Paul: Apostle to the Gentiles

by Chaplain Ron McCants

The Letters of Paul

• Author of 13-14 of the 27 books of the New Testament

• Romans First and Second CorinthiansGalatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians First and Second Thessalonians First and Second Timothy Titus Philemon

Controversial Leader 30 C.E. - 65 C.E.

• Returns to Damascus then exits the city for safety (Gal 1:17; Acts 9:20-25; 2 Cor 11:32-33)

• In Lystra Paul and Barnabas are mistaken for gods (Acts 14:8-18)

• Paul and Silas imprisoned after casting out a demon from a slave girl (Acts 16:16-25)

Paul’s Legend

• Saint Augustine (385-430) influenced by Paul

• Also Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley, Karl Barth, Reinhold Niebuhr

• Scholars recognize Paul's debt to Jewish heritage, "a member of the people of Israel… as to the law, a Pharisee" (Phil. 3:5)

Historical Paul

• Birth - Acts 9:11; 22:3

• Background - A native of the Hellenistic world of the Roman Empire

• Writings in Greek

Paul’s Heritage

• References to the Mosaic Torah, nomas, law

• Former notion of salvation by works of the Law-Torah

• His love encompassed both Israel after the flesh and Israel after the Spirit.

Apostle Paul

• Conversion - Luke's account of Saul/Paul vision of the Risen Messiah on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-22)

• The thought himself as a better Jew

Missionary Journeys three or more

• Paul tried to revisit the churches he had established (Col. 4:16)

• No physical description of Paul survives in credible sources

• (2 Cor. 12:7-10).• Paul a creative thinker

whose influence stands next after Jesus himself.

Paul’s Death

• Paul and Peter jointly martyred in Rome during Nero's postfire persecution of 65 C.E.

Class Assignment

Reflect on the following questions:

What would Paul do with politics today?

What issues would Paul be concerned with?

How would Paul relate his religion to today’s religion?