PAUL OF TARSUS

The Apostle of the Gentiles

By
Prudencio García Pérez
January 2009
 CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION: WHO IS PAUL? ------ 4

CHAPTER I: PAUL’S EARLY LIFE: A FAITHFUL JEW

1.1. Place of birth and its environment ------ 5

1.2. Human and religious education ------ 7

1.3. Profession and social class ------ 9

1.4. Paul, the Pharisee ---------- 9

1.5. Did Paul know Jesus in Jerusalem? --------- 11

1.6. Paul: single, married or widow? --------- 12

1.7. The stoning of Stephen: Paul’s turning point --- 12

CHAPTER II: TIME FOR CHANGE: PAUL’S CONVERSION

2.1. The fall on the way to Damascus --------- 14

2.2. Thirteen years of silence -------------- 17

CHAPTER III: PAUL, THE APOSTLE OF THE GENTILES

3.1. How did Paul travel all over the world? ----- 19

3.2. Panoramic vision of the journeys of Paul ----- 23

2
 3.3. The acceptance of gentiles in the communities - 30

CHAPTER IV: PAUL, THE PRISONER AND THE MARTYR

4.1. Paul, the prisoner for Christ -------------- 34

4.2. The last years of Paul -------------- 36

4.3. Paul’s death in Rome -------------- 37

CHAPTER V: PAUL’S PERSONALITY

5.1. The man ---------------------- 38

5.2. The apostle ---------------------- 39

5.3. The saint ---------------------- 40

CHAPTER VI: PAUL’S GOSPEL

6.1. Summary of Paul’s gospel -------------- 41

6.2. Picture of Paul’s gospel from the epistles ----- 44

- CONCLUSION: PAUL SPEAKS TO US TODAY ----- 47

- CHRONOLOGY OF PAUL -------------- 50

- THE PLACE OF WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITIES----- 51

- BIBLIOGRAPHY -------------------------- 53

3
 INTRODUCTION: WHO IS PAUL?

The year of Saint Paul has

arrived! Periodically, the Catholic
Church dedicates the whole year to
focus on some aspects of our faith.
This year, we are invited to celebrate
one of the great saints and founders
of the early Church – the Apostle
Paul.

Who is Paul? It is impossible to

write a complete life of Paul. But we
can try our best by using the main
sources of information: The epistles
of Paul and the Acts of the Apostles.

1. THE EPISTLES OF PAUL

The letters of Paul are the most important source of information

about his life and missionary activity. In the New Testament, fourteen
letters are attributed to Paul. Nowadays, most of the experts (90%) agree
that only seven letters were written by Paul: 1Thessalonians, Galatians,
Philippians, Philemon, 1-2Corinthians, and Romans.

From the other seven, there is a group of four epistles that the
experts consider, without a doubt, not written by Paul: 1-2Timothy, Titus,
and Hebrews. The other three epistles (2Thessalonians, Ephesians, and
Colossians) are considered authentic by some, but the majority disagrees.

2. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

The Acts of the Apostles, written by the evangelist Luke, are a good
source of information about the life of Paul. This book talks about the

4
conversion of Paul and his missionary journeys, but it finishes before Paul’s
martyrdom in Rome.
We need to remember that the objective of the book of Acts is to
narrate (around the year 80 A.D.) how the Christian faith, born in
Jerusalem, arrived to Rome, the capital of the empire, through the person of
Paul. In other words, this book does not offer a complete and critical
biography of Paul. So, we must be careful when reading it because it is not a
history book.

CHAPTER I
EARLY LIFE: PAUL, A FAITHFUL JEW

1.1. PLACE OF BIRTH AND ITS ENVIRONMENT

“I am a Jew and a citizen of the well-known city of Tarsus in

Cilicia” (Acts 21:39), “circumcised on the eighth day of my life,
I was born of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a
Hebrew born of Hebrew parents” (Philippians 3:5).

5
 Paul was born in Tarsus1, the Roman capital of Cilicia (today Turkey),
between the years 5 and 10 AD2. Tarsus was a big, beautiful, and noisy city.
Its population was around 300.000 people. Heading south, there was the
Mediterranean Sea. Heading north, there were mountains over 3.000 meters
high. It was a fertile and hot region, good for wheat, wine, oil, and linen. On
the slopes of the mountains, there were numerous flocks of sheep. The wool
and linen contributed to the expansion of the textile industry. Tarsus was
also an important place for trading and culture. It had an active river port.
Even the Roman road connecting the East with the West passed from there.

Why was Paul born in Tarsus even though he was a Jew? We do not
know for sure! Some biblical passages tell us that Jews were forced to
migrate to other countries as a result of war or economic difficulties3.

