his mission to share
Christ. It was a journey that was wrought with peace, conflict,
attack, deliverance, and departure. One of the reasons behind
God selecting Paul was that he would never shut up. Paul was
relentless and kept moving forward to introduce new people to the
Lord. Circumstances kept Paul on the move as he willingly
traveled to share Christ. In his wake, Paul left behind many
strong believers who acted as the foundation for the church.
Paul’s concern for his flock is witnessed in letters to these
believers which we now call the Pauline Epistles. These
letters are timeless because they are etched out of a life which was
constantly on the move, constantly changing, and constantly
following Christ. Paul’s example is summarized: Follow Christ
regardless of the circumstances and then even though we are under
the circumstances we will be above the circumstances driven by
divine purpose.
[1] New
American Standard Bible: 95 update.
[2] Matthew
Henry, Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible : Complete
and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1996,
c1991), Ac 8:1.
[3] Thomas D. Lea
and David Alan Black, The New Testament: Its Background and
Message, 2nd ed. (Nashville: Broad & Holman
Publishers. 2003), 310.
[4] New
American Standard Bible: 95 update.
[5] Carson and
Moo, 288.
[6] This debate
is discussed in Study 1.
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Paul was human and subject to making mistakes just as
believers today have the possibility of making mistakes in
interpreting God’s will. There is good evidence in the
Scriptures that Paul may have made one grave error in his life.
However, God worked it out for good. Paul is an encouragement
to all believers because he demonstrates the way that God works with
us in all circumstances.
Paul moved forward in life willfully placing himself in a
position of becoming a prisoner for Christ even though he had the
power to avoid this, why? Paul was on the run most of his life
staying out of reach of those who would like to destroy him.
The prophet Agabus met Paul on his last trip to Jerusalem after the
third missionary journey to share with him the Holy Spirit’s
revelation. Agabus informed Paul through a practical
demonstration that he would be bound if he continued to Jerusalem
(Acts 21:10-11). He had also been informed by other believers
at Tyre through revelation of the Holy Spirit that he should not set
foot in Jerusalem (Acts 21:4). It is extremely puzzling to
consider that Paul could have avoided prison and continued to
minister to believers through the method he had established as a
missionary. According to 21:4, the disciples spent a week
trying to convince Paul not to go to Jerusalem. The Holy
Spirit warned Paul not to go. With this said, was it God’s
will that drove Paul to Jerusalem or was it his own stubbornness to
do things his own way? We’ll never know the answer to that
question. It does stand for good thought though. If Paul
had not gone to Jerusalem, he could have continued his ministry for
many years. It is also entirely possible since he was a Roman
citizen, that he could have visited Rome as a free man and had a
tremendous ministry there.
This conflict of reasoning has puzzled many students of the
Bible. Polhill observed, “The seeming conflict in the Spirit’s
directions is even more pronounced here with the note that the
Tyrians under the influence of the Spirit urged Paul not to
go. Obviously the Spirit would not be giving Paul two contradictory
messages at the same time.”[1]
Wiersbe comments “Again the Spirit warned Paul of trouble in
Jerusalem. It seems that God did not want Paul to go there, but He
nevertheless stepped into Paul’s plans for His own glory.”[2]
Wuest states it clearly:
Ordered to stay away from Jerusalem as a sphere of his
ministry and sent to the Gentiles by the Lord Jesus (Acts 22:17–21),
forbidden to set foot in Jerusalem by the Holy Spirit (Acts 21:4),
allowing his emotions to get the better of his reason, Paul entered
Jerusalem against the will of God, was mobbed by the Jews, rescued
by the Romans, arrested by the latter when charges were preferred
against him, and sent to Rome in chains for his hearing before
Caesar.[3]
Along similar lines, the prophecy of Agabus has also puzzled
commentators. Hilber says, “So Agabus should not be criticized
based on unrealistic and oversimplified expectations in the use of
language. In every respect, Luke expected his readers to view Agabus
in continuity with OT prophets.”[4]
Several commentators take the justification road where they justify
Paul’s actions by the end result. For example, J. Vernon McGee
cited “…several reasons I do not believe that Paul stepped out of
the will of God when he went up to Jerusalem.[5]
He listed the following reasons:
1. Sentimental reasons.
2. He was carrying the offering
from Gentile Christians to the Saints in Jerusalem.
