The Apostle Paul - a Vessel Chosen by the Lord

After Christ Jesus was resurrected, he told his disciples that they were to be his witnesses not only "in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria" but also "to the most distant part of the earth." (Acts 1:8) The one who pioneered this expansion of true worship was Paul, the apostle to the nations, first known as Saul of Tarsus.

Saul was a Hebrew, an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin; he was also a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees, and born a Roman citizen. Though born in Tarsus, he received his religious training in Jerusalem at the feet of the noted scholar Gamaliel. Saul, however, did not partake of the spirit of tolerance that characterized his able instructor. On the contrary, religious zeal made Saul entirely oblivious to the danger of his fighting against God, even hardening him as regards the sufferings of others. Thus as a young man he could witness with approval the mob murder of the first Christian martyr, Stephen.

In fact, Saul was such a religious zealot that before long he was taking the lead in the persecution of Christians. The scripture at Acts 3:8 tells us: "Saul, though, began to deal outrageously with the congregation. Invading one house after another and, dragging out both men and women, he would turn them over to prison."

As he himself later told it: "Many of the holy ones I shut up in prisons, as I had received authority from the chief priests; and when they were to be executed, I cast my vote against them. And by punishing them many times in all the synagogues I tried to force them to make a recantation; and since I was extremely mad against them, I went so far as to persecuting them even in outside cities." (Acts 26:10, 11)

Saul Becomes a Christian

What caused such a bitter persecutor of Christians to do an about-face and become a Christian himself? A miracle, which, while at first blinding him physically, caused him to see spiritually. This miracle took place as Saul was on his way to Damascus in a campaign against the Christians. "Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him, and he fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him: 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' He said: 'Who are you, Sir?' He said: 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Nevertheless, rise and enter into the city, and what you must do will be told you.'" Saul rose, but had to be led into the city, for he was stone blind. (Acts 9:3-8)

For three days Saul neither ate nor drank. Then the Lord sent one of the disciples, Ananias by name, to Saul. Upon the visit and direction of Ananias Saul recovered his sight, was baptized and received the holy spirit.

Thereafter Paul went to Arabia, doubtlessly to thoroughly acquaint himself with God's purposes, strengthen his resolve for what lay ahead, and embolden himself for the undertaking of God's will. Returning to Damascus he so confounded the Jews by 'logically proving that Jesus was the Christ' that finally the Jews took counsel to do away with him. Hearing of this, Saul escaped from the city at night by means of a basket lowered from a hole in the wall, thus eluding his enemies who were watching for him at the city's gates, day and night. So soon had Saul the persecutor become Saul the persecuted! (Acts 9:20-25; Galatians 1:16, 17)

Arriving at Jerusalem Saul found the Christians there suspicious until Barnabas reassured them. In Jerusalem Saul preached with telling effect, and so it was not long before his Jewish opposers in that city were also plotting against him. Escaping their clutches, Saul went to Caesarea and then to his native city of Tarsus, where he preached until Barnabas looked him up to help out in Antioch. After about a year in Antioch Saul accompanied Barnabas to Jerusalem with a relief offering for the brothers there, they being in need because of the famine of 44 A.D. Upon their return to Antioch, the holy spirit indicated that Barnabas and Saul were to be set apart for special missionary activity.

Paul's Missionary Tours

Among the highlights of Paul's first missionary tour were the following: At Paphos, on the island of Cyprus, a sorcerer, Elymas, opposed the witness being given to the proconsul Sergius Paulus. To demonstrate the superiority of the true God whom Paul and Barnabas were serving over the demons, the sorcerer, their instrument, was stricken with blindness. Astounded by this display of divine power the proconsul became a believer. (Acts 13:4-12)