1
Look also at these passages from Acts: 9:11; 21:39; 22:3; cf. 9:30; 11:25. Saint Jerome is
not of the same opinion. He says that Paul was born in Giscalis, in Judea. When the village
was taken by the Romans, he and his parents were sent to Tarsus, in Cilicia, probably to be
sold as slaves (See Cf. SAINT JEROME, Lives of illustrious men, chapter 5).
2
We get this information from Acts 7:58, where it is said that at the moment of Stephen’s
death (year 34 AD), the people put their clothes at the feet of a “young man” called Saul.
Furthermore, in the letter to Philemon 9 (written between the years 61-63 AD), Paul
describes himself as an “old man”. So, these texts provide some help in calculating the date
of Paul’s birth.
3
See Joel 4:6; Isaiah 66:19; Ezekiel 27:10.13; 38:2; 39:1.

6
During the first century, in the most important Roman cities there was a
well-organized Jewish community with its synagogue, even though Jerusalem
was still the spiritual center for all the Jews. So, it is probable that Paul’s
family migrated from Israel for some of the reasons mentioned above and
later became wealthy enough to buy the Roman citizenship or obtained it as
a reward. In fact, in the Acts of the Apostles, Paul declares three times
that he is a Roman citizen4 from his birth.

Paul was born in a Jew family, so he grew up learning and keeping God’s
Law and the traditions of his ancestors (Galatians 1:14). The Jews of the
diaspora (living in a foreign land) were very religious. Their most important
mission was to observe God’s Law and they fought hard against the Roman
laws and customs that were against their faith: worship the Emperor; work
on the Sabbath day; do the military service, etc. Acting like this, they
fulfilled the idea of being “God’s property or holy nation”, without mixing
with the gentiles. For this reason, they were sometimes persecuted and
oppressed.

Paul was circumcised on the eighth day and given the name of Saul,
like the first king of Israel who was also from the tribe of Benjamin
(1Samuel 9:16). But, according to the custom of the Jews of the diaspora, he
was also given a Greek name, “Paulos” (in Latin, “Paulus”).

1.2. PAUL’S HUMAN AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

“I am a Jew and was born at Tarsus in Cilicia. I was brought up here

in this city. It was under Gamaliel that I studied and was taught the
exact observance of the Law of our ancestors” (Acts 22:3). “In the
matter of the Law, I was a Pharisee…” (Philippians 3:6).

Like all the children of his time, Paul was educated first at home, then
at the synagogue, and finally at the Jewish school. There, he learnt to read
and write. He also learnt God’s Law, the history of his people, the religious
traditions, and some prayers. Everything was learnt by memory.

4
Acts 16:35-39; 22:25-29; 25:1-25.

7
 Looking at the epistles he wrote, we can appreciate a deep knowledge
of the Greek language and culture. He sounds like a master in Greek. He
dominates its rhetoric, structure, and literary style. All this implies that he
also studied in the famous University of Tarsus5.

As a young man, maybe 15 or 16 years old, Paul was sent to Jerusalem

to continue his studies of the Jewish faith under Rabbi Gamaliel 6. It would
take him around three or four years to complete all the courses and become
a young rabbi7. These are the courses he had to complete:

1. God’s Law (Torah): He had to read several times the first five
books of the Bible, called “Pentateuch”, until he knew them by
memory.
2. The traditions of the ancestors: It was an actualization of God’s
Law for the people of the present time. It had two parts called
“Halakah” and “Haggadah”.

- Halakah: it was a collection of customs and complementary

laws that helped Jewish people to live their lives according
to God’s Law. It was accepted by the most important
religious authorities. Paul learnt the Halakah of the
Pharisees, more strict than the one of the Sadducees.

- Haggadah: It was a collection of Bible stories that helped

people to read their lives from the perspective of God’s Law.
This way of reading the history of their ancestors helped
them to see God also acting in their own lives and discover
God’s plan for them. It was more liberal and did not have the
approval of the religious authorities, even though they
respected it.

5
See STRABO (63/64 BC – 24 AD), Geography, XIV 5, 13, where he writes about the
importance of Tarsus not only in philosophy, but also in all the educational areas. See also P.
DREYFUS, Pablo de Tarso, ciudadano del imperio, Ed. Palabra, Madrid 1996, Pág. 30.
6
Gamaliel was the grandson of Hillel, the founder of the more liberal of the two rabbinical
schools in Jerusalem. The other school was the one of Shammay, much more strict and
orthodox.
7
Cf. J. JEREMIAS, Jerusalén en tiempos de Jesús, Cristiandad, Madrid 1985, Págs. 249-
260.

8
 3. The interpretation of the Bible (Midrash): “Midrash” means
“search or seeking”. It teaches the rules and the way to search for
the meaning of the Bible and its application for people’s lives. In
other words, it says that the past history of the people of Israel
was a clear reflection of what is happening to them today.

After completing his studies, Paul probably went back to Tarsus where
he could help his father in making tents and also help the Jewish community
in knowing better God’s Law and the traditions of the ancestors. Nobody
would argue with someone who studied at the feet of Gamaliel, one of the
greatest rabbis of that time.

