Lesson #19 - The Apostle Paul - Pt A

Terry Siverd
02/05/20 - Wed Bible Study

LESSON #19 – THE APOSTLE PAUL / Pt A 

 THE EARLY DAYS:  PAUL BEFORE HIS CONVERSION TO CHRIST

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT SAUL OF TARSUS?

~ Before Paul became an apostle of Christ he was also known as Saul. 

- The name Saul means “asked for”.  cf. Acts 13:9 / Saul was also known as Paul 

Chronologically, from Acts 13:13 and thereafter, New Testament literature consistently refers to Saul as PAUL.

~ Saul was born in the city of Tarsus.  cf. Acts 22:3 with Acts9:11 and Acts 21:39.

- Tarsus, no insignificant city, was located about 12 miles north of the Mediterranean Sea.

As a commercial hub on a key trade route located on the banks of Cydnus River, the city was distinguished for its wealth.

The Cydnus flowed into an artificial harbor (a masterpiece of ancient engineering).

Some 40 years before Saul's birth Cleopatra has sailed into the harbor on her spectacular craft to meet Antony.

- Tarsus was located in the province of Cilicia  (modern-day Turkey) - - a region renown for the

making of “tents” woven from goat's hair (cilia).  By trade, Saul was a tent-maker (Acts 18:1-3).

These tents were in big demand among nomadic Bedouin people and also for military applications.

Tarsus was surrounded by mountains (some rising to 10,000' elevation) and included a ancient man-made

technological marvel - - “the Cilician Gates” - - an impressive passageway chiseled through the mountains .

- Tarsus was a metropolitan amalgamation of indigenous Cilicians, Hittites, Greeks, Assyrians and Persians.

The city was also a noted for its schools of learning, rivaling Athens and Alexandria.

 ~ We know little of Saul's family life.  His parents were devout Jews and his father was a Pharisee (Acts 23:6)

We know from Acts 23:16 that Saul had a sister who's son (Saul's nephew) warned him of an ambush.

In Philp.3:5-6 we read of Saul's religious background:  circumcised on the eighth day, of the nation

of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal,

a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.  cf. Acts 22:3f

- As the son of a well-to-do Pharisee in the free city of Tarsus, Saul was born a Roman citizen (Acts 21:39; 23:34-35 & 16:37).

~ As to Saul's educational training, we know that he lived as a Pharisee, of the strictest sect (Acts 26:5).

- This would have meant that he underwent rigorous training in the Holy Scriptures via the synagogue.

Saul was likely fluent in Greek and Hebrew (Aramaic) and would have been acquainted with rudimentary Latin.

At some point (probably during his teen years) Saul was sent by his parents to be schooled in Jerusalem (Acts 26:4).

- In Jerusalem, Saul was educated under Gamaliel, a grandson of the famous rabbi, Hillel (Acts 22:3). 

This training was STRICT - - meaning that it cultivated a strong and uncompromising zeal for the Law of God (Acts 22:3-4).

As to the degree of his zealotry, Saul testifies about his earlier days saying, I persecuted this Way to death (Acts 22:4).

Acts 26:9 summarizes:  So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus.

- Saul's fervor burned against all things related to Jesus and His church.

Thus, we find Saul in Acts 7:58 & 8:1, serving as the ringleader in orchestrating the stoning of Stephen. 

Acts 8:3 adds:  (He) began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and dragging off men and women to prison..

Acts 9:1-2 records:  Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord,

went to the high priests and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if

he  found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

QUESTIONS FOR DEEPER DISCUSSION

(1) Would it be fair and appropriate to label Saul as a first-century terrorist?  Was he a "radical jihadist"? - cf. Gal.1:13

(2) Was Saul a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin (supreme court)? - cf. Acts 7:58 & 8:1 with Acts 22:20 & 26:10

Saul was “a Hebrew of Hebrews” (Philp.3:5); He says of himself, I was advancing in Judaism beyond many

of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.

(3) Did Saul “know” Jesus of Nazareth?  Is it possible/likely that he would have seen or heard Jesus?  

(4) In what ways was Saul kicking against the goads? - cf. Acts 26:14