Paul of Tarsus: The Founder of Christianity

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Saul of Tarsus, later Paul, is the founder of Pauline Christianity and the probable author of the doctrine of the Trinity.  Almost half of the books of the New Testament are credited to his authorship due to the influence of the Pauline faction at the various early church councils.  He was responsible for spreading his version of the gospel through early Christian communities across the Eastern half of the Roman Empire.  He established several churches in Asia Minor and at least three in Europe, including the church at Corinth.  He was a native of the Mediterranean city of Tarsus. 

Acts of the Apostles 21:39

³⁹ But Paul said to him, “I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city.  And I beseech you, suffer me to speak to the people.” 

³⁹ εἶπεν δὲ ὁ Παῦλος, ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπος μέν εἰμι Ἰουδαῖος, Ταρσεὺς, τῆς Κιλικίας, οὐκ ἀσήμου πόλεως πολίτης: δέομαι δέ σου, ἐπίτρεψόν μοι λαλῆσαι πρὸς τὸν λαόν. 

³⁹ Et dixit ad eum Paulus: Ego homo sum quidem Judæus a Tarso Ciliciæ, non ignotæ civitatis municeps.  Rogo autem te, permitte mihi loqui ad populum. 

Tarsus was the capital city of Cilicia, in present-day Turkey, and was well known for its intellectual environment.  It was a port city, and a noted commercial center.  For these reasons, and because it was the capital, he described it as “no mean city”, not a common, ordinary city.  It was famous for many things throughout history.  One of the things it was famous for was being the place where Mark Anthony first met Cleopatra, after which they embarked on their doomed alliance.  Tarsus survives today as the city of Mersin, Turkey. 

Acts of the Apostles 22:3

³ And he says, “I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the truth of the law of the fathers, zealous for the law, as also all you are this day:” 

³ ἐγώ εἰμι ἀνὴρ Ἰουδαῖος, γεγεννημένος ἐν Ταρσῷ τῆς Κιλικίας, ἀνατεθραμμένος δὲ ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, παρὰ τοὺς πόδας Γαμαλιὴλ πεπαιδευμένος κατὰ ἀκρίβειαν τοῦ πατρῴου νόμου, ζηλωτὴς ὑπάρχων τοῦ θεοῦ καθὼς πάντες ὑμεῖς ἐστε σήμερον: 

³ Et dicit: Ego sum vir Judæus, natus in Tarso Ciliciæ, nutritus autem in ista civitate, secus pedes Gamaliel eruditus juxta veritatem paternæ legis, æmulator legis, sicut et vos omnes estis hodie: 

Paul was a Greek-speaking Jew, who grew up in Jerusalem where he studied under Gamaliel, a famous rabbi, and leading authority in the Sanhedrin.  Gamaliel is also mentioned in Acts, where he takes an open-minded view of Christianity, urging that it not be persecuted.  Paul did not agree with him at this time.  Gamaliel was wise and recognised the Divine nature of Jesus’ (a.s.) ministry and saw the signs of his prophethood.  This was the real message of Jesus (a.s.), before it was corrupted by the heresy of Paul. 

Acts of the Apostles 5:34-42

³⁴ But one in the council rising up, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, respected by all the people, commanded the men to be put forth a little while.  ³⁵ And he said to them, “You men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do, as touching these men.  ³⁶ For before these days rose up Theodas, affirming himself to be somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves.  Who was slain: and all that believed him were scattered and brought to nothing.  ³⁷ After this man, rose up Judas of Galilee, in the days of the enrolling, and drew away the people after him.  He also perished: and all, even as many as consented to him, were dispersed. ³⁸ And now, therefore, I say to you, ‘Refrain from these men and let them alone.’  For if this council or this work be of men, it will come to nought: ³⁹ But if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest perhaps you be found even to fight against God.”  And they consented to him.  ⁴⁰ And calling in the apostles, after they had scourged them, they charged them that they should not speak at all in the name of Jesus.  And they dismissed them.  ⁴¹ And they indeed went from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus.  ⁴² And every day they ceased not, in the temple and from house to house, to teach and preach Christ Jesus. 

³⁴ Ἀναστὰς δέ τις ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ Φαρισαῖος ὀνόματι Γαμαλιήλ, νομοδιδάσκαλος τίμιος παντὶ τῷ λαῷ, ἐκέλευσεν ἔξω βραχὺ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ποιῆσαι, ³⁵ εἶπέν τε πρὸς αὐτούς, ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται, προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις τί μέλλετε πράσσειν.  ³⁶ πρὸ γὰρ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀνέστη Θευδᾶς, λέγων εἶναί τινα ἑαυτόν, ᾧ προσεκλίθη ἀνδρῶν ἀριθμὸς ὡς τετρακοσίων: ὃς ἀνῃρέθη, καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐπείθοντο αὐτῷ διελύθησαν καὶ ἐγένοντο εἰς οὐδέν.  ³⁷ μετὰ τοῦτον ἀνέστη Ἰούδας ὁ Γαλιλαῖος ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς ἀπογραφῆς καὶ ἀπέστησεν λαὸν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ: κἀκεῖνος ἀπώλετο, καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐπείθοντο αὐτῷ διεσκορπίσθησαν.  ³⁸ καὶ τὰ νῦν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπόστητε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τούτων καὶ ἄφετε αὐτούς: ὅτι ἐὰν ᾖ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἡ βουλὴ αὕτη ἢ τὸ ἔργον τοῦτο, καταλυθήσεται: ³⁹ εἰ δὲ ἐκ θεοῦ ἐστιν, οὐ δυνήσεσθε καταλῦσαι αὐτούς, μήποτε καὶ θεομάχοι εὑρεθῆτε. ἐπείσθησαν δὲ αὐτῷ, ⁴⁰ καὶ προσκαλεσάμενοι τοὺς ἀποστόλους δείραντες παρήγγειλαν μὴ λαλεῖν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ἀπέλυσαν.  ⁴¹ Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐπορεύοντο χαίροντες ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ συνεδρίου ὅτι κατηξιώθησαν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος ἀτιμασθῆναι: ⁴² πᾶσάν τε ἡμέραν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ καὶ κατ' οἶκον οὐκ ἐπαύοντο διδάσκοντες καὶ εὐαγγελιζόμενοι τὸν Χριστόν, Ἰησοῦν. 

³⁴ Surgens autem quidam in concilio pharisæus, nomine Gamaliel, legis doctor, honorabilis universæ plebi, jussit foras ad breve homines fieri, ³⁵ dixitque ad illos: Viri Israëlitæ, attendite vobis super hominibus istis quid acturi sitis.  ³⁶ Ante hos enim dies extitit Theodas, dicens se esse aliquem, cui consensit numerus virorum circiter quadringentorum: qui occisus est, et omnes qui credebant ei, dissipati sunt, et redacti ad nihilum.  ³⁷ Post hunc extitit Judas Galilæus in diebus professionis, et avertit populum post se: et ipse periit, et omnes quotquot consenserunt ei, dispersi sunt.  ³⁸ Et nunc itaque dico vobis, discedite ab hominibus istis, et sinite illos: quoniam si est ex hominibus consilium hoc aut opus, dissolvetur: ³⁹ si vero ex Deo est, non poteritis dissolvere illud, ne forte et Deo repugnare inveniamini. Consenserunt autem illi.  ⁴⁰ Et convocantes Apostolos, cæsis denuntiaverunt ne omnino loquerentur in nomine Jesu, et dimiserunt eos.  ⁴¹ Et illi quidem ibant gaudentes a conspectu concilii, quoniam digni habiti sunt pro nomine Jesu contumeliam pati.  ⁴² Omni autem die non cessabant in templo et circa domos, docentes et evangelizantes Christum Jesum. 

For the first half of his life, Paul was a member of the Pharisees, a strictly orthodox Jewish sect.  They were formidable persecutors of the new Christian movement. 

Acts of the Apostles 23:6

⁶ And Paul, knowing that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, cried out in the council: Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees: concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. 