1.3. PAUL’S PROFESSION AND SOCIAL CLASS

According to Acts 18:3, Paul was a tentmaker (tents made of goat’s

hair). At that time, it was common for children to learn the profession of
their fathers in order to earn a living. So, his father was for sure a
tentmaker as well. Paul also became a tentmaker apprentice at around the
age of thirteen (maturity age) and took him a few years of hard work to
acquire the necessary skills to succeed in the profession. Was Paul’s father
a worker or had his own business?

Paul was proud of being a “Roman citizen” (Acts 16:37; 22:25) because
he had this right from his birth (Acts 22:29). So, his father was a Roman
citizen and he passed it on to him. Nevertheless, obtaining the Roman
citizenship was not easy. Normally, it could be obtained by paying a big
amount of money or as a reward for doing something great for the Roman
Empire. According to some experts, it is probable that his father or grand-
father paid a great amount of money to get the citizenship. This could only
be done if they owned a tent making business. So, Paul learnt the profession
not only to earn a living, but especially to run the family business.

In that period, the Roman society had three different social classes:
citizens, freedmen (liberti), and slaves. Only citizens had the privilege of
discussing and deciding the important matters of the city. Freedmen, slaves,

9
and foreigners had no voice in the decision making or in choosing the
members of the government. It was the government of the citizens8.

1.4. PAUL, THE PHARISEE

Until now, Paul’s profile presents lots of human and religious qualities:
he is a Jew by race, a Greek by culture, and a Roman by citizenship. Now we
will discover the faithful Jew and the exigent Pharisee.
Paul was a very religious man: “it was under Gamaliel that I studied
and was taught the exact observance of the Law of our ancestors ” (Acts
22:3); “In the matter of the Law, I was a Pharisee…” (Philippians 3:6); “I
outstripped most of my Jewish contemporaries in my limitless enthusiasm
for the traditions of my ancestors” (Galatians 1:14); to defend those
traditions, he persecuted the Christians (Acts 26:9-11: Galatians 1:13).
In other words, he wanted to be a perfect Jew by fulfilling the ideals of his
ancestors. What were those ideals?

Israel was born in the Sinai desert where God made a covenant with
them. This covenant had two complementary elements:

1. God, in his goodness, offers the people a covenant for free

(Exodus 19:4);

2. The people of Israel, after accepting God’s project, must

keep the terms of the covenant (Exodus 19:5-6).

It is like the two sides of the same coin: gift from God and personal
effort; God’s providence and human activity. When both sides work together
the covenant will be complete. During Hebrew history, sometimes the
emphasis was put on the covenant as a free gift from God (“God does
everything”) and became an empty ritual without any personal responsibility
or commitment; some other times, they emphasized the personal observance

8
Advantages of being a “Roman citizen”: right to travel everywhere; no detention unless
under investigation or awaiting punishment; no beating or torture; right to trial and appeal;
right to vote; right to make legal contracts; right to sue in court; death only because of
treason (never crucifixion).

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of the Law (“we must keep all the commandments”) and became an
exaggerated attachment to the rules and precepts.

During Paul’s time, the emphasis was put on the “observance of the
Law”. The important thing was to keep the law to the letter, even the
smallest of the commandments or precepts. They were so busy in doing so
that they forgot about showing love, mercy and compassion. They had a
business relationship with God: “if I keep the commandments, I can ask God
to give me the reward that I deserve”. Observing the law to the smallest
details was a synonym of holiness, perfection, and justice. This was the
belief of the Pharisees and Paul was one of them. He spent his early youth
trying hard to fulfill this ideal of the Pharisees.

1.5. DID PAUL KNOW JESUS IN JERUSALEM?

When Paul was studying the Jewish Law and traditions in Jerusalem,
Jesus was still alive and probably preaching all over Galilee. A question comes
to mind right away: Did Paul meet Jesus in Jerusalem? Did Paul hear about
Jesus of Nazareth? In the epistles, Paul never says to have met Jesus
personally9 or to have heard of Jesus while he was in Jerusalem. If he had
met Jesus, for sure he would have told us in his letters. This information
could have helped him in his missionary ministry.

Paul, while studying at the feet of Gamaliel, was very busy learning the
Torah and the traditions, so he did not have time to care about the things
that were happening outside. It was like a long spiritual retreat without any
contact with the external world. This was the life of a Pharisee student. If
he ever heard of Jesus, for sure he did not pay much attention to him. Jesus
did not fit the profile of the Messiah that the Pharisees were waiting for:
he came from Galilee; he did not study in the rabbinical schools of
Jerusalem; according to the Pharisees ideas, the Messiah would come
unexpectedly, he would bring all kinds of blessings, especially happiness and
permanent peace, he would free the people from their sins and would

9
In 2Corinthians 5:16, Paul says, “even if we were once familiar with Christ according to
human standards, we do not know him in that way any longer”. But, it does not necessary
mean that he met him personally.

