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.

So what happened after Saul was baptized in Damascus by Ananias? Acts 9:19 “Now for several days he was with the disciples who were in Damascus, ²⁰ and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” ²¹ All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” ²² But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.”

I find it interesting that his first proclamation was “He is the Son of God.” That was what Christians had been saying about Jesus that made Saul want to kill them for blasphemy. Now he has a simple message: “He really is the Son of God.” The Muslims tells us that God does not have a Son, that Christians added that doctrine, that Jesus was only a prophet who never claimed to be the Son of God. Saul saw the resurrected Jesus and that was sufficient proof to him that Jesus really was the Son of God. Saul also confounded the Jews in Damascus by “proving” that this Jesus is the Christ. The Greek word for proving is sumbibazó: To unite, to bring together, to instruct, to prove. Thayer’s says this means “to cause a person to unite with one in a conclusion or come to the same opinion, to prove, demonstrate“. It can imply the act of proving or concluding something through logical reasoning or evidence.

So how would Saul prove that Jesus was the Christ (the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah)? The method is this. He would show all the predictions made by the Old Testament prophets that the Messiah would have to fulfill in order to prove that he was the Messiah. Examples would be Micah 5:2 that he must be born in Bethlehem. His lineage would have to be from David as shown in Matthew’s genealogy in Matthew 1. He would have to do many miracles such as sight to the blind, etc. as predicted in Isaiah 35. He would have to fulfilled all the predictions in Isaiah 53 about being pierced, scourged, hung between 2 thieves, buried in a rich man’s tomb, and raised from the dead. There were more of these predictions. Saul would show all these predictions and then tell how Jesus fulfilled every single one of them, the most important of which was Jesus’ resurrection the which Saul is now a witness of. The conclusion of this argumentation would be that Jesus was the predicted Messiah. Faith in Jesus is based on such logical, rational arguments. It is not just a fell good religion. It is not just an accept it by blind faith relgion. In Acts 17:31 God “gave proof that Jesus would judge the world by raising him from the dead.” God gave us plenty of proof that Christianity is the only true religion.

This was the method Saul used in the synagogues in trying to convert Jews. Acts 17:1 “Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. ² And according to Paul’s custom, he visited them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, ³ explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” Again, rational logical reasoning giving proof or evidence from the Old Testament Scriptures using the same method as in Acts 9:19-22. Notice in these verses that specific evidence was given that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. That prediction would be from Isaiah 53 mainly where he was a “man of great pain” (53:3), pierced for our offenses (53:5 his crucifixion), by his wounds we are healed (53:5), oppressed and afflicted (53:7), and that He would see His offspring and prolong his days (53:10 his resurrection after death. The Jews could not imagine a Messiah who would die such a horrible suffering death, not to mention a subsequent resurrection. But Saul (called Paul by the time of Acts 17:1-3) showed them that Jesus’ death did not disqualify him from being the Messiah, and that his resurrection was predicted. The Jews simply missed the entire fulfillment of Isaiah 53 by Jesus. Unbelieving Jews today still miss it. It is amazing that they can be so blind to the fulfillment of Isaiah 53 which is in their Old Testament Scriptures.

What happened next is a little difficult to sort out. Galatians 1:¹⁵ But when He who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, ¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.” This suggests that he went to Arabia after his conversion very soon after his conversion. This was right after Acts 9:20-22 where he did some immediate proclaiming Jesus to be the Son of God and Messiah. Either that or his trip to Arabia came immediately after his convfersion but was very short such that it could still be said that he began proclaiming Christ in Damascus immediately after his conversion.

How long did he stay in Arabia? Galatians 1:¹⁸ Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him for fifteen days. ¹⁹ But I did not see another one of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.” Most say that he was in Arabia 3 years, but Acts 9 says that ²³ When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, ²⁴ but their plot became known to Saul. They were also closely watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; ²⁵ but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.” So he spent many days in Damascus before the plot to kill him. So the 3 years of Galatians 1:18 is probably the total of 3 years spent in Arabia and Damascus after his conversion and not just 3 years in Arabia.