⁶ γνοὺς δὲ ὁ Παῦλος ὅτι τὸ ἓν μέρος ἐστὶν Σαδδουκαίων τὸ δὲ ἕτερον Φαρισαίων ἔκραζεν ἐν τῷ συνεδρίῳ, ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ἐγὼ Φαρισαῖός εἰμι, υἱὸς Φαρισαίων: περὶ ἐλπίδος καὶ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν ἐγὼ κρίνομαι. 

⁶ Sciens autem Paulus quia una pars esset sadducæorum, et altera pharisæorum, exclamavit in concilio: Viri fratres, ego pharisæus sum, filius pharisæorum: de spe et resurrectione mortuorum ego judicor. 

His Jewish name was Saul which means, “The one asked for or prayed for.”  It was likely he was named after the biblical king, Saul, of the same tribe of Benjamin, and the first king of Israel.  It was likely pronounced as “Shaul”.  “Paul” was this Latin name.  In biblical Greek and Latin, it was Saulos and Paulos.  Before claiming to be a follower of Jesus (a.s.), Paul zealously persecuted the newly-forming Christian church.  He likely traveled from synagogue to synagogue, urging the punishment of Jews who accepted Jesus (a.s.) as the Messiah.  He was thought to be the leader of those who stoned Stephen (r.a.), the first Christian martyr.  He had people condemned to death, put in prison, and tortured. 

Acts of the Apostles 7:58

⁵⁸ And casting him forth without the city, they stoned him.  And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul. 

⁵⁸ καὶ ἐκβαλόντες ἔξω τῆς πόλεως ἐλιθοβόλουν. καὶ οἱ μάρτυρες ἀπέθεντο τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν παρὰ τοὺς πόδας νεανίου καλουμένου Σαύλου. 

⁵⁸ Et ejicientes eum extra civitatem, lapidabant: et testes deposuerunt vestimenta sua secus pedes adolescentis qui vocabatur Saulus. 

Acts of the Apostles 8:1-3

¹ And at that time, there was raised a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem.  And they were all dispersed through the countries of Judea, and Samaria, except the apostles.  ² And devout men took order for Stephen’s funeral and made great mourning over him.  ³ But Saul made havoc of the church, entering in from house to house: and dragging away men and women, committed them to prison. 

¹ Σαῦλος δὲ ἦν συνευδοκῶν τῇ ἀναιρέσει αὐτοῦ. Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ διωγμὸς μέγας ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τὴν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις: πάντες δὲ διεσπάρησαν κατὰ τὰς χώρας τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Σαμαρείας πλὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων.  ² συνεκόμισαν δὲ τὸν Στέφανον ἄνδρες εὐλαβεῖς καὶ ἐποίησαν κοπετὸν μέγαν ἐπ' αὐτῷ.  ³ Σαῦλος δὲ ἐλυμαίνετο τὴν ἐκκλησίαν κατὰ τοὺς οἴκους εἰσπορευόμενος, σύρων τε ἄνδρας καὶ γυναῖκας παρεδίδου εἰς φυλακήν. 

¹ Facta est autem in illa die persecutio magna in ecclesia quæ erat Jerosolymis, et omnes dispersi sunt per regiones Judææ et Samariæ præter Apostolos.  ² Curaverunt autem Stephanum viri timorati, et fecerunt planctum magnum super eum.  ³ Saulus autem devastabat ecclesiam per domos intrans, et trahens viros ac mulieres, tradebat in custodiam. 

Acts of the Apostles 22:20

²⁰ And when the blood of Stephen your witness was shed, I stood by and consented: and kept the garments of them that killed him. 

²⁰ καὶ ὅτε ἐξεχύννετο τὸ αἷμα Στεφάνου τοῦ μάρτυρός σου, καὶ αὐτὸς ἤμην ἐφεστὼς καὶ συνευδοκῶν καὶ φυλάσσων τὰ ἱμάτια τῶν ἀναιρούντων αὐτόν. 

²⁰ et cum funderetur sanguis Stephani testis tui, ego astabam, et consentiebam, et custodiebam vestimenta interficientium illum. 

Acts of the Apostles 6:10-11

¹⁰ And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit that spoke.  ¹¹ Then they suborned men to say they had heard him speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God. 

¹⁰ καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυον ἀντιστῆναι τῇ σοφίᾳ καὶ τῷ πνεύματι ᾧ ἐλάλει.  ¹¹ τότε ὑπέβαλον ἄνδρας λέγοντας ὅτι ἀκηκόαμεν αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος ῥήματα βλάσφημα εἰς Μωϋσῆν καὶ τὸν θεόν: 

¹⁰ et non poterant resistere sapientiæ, et Spiritui qui loquebatur.  ¹¹ Tunc summiserunt viros, qui dicerent se audivisse eum dicentem verba blasphemiæ in Moysen et in Deum. 

Acts of the Apostles 22:4

⁴ Who persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, 

⁴ ὃς ταύτην τὴν ὁδὸν ἐδίωξα ἄχρι θανάτου, δεσμεύων καὶ παραδιδοὺς εἰς φυλακὰς ἄνδρας τε καὶ γυναῖκας, 

⁴ qui hanc viam persecutus sum usque ad mortem, alligans et tradens in custodias viros ac mulieres, 

Acts of the Apostles 22:19

¹⁹ And I said: “Lord, they know that I cast into prison and beat in every synagogue them that believed in you.” 

¹⁹ κἀγὼ εἶπον, κύριε, αὐτοὶ ἐπίστανται ὅτι ἐγὼ ἤμην φυλακίζων καὶ δέρων κατὰ τὰς συναγωγὰς τοὺς πιστεύοντας ἐπὶ σέ: 

¹⁹ Et ego dixi: Domine, ipsi sciunt quia ego eram concludens in carcerem, et cædens per synagogas eos qui credebant in te: 

While traveling on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus on a mission, Paul allegedly encountered Jesus (a.s.): 

Acts of the Apostles 22:5

⁵ As the high priest does bear me witness and all the ancients.  From whom also receiving letters to the brethren, I went to Damascus, that I might bring them bound from thence to Jerusalem to be punished. 

⁵ ὡς καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς μαρτυρεῖ μοι καὶ πᾶν τὸ πρεσβυτέριον: παρ' ὧν καὶ ἐπιστολὰς δεξάμενος πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς εἰς Δαμασκὸν ἐπορευόμην ἄξων καὶ τοὺς ἐκεῖσε ὄντας δεδεμένους εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἵνα τιμωρηθῶσιν. 

⁵ sicut princeps sacerdotum mihi testimonium reddit, et omnes majores natu: a quibus et epistolas accipiens, ad fratres Damascum pergebam, ut adducerem inde vinctos in Jerusalem ut punirentur. 

The alleged vision of Jesus (a.s.) that changed Paul from a Pharisee to a Christian happened on the road to Damascus.  The account of that alleged meeting is described three times in the Acts of the Apostles, each time presenting new details not mentioned elsewhere.  This makes the authenticity of the accounts suspect since they contradict each other in many minor details.  Also, there are no records of the identity of the other witnesses present.  The first account is as it happens; the next, as Paul tells it to the Roman officer in Jerusalem; and, finally, as Paul tells it to the Jewish king, Herod Agrippa II at Caesarea Maritima. 