3. Due to the power of his
writings later on.
4. He cites Acts 9:15-16 stating
that Paul must stand before “Gentiles, and kings, and the children
of Israel”.
5. 2 Timothy 4:7 Paul claimed to
have finished his course, meaning that he stayed in the will of God.
Rather than belabor the point further, the commentaries scream
that something is simply not right with the conflict between the
prophecy and Paul’s actions. The end does not justify the
means in this case. McGee listed good reasons, however each of
the reasons can be disputed easily. Paul was foolish to allow
sentiment to overcome the leading of the Spirit. The offering
could have been carried by another person and still reached the
suffering in Jerusalem. His earlier writings prior to
imprisonment were not any less powerful than the later writings.
Paul, as a Roman citizen could have gained audience before kings.
Paul still could have finished a different course. When
considering all the facts, Paul stepped out of the perfect will of
God when he went to Jerusalem. He did not leave God though; He
entered what is commonly called “the permissive will of God.”
Now that we have examined these ideas let’s look at some of
the benefits of Paul going to Jerusalem. Paul delivered the
offering and a praise report to James and the elders this moved them
to glorify God (Acts 21:18-20). However, they were appalled
that Paul would step foot in Jerusalem with the Jewish believers
convinced that he was teaching contrary to the law (Acts 21:20-21).
A benefit that came of this conflict is that Paul made a statement
and set the record straight. When he took the vow, he
validated that the law was still in effect and that it was to be
respected (Acts 21:23-26). Some have said that Paul backslid
at this point. On the contrary, Paul was fully Jewish and
believed in the law. Jesus did not come to abolish the law,
but rather to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17-20). The following
action where Paul was seized in the temple and falsely accused
although tragic still did not negate Paul’s affirmation of his
innocence to the actual believers in the crowd. Paul had set
the record straight on an obvious lie.
Paul was given an audience to witness to the thousands of
people who had mobbed him. He gave his testimony which has
proved to be an inspiration through the centuries for all believers
who are duplicating his actions. We do not know how many in
the crowd believed because of the testimony that he shared (Acts
22). He was able to witness to the Roman commander who was
going to whip him. Paul was then given audience to speak with
the Jewish leaders of the day and offer them some food for thought
(Acts 23:1-11). He demonstrated the validity of civil
government by utilizing his citizenship and by causing massive
governmental forces to protect him from the assassins (Acts
23:12-35). Paul was given opportunity to witness before Felix,
Festus and King Agrippa regarding the testimony of Christ (Acts
24-26).
Paul had an opportunity to witness to an entire ship load of
prisoners and soldiers (Acts 27). These men were able to
observe Paul interacting with other Christians at Cyprus.
Later, the ship was wrecked. Since Paul was a passenger on the
ship, God directed him in how to advise the captain in order to save
the entire ship of passengers from death. This was a powerful
witness because Paul instructed them beforehand regarding what was
going to happen, and demonstrated that God was in control.
After crawling up on the beach at Malta, Paul was given the
opportunity to minister healing to the entire island thereby
carrying the gospel to them (Acts 28:1-10). It is impossible
to know the lasting effects of the witness on fellow passengers and
on the natives of the island.
Paul eventually arrived at Rome and encouraged the believers
who were there (Acts 28:11-31). Acts does not tell us if Paul
had an audience with Caesar. Polhill indicated that Roman law
had a statute of limitations that was reached at the point of two
years. Paul reached this point in verse 30 and was most likely
released from custody.[6] Acts
ends abruptly here. There is simply not enough evidence to
determine if Paul was in the will of God when he made his decision
at Jerusalem.
Through this series of studies, we can safely arrive at one
conclusion. God works through circumstances to direct His
people who are surrendered to His guidance. When God’s people
miss His will due to pride or stubbornness (Paul) or any other
deviation, God is waiting with an alternative plan by which to use
them further. Simply, God is always sovereign.
Conclusion
This series of studies focused upon the human side of Paul as
he was driven by his own emotions, ambitions and desires in his
life. It offers a background for looking at Paul from a fresh
perspective, although not necessarily the only perspective.