What did he do during that time, however long it was, in Arabia? We don’t know. Pure speculation but he perhaps spent time reflecting on his conversion. He makes it a point in Galatians 1 to say that he received his gospel directly from Jesus and not from the other apostles, so perhaps the Holy Spirit spent a lot of time with him instructing him in the new covenant teachings and how he was to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. To me, this time is when the Spirit would make it clear to Paul that the Gentile converts would not have to be circumcised or keep the Law.

After 3 years (total time in Damascus and Arabia after his conversion, probably from AD 33-36) a plot to kill Saul was discovered and the disciples lowered him in a basket through the wall to safety and he fled from Damascus to Jerusalem. Details of this plot and escape are given in 2 Corinthians 11:³² 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.”

So after 3 years he went to Jerusalem. Galatians 1:Galatians 1:¹⁸ Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him for fifteen days. ¹⁹ But I did not see another one of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.” Again, he is showing that he did not spend enough time in Jerusalem get his particular method of teaching of the gospel to the Gentiles (which did not include making them be circumcised) from the apostles in Jerusalem. I spent two whole years in a school of preaching that highly influenced how I preached the gpspel for the next many years after that. But Paul makes it a point to say that he only spent 15 days, hardly enough to get a complete school of preaching certificate from the apostes. Plus he only saw Peter and James the Lord’s brother. It is interesting that Paul calls James an apostles since he was not. The James who was one of the original 12 apostles was beheaded in Acts 12. James the Lord’s brother was converted and became a pillar of the church in Jerusalem, but he was not one of the 12 apostles. The Greek word for apostle just means “one sent” so it had a generic usage in addition to being used of the origiinal 12 apostles.

Acts 9 gives us more detail about what he did after his escape to Jerusalem. Acts 9:
²⁶ When he came to Jerusalem, he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus at Damascus. ²⁸ And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. ³⁰ Now when the brothers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus. ³¹ So the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace, as it was being built up; and as it continued in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it kept increasing.” I assume that these verses describe the 15 days of Galatians 1:18 that he spent in Jerusalem 3 years after his conversion, after he escaped the death plot. Apparently Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them of Saul’s seeing Jesus on the road and his conversion. But also apparently from Galatians 1:18,19 he only spent time with Peter in Jerusalem during that 15 days, but he was allowed to roam around Jerusalem freely, preaching the gospel during the 15 days.

So we have now tracked Saul from his conversion through the first 3 years in Damascus and Arabia and his escape to Jerusalem after 3 years where he spent 15 days. Acts 9:30 says that after that 15 days he was threatened again and the brethren sent him off to Tarsus, his hometown, where he apparently spent most of the next 14 years up to the Jerusalem conference in Acts 15 in about 40 AD. During that 14 years Barnabas came to Tarsus to get him and they spent a year in the new church in Antioch of Syria. Acts 11:²² The news about them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. ²³ Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with ^[u]resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; ²⁴ for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And considerable numbers were added to the Lord. ²⁵ And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; ²⁶ and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers of people; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. During that year in Antioch he made a 2nd visit to Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 11:²⁷ Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ One of them, named Agabus, stood up and indicated by the Spirit that there would definitely be a severe famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius. ²⁹ And to the extent that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brothers and sisters living in Judea. ³⁰ And they did this, sending it with Barnabas and Saul to the elders.” He apparently made his first missionary journey with Barnabas during that year in Antioch, which took 6-9 months.

Here is a very good outline of all this time sequence. https://www.dwellcc.org/essays/chronological-study-pauls-ministry#:~:text=Paul%20described%20his%20conversion%20in,%E2%80%9D%20(2:1).

A. The period from Paul’s conversion until the 1st trip to Jerusalem.

1. (Acts 9-12). Paul was converted on the road to Damascus
2. He entered Damascus and stayed there for an unknown amount of time (Acts 9:19)
3. Paul went to Arabia for an unspecified period, and returned to Damascus afterward (Gal.1:17).
4. The whole period from his conversion until his departure from Damascus is given as “3 years” (Gal.1:18)
5. He went to Jerusalem after this, and stayed for 15 days (Acts 9:26-29; Gal.1:18)

B. The period from the 1st visit until the 2nd visit to Jerusalem.

1. After the 15 days at Jerusalem, Paul was sent away to avoid capture, and sailed from Caesarea to the regions of Syria and Cilicia (Acts 9:30; Gal.1:21)
2. After a period ranging from 8 to 14 years, Paul traveled to Antioch with Barnabas and stayed for 1 year in Antioch (Acts 11:25; Gal.1:21-2:1 see below).
3. Paul then traveled to Jerusalem from Antioch, staying for a short time. This was in connection with the collection taken up in Antioch because of Agabus’ vision (Acts 11:27-30; Gal.2:1). He then returned to Antioch.