Acts of the Apostles 9:3-22

³ And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he drew near to Damascus.  And suddenly a light from heaven shined round about him.  ⁴ And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”  ⁵ Who said, “Who are you, Lord?”  And he said, “I am Jesus whom you persecute.  It is hard for you to kick against the goad.”  ⁶ And he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what will you have me to do?”  ⁷ And the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city; and there it shall be told you what you must do.”  Now the men who went in company with him stood amazed, hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no man.  ⁸ And Saul arose from the ground: and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing.  But they, leading him by the hands, brought him to Damascus.  ⁹ And he was there three days without sight: and he did neither eat nor drink.  ¹⁰ Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias.  And the Lord said to him, in a vision, Ananias, and he said, “Behold I am here, Lord.”  ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the street that is called Strait and seek in the house of Judas, one named Saul of Tarsus.  For behold he prays.”  ¹² (And he saw a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hands upon him, that he might receive his sight.)  ¹³ But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.  ¹⁴ And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all that invoke your name.”  ¹⁵ And the Lord said to him, “Go your way: for this man is to me a vessel of election, to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.  ¹⁶ For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”  ¹⁷ And Ananias went his way and entered into the house.  And laying his hands upon him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus has sent me, he that appeared to you in the way as you came, that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost.”  ¹⁸ And immediately, there fell from his eyes as it were scales: and he received his sight.  And rising up, he was baptised.  ¹⁹ And when he had taken meat, he was strengthened.  And he was with the disciples that were at Damascus, for some days.  ²⁰ And immediately he preached Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the son of God.  ²¹ And all that heard him were astonished and said, “Is not this he who persecuted in Jerusalem those that called upon this name and came hither for that intent, that he might carry them bound to the chief priests?”  ²² But Saul increased much more in strength and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, affirming that this is the Christ. 

³ ἐν δὲ τῷ πορεύεσθαι ἐγένετο αὐτὸν ἐγγίζειν τῇ Δαμασκῷ, ἐξαίφνης τε αὐτὸν περιήστραψεν φῶς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ⁴ καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἤκουσεν φωνὴν λέγουσαν αὐτῷ, Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις; ⁵ εἶπεν δέ: τίς εἶ, κύριε; ὁ δέ: ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκεις: ⁶ ἀλλὰ ἀνάστηθι καὶ εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ λαληθήσεταί σοι ὅ τί σε δεῖ ποιεῖν.  ⁷ οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες οἱ συνοδεύοντες αὐτῷ εἱστήκεισαν ἐνεοί, ἀκούοντες μὲν τῆς φωνῆς μηδένα δὲ θεωροῦντες.  ⁸ ἠγέρθη δὲ Σαῦλος ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, ἀνεῳγμένων δὲ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ οὐδὲν ἔβλεπεν: χειραγωγοῦντες δὲ αὐτὸν εἰσήγαγον εἰς Δαμασκόν.  ⁹ καὶ ἦν ἡμέρας τρεῖς μὴ βλέπων, καὶ οὐκ ἔφαγεν οὐδὲ ἔπιεν.  ¹⁰ Ἦν δέ τις μαθητὴς ἐν Δαμασκῷ ὀνόματι Ἁνανίας, καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν ὁράματι ὁ κύριος:  Ἁνανία. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, ἰδοὺ ἐγώ, κύριε.  ¹¹ ὁ δὲ κύριος πρὸς αὐτόν, ἀναστὰς πορεύθητι ἐπὶ τὴν ῥύμην τὴν καλουμένην εὐθεῖαν καὶ ζήτησον ἐν οἰκίᾳ Ἰούδα Σαῦλον ὀνόματι Ταρσέα: ἰδοὺ γὰρ προσεύχεται, ¹² καὶ εἶδεν ἄνδρα [ἐν ὁράματι] Ἁνανίαν ὀνόματι εἰσελθόντα καὶ ἐπιθέντα αὐτῷ [τὰς] χεῖρας, ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃ.  ¹³ ἀπεκρίθη δὲ Ἁνανίας: κύριε, ἤκουσα ἀπὸ πολλῶν περὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τούτου, ὅσα κακὰ τοῖς ἁγίοις σου ἐποίησεν ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ ¹⁴ καὶ ὧδε ἔχει ἐξουσίαν παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων δῆσαι πάντας τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους τὸ ὄνομά σου.  ¹⁵ εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος, πορεύου, ὅτι σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς ἐστίν μοι οὗτος τοῦ βαστάσαι τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐνώπιον ἐθνῶν τε καὶ βασιλέων υἱῶν τε Ἰσραήλ:  ¹⁶ ἐγὼ γὰρ ὑποδείξω αὐτῷ ὅσα δεῖ αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματός μου παθεῖν.  ¹⁷ Ἀπῆλθεν δὲ Ἁνανίας καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ ἐπιθεὶς ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὰς χεῖρας εἶπεν: Σαοὺλ ἀδελφέ, ὁ κύριος ἀπέσταλκέν με, Ἰησοῦς ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἤρχου, ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃς καὶ πλησθῇς πνεύματος ἁγίου.  ¹⁸ καὶ εὐθέως ἀπέπεσαν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ὡς λεπίδες, ἀνέβλεψέν τε, καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐβαπτίσθη,  ¹⁹ καὶ λαβὼν τροφὴν ἐνίσχυσεν. Ἐγένετο δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἐν Δαμασκῷ μαθητῶν ἡμέρας τινάς,  ²⁰ καὶ εὐθέως ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ἐκήρυσσεν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ.  ²¹ ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες οἱ ἀκούοντες καὶ ἔλεγον, οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ πορθήσας εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο, καὶ ὧδε εἰς τοῦτο ἐληλύθει ἵνα δεδεμένους αὐτοὺς ἀγάγῃ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς; ²² Σαῦλος δὲ μᾶλλον ἐνεδυναμοῦτο καὶ συνέχυννεν [τοὺς] Ἰουδαίους τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν Δαμασκῷ, συμβιβάζων ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός. 

³ Et cum iter faceret, contigit ut appropinquaret Damasco: et subito circumfulsit eum lux de cælo.  ⁴ Et cadens in terram audivit vocem dicentem sibi: Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris?  ⁵ Qui dixit: Quis es, domine? Et ille: Ego sum Jesus, quem tu persequeris: durum est tibi contra stimulum calcitrare.  ⁶ Et tremens ac stupens dixit: Domine, quid me vis facere?  ⁷ Et Dominus ad eum: Surge, et ingredere civitatem, et ibi dicetur tibi quid te oporteat facere. Viri autem illi qui comitabantur cum eo, stabant stupefacti, audientes quidem vocem, neminem autem videntes.  ⁸ Surrexit autem Saulus de terra, apertisque oculis nihil videbat.  Ad manus autem illum trahentes, introduxerunt Damascum.  ⁹ Et erat ibi tribus diebus non videns, et non manducavit, neque bibit.  ¹⁰ Erat autem quidam discipulus Damasci, nomine Ananias: et dixit ad illum in visu Dominus: Anania. At ille ait: Ecce ego, Domine.  ¹¹ Et Dominus ad eum: Surge, et vade in vicum qui vocatur Rectus: et quære in domo Judæ Saulum nomine Tarsensem: ecce enim orat.  ¹² (Et vidit virum Ananiam nomine, introëuntem, et imponentem sibi manus ut visum recipiat.) ¹³ Respondit autem Ananias: Domine, audivi a multis de viro hoc, quanta mala fecerit sanctis tuis in Jerusalem: ¹⁴ et hic habet potestatem a principibus sacerdotum alligandi omnes qui invocant nomen tuum.  ¹⁵ Dixit autem ad eum Dominus: Vade, quoniam vas electionis est mihi iste, ut portet nomen meum coram gentibus, et regibus, et filiis Israël.  ¹⁶ Ego enim ostendam illi quanta oporteat eum pro nomine meo pati.  ¹⁷ Et abiit Ananias, et introivit in domum: et imponens ei manus, dixit: Saule frater, Dominus misit me Jesus, qui apparuit tibi in via qua veniebas, ut videas, et implearis Spiritu Sancto.  ¹⁸ Et confestim ceciderunt ab oculis ejus tamquam squamæ, et visum recepit: et surgens baptizatus est.  ¹⁹ Et cum accepisset cibum, confortatus est.  Fuit autem cum discipulis qui erant Damasci per dies aliquot.  ²⁰ Et continuo in synagogis prædicabat Jesum, quoniam hic est Filius Dei.  ²¹ Stupebant autem omnes qui audiebant, et dicebant: Nonne hic est qui expugnabat in Jerusalem eos qui invocabant nomen istud: et huc ad hoc venit, ut vinctos illos duceret ad principes sacerdotum?  ²² Saulus autem multo magis convalescebat, et confundebat Judæos qui habitabant Damasci, affirmans quoniam hic est Christus. 