11
inaugurate a new time in which the law would not be necessary any longer
because the law was established for the sinners and the infidels.

We have the wrong idea that everybody in Israel, even Jerusalem,

knew who Jesus was. Some people did, but the majority of them did not know
anything about Jesus or did not care too much about a Galilean who believed
to be the Messiah. Besides, during the day of the crucifixion, the people
were so busy with the preparations for the Passover feast that there was no
time to pay attention to a man, with another two thieves, who was going to
be crucified outside the city walls.

1.6. PAUL: SINGLE, MARRIED OR WIDOW?

Paul never talks about having a wife or children. The Acts of the
Apostles do not say anything about it either. Naturally, everybody believes
that Paul was single or unmarried.

It is true though that every Jew had the obligation of starting a

family, following the precept of the Torah: “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the
earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). It is also true that in the Bible there
are cases of people who did not get married: Jeremiah, John the Baptist,
and Jesus. Among the Essenes, many of them did not marry. Even a Rabbi,
Simon Ben Azzai, II century AD, did not marry due to his love for the Torah.
According to this perspective, Paul could perfectly be single or unmarried.
Paul himself says this:

“I should still like everyone to be as I am myself; but everyone

has his own gift from God, one this kind and the next something
different. To the unmarried and to widows I say: it is good for
them to stay as they are, like me. But if they cannot exercise
self-control, let them marry, since it is better to be married
than to be burnt up” (1Corinthians 7:7-9).

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1.7. THE STONING OF STEPHEN: PAUL’S TURNING POINT

“The witnesses put down their clothes at the feet of a

young man called Saul” (Acts 7:59).

The disciples’ experience of the resurrection of Jesus provoked a

great transformation in their lives and ideas. The coming of the Holy Spirit
at Pentecost completed it by giving them the courage of going outside their
hiding place and beginning to preach that Jesus was the Messiah, the only
way to salvation. Due to this preaching, day after day, new people joined
Jesus’ movement and it became a serious problem for the religious
authorities of Jerusalem.
Three or four years later, the number of followers had grown so fast
that the apostles were forced to organize the new community. The
community was formed by two different groups of Jews: those born in
Israel (Hebrews: more conservative) and those born in the diaspora
(Hellenists: more liberal). A problem came up: the Hellenists complained that
in the daily distribution of food, their widows were treated unfairly. The
apostles did not want to neglect the preaching of the word of God, so they
chose seven men of good reputation, filled with the spirit and with wisdom to
be in charge of the food, take care of the belongings of the community and
give alms to the poor. The names of these seven deacons are: Stephen,
Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of Antioch.

Stephen is presented as a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. He

appears to be an exceptional man, a great preacher and a miracle worker.
Immediately, some false witnesses accused him of preaching against Moses
and God; even against the Temple and the Law10. He is brought to the
Sanhedrin (supreme council of Israel) where he is interrogated about these
accusations. The young preacher, full of zeal, accused the authorities and
the people of Israel of being stubborn, having uncircumcised hearts and
ears, resisting the power of the Holy Spirit, and not keeping the Law.

10
Those who opposed Stephen’s teachings were mainly members of the Synagogue of the
Freedmen in Jerusalem (Acts 6:9). These members were Jews born in the diaspora, like
Paul.

13
 At this point, they were so
furious that took Stephen out of
the city walls and stoned him to
death while he said: “Lord, do not
hold this sin against them” (Acts
7:60). Paul saw the whole thing as
they put their clothes at his feet
(year 34 AD). After assisting at
such a horrible event, Paul became
the main persecutor of the followers
of Jesus because their beliefs were
a serious threat to the Jewish faith
and to the religious identity of the
people of Israel.

Gamaliel, Paul’s teacher, thought that the followers of Jesus were not
a threat and the zeal of the movement would disappear with the passing of
the time. That is why he said: “ you leave these men alone and let them go. If
this movement of theirs is of human origin it will break up of its own accord;
but if it does in fact come from God you will be unable to destroy them.
Take care not to find yourselves fighting against God” (Acts 5:38-39).

Paul had a different opinion. Paul thought that Jesus’ followers were
wrong because if the Messiah had come, there was no need to observe the
Law any more. Christians did both things, and that was unacceptable for him.
That is why Paul was put in charge by the religious authorities of organizing
“death squadrons” whose mission was to hunt down Christians all over
Jerusalem. He put men and women in jail, tortured them, beat them up, and
would like them to be sentenced to death as well (Acts 26:10-11).

This persecution, the first in the history of the Church, had a double
consequence: 1) made the faith of Jesus’ followers stronger and brought
many others to believe in Jesus: “sanguis martyrum, semem christianorum”
(the blood of martyrs, seed of Christians); 2) the dispersion of the Jesus’
followers all over the country of Israel11.