C. The period from the 2nd until the 3rd visit to Jerusalem.

1. After the relief visit (2nd visit) to Jerusalem, Paul returned to Antioch.
2. Very soon afterwards, the 1st missionary journey began.
   • Paul, Mark, and Barnabas traveled from Antioch to Seleucia, the nearest port, then to Cyprus.
   • Then they went to Pamphylia which lies to the north of Cyprus in modern day Turkey.
   • From there, they went to Galatia, as far as the city of Derbe, but without Mark, who went home.
   • Then they went back through the same cities in the opposite direction.
   • Finally, they sailed from Perga back to Antioch of Syria.
   • This entire journey lasted from six to nine months, concluding before the storms of winter would have stopped ship travel in the Mediterranean.

Next comes the debate: Galatians 2:1 Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.” Was the trip to Jerusalem after 14 years the same trip as the visit to Jerusalem in Acts 15 for the conference to settle the issue of Gentile converts being forced to be circumcised. Or was it the trip to Jerusalem mentioned in Acts 11:27-30 where he carried famine relief money to the church in Jerusalem.

Here is a great article discussing this debate. https://evidenceunseen.com/new-testament/galatians/difficulties/is-this-passage-referring-to-the-council-of-jerusalem-in-acts-15-or-is-it-something-else The author of this article takes the view that the visit to Jerusalem in Galatians 2:1 was not the visit to Jerusalem for the conference in Acts 15. He show the similarities between Acts 15 and Galatians 2, but then points out the differences. I encourage you to read the article. He says that the visit to Jerusalem in Galatians 2:1 is the visit to Jerusalem in Acts 11:27-30 for famine relief. I think I agree with the author.

His main points that persuade me. 1) Acts mentions 3 visits to Jerusalem after his conversion (a visit after 3 years in Acts 9, a visit for famine relief in Acts 11, and a visit for the conference in Acts 15). Galatians only mentions two visits to Jerusalem (after 3 years in Acts 9 and then 14 years later Galatians 2:1). He is very specific about not going to Jerusalem any more than those two visits, so it seems that 2nd visit in Galatians 2:1 would have to be the 2nd visit in Acts 11.

2) Galatians 2 is private discussion with Peter, James, and John but Acts is a very public discussion. It would be reasonable that, if Galatians 2:1 is the same visit as Acts 11:27-30, Paul would visit the 3 men in private to discuss Gentile circumcision since he had only been to Jerusalem once 11 years earlier (the Acts 9 visit 3 years after his conversion. The same subject would be discussed later on his 3rd visit to Jerusalem in Acts 15 for the conference, but that debate was public and fueled by the Jewish brethren iinisting that Gentile converts be circumcised. The private discussion in Galatians 2 and Acts 11 was fueled by Paul himself.

3) It seems that, if the Galatians 2:1 visit was the same as the Acts 15 conference visit, Paul would have mentioned the letter that the conference came up with to send to all the churches. Instead, in Galatians 2 they just shake hands in agreement that the Gentile converts don’t have to be circumcised. Also in Galatians 2 Paul brings Titus as a test case of a Gentile convert who was not required to be circumcised and that is not mentioned at all in Acts 15.

4) In Galatians 2, even after the agreement Paul reached with Peter, James, and John, then later Peter on a visit to Antioch vacillates quickly later and is influenced by men from James (who is back in Jerusalem) to quit eating with the Gentile Christians. It seems unlikely that Peter, who was a main spokesman in Acts 15 of not requiring Gentile converts to be circumcised, would vacillate after the Acts 15 conference and do what is described in Galatians 2:¹¹ But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. ¹² For prior to the coming of some men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and separate himself, fearing those from the circumcision. ¹³ The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.” That vacillation seems like it more likely occured after just a brief private discussion with Paul in Galatians 2:1-10 on Paul’s 2nd visit to Jerusalem in Acts 11. Barnabas also vacillates in Galatians 2 in Antioch and it seems unlikely he would vacillate so quickly after being a main spokesman in Acts 15 if that were the same visit.