Acts of the Apostles 22:6-21

⁶ And it came to pass, as I was going and drawing near to Damascus, at mid-day, that suddenly from heaven there shone round about me a great light: ⁷ And falling on the ground, I heard a voice saying to me, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”  ⁸ And I answered, “Who are you, Lord?”  And he said to me, “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.”  ⁹ And they that were with me saw indeed the light: but they heard not the voice of him that spoke with me.  ¹⁰ And I said, “What shall I do, Lord?”  And the Lord said to me, “Arise and go to Damascus; and there it shall be told you of all things that you must do.”  ¹¹ And whereas I did not see for the brightness of that light, being led by the hand by my companions, I came to Damascus, ¹² and one Ananias, a man according to the law, having testimony of all the Jews who dwelt there, ¹³ coming to me and standing by me, said to me, “Brother Saul, look up.”  And I, the same hour, looked upon him.  ¹⁴ But he said, “The God of our fathers has preordained you that you should know his will and see the Just One and should hear the voice from his mouth.  ¹⁵ For you shall be his witness to all men of those things which you have seen and heard.  ¹⁶ And now why do you tarry? Rise up and be baptised and wash away your sins, invoking his name.”  ¹⁷ And it came to pass, when I had come again to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance, ¹⁸ and saw him saying unto me, “Make haste and get you quickly out of Jerusalem: because they will not receive your testimony concerning me.”  ¹⁹ And I said, “Lord, they know that I cast into prison and beat in every synagogue them that believed in you.  ²⁰ And when the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I stood by and consented: and kept the garments of them that killed him.”  ²¹ And he said to me, “Go, for unto the Gentiles afar off will I send you.” 

⁶ ἐγένετο δέ μοι πορευομένῳ καὶ ἐγγίζοντι τῇ Δαμασκῷ περὶ μεσημβρίαν ἐξαίφνης ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ περιαστράψαι φῶς ἱκανὸν περὶ ἐμέ, ⁷ ἔπεσά τε εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ ἤκουσα φωνῆς λεγούσης μοι, Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις; ⁸ ἐγὼ δὲ ἀπεκρίθην, τίς εἶ, κύριε; εἶπέν τε πρός με, ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος ὃν σὺ διώκεις.  ⁹ οἱ δὲ σὺν ἐμοὶ ὄντες τὸ μὲν φῶς ἐθεάσαντο τὴν δὲ φωνὴν οὐκ ἤκουσαν τοῦ λαλοῦντός μοι.  ¹⁰ εἶπον δέ, τί ποιήσω, κύριε; ὁ δὲ κύριος εἶπεν πρός με, ἀναστὰς πορεύου εἰς Δαμασκόν, κἀκεῖ σοι λαληθήσεται περὶ πάντων ὧν τέτακταί σοι ποιῆσαι.  ¹¹ ὡς δὲ οὐκ ἐνέβλεπον ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τοῦ φωτὸς ἐκείνου, χειραγωγούμενος ὑπὸ τῶν συνόντων μοι ἦλθον εἰς Δαμασκόν.  ¹² Ἁνανίας δέ τις, ἀνὴρ εὐλαβὴς κατὰ τὸν νόμον, μαρτυρούμενος ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν κατοικούντων Ἰουδαίων, ¹³ ἐλθὼν πρός με καὶ ἐπιστὰς εἶπέν μοι: Σαοὺλ ἀδελφέ, ἀνάβλεψον: κἀγὼ αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἀνέβλεψα εἰς αὐτόν. ¹⁴ ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν προεχειρίσατό σε γνῶναι τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἰδεῖν τὸν δίκαιον καὶ ἀκοῦσαι φωνὴν ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ, ¹⁵ ὅτι ἔσῃ μάρτυς αὐτῷ πρὸς πάντας ἀνθρώπους ὧν ἑώρακας καὶ ἤκουσας.  ¹⁶ καὶ νῦν τί μέλλεις; ἀναστὰς βάπτισαι καὶ ἀπόλουσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.  ¹⁷ ἐγένετο δέ μοι ὑποστρέψαντι εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ προσευχομένου μου ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ γενέσθαι με ἐν ἐκστάσει ¹⁸ καὶ ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν λέγοντά μοι, σπεῦσον καὶ ἔξελθε ἐν τάχει ἐξ Ἰερουσαλήμ διότι οὐ παραδέξονταί σου μαρτυρίαν περὶ ἐμοῦ.  ¹⁹ κἀγὼ εἶπον, κύριε, αὐτοὶ ἐπίστανται ὅτι ἐγὼ ἤμην φυλακίζων καὶ δέρων κατὰ τὰς συναγωγὰς τοὺς πιστεύοντας ἐπὶ σέ: ²⁰ καὶ ὅτε ἐξεχύννετο τὸ αἷμα Στεφάνου τοῦ μάρτυρός σου, καὶ αὐτὸς ἤμην ἐφεστὼς καὶ συνευδοκῶν καὶ φυλάσσων τὰ ἱμάτια τῶν ἀναιρούντων αὐτόν.  ²¹ καὶ εἶπεν πρός με, πορεύου, ὅτι ἐγὼ εἰς ἔθνη μακρὰν ἐξαποστελῶ σε. 

⁶ Factum est autem, eunte me, et appropinquante Damasco media die, subito de cælo circumfulsit me lux copiosa: ⁷ et decidens in terram, audivi vocem dicentem mihi: Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris?  ⁸ Ego autem respondi: Quis es, domine? Dixitque ad me: Ego sum Jesus Nazarenus, quem tu persequeris.  ⁹ Et qui mecum erant, lumen quidem viderunt, vocem autem non audierunt ejus qui loquebatur mecum.  ¹⁰ Et dixi: Quid faciam, domine?  Dominus autem dixit ad me: Surgens vade Damascum: et ibi tibi dicetur de omnibus quæ te oporteat facere.  ¹¹ Et cum non viderem præ claritate luminis illius, ad manum deductus a comitibus, veni Damascum.  ¹² Ananias autem quidam vir secundum legem, testimonium habens ab omnibus cohabitantibus Judæis, ¹³ veniens ad me et astans, dixit mihi: Saule frater, respice.  Et ego eadem hora respexi in eum.  ¹⁴ At ille dixit: Deus patrum nostrorum præordinavit te, ut cognosceres voluntatem ejus, et videres justum, et audires vocem ex ore ejus: ¹⁵ quia eris testis illius ad omnes homines eorum quæ vidisti et audisti.  ¹⁶ Et nunc quid moraris?  Exsurge, et baptizare, et ablue peccata tua, invocato nomine ipsius.  ¹⁷ Factum est autem revertenti mihi in Jerusalem, et oranti in templo, fieri me in stupore mentis, ¹⁸ et videre illum dicentem mihi: Festina, et exi velociter ex Jerusalem: quoniam non recipient testimonium tuum de me.  ¹⁹ Et ego dixi: Domine, ipsi sciunt quia ego eram concludens in carcerem, et cædens per synagogas eos qui credebant in te: ²⁰ et cum funderetur sanguis Stephani testis tui, ego astabam, et consentiebam, et custodiebam vestimenta interficientium illum.  ²¹ Et dixit ad me: Vade, quoniam ego in nationes longe mittam te. 

Acts of the Apostles 26:12-18

¹² Whereupon, when I was going to Damascus with authority and permission of the chief priest, ¹³ at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the Sun, shining round about me and them that were in company with me.  ¹⁴ And when we were all fallen down on the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew tongue, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?  It is hard for you to kick against the goad.”  ¹⁵ And I said, “Who are you, Lord?”  And the Lord answered: “I am Jesus whom you persecute.  ¹⁶ But rise up and stand upon your feet: for to this end have I appeared to you, that I may make you a minister and a witness of those things which you have seen and of those things wherein I will appear to you, ¹⁷ delivering you from the people and from the nations unto which now I send you: ¹⁸ To open their eyes, that they may be converted from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a lot among the saints, by the faith that is in me.” 

