LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Reflective Paper Assignment
Submitted to Dr. Robert Stacy,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
NBST 520 – D01_202240
New Testament Orientation II
by
Derek Beamon
Dec. 14, 2022
Contents
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………1
Re-assessment of Paul..……………………………………………………………………………...3
Perspective of Paul…………..………………………………………………………………………4
Paul's Life……………….…..………………………………………………………………5
Paul's Letters……….……………………………………………………………………….6
Paul's Theology…………………….………………………………………………………..7
Paul's Significance in the Church Today……………...……………………………...8
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………….…..9
Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………………..10
1
Introduction
Saul, also known as Paul the Apostle, was a significant influencer of Christianity. Elwell, from the
book titled, "Encountering the New Testament: A Historical and Theological Survey," stated, "His
birthplace was not the land Christ walked but the Hellenistic city of Tarsus, chief city of the
Roman province of Cilicia."1 He was a Greek-speaking Jew very educated in Jewish law. Knowing the
Jewish law made him an effective Pharisee. He lived out the Mosaic law of the Torah and earned his
wages as a tentmaker. He also led the persecutions against early Christians that went against Jewish
tradition.
Luke wrote about the famous story of Paul in the book of Acts. Saul, at the time, was on his way to
Damascus to persecute the Jews. Jesus visited him and changed his life for the better. Being blinded by
God signified his vision was changed, which caused him to change his mission to work for Christ. He was
a Greek-speaking Jew very educated in Jewish law. Knowing the Jewish law made him an effective
Pharisee. Elwell indicated, "As he traveled the 150 miles from Jerusalem to Damascus armed with legal
authority to hunt down Jewish Christians (Acts 9:1–2), bright light and a heavenly voice stopped him in
his tracks. It was Jesus—to Paul's chagrin, not a dead troublemaker but the risen Lord."2 Jesus3changed
his name from Saul to Paul. Regeneration was significant in this event. He went from destroying
Christians to making disciples for Christ.
A A A A A AHis journey was not accessible by no means. People remembered him as the person who
breathed out murderous threats against them. We can imagine Paul witnessing Christ to the Jews,
who rejected him because he was like a traitor to the Pharisees. He was beaten and left for dead
in Jerusalem when he preached Christ to all the Jews. Leaving Jerusalem, Paul began preaching
to the Gentiles in Tarsus and other cities where Gentiles were. He spent most of his time in the
1 Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough, Encountering the New Testament: A Historical and Theological Survey, Third Edition.,
Encountering Biblical Studies (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013), 236.
2 Ibid p.237
2
following areas, Corinth, Galatia, Thessalonica, and Rome. While preaching in these cities, Paul
met with other Apostles, teaching them the craft of evangelism. The 13 letters of the Bible prove where
he journeyed to build churches because he writes to them to help sustain the church and give correction
and direction to all who believe in Jesus Christ.
Re-Assessment of Paul
After reassessing the Video Report Assignment, there is limited information regarding Paul. The
news was more surface knowledge that gave a brief overview of Paul's life. Many details were not
mentioned, maybe for the sake of time, because Paul had experienced and done a lot in building the church
of God. I had a shallow understanding of Paul. After studying Paul, my perspective grew and became
more apparent.
The video failed to discuss his conversion, an important event in his life. The video should have
stressed the event as to what liberation and regeneration in Christ look like to all. Christ instantly forgave
Paul for his sins. Paul was freed from those transgressions and given a second chance at life. Elwell
mentioned, "Paul's conversion was never the focal point of his preaching—he preached Christ, not his
personal experience (2 Cor. 4:5)—but neither does it fail to influence him in later years."3 Luke told the
story in Acts of his conversion but did not mention it in his writings. Just because he did not note
his conversion does not mean we do not have to say ours to others.
The video also mentioned what happened to him more than what he did. We will never
forget the bad things of a person's story more than the good. His blindness, conversion, torture,
imprisonment,3and suffering fueled him to push the Gospel of Christ further. While dealing with
life-threatening situations, his faith was unwavering. He persevered through it all. He encouraged
every believer when they read his testimony in the letters.
3 Ibidp.237
3
Journeys and missions were mentioned in the video but gave little detail. A few names of other
apostles that helped him in his task were mentioned, but little was said about them. The church building
was critical in spreading the Gospel to help create more churches worldwide. His letters were mentioned in
the video. His letters give proof of his journeys in establishing churches throughout the world. They make
up most of the New Testament, which is very important because we still live by these letters he wrote
today. His epistles in the New Testament instruct every believer on how to live for Christ in the world.