The author gives other reasons, but the ones discussed here convinced me. See what you think. Not a major issue at all, but some very interesting Bible study!

Wow that ended up long! But I hope it covers the 14 years following Saul’s conversion up to the Galatians 2:1 second visit to Jerusalem which was the 2nd visit to Jerusalem in Acts found in Acts 11:27-30. Thanks for reading!

Saul (later called Paul) had a strict Pharisee background. Philippians 3:² Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; ³ for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and take pride in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh, ⁴ although I myself could boast as having confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he is confident in the flesh, I have more reason: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee.” Acts 22:³ “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 (i.e. the Jews he was making his defense to).” Acts 26:⁴ “So then, all Jews know my way of life since my youth, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and in Jerusalem, ⁵ since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion.”

We first read of Saul in Acts 7. Some Jews had brought Stephen before the Jewish Council (the Sanhedrin) for a trial. They produced false witnesses saying that Stephen was blaspheming Moses and the Law, which he wasn’t doing. Stephen gives his defense, a long summary or the history of the Jews showing how the Jews had always resisted the Holy Spirit, just as in the current situation. His closing words to his defense were sharp: Acts 7:⁵¹ “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. ⁵² Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, and you have now become betrayers and murderers of Him; ⁵³ you who received the Law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.” That was too much for them to take. 7:⁵⁴ Now when they heard this, they were infuriated, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; ⁵⁶ and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” ⁵⁷ But they shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one mind. ⁵⁸ When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” ⁶⁰ Then he fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he ^[ak]fell asleep.” The penalty for blasphemy in the Law was stoning. Saul is a young man at this time. Some think that means between 26 and 40 years old. I think he was under 30 (pure speculation). I think he would have been actively throwing stones at Stephen if he were older than that. Instead, he is just holding the garments of those stoning Stephen.

Soon after that Saul begins to persecute Jewish Christians. Acts 8:1 Now Saul approved of putting Stephen to death.And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles. ² Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned loudly for him. ³ But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and he would drag away men and women and put them in prison.”

Several verses comment on his persecution of Jewish Christians, whom he considered to be part of a dangerous heretical sect. Galatians 1:¹³ For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; ¹⁴ and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.” Philippians 3: ⁶ as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.”  Acts 22:⁴ I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, ⁵ as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify.” Acts 26:⁹ “So I thought to myself that I had to act in strong opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰ And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, after receiving authority from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote against them when they were being put to death. ¹¹ And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and since I was extremely enraged at them.”

Acts 26:9-11 especially gives us a picture of how cruel Saul was toward Jewish Christians. No doubt his memories of torturing, imprisoning, and killing Jewish Christians haunted him after he was converted to Jesus. He did all that with a good conscience, thinking that he was serving God by wiping out this heretical sect called Christians. Acts 23:1Now looking intently at the Council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with an entirely good conscience before God up to this day.” Of course, that shows that someone can be very devoted to his religion and yet be in a totally false religion. But God know his heart. He knew that Saul would repent and become a believer if given sufficient proof that Jesus was indeed the Son of God raised from the dead.

That’s next!

Chuck Swindoll said that worry, stress, and fear are the thieves that rob us of our joy. I have personally been robbed many times by these 3 bandits. I struggle with all 3. The Holy Spirit tries to counsel me with scripture. 1 Peter 5:7:“Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” Hebrews 13:5b-6:“…for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what man can do to me.'” 2 Timothy 1:7:“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline.” Philippians 4:6-7:“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” The Spirit of God is everywhere, so I try to feel His presence and hear His gentle voice counseling me to get rid of my worry, stress, and fear, but often that doesn’t help me. Why not? Probably b/c of my lack of faith and my shallow relationship with God and with the Spirit of God.

So what will help me? I know that when I am stressed out over something, I will go to my wife and she will say, “don’t even think about that; everything is going to be fine; quit worrying about that”. She might even give me a reason that I should not be worried. That helps me even if I’m not sure about her reason! I trust her emotions and faith more than I do my own.