¹² Ἐν οἷς πορευόμενος εἰς τὴν Δαμασκὸν μετ' ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐπιτροπῆς τῆς τῶν ἀρχιερέων ¹³ ἡμέρας μέσης κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν εἶδον, βασιλεῦ, οὐρανόθεν ὑπὲρ τὴν λαμπρότητα τοῦ ἡλίου περιλάμψαν με φῶς καὶ τοὺς σὺν ἐμοὶ πορευομένους: ¹⁴ πάντων τε καταπεσόντων ἡμῶν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἤκουσα φωνὴν λέγουσαν πρός με τῇ Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ, Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις; σκληρόν σοι πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν.  ¹⁵ ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπα, τίς εἶ, κύριε; ὁ δὲ κύριος εἶπεν, ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκεις.  ¹⁶ ἀλλὰ ἀνάστηθι καὶ στῆθι ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας σου: εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ὤφθην σοι, προχειρίσασθαί σε ὑπηρέτην καὶ μάρτυρα ὧν τε εἶδές [με] ὧν τε ὀφθήσομαί σοι,  ¹⁷ ἐξαιρούμενός σε ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν, εἰς οὓς ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω σε ¹⁸ ἀνοῖξαι ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν, τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι ἀπὸ σκότους εἰς φῶς καὶ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ Σατανᾶ ἐπὶ τὸν θεόν, τοῦ λαβεῖν αὐτοὺς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ κλῆρον ἐν τοῖς ἡγιασμένοις πίστει τῇ εἰς ἐμέ. 

¹² In quibus dum irem Damascum cum potestate et permissu principum sacerdotum, ¹³ die media in via vidi, rex, de cælo supra splendorem solis circumfulsisse me lumen, et eos qui mecum simul erant.  ¹⁴ Omnesque nos cum decidissemus in terram, audivi vocem loquentem mihi hebraica lingua: Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris?  durum est tibi contra stimulum calcitrare.  ¹⁵ Ego autem dixi: Quis es, domine?  Dominus autem dixit: Ego sum Jesus, quem tu persequeris.  ¹⁶ Sed exsurge, et sta super pedes tuos: ad hoc enim apparui tibi, ut constituam te ministrum, et testem eorum quæ vidisti, et eorum quibus apparebo tibi,  ¹⁷ eripiens te de populo et gentibus, in quas nunc ego mitto te, ¹⁸ aperire oculos eorum, ut convertantur a tenebris ad lucem, et de potestate Satanæ ad Deum, ut accipiant remissionem peccatorum, et sortem inter sanctos, per fidem quæ est in me. 

The triple accounts were written around fifty years after Paul’s death.  It has two major historical problems.  The first problem is that Paul was travelling to Damascus empowered with authority from the high-priest to arrest dissident Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.  Whatever about high priest’s authority in Judea, it could not be exercised across Roman provincial borders, especially as far away as Damascus.  On the other hand, Paul himself tells the Galatians that after that vocational vision: 

Galatians 1:17

¹⁷ Neither went I to Jerusalem, to the Apostles who were before me: but I went into Arabia, and again I returned to Damascus. 

¹⁷ οὐδὲ ἀνῆλθον εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα πρὸς τοὺς πρὸ ἐμοῦ ἀποστόλους, ἀλλὰ ἀπῆλθον εἰς Ἀραβίαν, καὶ πάλιν ὑπέστρεψα εἰς Δαμασκόν. 

¹⁷ neque veni Jerosolymam ad antecessores meos Apostolos: sed abii in Arabiam, et iterum reversus sum Damascum: 

The city of Damascus is much more likely as the venue of Paul’s alleged vision than in than on the road to Damascus.  The second problem is that Luke’s triple version describes Paul as seeing “a light” and hearing “a voice.” 

Acts of the Apostles 9:3-4

³ And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he drew near to Damascus. And suddenly a light from heaven shined round about him. 4 And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 

³ ἐν δὲ τῷ πορεύεσθαι ἐγένετο αὐτὸν ἐγγίζειν τῇ Δαμασκῷ, ἐξαίφνης τε αὐτὸν περιήστραψεν φῶς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ⁴ καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἤκουσεν φωνὴν λέγουσαν αὐτῷ, Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις; 

³ Et cum iter faceret, contigit ut appropinquaret Damasco: et subito circumfulsit eum lux de cælo.  ⁴ Et cadens in terram audivit vocem dicentem sibi: Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris? 

Acts of the Apostles 22:6-7

6 And it came to pass, as I was going and drawing near to Damascus, at mid-day, that suddenly from heaven there shone round about me a great light: 7 And falling on the ground, I heard a voice saying to me, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 

⁶ ἐγένετο δέ μοι πορευομένῳ καὶ ἐγγίζοντι τῇ Δαμασκῷ περὶ μεσημβρίαν ἐξαίφνης ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ περιαστράψαι φῶς ἱκανὸν περὶ ἐμέ, ⁷ ἔπεσά τε εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ ἤκουσα φωνῆς λεγούσης μοι, Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις; 

⁶ Factum est autem, eunte me, et appropinquante Damasco media die, subito de cælo circumfulsit me lux copiosa: ⁷ et decidens in terram, audivi vocem dicentem mihi: Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris? 

Acts of the Apostles 26:13-14

¹³ … at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that were in company with me.  ¹⁴ And when we were all fallen down on the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew tongue: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goad.” 

¹³ ἡμέρας μέσης κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν εἶδον, βασιλεῦ, οὐρανόθεν ὑπὲρ τὴν λαμπρότητα τοῦ ἡλίου περιλάμψαν με φῶς καὶ τοὺς σὺν ἐμοὶ πορευομένους: ¹⁴ πάντων τε καταπεσόντων ἡμῶν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἤκουσα φωνὴν λέγουσαν πρός με τῇ Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ, Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις; σκληρόν σοι πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν. 

¹³ die media in via vidi, rex, de cælo supra splendorem solis circumfulsisse me lumen, et eos qui mecum simul erant. ¹⁴ Omnesque nos cum decidissemus in terram, audivi vocem loquentem mihi hebraica lingua: Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris?  durum est tibi contra stimulum calcitrare. 

Paul did not see Jesus’ (a.s.) face, but only heard his voice.  On the other hand, Paul himself insists that his sight of the heavenly Jesus (a.s.) makes him equal in authority with the Twelve Apostles who saw the earthly Jesus (a.s.).  He argues in his first letter to the Corinthians: 

1 Corinthians 9:1

¹ Am I not I free?  Am not I an apostle?  Have not I seen Christ Jesus our Lord?  Are not you my work in the Lord? 

¹ Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐλεύθερος; οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος; οὐχὶ Ἰησοῦν τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν ἑόρακα; οὐ τὸ ἔργον μου ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐν κυρίῳ; 

¹ Non sum liber?  non sum Apostolus?  nonne Christum Jesum Dominum nostrum vidi?  nonne opus meum vos estis in Domino? 

1 Corinthians 15:8-9

⁸ And last of all, he was seen also by me, as by one born out of due time.  ⁹ For I am the least of the Apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 

⁸ ἔσχατον δὲ πάντων ὡσπερεὶ τῷ ἐκτρώματι ὤφθη κἀμοί.  ⁹ ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι ὁ ἐλάχιστος τῶν ἀποστόλων, ὃς οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς καλεῖσθαι ἀπόστολος, διότι ἐδίωξα τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ: 

⁸ novissime autem omnium tamquam abortivo, visus est et mihi.  ⁹ Ego enim sum minimus Apostolorum, qui non sum dignus vocari Apostolus, quoniam persecutus sum ecclesiam Dei. 

A major conclusion from those divergent accounts is that the Acts of the Apostles never gives Paul the title of an Apostle of Jesus Christ (a.s.).  Paul was, at most, a messenger sent by and, therefore, subordinate to Jerusalem and Antioch. His call was emphatically inferior to that of the Twelve Apostles.  His message was ultimately flawed and compromised the mission of the true disciples of Jesus (a.s.).  Only those first 12 were Apostles, and Judas’ replacement had to be one of those who witnessed the mission of the Messiah (a.s.). 

