Paul, the persecutor, the Christian and the apostle

CHAPTER I - A view of the whole

Step 1

Being a Christian and Configuration with Christ

For whom He forknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29)

The initial step: to understand what it means to be a Christian. The main object of the first part of this book, is to discover and to know Paul as a Christian model, in order that we can imitate him. Let us begin then defining what it means to be a Christian. This must be a short presentation, not a treatise on this subject.

The essential thing is a relationship with Jesus Christ. What makes a Christian is his relationship with Jesus Christ. Where there is no relationship with Jesus Christ, we can not speak about being Christian. This relationship is two fold: one is ontological or in the being of the person, and the other one is vital or existential, that is in practice. Let us say a few words about these two relationships.

1. A Christian is configured with Christ. The ontological relationship consists in that a Christian is configured or re-created to the likeness of Christ. It is a deep change, a change in the being of the person, and hence we say it is an ontological relationship. In that sense a Christian is a "new being" which makes him similar to Christ and gives him the characteristics of the Son of God made man. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The incarnation is the root of the configuration with Christ. A human being can reach this configuration with the Son of God thanks to the incarnation; that is, to the fact that He has been united with the human nature. A human being can "appropriate" that configuration or likeness with Christ through faith. We'll talk about this later.

The configuration with Christ is a lofty dignity. When a human person acquires the configuration with Jesus Christ, he is raised up to an exceedingly high level, by which he may be partaker of the divine nature, as Peter says in his second letter (2 Peter 1:4); and acquires the sublime dignity of being son of God: For whom He forknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29).

Being a Christian is a privilege reserved to human beings. We can conclude from what we just said, although it seems too rudimentary, that being a Christian is a privilege reserved to human kind, since only men and women can be Christians. Angels can not be Christians.

2. The relationship with Christ must also be vital, existential, practical. But the ontological likeness we have mentioned would be incomplete, if it does not come accompanied by the practical similarity, that is, a life which in deeds and facts is a manifestation of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the model; a Christian must be like Him. As Paul says: that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our body... in our mortal flesh (2 Corinthians 4:10, 11).

The use of the Christian name. This name began being used in Antioch where the disciples were first called Christians (Acts 11:26), and it meant only being a disciple of Christ. There is no evidence that this name had been used in a depreciatory way. The suffix ian added to Christ (Christ-ian), of Latin origin, suggested the idea of being slave of the one whose name preceded, that is, Christ's. Paul called himself servant of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:1).

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Step 2

Antecedents of Paul of Tarso - His birth, education and culture

If anyone thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee (Philippians 3:4-5).

A Jew called Saul. Before we embark on the study and knowledge of the one whom we venerate today as the Apostle to the Gentiles and a model for Christians, Paul, we should know the man, and have an idea of the antecedents of he who became a prominent figure in the church. He tells us himself in his letters.

Why two names. Saul is the first name by which Paul is mentioned in Acts, and is the English translation of the Hebrew name Saul; as Saul was Hebrew, son of Hebrews, he should have a Hebrew name. Paul on the other hand is his Roman name since, being born in Cilicia, a territory of the Roman Empire, it was convenient that he'd have a Roman name, or Latin, Paulus, Paul.

Time and place of birth. Education. We do not know with certainty the year of his birth, but it could be about the seventh year of the Christian era. Regarding the place, he says himself talking to the Tribune in Jerusalem: I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). That means that Paul, from his early years, perhaps 13, came to Jerusalem where he was educated. He probably lived at his sister's house (compare Acts 23:16).

Roman citizen. Saul, who also is called Paul (Acts 13:9), was a Roman citizen by birth, as he says to the Tribune in Jerusalem: I was born a citizen (Acts 22:28). This title granted him many privileges in the Roman Empire. We do not know how his parents, who were Hebrew people, got the Roman citizenship.

Bodily appearance of Paul. We do not have much information about his physical appearance, but he says what other people think of him: his letters are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak (2 Corinthians 10:10). It is believed that he was of small stature, but of a very wiry strong build, if we consider how he earned a living manually, as well as the evangelical work, his missionary trips and all that he suffered, as related in the second Corinthians 11:23-27.

The thorn in the flesh. It seems that he suffered a kind of sickness or shortcoming of his bodily system, as he confesses saying: a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me (2 Corinthians 12:7). We shouldn't make conjectures what it could be, because we do not know; at any rate, this humiliated him, limited him and bothered him.

His education. It is evident by his writings, and from what is said about him, that Paul reached a high level of instruction and education. Festus, governor of Caesarea, told him once: Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning has driven you mad (Acts 26:24). And Peter acknowledges that in Paul's letters are some things hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16).

Greek and Jewish culture. Paul received an ample education both in the Greek culture (that of the Gentiles and pagans, whom he knew very well and was familiar with); and also the Jewish culture and tradition. These antecedents molded his character and set up an exceptional human basis to make of him a faithful disciple of Christ and the apostles to the Gentiles, as we are going to see.

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