Christ converted Paul because of his background. His transformational experience after accepting
Christ was pivotal. With his knowledge of the Jewish law and tradition, he spread the Gospel of salvation
to all by sharing that we can only achieve it through faith in Christ and not merit.
The Perspective of Paul
Reading about Paul before starting an in-depth study on him, I thought he was viewed as a
relentless leader that would not take down anyone. Reading his letters, one would think he is telling the
Jews to rid themselves of their traditions and customs. But it is not so.
Paul was doing something different that wasn’t done before. He united Jews and Gentiles together
under one roof in churches. He was teaching the Jewish customs to the Jews in front of the Gentiles, so
they could understand how they fit into the body of Christ. Paul did not require the Gentiles to participate
in the customs of the Jews from the Mosaic law but invited them into those practices. It reminds me of
Diversity and Inclusion. They were all grouped by Paul to celebrate and glorify God. In Four Views on
Apostle Paul, Campbell proposed, "Paul regards the church as an eschatological brotherhood, united as
image bearers of the Son and practicing a panoply of virtues revolving around love while they live as part
of the burgeoning new creation."4 Paul said it best in his letter to the Ephesians chapter 4: 4-6, "There
4 Michael F. Bird, “Introduction,” in Four Views on the Apostle Paul, ed. Stanley N. Gundry and Michael F. Bird, Zondervan Counterpoints
Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 15.
4
is3one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one
baptism; one God and Father of all, who3is3above all, and through all, and in you all."5
Paul's Life
Paul's family lineage was from the tribe of Benjamin. Paul was a privileged Jew of the Diaspora
and obtained Roman citizenship through various reasons such as birth, slavery, etc. He grew up mainly in
Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia. His personality was energy-filled. Schnelle stated, "The extant letters, like his
missionary activity, reveal Paul as a dynamic, energy-filled personality who lived his life by fundamental
convictions, one who pursued his goal with intense emotion."6
Pre-Christian Paul, also known as Saul, was a Pharisee with zeal. He mentions this in Phil. 3:4-6,
"though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the
flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel,3of3the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of
the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the
righteousness which is in the law, blameless."7 He lived according to the Torah. His zeal was to preserve it,
making him a persecutor of Christians. The first mention of Saul is in Acts 7. Stephen's stoning took place
during this time. He led the effort in having him stoned. Reading this scripture, one would think that he is a
person who that never be changed.
During his journey to Damascus, He met Jesus. Paul does not mention his conversion in scripture,
but Luke does in Acts. It was essential to know about Paul because his conversion inspired all believers.
Someone who used to hunt Christians is now making disciples for Christ. God blinded him for three days.
He also was without food at this time. Since Paul already understood the Jewish law and upheld the Torah,
he was taught by Ananias, who Jesus also visited to instruct him to get Paul. Through Ananias, Paul
5 Ephesians 4, Holy Bible, NKJV
6 Schnelle, Udo. 2012. Apostle Paul : His Life and Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic. Accessed December 13, 2022. ProQuest Ebook
Central.
7 Philippians 3:4-6, Holy Bible, NKJV
5
received the Holy Spirit and received his sight. He was changed, and his mission changed. It is incredible
to know that his conversion took only three days. He met with the disciples in Damascus and spent time
with them. He wasted no time to start preaching Christ throughout the nearby cities. He preached in
Jerusalem and began his missionary journeys through Asia Minor.
Paul's vocation was tent making. Paul's tents were kiosks erected outside the areas during the
Olympic games for vendors to sell items. "Cloths tents or tents with cloth roofs were widely used in the
Mediterranean world and were constructed in various forms in order to reduce the heat from the sun. The
linen material for such tents was an important product in Tarsus and so Paul could well have learned the
handwork of such linen production in his hometown"8 He was an independent craftsman working with
Aquila. Working as a tent maker allowed him to become a missionary, leading to him becoming the
founder of churches.
Paul's letters
Most of the New Testament are letters written by Paul. We know that he wrote 12, and the
thirteenth book had questions about who the author was. It is said the book of Hebrews was a letter that
Paul wrote because of the style and tone of the letter. Stanley Porter mentioned, "Acceptance of Hebrews
as Pauline appears to have been early, as reflected in the important papyrus where the Pauline corpus is
arranged generally according to length, with Hebrews following Romans and preceding the Corinthian
letters."9 So Paul wrote thirteen books in the New Testament.
Paul's epistles offer guidance on how Christians should live and represent God. The letters provide
encouragement, education, behavioral control, and spiritual food for the soul. The four main epistles of
Paul were Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, and Galatians. 1&2 Thessalonians discussed eschatology, and 1&2
Timothy and Titus are Pastoral epistles. Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and Ephesians are prison
8 Ibid p.45
9 Ibid p.162
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epistles. These letters led the charge when he could not be present. Paul stated several times in his letters to
men that he could not be there because he was in prison or held up due to some form of suffering. His goal
was to encourage the church to continue to promote one another and preserve as he was doing.