11
According to Acts 8:1, the apostles did not leave Jerusalem. It suggests that Paul’s
persecution was not directed against the group of those who were born in Israel (Hebrews),
but against those who were born in the diaspora (Hellenists, like Stephen).These Hellenists

14
 CHAPTER II
TIME FOR CHANGE: PAUL’S CONVERSION

2.1. THE FALL ON THE WAY TO DAMASCUS

Escaping Paul’s persecution, many Christians decided to take refuge

outside the borders of Israel, in Damascus, the capital of Syria. Paul,
wishing to exterminate this poisonous seed, was granted permission to find
them and punish them. Paul himself tells us what happened on the way:
“It happened that I was on that journey and nearly at Damascus
when in the middle of the day a bright light from heaven suddenly
shone round me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying,
“Saul, Saul, why are persecuting me?” I answered, “Who are you,
Lord?” and he said to me, “I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you
are persecuting”. The people with me saw the light but did not
hear the voice which spoke to me. I said, “What I am to do, Lord?”
The Lord answered, “Get up and go into Damascus, and there you
will be told what you have been appointed to do”. Since the light
had been so dazzling that I was blind, I got to Damascus only
because my companions led my by hand” (Acts 22:6-11).

The conversion of Paul on the

way to Damascus (around the year 36
AD) is told three times in the Acts of
the Apostles12. These episodes have
the same narrative structure:

1. Presentation of Paul persecuting

the Church.
2. Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the
way to Damascus.
were the ones who scattered all over Israel, especially Judea and Samaria, trying to escape
from Paul’s punishment and preaching the good news at the same time.

15
 3. Ananias’ vision of Jesus telling him
to welcome Paul.
4. Paul’s baptism in Damascus.

The distance between Jerusalem and Damascus is about two hundred

and eighty kilometers. It takes at least seven days to get there travelling at
a good speed. It is a long and tiring journey, but Paul overcomes all the
difficulties by thinking of the mission he has to accomplish. He is young, full
of zeal and has presentation letters from the religious authorities 13; nothing
can stop him!
When Paul was close to the gates of Damascus, something surprising
happened: a bright light struck him and fell to the ground; he heard a voice
saying, Why are you persecuting me? I am Jesus the Nazarene! Go to
Damascus and you will be told what you are appointed to do. At this point,
Paul was blinded by the light and could not see anything.

This is how Paul himself tells us what happened on the way to

Damascus14. During this encounter between Jesus and Paul, we expect the
announcement of Paul’s punishment for his wrongdoings against the
Christians. Instead, he receives a calling to serve Jesus and fulfill a mission
already prepared for him. This event, even though is a conversion or change
of life, is also a calling15 like the callings and visions of the prophets in the
Old Testament16.

12
Acts 9:1-19 (told by Luke); 22:3-21 and 26:2-19 (told by Paul). See also Galatians 1:13-17.
13
It seems that the religious authorities could only exercise their power in Israel. They had
no authority outside the borders. Then, probably the powers given to Paul were just an
invitation for the leaders of the synagogues of Damascus to collaborate with him.
14
The story of Paul’s encounter with Jesus is very similar in the three texts. The only
important difference is this: Luke says that Paul’s companions heard the voice talking, but
did not see anyone (9:7); while Paul says that they saw the bright light, but did not hear
anything (22:9).
15
For Luke, the event near Damascus is a conversion. But, Paul, in his letters, does not
consider it a “conversion”, but a “calling” to follow Jesus. He aims to defend his title of
apostle and justify his mission among the gentiles. We can see this in Galatians 1:15-17;
1Corinthians 9:1; 15:8; Philippians 3:12.
16
See Ezekiel 1:28; Daniel 10:7-9. The words -light, voice or fall- often appear in the
manifestations or visions of God in the Old Testament.

16
 This personal encounter with Jesus is the key moment in Paul’s life. It
brings a radical change to his life; a great transformation. Paul will never be
the same! This event marks the end of the old Paul (the persecutor of
Christians) and the beginning of the new Paul (the apostle of the gentiles).
Before, God’s Law was the center of his life; now, it will be Jesus.

Paul’s three days of blindness, although could be a historic fact, also

have a symbolic meaning: it means three days of darkness and death before
the resurrection to a new life17. It is a time for reflection and meditation
about what happened to him on the way to Damascus and how to deal with it.
It is also a time of preparation for important decisions that need to be made
for his future life. In other words, it was like a spiritual retreat for Paul.

The Christian community of Damascus has doubts about Paul’s

conversion; they cannot believe that the persecutor is now a follower of
Jesus. That is why Ananias, the leader of the community, was chosen by
Jesus to witness and certify Paul’s transformation. The fact that Paul
recovered his sight after hearing Ananias’ words means that his conversion
was true. Now Paul is ready to receive the baptism as a symbol of his new
life. Because of the baptism his past sins are forgiven, receives the power of
Holy Spirit, and is accepted and welcomed in the Christian community.