Acts of the Apostles 1:21-22

²¹ Wherefore of these men who have companied with us, all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us, ²² beginning from the baptism of John, until the day wherein he was taken up from us, one of these must be made a witness with us of his resurrection. 

²¹ δεῖ οὖν τῶν συνελθόντων ἡμῖν ἀνδρῶν ἐν παντὶ χρόνῳ ᾧ εἰσῆλθεν καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς ὁ κύριος Ἰησοῦς,  ²² ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ τοῦ βαπτίσματος Ἰωάννου ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ἧς ἀνελήμφθη ἀφ' ἡμῶν, μάρτυρα τῆς ἀναστάσεως αὐτοῦ σὺν ἡμῖν γενέσθαι ἕνα τούτων. 

²¹ Oportet ergo ex his viris qui nobiscum sunt congregati in omni tempore quo intravit et exivit inter nos Dominus Jesus, ²² incipiens a baptismate Joannis usque in diem qua assumptus est a nobis, testem resurrectionis ejus nobiscum fieri unum ex istis. 

This not only excludes Paul from ever being an Apostle, but it also insures there will never be any more Apostles and no women Apostles.  The other major conclusion is that Paul already knew enough about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus (a.s.) to persecute his followers for proclaiming its implications to their fellow Jews at Damascus.  Paul’s conversion changed the course of his life.  He was a born zealot.  From an ardent persecutor of the disciples, he now proclaimed his version of the faith.  He began to preach that Jesus of Nazareth (a.s.) is not only the Jewish Messiah but also the Son of God. 

Acts of the Apostles 9:20

²⁰ And immediately he preached Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the son of God. 

²⁰ καὶ εὐθέως ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ἐκήρυσσεν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ. 

²⁰ Et continuo in synagogis prædicabat Jesum, quoniam hic est Filius Dei. 

His influence led to the formation of communities dominated by Gentile groups that worshiped the God of Israel, but abandoned the Law of Moses (a.s.).  He taught that these laws and rituals had either been fulfilled in the life of Christ or were symbolic precursors of Christ. Paul taught a new covenant, or a new testament established through Jesus’ (a.s.) alleged death and resurrection. 

Hebrews 9:15

15 And therefore he is the mediator of the new testament: that by means of his death for the redemption of those transgressions which were under the former testament, they that are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 

¹⁵ Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο διαθήκης καινῆς μεσίτης ἐστίν, ὅπως θανάτου γενομένου εἰς ἀπολύτρωσιν τῶν ἐπὶ τῇ πρώτῃ διαθήκῃ παραβάσεων τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν λάβωσιν οἱ κεκλημένοι τῆς αἰωνίου κληρονομίας. 

¹⁵ Et ideo novi testamenti mediator est: ut morte intercedente, in redemptionem earum prævaricationum, quæ erant sub priori testamento, repromissionem accipiant qui vocati sunt æternæ hæreditatis. 

Over the course of his life, Paul probably had multiple citizenships, some of them simultaneously.  In the ancient world, a citizen was a person who had special legal privileges from belonging to a particular city.  That is where the word “citizen” comes from - to belong to a city.  Today we think of citizenship as indicating the nation-state to which a person belongs.  The nation-state is a recent historical development. In the ancient, world it originally referred to cities.  When he was born, Paul may have been a legal citizen of Tarsus, and later he may have been a legal citizen of Jerusalem.  We also know, for a fact, he was a citizen of Rome.  This was not uncommon.  Most of the people who were subjects of the Roman Empire were not citizens of the city of Rome.  The Romans had a policy of allowing people, even foreigners, to become citizens of Rome to encourage loyalty to Rome.  Citizenship was gained by a number of means, including inheritance. This was the case with Paul. 

Acts of the Apostles 22:27-28

²⁷ And the tribune coming, said to him, “Tell me. Are you a Roman?”  But he said, “Yea.”  ²⁸ And the tribune answered, “I obtained the being free of this city with a great sum.”  And Paul said, “But I was born so.” 

²⁷ προσελθὼν δὲ ὁ χιλίαρχος εἶπεν αὐτῷ: λέγε μοι, σὺ Ῥωμαῖος εἶ; ὁ δὲ ἔφη, ναί.  ²⁸ ἀπεκρίθη δὲ ὁ χιλίαρχος: ἐγὼ πολλοῦ κεφαλαίου τὴν πολιτείαν ταύτην ἐκτησάμην. ὁ δὲ Παῦλος ἔφη: ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ γεγέννημαι. 

²⁷ Accedens autem tribunus, dixit illi: Dic mihi si tu Romanus es?  At ille dixit: Etiam. ²⁸ Et respondit tribunus: Ego multa summa civilitatem hanc consecutus sum.  Et Paulus ait: Ego autem et natus sum. 

Roman citizens had special legal rights in the Roman Empire.  They were not treated like ordinary people.  In particular, they had special rights in legal proceedings. 

Acts of the Apostles 22:24-26

²⁴ The tribune commanded him to be brought into the castle, and that he should be scourged and tortured: to know for what cause they did so cry out against him. 25 And when they had bound him with thongs, Paul says to the centurion that stood by him: “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman and uncondemned?” 26 Which the centurion hearing, went to the tribune and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.” 

²⁴ ἐκέλευσεν ὁ χιλίαρχος εἰσάγεσθαι αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν, εἴπας μάστιξιν ἀνετάζεσθαι αὐτὸν ἵνα ἐπιγνῷ δι' ἣν αἰτίαν οὕτως ἐπεφώνουν αὐτῷ.  ²⁵ ὡς δὲ προέτειναν αὐτὸν τοῖς ἱμᾶσιν εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν ἑστῶτα ἑκατόνταρχον ὁ Παῦλος: εἰ ἄνθρωπον Ῥωμαῖον καὶ ἀκατάκριτον ἔξεστιν ὑμῖν μαστίζειν; ²⁶ ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ ἑκατοντάρχης προσελθὼν τῷ χιλιάρχῳ ἀπήγγειλεν λέγων: τί μέλλεις ποιεῖν; ὁ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος Ῥωμαῖός ἐστιν. 

²⁴ jussit tribunus induci eum in castra, et flagellis cædi, et torqueri eum, ut sciret propter quam causam sic acclamarent ei.  ²⁵ Et cum astrinxissent eum loris, dicit astanti sibi centurioni Paulus: Si hominem Romanum et indemnatum licet vobis flagellare?  ²⁶ Quo audito, centurio accessit ad tribunum, et nuntiavit ei, dicens: Quid acturus es?  hic enim homo civis Romanus est. 

When Paul confirmed that his Roman citizenship, the tribune’s attitude changed. 

Acts of the Apostles 22:29

²⁹ Immediately, therefore, they departed from him that were about to torture him.  The tribune also was afraid after he understood that he was a Roman citizen and because he had bound him. 

²⁹ εὐθέως οὖν ἀπέστησαν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ οἱ μέλλοντες αὐτὸν ἀνετάζειν: καὶ ὁ χιλίαρχος δὲ ἐφοβήθη ἐπιγνοὺς ὅτι Ῥωμαῖός ἐστιν καὶ ὅτι αὐτὸν ἦν δεδεκώς. 

²⁹ Protinus ergo discesserunt ab illo qui eum torturi erant.  Tribunus quoque timuit postquam rescivit, quia civis Romanus esset, et quia alligasset eum. 

Although he had been long delayed visiting Rome, the special rights he had as a Roman citizen finally led to Paul to Rome. 

Romans 1:13-15

13 And I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that I have often purposed to come unto you (and have been hindered hitherto) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. 14 To the Greeks and to the barbarians, to the wise and to the unwise, I am a debtor. 15 So (as much as is in me) I am ready to preach the gospel to you also that are at Rome. 

¹³ οὐ θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι πολλάκις προεθέμην ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ ἐκωλύθην ἄχρι τοῦ δεῦρο, ἵνα τινὰ καρπὸν σχῶ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν καθὼς καὶ ἐν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἔθνεσιν.  ¹⁴ Ἕλλησίν τε καὶ βαρβάροις, σοφοῖς τε καὶ ἀνοήτοις ὀφειλέτης εἰμί: ¹⁵ οὕτως τὸ κατ' ἐμὲ πρόθυμον καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς ἐν Ῥώμῃ εὐαγγελίσασθαι. 