Why can’t I turn to Jesus and listen to him telling me not to worry or stress out or be afraid? We read what Jesus said about these 3 things, but we tend to forget that he always gave counseling on these things as he was talking to his followers. They were having a panic attack in the middle of a storm at sea. Jesus asked the apostles, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”. They were afraid as the time for his crucifixion was about to happen. Jesus told them, John 14:27:“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” He was addressing the multitude but also this disciples in Matthew 6:²⁵ “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? ²⁷ And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span? ²⁸ And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, ²⁹ yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! ³¹ Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ ³² For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you. ³⁴ “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

If Jesus were sitting right in front of me on my couch right now, I think his words would, at least temporarily, remove all my worry, stress, and fear; just as my wife’s words help me. So the secret is to have such a relationship with Him that I can feel him sitting with me, talking to me, counseling me. That requires faith, b/c we walk by faith and not sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). When I panic, he is probably asking me the same question that the asked the apostles during the storm at sea, “”Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”. The secret is to feel His presence! As long as I can hear him say, “everything is going to be good; don’t worry; don’t be afraid”, then that’s all I need to hear. But it takes faith and a personal relationship with Him to sense him looking at me and saying thsee things to me.

Can you relate to any of this? I wrote this article for me. I get tired of all he worry, stress, and fear that I carry with me all the time. Those 3 things rob me of the joy and peace that Jesus brings to me. Christians should be the happiest people of earth. Isaiah 35: 10 “And the redeemed of the Lord will return
and come to Zion with joyful shouting; and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” This verse is describing those redeemed by the Messiah when he came. It is talking about the redeemed here on earth. They might cry and be sad, but inside they spiritual everlasting joy and peace. Or at least they should. Pew Research Center says that actively religious people are more likely than their less-religious peers to describe themselves as “very happy”. That’s good. But then it adds, “36% of the actively religious describe themselves as “very happy,” compared with 25% of the inactively religious.” So only a little over a third of active Christians describe themselves as “very happy”. A little better 11% better than the inactive religious people, but still only 1 out of every 3 active Christians (i.e. those who go to church, who profess a sincere faith in Jesus) are very happy. What about the other 2/3????? They are active religiously. They probably go to church regularly. They listen to sermons and attend Bible classes, but the other 2/3 are not “very happy”. Yet we have been blessed with so many material blessings in this country. Most of us have money, nice homes, medical insurance, plenty of food, cars, income, etc. But not “very happy”. You take a short mission trip overseas as one of our student groups just did to Ghana, Africa. They have very little but they are happy in the Lord. Their joy is obvious. They are not stressed out and worried about material things. They have that everlasting joy that many of us Christians do not have.

Let’s work on it, what do you say? Jesus, talk to me! Holy Spirit, move me! Father, comfort me!

One of my former Bible students came by school and made a comment that we don’t have to follow the teachings and commands of Paul. The student said that we only have to follow the “red letters”, i.e. the teachings and commands of Jesus. I knew where he was going with that comment. He said that Jesus did not condemn homosexuality. He said that Paul was just homophobic and that Paul’s opinions were just his personal opinions and not binding on us today.

Galatians becomes a critical letter for us today as we face the LGBQT issues that seem to be splitting churches right and left. The Judaizers in Galatia were trying to undermine Paul’s authority as an apostle. Their issue in Galatia was not LGBQT but instead was Judaizer forcing Gentile converts to be circumcised as was required of Jews under the Law of Moses. No doubt they pointed out that Paul was not one of the original 12 apostles, which was true. Even Paul admitted that he was the last of the apostles. 1 Corinthians 15:⁸ and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. ⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus about 6 years after the death of Jesus, thus qualifying him to be an apostle. But in the 2nd Corinthian letter, he made it clear that he was not inferior to any of he other original 12 apostles in authority. 2 Corinthians 11:⁵ For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles.” 12:Actually I should have been commended by you, since I was in no respect inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody. ¹² The distinguishing marks of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs, wonders, and miracles.”