2.2. THIRTEEN YEARS OF SILENCE

There is not much information about this period of Paul’s life and what
we know is confusing and contradictory some times. This is a chronology or
overview of these thirteen years:

1. Paul, after his conversion, spent some time with the followers of
Jesus in Damascus and preaching in the synagogues. He had to escape
from there because the Jews wanted to kill him (Acts 9:23-25).

2. Because of this plot against his life, Paul traveled to Arabia where he
spent three years (Galatians 1:17). We do not know what he did in

17
Paul’s three days of blindness are connected to the three days that Jesus spent inside the
tomb before his resurrection.

17
 Arabia, but we can assume that he spent time meditating on the
meaning of his conversion and learning about Jesus and the Christian
way of life18. Probably he preached in the synagogues and Christians
communities as well.

3. Then, he went to Jerusalem to meet Peter, Cephas, and the rest of

the apostles (Acts 9:26-30). He spent fifteen days with Peter19
(Galatians 1:18-19). According to Acts, the apostles were afraid of
meeting him at first, but Barnabas introduced him to them and
preached together in Jerusalem. The Hellenist Jews tried to kill him
and he had to flee to Tarsus to save his life.

4. Paul remained in Tarsus and other cities nearby around eight or nine
years probably preaching the good news of Jesus.

5. Because of the persecution at the time of Stephen, new Christian

communities were born in Phoenicia, Cyprus, Cyrene, and Antioch. At
the beginning these communities were formed only by Jews converted
to the Church, but now they were also preaching to Greeks and many
converted too. The apostles, in Jerusalem, heard about this mixed
community of Antioch and sent Barnabas to take care of its
administration and organization. Barnabas went to Tarsus and brought
Paul with him to Antioch where they stayed for a year (Acts 11:19-26).
It was in Antioch were the followers of Jesus were called “Christians”
for the first time.

How was Paul’s life during these thirteen years? As we said before,
there is not much information about this period of his life. For sure it was a
time of preparation for the mission that Jesus had assigned to him. He
participated in the life of the communities; he preached the good news in
different places and helped to the growth and development of the Christian
faith in Syria, Arabia, and Cilicia. During this time, Paul earned his living by

18
We need to remember that after his conversion, Paul did not stop being a Jew, but his
Judaism changed radically with the acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah. Now he
understands that Jesus is not only the savior of the Jews, but also the savior of all the
people of the world.
19
There is a small contradiction here: According to Acts 9:26-30, Paul stayed with the
apostles in Jerusalem; according to Galatians 1:18, Paul spent fifteen days with Peter only,
and did not see any other apostle except James, the Lord’s brother.

18
making tents. Paul’s conversion was also the beginning of a new life. Jesus
gave him new eyes in Damascus. Now, he must process this personal
experience of Jesus through fasting, prayer, reflection, and meditation. By
doing so, he feels Jesus’ love for him and understands his mission.

CHAPTER III
PAUL, THE APOSTLE OF THE GENTILES

There is a lot of information about this period of Paul’s life in the

Acts of the Apostles and in his own epistles. Paul is now in Antioch. This is
how his missionary travels and activity started:

“One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and
keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, “I want Barnabas and
Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them”.
So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their
hands on them and sent them off” (Acts 13:2-3).

According to Acts, it was not Paul who made the decision of leaving
Antioch, traveling all over the world, and becoming a messenger of the
Gospel. He was chosen by the Holy Spirit and was sent by the community of
Antioch, together with Barnabas, to preach the good news of Jesus. Paul
just obeyed and left the place. That decision changed the course of the
Church and Paul’s life for ever.

3.1. HOW DID PAUL TRAVEL ALL OVER THE WORLD?

“I have been shipwrecked, and once I have been in the open sea
for a night and a day; continually travelling, I have been in danger
from rivers, in danger from brigands, in danger in the towns and in
danger in the open country, in danger at sea and in danger from
people masquerading as brothers” (2Corinthians 11:25-26).

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1. The roads and the cities

According to Acts, the third period of Paul’s life can be summarized

by three missionary journeys. Twelve or thirteen years of adventures! His
world cannot be compared to ours. At that time there were no buses, trains
or planes. He had to travel thousands of kilometers on animals (donkeys,
camels, etc), walking on dirty roads, and using unsafe boats.

Only the biggest roads of the Roman Empire had inns or hostels to eat
and spend the night safely. The rest of the roads were dangerous because
of thieves and robbers. People could be hired for protection during these
journeys, but it was expensive. Paul could not enjoy any of those things. He
was travelling with God and with his companions. There was no one else to
depend on. Travelling was very risky!