¹³ Nolo autem vos ignorare fratres: quia sæpe proposui venire ad vos (et prohibitus sum usque adhuc) ut aliquem fructum habeam et in vobis, sicut et in ceteris gentibus.  ¹⁴ Græcis ac barbaris, sapientibus, et insipientibus debitor sum: ¹⁵ ita (quod in me) promptum est et vobis, qui Romæ estis, evangelizare. 

One of the rights that Roman citizenship conferred was to have their case tried directly before Caesar. 

Acts of the Apostles 25: 9-12

⁹ But Festus, willing to show the Jews a pleasure, answering Paul, said, “Will you go up to Jerusalem and there be judged of these things before me?”  ¹⁰ Then Paul said, “I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged.  To the Jews I have done no injury, as you very well know.  ¹¹ For if I have injured them or have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die.  But if there be none of these things whereof they accuse me, no man may deliver me to them.  I appeal to Caesar.”  ¹² Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered, “Have you appealed to Caesar?  To Caesar shall you go.” 

⁹ ὁ Φῆστος δὲ θέλων τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις χάριν καταθέσθαι ἀποκριθεὶς τῷ Παύλῳ εἶπεν, θέλεις εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἀναβὰς ἐκεῖ περὶ τούτων κριθῆναι ἐπ' ἐμοῦ; ¹⁰ εἶπεν δὲ ὁ Παῦλος: ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος Καίσαρος ἑστώς εἰμι, οὗ με δεῖ κρίνεσθαι. Ἰουδαίους οὐδὲν ἠδίκησα, ὡς καὶ σὺ κάλλιον ἐπιγινώσκεις.  ¹¹ εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀδικῶ καὶ ἄξιον θανάτου πέπραχά τι, οὐ παραιτοῦμαι τὸ ἀποθανεῖν: εἰ δὲ οὐδέν ἐστιν ὧν οὗτοι κατηγοροῦσίν μου, οὐδείς με δύναται αὐτοῖς χαρίσασθαι: Καίσαρα ἐπικαλοῦμαι.  ¹² τότε ὁ Φῆστος συλλαλήσας μετὰ τοῦ συμβουλίου ἀπεκρίθη, Καίσαρα ἐπικέκλησαι, ἐπὶ Καίσαρα πορεύσῃ. 

⁹ Festus autem volens gratiam præstare Judæis, respondens Paulo, dixit: Vis Jerosolymam ascendere, et ibi de his judicari apud me?  ¹⁰ Dixit autem Paulus: Ad tribunal Cæsaris sto: ibi me oportet judicari: Judæis non nocui, sicut tu melius nosti.  ¹¹ Si enim nocui, aut dignum morte aliquid feci, non recuso mori: si vero nihil est eorum quæ hi accusant me, nemo potest me illis donare. Cæsarem appello.  ¹² Tunc Festus cum concilio locutus, respondit: Cæsarem appellasti?  ad Cæsarem ibis. 

The Caesar at the time was Nero.  We have reason to think that Paul was released after his first trial before Nero but eventually fell afoul of the dictator, who ordered him beheaded.  He was buried on the Appian Road, where the Basilica of St. Paul is now.  Paul’s status as a Roman citizen spared him the fate that Peter (a.s.) suffered.  Peter (a.s.) was crucified upside down. 

Thirteen epistles in the New Testament are traditionally attributed to Paul.  More than half of the Acts of the Apostles is devoted to describing his activities.  Bishop Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis further developed Paul’s idea that Salvation is based on faith and not works of the law.  Paul’s writings heavily influenced Martin Luther’s doctrine of sola fide.  The influence of Paul’s writings on Christian thinking has been profound, even more so than the teachings of Jesus (a.s.).  Paul had to struggle to for credibility and authority.  His contemporaries did not hold him in the same esteem as Peter (r.a.), James (r.a.), and the actual Apostles of Jesus (.a.s.).  The Bible does not record Paul’s death.  Ignatius of Antioch wrote, in 110 CE, that Paul had been martyred.  He was probably killed in Rome, circa 62-64 CE. 

Despite the credibility issues of Paul from the Bible itself, he is still the most influential person in Christianity and be extension, Western history.  The foundations of Western civilisation, their societal and personal ethics, rest upon the unverifiable vision of a single man – Paul of Tarsus.  Jesus (a.s.), as a historical figure, has been largely lost to Christian thought.  The fundamental doctrinal tenets of Christianity, namely that Christ is God born in the flesh, that his vicarious sacrifice atones for the sins of humankind, and that his resurrection from the dead guarantees eternal life to all who believe, can be traced back to Paul, not Jesus (a.s.).  The spiritual union with Christ through baptism, the communion with his body and blood through the Eucharistic celebration, also trace back to Paul.  This is the legacy of Pauline Christianity, with the creed that separated it from Judaism, and made it a new religion. 

Paul never met Jesus (a.s.).  The chronological facts are undisputed.  Jesus of Nazareth (a.s.) was crucified during the reign of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor or prefect of Judea, in April, 30 CE.  As best we can determine it was not until seven years after Jesus’ (a.s.) death, around 37 CE, that Paul reports his initial apparition of “Christ”, whom he identifies with Jesus (a.s.) raised from the dead.  He was rightly challenged for his credentials, but he equated his false visionary experience with that of those who had known Jesus (a.s.) personally. 

1 Corinthians 9:1

1 Am I not I free? Am not I an apostle? Have not I seen Christ Jesus our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord? 

¹ Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐλεύθερος; οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος; οὐχὶ Ἰησοῦν τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν ἑόρακα; οὐ τὸ ἔργον μου ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐν κυρίῳ; 

¹ Non sum liber? non sum Apostolus? nonne Christum Jesum Dominum nostrum vidi? nonne opus meum vos estis in Domino? 

Paul’s claim to have “seen” Jesus (a.s.), as well as the teachings he says he received directly from Jesus (a.s.), came after Jesus’ (a.s.) lifetime.  Either they are subjective clairvoyant experiences, or he was a fraud and a false prophet. 

Galatians 1:12

¹² For neither did I receive it of man: nor did I learn it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

¹² οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐγὼ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου παρέλαβον αὐτό, οὔτε ἐδιδάχθην, ἀλλὰ δι' ἀποκαλύψεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. 

¹² neque enim ego ab homine accepi illud, neque didici, sed per revelationem Jesu Christi. 

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

¹ If I must glory (it is not expedient indeed) but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.  ² I know a man in Christ: above fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not, or out of the body, I know not: God knows), such a one caught up to the third heaven.  ³ And I know such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I know not: God knows): ⁴ That he was caught up into paradise and heard secret words which it is not granted to man to utter.  ⁵ For such a one I will glory: but for myself I will glory nothing but in my infirmities.  ⁶ For though I should have a mind to glory, I shall not be foolish: for I will say the truth.  But I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he sees in me, or anything he hears from me.  ⁷ And lest the greatness of the Revelations should exalt me, there was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet me.  ⁸ For which thing, thrice I besought the Lord that it might depart from me.  ⁹ And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you: for power is made perfect in infirmity.”  Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.  ¹⁰ For which cause I please myself in my infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ.  For when I am weak, then am I powerful. 

