Paul

An Introduction “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians 2:20. There are only a handful of people who can be credited with changing the course of history, and as a result have changed the world. St. Paul is one of them. Nearly two thousand years ago, he savagely persecuted the infant Christian faith. Then, he passionately embraced it. He was handpicked by Jesus Christ to become the gospel's most ardent messenger, and was martyred for his faith in Christ at around 64 or 65 A.D. Because of him Christianity began its astonishing conquest of the mighty Roman Empire. Yet the life of this extraordinary man is cloaked in mystery. This is going to be the story about how one of Christianity's most zealous enemies turned into a towering figure of a faith he had once persecuted. In the following chapters we are going to learn how Saul of Tarsus came to be known as The Apostle Paul. We will learn more about the lawyer with a brilliant mind. His commanding knowledge of philosophy and religion. His miraculous encounter with Jesus Christ. The spiritual symbolism of that event and his conversion. We will also learn about his endurance of enormous physical hardships and his perseverance in the face of danger and persecution on his missionary journeys. Through these lines, we will travel on a journey with the Apostle Paul. We will learn about his teacher Gamaliel “The Elder.” Paul’s role in the Sanhedrin (“The Court of Seventy-One”). We will follow in his footsteps as he traveled through the ancient world, planting the gospel in people’s hearts until his martyrdom. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (St. Paul to the Philippians 4:13, NKJV)