For this week’s review of the events in Paul’s life, I want to first step back a little in Luke’s account of the early church in Acts 4:32-37. Here we read about the church in Jerusalem before Stephen’s martyr and before Paul had begun his persecution of the church. The church was growing and caring for one another, and we are introduced to a character who will become important in Paul’s story – Barnabas.
“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.“
Barnabas is known for his encouragement and it is this quality that we see play out a little later in Paul’s life. Speaking of Paul, if you’ll recall from my previous post, it has been three years since his encounter on the road to Damascus with Jesus. Because of Jesus’ instruction to him he has been starting to preach about Jesus’ resurrection from the dead and His identity as God’s promised Messiah. He taught in the synagogue(s) of Damascus and also traveled south into the kingdom of the Nabataeans which is known as the region of Arabia.
I estimate that it is approximately 39 to 41 A.D. now in Paul’s story. Paul and Luke tell us what happened next:
“Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!)“
“And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.“
These two passages provide us with several key bits of information about Paul:
- Paul returned to Jerusalem for the first time since he became a follower of Jesus. It had been three years since Paul the persecutor had been there, but his notoriety from that was still remembered. The local believers were skeptical and afraid of him.
- Barnabas, encourager that he was, quickly befriended and accepted Paul. Paul told him his testimony about meeting the risen Jesus and Barnabas orchestrated a meeting with Peter and James, both of whom had seen the risen Jesus as well and were key leaders in the Jerusalem church.
- Paul was only there for barely over two weeks. It seems unlikely that he was able to garner such animosity from the Hellenistic Jews just because of his actions during those weeks. However, if you recall, the term “Hellenists” refers to Jews who were from cultures outside of Judea. I think it is likely that the Hellenists described here were some who were from, or familiar with, Paul’s preaching in Damascus and Arabia and were familiar with the reasons (whatever they were) that Paul’s life was being threatened in Damascus. That would go a long way in explaining why he so quickly garnered their ire and desire to kill him in just two weeks.
- The local believers, possibly encouraged by Barnabas, sought Paul’s safety and urged him to return to his home town of Tarsus.
The seventh fresco painting from the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls (and photographed by the Hermit’s Door) depicts Paul with Barnabas meeting with believers in Jerusalem.
It was probably during this meeting that Paul heard from various eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. He recorded a few details from this conversation in 1 Corinthians 15:3-9.
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.“
We learn one more tidbit about Paul’s time in Jerusalem from his speech recorded in Acts 22:17-21: “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
We learn from Paul’s later letters to the churches in Galatia and Corinth a little of what happened next.
“Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, ‘He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’ And they glorified God because of me.“
Scholars estimate that Paul spent 5 to 8 years basing his ministry in Tarsus. As with his time in Arabia, we have little to no information from which to draw conclusions, so the comments I make here are merely supposition.
The map below shows the region around the eastern Mediterranean Sea. In the passage above, Paul identifies Cilicia, which is where his hometown of Tarsus was located. Barnabas was from the island of Cyprus. Paul had been living in Jerusalem during his time studying under Rabbi Gamaliel, so I don’t know how long he had been away from Tarsus. However, it is reasonable to assume that he still had family or friends who lived there, he was familiar with the surrounding region, and he knew about the local beliefs and market structure. He could have supported himself (possibly as a tentmaker) and developed a preaching ministry there. He probably spoke in any synagogues located there, and may have had opportunities to share the Gospel with Gentiles in the market areas. We just don’t have any information about this time period.
I will offer one additional conjecture (and it’s purely conjecture) about another reference Paul makes in 2 Corinthians 11:24-27. In this passage he lists various trials he’s endured so far in his ministry. This list has to encompass things which occurred between his conversion and the time that he wrote this letter, which was during what is called his 3rd missionary journey. He says that during that time period he was shipwrecked three times, including one time which involved spending a night and day adrift at sea. We know from later in Acts that Paul was shipwrecked on his journey to Rome as a prisoner, but that wreck would not have been included in this list.
My conjecture is that the three shipwrecks were when he crossed the main part of the Mediterranean Sea. The first of the three times would have been this trip from Caesarea to Tarsus, so I conjecture that this is the trip in which he was not only shipwrecked but spent a night and day adrift. My reasoning is that Luke is not providing a detailed description of this time period and so it would not be surprising for him to leave out that detail. I also conjecture that this would be a prime time for Satan to attack Paul and try to stop him. I’ll talk later about when I think the other two shipwrecks might have been.