In the letter to the Galatians he defends his apostleship vigorously. In chapter 1 he argued that he received his gospel message (in which he did not make Gentile converts be circumcised) directly from Jesus and not from the other apostles. He makes it clear that he only went to Jerusalem 3 years after his conversion and only stayed 15 days, not nearly enough time to get a school of preaching training from the other apostles! Maybe some Judaizers were claiming that Paul got his teachings from the apostles but didn’t get some teachings on circumcision of Gentile converts correctly. But Paul is adamant that he did not get his gospel from the other apostles in any way. In chapter 2 he then stated that he did not go to Jerusalem again util 14 years later when he attended the Jerusalem Council in 50 AD to discuss the issue of Gentile converts being circumcised. He boldly states that Peter, James (the Lord’s brother), and John were the pillars of the Jerusalem. church but that he did not yield to them on the issue even for an hour. He said that their reputation as the apostles and leaders of the church meant nothing to him. He added that he even opposed the apostle Peter to his face when Peter was influenced by a group of men coming from James in Jerusalem to Antioch in Syria telling the Jewish Christians in Antioch to not eat with the Gentile Christians. BTW that’s pretty strange, if Peter was the first pope, that Paul would be rebuking the pope! It is obvious that Paul is claiming to have the same authority as the other apostles.

If Paul was a true apostle, which he was, then his teachings were inspired by the Spirit and infallible (without error). He is not just giving his uninspired opinions on issues. He was giving teachings inspired b by the Spirit. The apostle Peter even called Paul’s writings “Scripture”, giving them equal authority to the inspired writings of the Old Testament. 2 Peter 3:¹⁵ and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, ¹⁶ as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.” Surely no one would question the apostleship of Peter, and yet Peter claims that Paul’s writings were inspired Scripture.

Back to the critical LGBQT issue. Paul clearly says that homosexuality is a sin. Romans 1:²⁶ For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged natural relations for that which is contrary to nature, ²⁷ and likewise the men, too, abandoned natural relations with women and burned in their desire toward one another, males with males committing shameful acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.” 1 Corinthians 6:⁹ Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” The Greek word for homosexuals is arsenokoites: Homosexual, sodomite. The same word is used in 1 Timothy 1: ¹⁰ for the sexually immoral, homosexuals, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching.” I once talked with a minister of a church that accepted homosexual members and marriages. He argued that the Greek word for homosexual in these passages did not mean homosexual. Every Greek lexicon confirms that it does mean homosexual. If that isn’t enough, Romans 1 makes it even clearer without relying on Greek words.

The authority of Paul as an apostle is a critical issue today and we must defend his apostleship just as he did 2,000 years ago in the Galatian and Corinthian letters. The LGBQT issue should be easily resolved if we accept the inspiration of Paul’s writings. Those who reject Paul’s apostleship and authority do so without any proof or reasonable argument. They do so simply b/c they don’t like what he said about homosexuality.

One last point. One of the qualifications of an apostles was that one had to see the resurrected Jesus. Acts 1:²² beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” Paul was not with Jesus for the 3 years like the other apostles, but he argues that he did indeed see the resurrected Jesus. 1 Corinthians 9:1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? ² If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.” The resurrected Jesus appearing to Saul on the road to Damascus is one of the biggest proofs of the resurrection of Jesus. There is nothing else that could have changed Saul from persecuting, even killing, Jewish Christians except that he saw the resurrected Jesus. Jewish Christians were terrified of Saul and would not have dared to try to convert him. Seeing the resurrected Jesus qualified him to be an apostle even though he was not with Jesus the 3 years that the other apostles were with Him.

The church should be the “pillar and ground of the truth”. Paul said in 1 Timothy 3:¹⁴ I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; ¹⁵ but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one should act in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” It is not surprising for atheists and agnostics to argue that Paul was not an apostle, but it is shocking for churches like some of the Methodist churches (and other denominations before that) arguing that his writings against homosexuality are not inspired. If even believers reject Paul’s writings, what hope is there to convert the unbelieving world who question the authority of the Bible as the word of God? I shudder to think what Jesus must feel about the direction some of the churches are going in. I also wonder how many millions of dollars are collected to support the staff and buildings of churches that reject Paul’s teaching on homosexuality. I believe Jesus would be turning some tables over if he were to make an appearance to the churches in the U.S.