Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - May/75

Contributor - R. A. Hartmans

Title - Paul Missionary To The Gentiles

Topic - Church History

At the time that Stephen became the Church's first martyr, a young man by the name of Saul watched the gruesome killing with approval. This man would later become known throughout the whole world as the Apostle Paul, missionary to the Gentiles.

Because of the New Testament writings we know more about Paul than we do about any other Christian of the first century. The Book of the Acts of the Apostles gives us the story of his life and ministry. From his own letters we learn about his theology, his personality and his appearance.

Paul was born in Tarsus in the eastern part of Asia Minor about 10 A.D. He was the son of a well-to-do Pharisee who was a Roman citizen. He received his early education at the local synagogue. Though his training was strictly Jewish, he could not help but get a first hand knowledge of the pagan culture which surrounded him. Tarsus was no mean city with temples of many different religions and cults. The schools of philosophy were almost as famous as those of Athens and Alexandria. Thus the environment may have helped to make Paul especially suitable for his ministry to the Gentiles.

Having received his basic Synagogue training, and having learned the trade of tent making, Paul was sent to Jerusalem for further schooling in the Pharisaic tradition. His teacher became the famous Gamaliel, who was known as the most scholarly Pharisee of his time. From Gamaliel he learned the subtle skills of Biblical interpretation. His study of the Scriptures strengthened his love for Judaism.

No doubt it was his high regard for Judaism which led Paul to take part in the persecution of the followers of Jesus. After the execution of Stephen, he helped to persecute the Christians vigorously. Indeed, in his zeal he went to undertake a journey of many miles to the city of Damascus to search among the Jews over there for others who might have given themselves to Jesus Christ,

As Paul approached Damascus, he had an experience which would change his life completely. Close to the city a dashing light struck at the traveling party. The impact was so severe that it made Paul fall down, and it left him blinded. Then Jesus appeared to him.

The Risen Christ spoke to Paul and told him to forsake his persecution of the Christians. Instead, he called Paul to become a missionary to the Gentiles.

After his vision Paul remained blind for three days. His companions put him up in a house in Damascus. There a Christian by the name of Ananias was sent to him to follow up the Lord's appearance. Then Paul regained his sight not only in a physical but also in a spiritual way. He accepted Jesus as the promised Messiah, and he was baptized immediately.

Paul could hardly wait to share his discovery of Christ with others. If his fellow Jews were at first amazed at his sudden conversion, they soon became outraged. It didn't take long before Paul had to flee Damascus for fear of being murdered by the Jews.

For three years he journeyed in Arabia. Was this a time for meditation and preparation for his future task? We don't know, but we do learn that from here he traveled to Jerusalem to make his peace with the Apostles and the Church. At first Paul was regarded with great distrust. Barnabas, also a recent convert, spoke up for Paul, and prepared the way for his full acceptance in the Church. However, Greek speaking Jews were now seeking to kill Paul. Therefore, the Church sent him on his way to his native city.

The next eight years Paul laboured in Tarsus. His ministry must have been quite successful for Barnabas invited him to serve in, the city of Antioch. Their work was blessed tremendously and soon the congregation in Antioch was larger than any other church. There Jesus' followers were called Christians for the first time. There too the first Gentiles join the Church.

Paul's ministry to the Gentiles would become of the greatest importance. Yet it increased the hatred of the orthodox Jews for him, and it caused a theological crisis among the Christian Jews. At the center of the controversy stood the fact that Paul and Barnabas had accepted Gentile converts without first requiring them to submit to circumcision. This operation was not only extremely painful to the older male, but also the Gentiles considered it to be a barbaric mutilation of the body. To the Jew, however, circumcision was an absolute requirement for admission to the membership of God's people. Many Christian Jews were horrified at the thought of ignoring it.

In order to explain their stand Paul and Barnabas traveled to Jerusalem to see the Apostles. Some Pharisees in the Church put up a real struggle in favour of the Covenant requirement. The Apostle Peter, on the other hand, supported the missionaries by reminding the Church of his own work with the Gentiles. Earlier God had sent a vision to Peter which made it very clear that the Gentiles should be included in the Gospel proclamation. To confirm the vision the Lord had granted the Holy Spirit to Jews and Gentiles alike. Next James gave his support to Peter. Then the Apostles took the crucial step to admit Gentiles to the Church without first requiring the circumcision of the males.

The Apostles' decision paved the way for a vigorous growth of Christianity in the following centuries. Until now, Jesus' followers had merely been a Jewish sect. From here on the Church developed its own independent structure.

As the years went by Paul traveled extensively through Asia Minor and into Europe. On these journeys he and his companions founded numerous congregations, but with the growth of the Church new problems arose. Time upon time Paul was called to direct, correct or admonish the young churches as they sought to establish a Christian way of life in a pagan society. Many loved him for his guidance. Others hated him. Yet Paul carried on.

The Apostle wrote about some of these attacks in his letters, giving his readers an opportunity to see him through the eyes of others. Thus he quoted some of his adversaries as saying "His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is of no account."

Often he showed extreme patience with his adversaries. He sincerely sought to practice Christ's love. Indeed, one of the most beautiful passages in literature is his poem on charity (I Corinthians 13). At the same time he could be very impatient, even harsh, in his exclamations. Speaking of those who wanted to push the practice of circumcision upon the Gentiles he wrote, "I wish that those who unsettle you would castrate themselves."

Throughout the years of his ministry Paul made three missionary journeys. When Paul returned to Jerusalem once more with a gift of money from the church to the needy in Jerusalem, he almost lost his life in a skirmish with the Jews in the Temple. Fortunately the Roman army intervened, and they arrested him for disturbing the peace. For two years the Roman Procurator held him under arrest at Caesarea. Then, when it seemed that Paul might be returned to Jerusalem to stand trial in hostile Jerusalem, Paul preferred to exercise his right as a Roman citizen and demanded to stand trial before the Emperor. Thus Paul was sent on his way to Rome.

There are no records to tell us how Paul's life came to an end. Legend has it that he was decapitated under Emperor Nero probably about 64 A.D. Yet, Paul's legacy has been with man ever since.

As has been mentioned before, it was, humanly speaking, because of Paul's insight, that the way was opened for Gentiles to become Christians without first becoming Jews through circumcision. In addition Paul continued to urge for greater understanding for Christians of many different theological and cultural backgrounds (I Corinthians 1 : 10). As a theologian Paul was instrumental in shaping Christian thinking in its understanding of God, Christ, the Holy Spirit and the Church. To the very end Paul was thankful for his Jewish heritage. Through his writing and influence in making the Gospel available to all, he helped in presenting Israel's spiritual, moral, and legal heritage to the world.

Through the centuries Paul's influence continued to be felt. God used his life to bring other individuals to salvation and the Church to renewal. Augustine, Luther, John Wesley are only a few of those who had a conversion experience after being confronted with passages from Paul's letter to the Romans. The Reformers relied heavily on Paul's writings as their labours helped shape Protestantism. Today's renewal in the Roman Catholic Church may be traced directly to Paul's theology. While his teachings on the gifts of the Holy Spirit are causing a great stir in churches of many different back grounds.

No one who would have seen Paul watching with approval the stoning to death of Stephen would have believed that this was God's chosen instrument for furthering the Christian Gospel. Yet, "God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform."

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