Paul as a person was an incredibly complicated individual with many
facets to his life. God chose Him specifically because God had
prepared him for the various tasks at hand. In present day
Christianity, believers are quick to say that God is love and forget
that God will utilize human depravity in order to move His purpose
forward. In these studies this was a major focus. God
working through circumstances is also a focus because many today
view God as if He is a victim of circumstances. God is often
pictured as a standoffish deity who resembles Zeus more than the
true God who has control of all of creation. It is important
that God moved Paul by the circumstances even though God did not
initiate the sin behind the circumstances. Believers today can
benefit from this truth because we serve an omnipresent, omnipotent,
sovereign God, not a weak god that observes from a distance.
Understanding this truth will empower believers to live according to
a God-driven life.
[1]John B.
Polhill, Acts, vol. 26 of The New American Commentary
(Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 433.
[2]Warren W.
Wiersbe, Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament
(Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992), 337.
[3]Kenneth S.
Wuest, Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament : For
the English Reader (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984), Ro 15:30.
[4]John W.
Hilber, “Diversity of OT Prophetic Phenomena and NT Prophecy”Westminster
Theological Journal vol. 56 (Fall 1994): 256.
[5]J. Vernon
McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary, Based on the Thru the
Bible Radio Program. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1981), 605-606.
[6] Polhill, 547.
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Joe,
Thank you.
Hmm... The debate about whether Paul made a willful mistake in
going up to Jerusalem to be arrested... My view is different than
the one you have laid out.
Might it be that this series of hardships was indeed part of
God's plan for Paul? Surely Ananias conveyed to Paul what Jesus said
to him as it is recorded in Acts 9:15-16 - 15 But the Lord said to
him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name
before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will
show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake." From the
beginning of Paul's Christian life he was made aware of his destiny
to preach Christ and to suffer for His name's sake.
Yes, it might be that this destiny was fulfilled in the many
hardships and persecutions which Paul suffered (2 Cor. 11:23-27).
However, examine the text in Acts. Note what Paul told the Ephesian
elders in Acts 20:22-24:
22 "And now, behold, bound in spirit, I am on my way to
Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that
the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that
bonds and afflictions await me. 24 "But I do not consider my life of
any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course,
and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify
solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.
Paul says he is "bound in spirit" to go to Jerusalem (22).
Paul relates this to the sense in verse 24 that his purpose is to
finish his course (note that in 2 Tim. 4:7, as he anticipates
execution and relates that to having finished his course, his race).
In verse 24, this suffering in Jerusalem (but not yet death, for he
will be released) was part of the ministry of proclamation given to
Paul "from the Lord Jesus" (which sounds much like a reference to
Acts 9:15-16).
And note all what is reported in Acts 21:11-14:
11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own
feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In
this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt
and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’" 12 And when we had
heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not
to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, "What are you doing,
weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound,
but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." 14 And
since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, "The
will of the Lord be done!"
Agabus in verse 11 simply acts out and gives the message of
what will happen in Jerusalem, a message about being bound and
delivered to the Gentiles which was given Agabus by the Holy Spirit.
I see nothing about if Paul goes there. In verse 12 everyone begs
Paul not to go. Like they know better than Paul what to do, giving
utterance to their desire that Paul be spared the suffering, begging
him not to go to Jerusalem. (Sounds like they could have written the
commentaries which decry Paul's willful excursion into God's
permissive will.) In verse 13 Paul declares his willingness even to
die for his mission to make known the name of the Lord Jesus. And in
verse 14 those who tried to persuade Paul ended up accepting that
the will of the Lord was to be done.
Paul did go to Jerusalem and he was arrested. But he got to
speak to governors and kings as a result (Felix - Acts 24, Festus -
Acts 25, King Agrippa - Acts 25, and who knows what high officials
in Rome). This is a direct fulfillment of Acts 9:15 and happened as
a result of his arrest in Jerusalem.
No, I prefer to think Paul was a better judge of God's
leading in his life, better than his companions and better than more
recent commentators.
Lifted up the requests.
IHG,
Erik |