¹ Καυχᾶσθαι δεῖ, οὐ συμφέρον μέν, ἐλεύσομαι δὲ εἰς ὀπτασίας καὶ ἀποκαλύψεις κυρίου.  ² οἶδα ἄνθρωπον ἐν Χριστῷ πρὸ ἐτῶν δεκατεσσάρων εἴτε ἐν σώματι οὐκ οἶδα, εἴτε ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ οἶδα, ὁ θεὸς οἶδεν ἁρπαγέντα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ.  ³ καὶ οἶδα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἄνθρωπον εἴτε ἐν σώματι εἴτε χωρὶς τοῦ σώματος οὐκ οἶδα, ὁ θεὸς οἶδεν ⁴ ὅτι ἡρπάγη εἰς τὸν παράδεισον καὶ ἤκουσεν ἄρρητα ῥήματα ἃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἀνθρώπῳ λαλῆσαι.  ⁵ ὑπὲρ τοῦ τοιούτου καυχήσομαι, ὑπὲρ δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ οὐ καυχήσομαι εἰ μὴ ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις.  ⁶ ἐὰν γὰρ θελήσω καυχήσασθαι, οὐκ ἔσομαι ἄφρων, ἀλήθειαν γὰρ ἐρῶ: φείδομαι δέ, μή τις εἰς ἐμὲ λογίσηται ὑπὲρ ὃ βλέπει με ἢ ἀκούει [τι] ἐξ ἐμοῦ ⁷ καὶ τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν ἀποκαλύψεων. διό ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι, ἐδόθη μοι σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί, ἄγγελος Σατανᾶ, ἵνα με κολαφίζῃ, ἵνα μὴ ὑπεραίρωμαι.  ⁸ ὑπὲρ τούτου τρὶς τὸν κύριον παρεκάλεσα ἵνα ἀποστῇ ἀπ' ἐμοῦ: ⁹ καὶ εἴρηκέν μοι, ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου: ἡ γὰρ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελεῖται.  ἥδιστα οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου, ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ.  ¹⁰ διὸ εὐδοκῶ ἐν ἀσθενείαις, ἐν ὕβρεσιν, ἐν ἀνάγκαις, ἐν διωγμοῖς καὶ στενοχωρίαις, ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ: ὅταν γὰρ ἀσθενῶ, τότε δυνατός εἰμι. 

¹ Si gloriari oportet (non expedit quidem), veniam autem ad visiones et revelationes Domini.  ² Scio hominem in Christo ante annos quatuordecim, sive in corpore nescio, sive extra corpus nescio, Deus scit, raptum hujusmodi usque ad tertium cælum.  ³ Et scio hujusmodi hominem sive in corpore, sive extra corpus nescio, Deus scit: ⁴ quoniam raptus est in paradisum: et audivit arcana verba, quæ non licet homini loqui.  ⁵ Pro hujusmodi gloriabor: pro me autem nihil gloriabor nisi in infirmitatibus meis.  ⁶ Nam etsi voluero gloriari, non ero insipiens: veritatem enim dicam: parco autem, ne quis me existimet supra id quod videt in me, aut aliquid audit ex me.  ⁷ Et ne magnitudo revelationum extollat me, datus est mihi stimulus carnis meæ angelus Satanæ, qui me colaphizet.  ⁸ Propter quod ter Dominum rogavi ut discederet a me: ⁹ et dixit mihi: Sufficit tibi gratia mea: nam virtus in infirmitate perficitur.  Libenter igitur gloriabor in infirmitatibus meis, ut inhabitet in me virtus Christi.  ¹⁰ Propter quod placeo mihi in infirmitatibus meis, in contumeliis, in necessitatibus, in persecutionibus, in angustiis pro Christo: cum enim infirmor, tunc potens sum. 

These ecstatic visions were not a one-time experience of his conversion, but a phenomenon that continued over the course of Paul’s life.  Paul confessed that he did not comprehend the nature of these ecstatic spiritual experiences, whether they were in the body, or out of the body but he believed that the voice he heard, the figure he saw and the messages he received were encounters with the heavenly Christ. 

It was a decade after Jesus’ (a.s.) death that Paul first met Peter (r.a.) in Jerusalem.  He called him “Cephas”, his Aramaic name.  There, he also had a brief audience with James (r.a.), Bishop of Jerusalem.  He was not known to the community at large, and definitely not known to those who were present during Jesus’ (a.s.) ministry. 

Galatians 1:18-23

¹⁸ Then, after three years, I went to Jerusalem to see Peter: and I tarried with him fifteen days.  ¹⁹ But other of the Apostles I saw none, saving James the brother of the Lord.  ²⁰ Now the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I lie not.  ²¹ Afterwards, I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.  ²² And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea, which were in Christ: ²³ But they had heard only: He, who persecuted us in times past does now preach the faith which once he impugned. 

¹⁸ ἔπειτα μετὰ ἔτη τρία ἀνῆλθον εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἱστορῆσαι Κηφᾶν, καὶ ἐπέμεινα πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡμέρας δεκαπέντε: ¹⁹ ἕτερον δὲ τῶν ἀποστόλων οὐκ εἶδον, εἰ μὴ Ἰάκωβον τὸν ἀδελφὸν τοῦ κυρίου.  ²⁰ ἃ δὲ γράφω ὑμῖν, ἰδοὺ ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ ὅτι οὐ ψεύδομαι.  ²¹ ἔπειτα ἦλθον εἰς τὰ κλίματα τῆς Συρίας καὶ τῆς Κιλικίας.  ²² ἤμην δὲ ἀγνοούμενος τῷ προσώπῳ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῆς Ἰουδαίας ταῖς ἐν Χριστῷ,  ²³ μόνον δὲ ἀκούοντες ἦσαν ὅτι ὁ διώκων ἡμᾶς ποτε νῦν εὐαγγελίζεται τὴν πίστιν ἥν ποτε ἐπόρθει, 

¹⁸ deinde post annos tres veni Jerosolymam videre Petrum, et mansi apud eum diebus quindecim: ¹⁹ alium autem Apostolorum vidi neminem, nisi Jacobum fratrem Domini.  ²⁰ Quæ autem scribo vobis, ecce coram Deo, quia non mentior.  ²¹ Deinde veni in partes Syriæ, et Ciliciæ.  ²² Eram autem ignotus facie ecclesiis Judææ, quæ erant in Christo: ²³ tantum autem auditum habebant quoniam qui persequebatur nos aliquando, nunc evangelizat fidem, quam aliquando expugnabat: 

Paul operated independently of the original Apostles, preaching and teaching what he called his “gospel,” in Asia Minor for another decade before making a return trip to Jerusalem around 50 CE.  It was only then, twenty years after Jesus' (a.s.) death, that he encountered James (r.a.) and Peter (r.a.) again in Jerusalem and met for the first time the rest of the original Apostles of Jesus (a.s.). 

Galatians 2:1

¹ When, after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me. 

¹ Ἔπειτα διὰ δεκατεσσάρων ἐτῶν πάλιν ἀνέβην εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα μετὰ Βαρναβᾶ, συμπαραλαβὼν καὶ Τίτον: 

¹ Deinde post annos quatuordecim, iterum ascendi Jerosolymam cum Barnaba, assumpto et Tito. 

It is one of the key factors in understanding Paul and his message.  There was a “Christianity” that existed before Paul, independent of his influence or ideas for more than twenty years.  The Christianity preached by Paul developed independently of Jesus’ (a.s.) original Apostles and followers and had almost no connection to his teachings.  The original teachings of Jesus (a.s.) before Paul’s corruption are difficult to find in the New Testament.  Paul’s thirteen letters predominate, and Paul heavily influences the four Gospels since they were made canonical by his faction.  However, in the Letter of James (r.a.) and in a collection of the sayings of Jesus (a.s.) embedded in the Gospel according to Luke, the source of the Q document, we can still find a glimpse of the original teachings of Jesus (a.s.).  The Letter of James (r.a.) lacks a single teaching that is characteristic of Paul and it draws nothing at all from the Gospel narratives. 

سُوۡرَةُ المَائدة

لَّقَدۡ ڪَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ‌ۚ قُلۡ فَمَن يَمۡلِكُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡـًٔا إِنۡ أَرَادَ أَن يُهۡلِكَ ٱلۡمَسِيحَ ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ ۥ وَمَن فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعً۬ا‌ۗ وَلِلَّهِ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا‌ۚ يَخۡلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬ (١٧) 

In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ, the son of Mary.  Say: “Who then has the least power against Allah, if His Will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and all ― everyone that is on the Earth?  For to Allah Belongs the Dominion of the Heavens and the Earth and all that is between.  He Creates what He Pleases.  For Allah has Power over all things.” (Surah al-Ma’idah:17)