During his journeys, Paul spent time in the most important cities of
the Empire: Antioch, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Rome, etc. It was like being
in a different world if compared to the cities of Israel or the city of Tarsus.
People in those giant cities lived according to Greek standards and mentality.
Some experts have concluded that Rome at that time had almost a million
people, while Corinth, Antioch of Syria, and Ephesus had around half a
million. In those cities lived many foreigners, like in our big cities today.

Paul’s mission was really difficult. The gospel came from the country
side of Israel, and now it has to be adapted and preached to the people of
the big cities. This will be Paul’s challenge during those journeys.

2. Paul’s travelling companions

Paul never travelled alone! He was always accompanied by a friend, a

group of friends or companions. On his first journey, he travelled with
Barnabas and John Mark (Acts 13:3-5). On the second journey, after the
discussion with Barnabas, he first chose Silas as his companion (Acts 15:36-

20
40), later Timothy (Acts 16:1-3) and Luke20 joined the expedition. At the end
of the second journey some other people joined the team like the married
couple, Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:18). On his third journey, he had many
different companions (see Acts 19:22; 20:4-5; 21:16).

Paul travelled with companions and friends to ensure his personal

safety, but also to feel the presence of the community that sent him while
preaching the good news of Jesus. They helped him when writing the letters
and had a specific task in his journeys. Without them, he could have never
done what he did. They were also his moral support in times of crisis and
played a big role in overcoming the difficulties of the mission. Here there
are some of their names: Barnabas, his close companion at the dawn of the
mission (Acts 9:27; 11:25-25; 1312; 1Corinthians 9:6; Galatians 2:1-13); Lydia,
coordinator of the community at Philippi (Acts 16:14-15; Philippians 1:5-8;
4:15); the matrimony of Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:2-18; Romans 16:3-4);
Phoebe, the deaconess, (Romans 16:1-2); and especially Timothy, whom Paul
loves like a son (Philippians 2:19-22); they helped each other in living
according to the gospel and in the service of the people.

3. Paul’s ways of communication

We know that Paul could speak and write Greek perfectly (Acts
21:37), the common language of the cities. He also spoke Hebrew, the
language in which the Old Testament was written and frequently used in the
synagogues. He spoke Aramaic as well, the common language of the people of
Israel that he learnt from his parents and improved while living in
Jerusalem. We do not know if he could speak Latin, the language of the
Roman Empire.

Even though he could speak a few languages, he still had several

problems in communicating with people because many of them could not
speak nor understand Greek. One time, in Lystra, he healed a crippled man,
and then the crowd thought he was a god and wanted to offer him a

20
Luke’s name does not appear explicitly during Paul’s second journey, but we know he is part
of it because in Acts 16:10 there is a sudden change of subject: from “they” to “we”. If
Luke says “we”, it means that he is travelling with them.

21
sacrifice; he did not know what was going on, so probably an interpreter
helped him to solve the mistake (Acts 14:8-18).

4. Paul’s health

Nowadays, whoever likes to travel must be very healthy. Paul’s health

was made of steel! That is the only reason he could have travelled for
thirteen years: on foot or by boat, moving constantly from one place to
another, going up and down the mountains, bearing cold and hot
temperatures, living in danger all the time (persecutions, stoning…),
suffering from hunger and thirst, and worrying about the situation of the
new communities (2Corinthians 11:27-28).

During the second journey, Paul became ill and had to stop in the land
of the Galatians. While sick, probably a problem in his eyes (based on
Galatians 4:15), he began to preach the gospel and the community of the
Galatians was born. Paul knows how important good health is, that is why he
worries about the health of his companions and advices Timothy to drink
some wine to solve his digestion and stomach problems (1Timothy 5:23).

5. Paul’s travel expenses

Paul’s biggest problem during his journeys was how to get money to
cover his daily needs. At that time a person could walk around 30 kilometers
per day. Where did he get the money for his long journeys? How did he
survive? It is very simple! When the money was gone, he and his companions
stopped in a big town, looked for a job, and stayed there until they had
enough money to continue the journey. We know Paul’s slogan: “Do not let
anyone eat if he refused to work” (2Thessalonians 3:10). In Acts 20:33-34,
he says, “I have never asked anyone for money and clothes; you know for
yourselves that these hands of mine earned enough to meet my needs and
those of my companions”.

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6. Keeping in touch with the new communities: epistles or letters

During his journeys, Paul kept in touch with the communities through
messengers (Col 4:10; 1Cor 1:11; 1Thes 3:2-6) and, from his second journey,
also through epistles. He asked them to read the letters in their community
meetings and send them to the other communities as well. For example,
2Corinthians was written for all the communities in Greece (2Cor 1:1).

