St. Paul: Apostle, Missionary, and Founder of Christianity

Introduction: Who Was St. Paul?

Paul, the apostle of Jesus Christ, is more commonly known as St. Paul and is potentially the most important missionary of early Christendom. He was born around 5 AD, or perhaps as early as 10 BCE, and lived until approximately 67 AD. He is also known as Saul of Tarsus because this was his name before his conversion to Christianity (Acts 9:11). Paul was born in Cilicia, in what is now Turkey, and eventually became a great follower of Christianity, spreading the word of Jesus Christ far and wide. At that time, Cilicia was part of the Roman Empire, and thus Paul was born a Roman citizen (Borg 2012, 67). Despite being a Roman citizen, Paul's early life was shaped by his Jewish worldview; he held the belief that members of the Jewish population were ethnically superior to all other peoples (Horrell 2006, 30).

Very little information is known about Paul's early life or his family. His father is referenced briefly when Paul is called "a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee" (Acts 23:6). Later in the book of Acts, a reference is made to Paul's "sister's son," indicating both that he had a sister and that she bore him a nephew (Acts 23:16). His conversions of non-Christians ultimately led to the spread of the religion throughout the world.

Early Life and Jewish Background

The man who became known as St. Paul began life as an opponent of Christians. He was born into a strict Jewish family who practiced the orthodox religion and demanded that their son be instilled with the same beliefs as his parents and ancestors, all of whom were Jewish. As a young man, he contributed to the torture and abuse of the followers of Jesus (Acts 8:1). It is assumed that Paul belonged to the Shammaite School, a group known for committing atrocities against Christians (Wright, 694). His hatred of Christians is deeply ironic when one considers what he would later do for the religion.

During his years of persecution, Paul even participated in the stoning of St. Stephen, one of the early martyrs of Christendom. According to the account preserved in Acts, Paul was present and consenting at Stephen's execution before his own dramatic transformation took place. The contrast between his early violence toward Christians and his later devotion to the faith remains one of the most striking narratives in the history of early Christianity.

Conversion on the Road to Damascus

Between 31 and 36 AD, Paul was on his way to Damascus, intent on hunting down more of Jesus' followers. However, on the road he experienced what he described as a miracle (Barnett 2002, 21). A blinding light surrounded him, rendering him sightless, and the voice of Jesus Christ spoke to him, urging him to continue to Damascus, where his sight would be restored and he would receive a new purpose. Paul later claimed that what he witnessed was the resurrected Jesus, who appeared to him with a specific mission: to spread the word of the Gospel.

After this experience, Paul relinquished his Jewish faith and began preaching to all who would hear him that Jesus Christ was the Jewish Messiah and the Son of God (Acts 9:20). From a person who had once actively persecuted Christianity, Paul became the religion's greatest supporter and was later regarded by many as the second founder of Christianity. The conversion of Paul on the road to Damascus is one of the most well-known episodes in the New Testament and has been the subject of extensive theological and historical study.