The Life of Paul of Tarsus

[Sif]

Hello everyone. I am interested in reading more about Paul and his life (pre-Conversion, Conversion, post-Conversion, his journeys and his letters). I have read the Acts of the Apostles in the Bible and that, I know, has a lot of information. I am interested in more of a biography of Paul. Are their any books or authors you can recommend?

Thank you very much.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Tradition states that after his trial before Caesar in Rome and house arrest he was set free and took one final missionary journey to Spain. However St. Paul was eventually arrested again in Rome and was sentenced to beheading.

Beyond this there isn't really a whole lot that is reliable. These things are mentioned by Christian writers from the end of the first century (St. Clement of Rome) onward. There exists later legendary material, such as the apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thekla, but it is largely a late work based upon popular traditions and legends, and so its usefulness is limited at best.

Apart from what's written in the New Testament and the little bit preserved in Christian tradition there's really not a whole lot that can be known.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Sif]

ViaCrucis, thanks for your response. Very informative.

 

[paul1149]

Don't neglect the Epistles as well. There's a lot of biographical and historical info there that can be meshed with Acts for a fuller picture. Galatians and 2 Corinthians come to mind.

Much has been written about the theology of Paul, and there have been many treatments of Acts alone, but the best I've found by far was recommended to me by an old Jewish friend many years ago: The Apostle, by Sholem Ashe. He weaves a deep knowledge of Jewish culture and secular history with the sacred text using his novelist's creative mastery in a way I've never seen equaled. It really helps to have those contexts to understand Paul's life.

 

[Sif]

Thanks paul1149. I will look for that book. I find Paul to be a very interesting person. Not just for the time period he lived in but for he did for Christianity (and by extension Western Civilization).

I find, not being a Christian, I need a better understanding of the context in which the Epistles were written.

 

[bling]

You might read Romans 7:7-25 which is in the historic present tense describe Paul (when he was a young Saul first understood coveting. He was temped all the more by the knowledge about sin, but going on to chp. 8 you find the indwelling Holy Spirit made it possible for him not to be caught up in sin.

 

[Hawkins]

The Life of Saint Paul - by James Stalker
Paul of Tarsus - by T.R. Glover
Scenes and Incidents in the Life of the Apostle Paul - by Albert Barnes
St. Paul The Traveler and the Roman Citizen - by W.M. Ramsay

 

[Sif]

Hawkins, thanks! I will get those on my list. I appreciate it.