Paul

Overview

Paul stands among the central figures of earliest Christianity. Introduced in Acts as Saul, a young Jewish man associated with the persecution of the Jerusalem church, he is later depicted as encountering the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus and becoming a commissioned witness to Israel and the nations. His undisputed letters, especially Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Philemon, are the earliest extant Christian writings and provide indispensable evidence for the theology, worship, conflicts, mission, and social life of mid-first-century Christ-following communities. Acts portrays him as a diaspora Jew from Tarsus, a Roman citizen, a Pharisee, and a missionary whose travels extended from Syria and Cilicia through Asia Minor, Macedonia, Achaia, and finally to Rome.

Biblical shape

Apostle, missionary, pastor, letter-writer, theologian, and witness to the risen Christ. Present at Stephen's death: Saul is introduced as a young man at whose feet the witnesses lay their garments during Stephen's execution, and Acts says that he approved of Stephen's death. Persecutor of the church: Before his call, Paul zealously opposed the Jesus movement, a fact he later recalled as part of his testimony to divine mercy and grace. Encounter with the risen Christ on the Damascus road: Acts narrates Paul's encounter with a heavenly appearance of Jesus, while Paul himself describes his apostleship as grounded in God's revelation of the Son and his having seen the risen Lord. Early ministry in Damascus, Arabia, Jerusalem, Syria, and Cilicia: After his call, Paul preached Christ, spent time in Arabia according to Galatians, and eventually visited Jerusalem before ministering in Syria and Cilicia. Antioch and the mission to Gentiles: Barnabas brought Saul to Antioch, where the church became a major base for Gentile mission; Acts depicts the Spirit sending Barnabas and Saul from Antioch on missionary work.

Key passages

• Acts 7:58
• Acts 8:1-3
• Acts 9:1-31
• Acts 13-28
• Romans 1:1
• 1 Corinthians 1:1
• 2 Corinthians 1:1
• Galatians 1:1-24
• Philippians 3:4-14
• 1 Thessalonians 1:1

Theological significance

In the New Testament, Paul appears first in Acts as Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisaic persecutor present at Stephen’s death, then as the apostle transformed by a revelation of the risen Jesus and commissioned to the Gentiles. His undisputed letters, especially Romans, Galatians, and 1 Corinthians, present him as interpreter of Israel’s Scriptures, founder and pastor of churches, and theologian of the cross, grace, faith, and resurrection. Early reception quickly made him the decisive exegete of Christian identity: Origen’s Commentary on Romans and homilies on Pauline texts read him allegorically and morally, while Athanasius and Chrysostom used Paul to defend Christ’s full divinity, ecclesial order, and ascetic discipline. Roman Catholic: Roman Catholic interpretation honors Paul as apostle, martyr, and authoritative witness to grace, faith, sacramental incorporation, ecclesial unity, and apostolic tradition. Eastern Orthodox: Eastern Orthodox readings emphasize Paul as a herald of union with Christ, participation in divine life, ecclesial communion, ascetic transformation, and the Spirit's work. Lutheran: Lutheran interpretation has classically read Paul as the chief biblical witness to justification by faith apart from works of the law and to the distinction between law and gospel. Reformed: Reformed traditions read Paul as theologian of covenant, union with Christ, divine sovereignty, justification by faith, sanctification, election, and the church's mission among the nations.

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