LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Reflective Paper: Paul Revisited
Submitted to Dr. David Mappes
NBST 520
New Testament Orientation II
by
Nathan Jones
May 7, 2023
1
Video Assessment
The previously submitted video report on Paul contained no inaccuracies but was a
woefully narrowed description of who he was and what characterized his life. In the video, it was
claimed that Paul was a Jew, who had switched from persecuting Christians with Pharisaical
authority to becoming someone who was promoting the following of Jesus. The video posited
Paul as one visiting Synagogues and Churches to promote Jesus. Furthermore, the video
discussed how such a change in Paul’s beliefs and behavior resulted in receiving negative
attention from the Jewish leadership in the form of varied persecution. Beyond this description of
Paul and his life, there was not any more analysis provided.
Upon reflection, it is not that the report was “wrong” but that it failed to capture the heart
of Paul’s biographical change -the conversion/calling, it did not address Paul’s beliefs and
teachings, nor his ministry in founding Churches and disciplining other leaders within the
Church, nor did it discuss his writings. All of these deserve attention to give a whole perspective
of the Apostle Paul. Specifically, its attention should be given to the moment Paul went from
attempting to stamp out the “way” to promoting it. This would be a hallmark moment of Paul’s
life and serve as the only reasonable basis for the main point of a biographical story on Paul
whether it long typographical form or a brief video report. The video failed to provide the details
on that Damascus Road experience.
