Paul’s conversion is a great proof for the resurrection of Jesus. He was feared by the Jewish Christians and none of them would have dared to try to convert him. It was only seeing the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus that convinced him that Jesus was the Son of God and the Messiah. He had been ascending in power among the Jews but gave that up to preach the gospel of Jesus, especially to the Gentiles. He preached the gospel for about 26 years or so. Often preachers will be motivated by money, power, or sex. Paul gained none of those by becoming a Christian. He actually spent most of those 26 years suffering for Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:²³ Are they servants of Christ?—I am speaking as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent adrift at sea. ²⁶ I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; ²⁷ I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. ²⁸ Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. ²⁹ Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern? ³⁰ If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness. ³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, ³³ and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.”

Some of these incidents are recorded in Acts. For example, in Acts 14:19ff Paul was stoned, dragged outside of the city, and left for dead in Lystra on his 1st missionary journey. In Acts 16:22-24 Paul and Barnabas were scourged in Philippi on the 2nd journey. In Acts 22:25 he was illegally flogged by a Roman commander in Jerusalem, not realizing that Paul was a Roman citizen. He was shipwrecked on the voyage to Rome as a prisoner in Acts 27 (although that had not happened yet when he wrote 2 Corinthians). I’m sure Paul had specific incidents in mind as he wrote 2 Corinthians 11.

Often he mentioned his suffering in general terms. The Lord warned him through Ananias when he was in Damascus when Ananias was giving Paul his commission from God: Acts 9:15-16 “But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.’” Paul faced death on many occasions. 2 Corinthians 4:⁸ we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰ always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are constantly being handed over to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. ¹² So death works in us, but life in you.” 2 Timothy 3:¹⁰ Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, ¹¹ persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! ¹² Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 2 Corinthians 6:⁴ but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties, ⁵ in beatings, in imprisonments, in mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, ⁶ in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, ⁷ in the word of truth, and in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, ⁸ by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; ⁹ as unknown and yet well known, as dying and yet behold, we are alive; as punished and yet not put to death, ¹⁰ as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things.” Paul had a thorn in the flesh that God would not remove, but even then he wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:⁹ And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. ¹⁰ Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

One of the most amazing statements by Paul is 2 Corinthians 4:¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” He called all those things he suffered “momentary, light affliction”! Momentary compared to eternity, but “light” affliction?

No wonder Paul was ready during his house arrest in Rome, even hopeful, that he might be able to just go on and be with the Lord. Philippians 1:²¹ For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²² But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. ²³ But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; ²⁴ yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes.” He was convinced at that time that he would be released and able to visit the Philippians again. Philippians 1:²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that your pride in Christ Jesus may be abundant because of me by my coming to you again.” He was released from his 2 years of house arrest in Rome and made another missionary journey, probably even went to Spain which he had long wanted to do.

His tone is totally different in 2 Timothy in his 2nd imprisonment in Rome in 64 AD. He had made that 4th journey, leaving Titus in Crete, Timothy in Ephesus, probably arrested in Macedonia and carried to Rome. Probably to a dungeon this time. 2 Timothy 4:⁶ For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; ⁸ in the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” He tells Timothy to come to him “soon”, “before winter”. He probably doesn’t survive the winter before he is beheaded by Nero. But he is still confident. 2 Timothy 4:¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

We Gentile Christians all over the world owe so much to the apostle Paul. He suffered so much to lay the groundwork of Christianity among the Gentiles. Christianity eventually was legalized and spread throughout the Roman Empire. The Catholic church was corrupt but did spread Christianity all over the world. Protestantism spread to those of us in America. Christianity might have just breen another Jewish sect if it had not been for Paul. It is amazing what God accomplished with one man to spread the gospel to the Gentiles.

It just dawned on me that Paul would probably have been one of those martyrs mentioned in Revelation. Revelation 7:⁹ After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands. ¹³ Then one of the elders responded, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” ¹⁴ I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ For this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. ¹⁶ They will no longer hunger nor thirst, nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any scorching heat; ¹⁷ for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

Revelation was written about 65 AD and Paul was beheaded about 64 AD. If those dates are correct, Paul would have been one of those martyrs in white robes that were already enjoying heaven when the book of Revelation was written.

Thank you Paul. I know you are enjoying your reward in heaven. We look forward to talking with you some day, hearing the stories of your journeys first hand.