We may have one additional clue to Paul’s time here, though, from 2 Corinthians 12:2-10. Paul writes,
“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.“
The fourteen years of which Paul writes about would have likely placed this vision during the time that he was in Tarsus. We don’t know the specific content of this vision, but his account above has several elements to consider:
- Paul’s vision placed him in heavenly surroundings. This is not unlike Daniel’s visions (Daniel 7), Ezekiel’s (Ezekiel 43), and the apostle John’s (Revelation 4). They saw things from a perspective that was not of their time and place but in heavenly realms.
- Paul indicates that some of what he saw or heard cannot be told. This may mean that it was just too awesome or wonderful to convey, but it could also reflect a direct command by God to NOT reveal it. This happened to Daniel in Daniel 12:4 where God told him to seal up the words until the end of time. Likewise, John was told in Revelation 10:4 to seal up the words that he heard during one portion of his vision.
- Paul heard or saw some things which were truly wonderful and impressive to him… so much so that he may have had a tendency to feel proud or boastful about that. More on that in a minute. I think (and this is purely conjecture on my part) that it was in this vision – or possibly even a set of visions – that Paul gained his understanding of the mysteries of God revealed in Paul’s later preaching and writing ministries. He developed very mature and deep theologies that laid the groundwork for a lot of Christian doctrine. More on that as well, below.
- In this letter to the Corinthians, Paul indicates that God chose some from of discipline or annoyance in Paul’s life and revealed to him that the purpose of this trouble was to keep Paul humble because of the great things that God had given him to do. In his letter he explained how he had come to the realization and acceptance of God’s purposes in allowing this annoyance – whatever it was – into Paul’s life.
I think it is important at this point to make a distinction between what is sometimes referred to as Pauline Christianity and what is referred to as Pauline Doctrine. A good background article on Pauline Christianity can be read on the Got Questions website. In essence, there are some people who suggest that Paul advocated for a different form of Christianity that Jesus ever intended. This is a false doctrine. It challenges the principle of unity and continuity within the New Testament, and between the Old and New Testaments. It claims that Paul is responsible for putting more into Jesus’ significance than Jesus ever intended. The article above summarizes this erroneous view of Pauline Christianity with these five points:
1) Jesus was not divine. He never claimed to be God, and he never intended to start a new religion.
2) The Bible is not an inspired book and is riddled with contradictions. None of the Bible, except possibly the book of James, was written by anyone who knew Jesus. There are fragments of Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels, but it is difficult to discern what he really said.
3) Paul was never a Pharisee and was not highly educated. His “conversion” was either a personal hallucinogenic experience or an outright fraud. His claims to be an apostle were attempts to further his own authority in the church.
4) Pauline theological “inventions” include a) the deity of Jesus; b) salvation by grace through faith; c) salvation through the blood of Jesus; d) the sinless nature of Jesus; e) the concept of original sin; and f) the Holy Spirit. None of these “new doctrines” were accepted by Jesus’ true followers.
5) The Gnostic Gospels are closer to the truth about Jesus than are the traditional four Gospels of the Bible.
The same website explains what Pauline theology or doctrine is. Their opening two paragraphs state:
“Pauline theology refers to the apostle Paul’s beliefs about God and the world around him, as expressed in the New Testament epistles that he wrote and his words as recorded in the book of Acts. Constructing a ‘Pauline theology,’ then, is an attempt to discern what Paul believed and taught about various topics. For example, when people say they want to approach poverty “based on a Pauline theology,” they mean that they are attempting to address the issue of poverty from the same perspective as Paul. Pauline theology should not be confused with Pauline Christianity, a movement among some scholars seeking to drive a wedge between the teachings of Jesus and Paul.
Pauline theology is thoroughly biblical, in that it is drawn from Scripture. Many times, scholars studying Pauline theology are trying to systematize Paul’s doctrine and explain his worldview. Paul never wrote down all of his thoughts on every topic, and deducing the theology behind his written doctrine is a difficult task.”
It is this “Pauline theology” that I believe was initiated by the vision(s) Paul had while in Tarsus, before he started the missionary work that Luke records for us in Acts. We will explore some of this theology in detail as we continue this study tracing the life of Paul.
The Watchmaker's Pulse 
One thought on “Life of Paul 9”