Rgln 301 - Saul of Tarsus

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traditions it teaches concerning the Law and the Messiah. One should notice the transitions of the name and the mission. It is my observation the name is more fitting to the mission he will

encounter after his conversion. This does in no way indicate, that Saul never had two

names, it only shows the transition from one name to another. Now he will be call Paul instead of

his old Roman name Saul. Paul is no longer identified as Saul the persecutor, but Paul the soon to be servant of Jesus Christ, who will preach and teach Jesus Christ whom he opposed at one time. It is at this point Saul will abandoned the Jewish faith and traditions he was taught while under Gamaliel.8 All Paul have learned he will be used in defense of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul Is Identified as Having Zeal[e]

It is in the book of (Acts 22:3), Paul gives a description of his place of birth place, teaching and his persecution of the men and women who belonged to Christ.9 Paul then says. In Acts 22:3, that he was zealous towards God. Paul is describing his old life as a Pharisee and how he had a passion

for destroying the Christians of his time which went against his teaching of the Law. It does not

indicate that Paul was a part of an organized religious group, as R. H. Horsley states.10 Had this been a violent religious group that set out to destroy Christianity, it would mean that was part of a

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8Ibid

9Sealand, Torrey. Saul of Tarsus and early Zealotism: reading Gal 1,13-14 in light of Philo's writings. Source: Biblica 83 no 4 2002, p 449-471 . Retrieved from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/215266973?accountid=12085 (accessed April 18, 2017).

10Ibid

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movement consisting of several individuals.11 This was only one individual who set out on his own

to defend the Torah.12 Paul measure all that he was doing against the Law, being he was a Pharisee

and held the Law or the Torah as his guide to perform his ungodly actions toward the Christians.

movement consisting of several individuals.13 This was only one individual who set out on his own

to defend the Torah.14 Paul measure all that he was doing against the Law, being he was a Pharisee and held the Law or the Torah as his guide to perform his ungodly actions toward the Christians.

His extreme actions showed that he was willing to lose his life for what he believed in, this was the zeal Paul was speaking of.15 This shows the amount of passion he had towards the Law or the Torah.

Paul Is Called

The most interesting event in the life of Saul is his conversion from Judaism to Christianity. [f]Though he was born a born a Roman citizen and Jewish he chose Judaism to form his religious beliefs. He studied under Gamaliel and learned everything about the Messianic Law. He witnessed the stoning of Stephen and agreed with those who persecuted him, this was the completing factor

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11Ibid

12Ibid

13Ibid

14Ibid

15Ibid

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in him persecuting the Christians.16 Since he was an astute student of the Law, he strongly believed

in the Torah. The author mentions that Saul was sensitive to the feelings of those he persecuted,

this is hardly the case. Acts 9:1, shows Saul had a great deal of animosity against the disciples of

the Lord.17 Saul was on the road to Damascus when Jesus Christ meet him, blinded him and causing a bright light to shine around him. It is here where there are three different accounts of what

happened while on the road to Damascus. Acts (:1-5, Acts 22:4-8b and 26:12b-15b. Each account

do not describe the same details of the events that occurred, but the end results of each is the same, Saul being called and converted.18 After viewing this portion in Acts, it is apparent that Saul was called first before his conversion.

The essential thing in the experience the conviction at which Paul arrived that Jesus, who’s these Christians were, was in fact the long-promised Messiah.19 Saul came to this conclusion after having a brief conversation with Jesus, who he did not seen but heard. The other events that Saul experienced were even more convincing than the previous ones. Paul never show any signs of questioning the light, voice or instructions Jesus gave him to follow.20 This is amazing, being that

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16Clyde Weber Votaw. The Biblical World. The Conversion and Early Ministry of Paul. Acts 9:1-31; 11:25-30; 13:1-14:28; GAL. 1:15-2 Vol. 33, No. 4. (Apr.,1909), pp. 272-278.Published by: The University of Chicago Press. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3141916 (Accused April 20,2017)

17Ibid

18The Biblical World. The Conversion and Early Ministry of Paul. Acts 9:1-31; 11:25-30; 13:1-14:28; GAL. 1:15-2 Vol. 33, No. 4. (Apr.,1909), pp. 272-278.Published by: The University of Chicago Press. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3141916 (Accused April 20,2017)

19Ibid

20Ibid

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he knew the Law extremely well, and wrestled with Judaism and Christianity within himself.21The

completion of the conversion happened when to Ananias and the scales was removed from his

eyes after being blind for four days, and he could see again, Acts 9:15-20, KJV. After his call/conversion he was instructed to preach the gospel to both the Jews and Gentiles, all in knowing

that he was going to suffer the same persecution the disciples suffered at