At the city of Lystra, because of a miracle that Paul had performed, the people were ready to worship Paul and Barnabas, calling Paul "Zeus" and Barnabas "Hermes." But it was not long before the fickle populace, influenced by Jews from Antioch and Iconium, stoned Paul, dragged him outside the city and left him for dead. But Jehovah had more work for his apostle to the nations, and so we read that "when the disciples surrounded him, he rose up and entered into the city". Before long Paul and Barnabas were retracing their steps and, arriving back at Antioch, gave a good report to the congregation there. (Acts 14:8-28)

Between his first and second missionary tours, Paul, together with some other brothers from Antioch went to Jerusalem to a meeting of the Christian governing body, there to ascertain if parts of the Law of Moses still applied to Christians. Among the things that that body ruled against were fornication and the eating or the taking in of another's blood into one's body. (Acts 15:1-35)

It was on this second tour, after having gone over the territory previously covered in the first tour, that Paul had a vision by night of a Macedonian beseeching him, "Step over into Macedonia and help us." Thus the message spread from Asia Minor to Europe. At Philippi, the chief city of Macedonia, Paul and Silas were cast into prison because of having freed a slave girl from demon control, her owners being incensed at their loss of gain because the girl was no longer able to practice the art of prediction. At midnight the Lord released them by means of an earthquake, resulting in the jailer and all his household becoming Christians. They were able to establish a congregation in Philippi and also in Thessalonica, their next stop, where their stay was again cut short because of violent persecution. (Acts 16:1 to 17:9)

Paul's Prison Experiences

Paul was determined to go to Jerusalem even though Christian prophets all along the way foretold that he would suffer bonds and tribulations there; which prophecies came true, his enemies involving him in a riot which resulted in his imprisonment. But though men could bind Paul they could not bind the truth, for he continued to give testimony to it. He gave more than one effective witness to Governor Felix, who, according to Josephus, was one of the most corrupt and oppressive rulers ever sent to Judea from Rome. Felix hinted a bribe would be welcome, but Paul refused to buy his way out. Felix therefore let him remain in prison at Caesarea, thereby also currying the favor of the Jews. At the end of two years Felix was replaced by Festus and the Jews renewed their charges against Paul. Having designs to make away with Paul, they pressed Festus to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem for trial. Paul, however, stood his ground; he was before Caesar's judgment seat where he, as a Roman, should be judged, and so he appealed to Caesar. After a hearing before Festus and King Agrippa, arrangements were made to send Paul, together with some other prisoners, to Rome. (Acts 21:11 to 26:32)

En route Paul and those with him suffered shipwreck and were stranded on the isle of Malta. After wintering there several months they finally got to Rome. There Paul was able to remain in his own house, although he was continually in chains. He continued to preach, to both Jew and Gentile, for two years, A.D. 59 to 61; during which time he wrote his canonical letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, to Philemon and to the Hebrews.

Paul's Characteristics

Paul, above all else, had a keen appreciation of the honor bestowed upon him to be the apostle to the nations: "I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who delegated power to me, because he considered me trustworthy by assigning me to a ministry, although formerly I was a blasphemer and a persecutor." And far from being proud because of his office, he humbly asked his brothers to pray for him that he might have the needed freeness of speech so as to give a good witness. (Ephesians 3:8; 6:18, 19; 1 Timothy 1:12, 13)

Though once a ruthless persecutor of Christians, his record of endurance against similar persecutors now stands under biblical record of proof of what can be accomplished under Jehovah God's tutelage
.Paul was greatly rewarded for his faithfulness. He was given supernatural visions and had the privilege of writing fourteen of the twenty-seven books of the Christian Greek Scriptures. His writings are masterpieces of calm reasoning and clear logic. How ably he presents the case for justification by faith in his letter to the Romans! How fully he proves the teaching of the resurrection, and in his first letter to the Corinthians how well he shows how love works! How strikingly he makes clear to the Galatians the folly of wanting to return to Moses' law! How convincingly he presents the proofs to the Hebrews that Jesus was indeed the Son of God and the Messiah! Truly, though his bodily presence may have been weak, his letters were most powerful. (2 Corinthians 10:10)