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Tell me about Paul

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LaBarre

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Paul's writings are very influential in Christianity - I've even read that he influenced it more than Jesus' preachings. I do know that he never met Jesus or had a chance to learn from him in the manner of the disciples. He had a dramatic and sudden conversion (what was behind that? Divine intervention, his reputed madness, or ???) It seems that Paul is really the least qualified "expert" on Christianity because of those factors. Where did his knowledge come from? How did the people he preached to view him? What did the disciples think? Has anyone ever compared Paul's work to Jesus' to see if Paul "got it right"?
 
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ebia

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LaBarre said:
Paul's writings are very influential in Christianity - I've even read that he influenced it more than Jesus' preachings.
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That doesn't really work as a comparison - Jesus wasn't primarily a teacher but a prophet and someone who did stuff. Paul is then teaching about the implications of that. Without what Jesus did there would be no Christianity for Paul to influence.
 
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Van

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Hi LaBarre, if we accept what the Bible says as accurate, then Paul "met" Jesus on the road to Damascus. The Bible does not say nor suggest that Paul was reputed to be "mad." Again, according to scripture, Paul did not learn the gospel from men, but from Christ, perhaps in a series of visions. The bible suggests Jews were split, some accepting what Paul taught, but others rejected his message. Gentiles usually either responded or simply walked away, they usually did not attach Paul and drive him from city to city. As far as Paul's qualifications, he was a well schooled Pharisee, very knowledgable about Old Testament scripture.

Some folks believe Paul got it wrong and perverted Christ's gospel, but mainstream Christianity accepts Paul as an inspired provider of the Word of God.
 
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kevlite2020

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Just to add to this, it's not like Paul came along right after Jesus. His time spent preaching was during the lifespan of the apostles, and although I can't think of a Bible verse that says this off the top of my head, I think there was a point where Paul either wrote to or communicated with some of the apostles just to make sure he was getting it right. Either way, Jesus's disciples were right there and would have been able to correct false teaching from him and declare him to be wrong, but they definitely did not do that. And there's nothing he wrote about that goes against scripture or against Christ so I don't see any reason not to accept his letters. I think it is just as he said, that he learned directly from Christ.
 
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SpiritualAntiseptic

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Paul worked with the apostles. He met with them, had them go with him on missionary trips, et cetera. He was not an outsider that taught separately from them. However, the original apostles stayed around Jerusalem mostly, while Paul's concern was to go out all over the world, establishing churches.

His knowledge came from God through the Holy Spirit within him.
 
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ebia

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We shouldn't forget that Paul spent a decade in Tarsus after his conversion before Barnabas fetched him to join in the ministry in Antioch, and we don't really know who he had contact with during that time, but we can be pretty sure some serious reflection happened.

We do then know that he spent a good many years working alongside Barnabas - I think the most interesting and under-explored character in Acts - through whom Paul no doubt learned a great dea.
 
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drich0150

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Acts9:

Saul's Conversion

1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

5"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"
"Yes, Lord," he answered.
11The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."
13"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."
15But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" 22Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.[a]

23After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
26When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.
 
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Jpark

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Where did his knowledge come from?

Paul says in Galatians 1:17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Paul received no human instruction following his conversion, but withdrew to Arabia, where God revealed to him the substance of the gospel.
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Paul was 100% filled with the Holy Spirit. He recieved the power of God (Luke 5:17), presence of God (Psalm 51:11), and glory of God (2 Chronicles 5:14), the Holy Spirit.
 
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