Most of his letters were instructions to be in unity. They should not forsake anyone because doing
life with one another is one of the main focuses. In 1 Cor. 1:10-17, Paul responds to the church's disunity.
"Paul appeals to them to agree with one another and have no divisions within their group."10 Paul also
knew how important it was to do life with another. Due to his fair share of suffering and persecution, he
understood how important it was to encourage and pray for one another.
Paul's Theology
Schreiner from the book, "Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology,"
mentioned, "Whether Paul thinks of justification, reconciliation, or sin, they are all based on the
foundation; they are not separate from the foundation, nor are they far removed from it."11 These
topics were the base of his theology. Paul's theology was built on God being the foundation. His
stance regarding salvation was based upon him being a product of grace through faith which
came from his transformation in Christ. He believes this because Christ gave him a second
chance at life because of what he has done. This also brought the thought of why he believes that
salvation is based upon faith and not works.
Paul connects all the attributes to tell the story of God. His theology is like a house where
God is the foundation. Schreiner mentions, "Hence, the image of the house nicely captures
various dimensions of Paul's theology the foundation is God and Christ, salvation history
portrays the progress being made on the house, and the theme of the house is the gospel."12 In a
10 Ibid p.228
11 Schreiner, Thomas R.. 2020.APaul, Apostle of God's Glory in Christ : A Pauline Theology. Westmont: InterVarsity Press. Accessed December
13, 2022. ProQuest Ebook Central.
12 Ibid p.7
7
sense, the house does not designate who lives in it. His theology was based upon the unity of
humanity, regardless of race. Salvation being the foundation is universal and is made available to
anyone. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile; as long as the individual believes in
Christ, they are justified in their faith.
Paul's Significance in the Church
Paul's message is timeless for today's church. Paul is viewed and held very high by other leaders
in the Bible. Christians often look to his writings for guidance. His reports provide lessons that anyone
could use in their daily life. Understanding that the setting was different, the lessons can still be applied to
every believer today.
Paul's message on unity is also timeless. Doing life with each other was at the base of his message.
He views the church as one body. Every individual in this body makes up the body of Christ. He believes
that every individual has a purpose and is equipped with a spiritual gift to do the work of God. His
perspective is for believers to serve one another through the gifts that God has given to them. Ultimately,
Paul sees the gifts given to every believer to accomplish the Great Commission God has called us to. Jesus
mentioned to the disciples "to make disciples of every nation" in Matt. 28:19-20. He encourages the church
to be bold and unashamed to spread the Gospel of Christ as he was.
Conclusion
As we look at Paul's life, one would ask how a man who once used to breathe murderous threats
out to his people and be changed for God could. The letters he wrote, the journeys he took to visit people,
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and the encouragement he provided were all a testament to Paul's new zeal in Christ. He is well-known for
his education, status, and credibility as a Jewish Pharisee and, as a leader, is the perfect candidate for a
radical transformation by Christ. He has the insight and can effectively convince certain people to
reconsider their theology. He is an example of what God can do to anyone who believes in Him.
Paul does not mention much about his conversion in scripture but does believe in the
transformational power of Christ. He has become the staple of God's redeeming power and freedom
experienced when Christ enters a person's life. Paul was once an arrogant, violent, zealous person who was
made humble and became a soldier for Christ. He is our example of what every Gentile can experience
when God has justified their faith. Boldness came through his sufferings, and he became unashamed to
preach the gospel of Christ. Anyone, and this is how every believer should also be.
Bibliography
Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough, Encountering the New Testament: A Historical and
Theological Survey, Third Edition., Encountering Biblical Studies Grand Rapids, MI: Baker
Academic, 2013
9
Michael F. Bird, "Introduction," in Four Views on the Apostle Paul, ed. Stanley N. Gundry and
Michael F. Bird, Zondervan Counterpoints Series Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012
Porter, Stanley E.AThe Apostle Paul: His Life, Thought, and Letters. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,
2016. Accessed December 13, 2022. ProQuest Ebook Central.
Schreiner, Thomas R.APaul, Apostle of God's Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology. Westmont:
InterVarsity Press, 2020. Accessed December 13, 2022. ProQuest Ebook Central.
Schnelle, Udo.AApostle Paul: His Life and Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012.
Accessed December 13, 2022. ProQuest Ebook Central.
Holy Bible, New King James Version, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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