The “CALLING” of Saul of Tarsus

1 August 2021

Thesis:

Outline

I. The Road to Demascus

A. Saul the Pharisee

1. Saul the Jew had a zeal to defend his Jewish faith from the “disciples”.

2. Paul has dual citizenship – Hebrew and Roman citizenship.

B. Authority

1. Persecuter of Christians has a letter authorizing Saul to arrest Christians in Demascus

2. Paul a student of the law, the synagogues in Damascus had to adhere to the authorization Paul possessed.

II. Sauls Conversion

A. Sauls Conversion to Paul

1. Saul encounters Jesus, he is blinded by the bright light and falls to the ground.

2. Jesus ask the question to Saul “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?”

3. Saul recognizing he is in the presence of the Lord, humbles himself; he recognizes his own sprtiual blindness.

B. Straight Street

1. Paul’s is without sight for three days, and the bible says neither did he eat or drink.

2. Ananias a disciple at Damascus, received a vision from the Lord telling hi to go to a street call Straight.

3. The Lord tells Ananias to lay his hands on Saul that he mignht receives his sight.

4. The Lord say Saul is his chosen vessel, and he must suffer great things for his name sake.

III. Paul’s Persecution

A. Paul faces persecution from the Jews, for spreading the Gospel.

1. Paul stoned – the Jews took council to kill Paul.

2. Saul’s name is changes to Paul.

B. Imprisoned

1. Prisoner Paul’s warns “this is not s good time for sailing”, there is a shipwreck on Pauls way to, however Paul makes it on broken pieces.

2. The snake fastens itself to Paul and Paul shakes off the snake.

Annotated Bibliography

Bales, James D., and George Lyttelton Lyttelton. Saul, from Persecutor to Persecuted: Including

Lord Lyttelton’s Essay on the Conversion of St. Paul Shreveport, La: Lambert Book House, 1975.

Saul’s journey on the road to Damascus brings about a sudden change of heart, when he encounters Jesus along the way. Paul’s change of heart leaves those around him confused about his intentions. Those around him, are aware of his hatred for Christians. The Christian’a were aware, of Pauls intentions, he went about seeking them out to eliminate Christian’s individuals he considered to be breaking Jewish law. All of a sudden he is transformed, from despising people of the way (Christians) into fervently advocating the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With the same zeal Paul had for eliminating the Christian people, like the most fervent convert, Paul simply couldn’t get enough of Christ. With the unctioning of the Holy Spirit, Paul would spends his life going from country to country and town to town proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul shares Jesus is the Messiah and organizes and encourages Christians to be stanch followers of Jesus Christ. Paul encourages nonbelievers to open their hearts to Christ, repent and be baptized. He would become one of the greatest Apostles of the Gentiles and his travels, letters and teaching changed the world. Paul often found himself in trouble situations, he was confronted, jailed, physically abused and repeatedly endangered and harassed for preaching the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The very message Paul previously attacked, he would never wavered from his teaching, nor would he fail his God, despite all the dangers he would encounter along the way. In the end, he would be taken to Rome as a prisoner.

Becker, Jürgen. Paul : Apostle to the Gentiles First edition. Louisville, Ky: Westminster/John

Knox Press, 1993.

The Apostle Paul travels to Europe and Asia Minor speading the Gospel. It is noted that Paul is often reffered to as the apostle to the Gentiles, however he impacted more that the Gentiles. The most influential leaders of the early Christian church. Paul plays a crucial role in spreading the gospel while on his missionary journeys throughout the Roman empire. More than a dozen ministries are formed through Paul’s ministry. Paul, has lived on the other side of the cross, and now journeys sharing the Gospelto of Jesus Christ with both Jews and Gentiles. One of the most important impacts Paul made in the book of Acts was unique calling and ministry of the apostle Paul in the of the Christian church. Jurgen Becker, explores who Paul is through the person, work, letters, and thought of Paul in order to provide a comprehensive and through study. He shares information that answers both historical and theological questions. Pauls life is presented, with detailes, careful, and imaginative presentation of Paul’s life chronologicaly. Paul was a Jew, the son of a Roman citizen. Paul was educated in Jerusalem, where he studied under Gamaliel. Apostle Paul faced great challenges to preach the Gospel. Paul states that he is the “least of the apostles” and that he is “unworthy to be called an apostle” because of his actions before following Christ, But the grace of God has made him an apostle and by grace he was chosen to preach the gospel to the gentiles. Paul was characterized as the “apostle to the uncurcumsied” and Peter was “the apostle to the circumcised” Paul always preached to the Jews first and then the Gentiles. When studing the history of the early church and Paul's Epistles, it is easy to understand the crucial role that Paul plays.

Brashler, James. "Called to Preach." Presbyterian Outlook (Richmond, Va.) 199, no. 11 (2017):

41.

Saul persecuter of the Christian believer. Saul has obtained authorization from Jewish authorities to arrest people belonging to “the Way” (Christians) has change of heart on his journey to Demascus. Saul has an encounter of a life time. continued his campaign against the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem with "threats and murder" according to Luke. Saul encounters the Lord Jesus Christ. On Paul’s journey on the road to Damascus, he is blinded by a flashing light and hears the voice from heaven, saying “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Recognizing the voice as Lord. Saul had to be led into Damascus by his companions awaiting instructions from the Lord.

Ananias receives a call from God to Saul, Go tells Anninias ro go to Straight Street and he

to go and find Saul, who was praying and having a vision that he was being healed of his blindness. Ananias fearfull, however obeys God. God tells Ananias, that Saul was God's chosen instrument to preach the gospel to all people: Gentiles, kings and Jews. Ananias found Saul and did as God instructed him laid his healing hands on him and Saul's received his sight and was filled with the Holy Spirit. No longer was Paul a persecutor of the Christian people now he was a zelous preacher of the Gospel. Saul's preaching had a powerful effect on his Jewish hearers. Brasher shares , Saul's preaching "confounded" the Jews.

Callahan, Allen Dwight. ""Brother Saul": An Ambivalent Witness to Freedom." Semeia, no. 83

Keck, Leander E. Christ’s First Theologian : the Shape of Paul’s Thought Waco, Texas: Baylor

University Press, 2015.

This depicts the significance of the Apostle Paul, he share the why Christ matters. Paul deliberately projects himself projects a particular image of himself as a proud apostle. Paul an apostle whom God set apart for peaching/teaching the gospel. Paul citing (and modifying) a well-known tradition (1:3-4) without saying so, he shows himself to be an interpreter of the shared faith. Paul shows himself to be a “biblical theologian.” Paul share that his theology is being misrepresented, and corrects the false impression. He also takes care to show that he is an obedient subject of civil authority. Pauls zeal for the Gospel, shows his committement to the Gentile mission. Paul expresses anguish over the Jews’ rejection of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Kochenash, Michael. "Better Call Paul "Saul": Literary Models and a Lukan Innovation."