Paul wrote many letters, but some of them got lost. In 1 Corinthians
5:9, he mentions a previous letter that disappeared. In Colossians 4:16, he
mentions a letter for the community of Laodicea that was also lost. Paul
normally did not write his own epistles, but looked for a secretary to do the
writing for him: this is the case of Romans 16:22 where the secretary sends
his own greetings: “I, Tertius, who am writing this letter, greet you in the
Lord”. Paul’s companions also helped in preparing the message of the letters
after careful consideration of the situation of the community. At the end,
Paul signs the epistles with his own signature, just to avoid falsifications or
additions (2Thes 3:17).

Even though Paul travelled much, he always kept in touch with all the
communities. At that time was not easy to communicate with the different
churches (no phones, no internet, no postal services…), but he kept them
informed through letters, messengers, and other means available. He was
chosen by these communities, together with Barnabas, to represent them in
the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:2). He was also the official delegate of
the Council for these new Christian communities and the coordinator of the
mission among the gentiles (Acts 15:22-25). He was the organizer and
carrier of the money obtained in the collection of the gentile communities
for the poor of Jerusalem (Acts 24:17; 2 Cor 8-9).

3.2. PANORAMIC VISION OF THE JOURNEYS OF PAUL

“From Jerusalem and all round, even as far as Illyricum, I have fully
carried out the preaching of the gospel of Christ; and what is more,
it has been my rule to preach the gospel only where the name of

23
 Christ has not already been heard for I do not build on another’s
foundation…” (Romans 15:19-20).

1. The diary of the journeys

Jerusalem is the central place in the two books of Luke: gospel and
Acts of the Apostles. In Jerusalem, the story of Jesus begins and ends. It
is the beginning of the history of the Church (Acts 1:4-26) and the starting
point of the missionary activity (Acts 1:8). The objective of Paul’s missionary
activity is to preach the gospel to the ends of the world. Spain was believed
to be the end of the world. The Acts of the Apostles are the main sources
of information about these travels, so we will follow their lead:

- FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY (Acts 13:3-14:28)

Jerusalem: Paul and Barnabas bring contributions (Acts 11:27-30; 12:25).

24
Departure point: Antioch of Syria (Acts 13:3).

Itinerary of the journey:

- First to Seleucia. Then, by boat, to Salamis, Cyprus.
- Crossed the island until Paphos: conflict with the magician Elymas.
- By boat to Perga and then to Antioch of Pisidia: conflict with Jews.
- Went off to Iconium: conflict with the Jews.
- Continued to Lystra: conflict with Jews and gentiles
- Continued to Derbe: returning point.
- Going back from Derbe to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia.
- Stop in Perga, then continued to Attalia.
- From Attalia, by boat, went back to Antioch of Syria.

Arrival point: Antioch of Syria (Acts 14:28).

Important events during his first journey:

1. Conflict between Paul and Elymas, a Jewish magician, who did not
want them to preach the gospel to the proconsul Sergius Paulus. Elymas
became blind and the proconsul became a believer (Acts 13:6-12).

2. Paul’s speech in Antioch of Pisidia and conflict with the Jews. Then,
Paul and Barnabas started preaching to the gentiles (Acts 13:44-52).

3. Conflict with the religion of the people of Lystra: Paul and Barnabas
believed to be Greek gods after healing a crippled man (Acts 14:11-18). Paul
was almost stoned to death by Jews and some other people; he was helped
by the disciples in the city.

4. During his way back, Paul spent time consolidating the communities
and putting some elders or leaders in charge of them (Acts 14:21-23).

5. During the first journey, we have no news about Paul writing any
letter or epistle.

- SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY (Acts 15:36-18:22)

25
Jerusalem: Paul and Barnabas went there to solve a problem (Acts 15:2.30).

Departure point: Antioch of Syria: discussion with Barnabas (Acts 15:36).

Itinerary of the journey:

- Travelled through Syria and Cilicia, consolidating the churches.
- Passed through Derbe and Lystra: take Timothy with them.
- Travelled through Phrygia and the Galatian country.
- Continue to Mysia and came to Troas.
- By boat to Philippi, in Macedonia: conflict.
- Expelled, they went to Thessalonica: conflict.
- Sent to Berea: conflict.
- Expelled, went to Athens: speech at the Areopagus and conflict.
- Went to Corinth: stayed 18 months.
- By boat to Ephesus: promise to come back.
- By boat to Caesarea, and probable visit to Jerusalem.

Arrival point: Antioch of Syria (Acts 18:22).

Important events during his second journey:

26
 1. Discussion and separation of Paul and Barnabas because of Mark:
Barnabas wants to bring Mark with them and Paul does not (Acts 15:36-40).

2. Foundation of the first community of Philippi. Paul left a group of

women in charge and the leader was Lydia (Acts 16:11-15). The gospel was
not accepted there: Paul and Silas were put in prison and tortured.

3. Growing conflict with Jews at Thessalonica: Jews envy his success

among the gentiles and use the authorities against Paul (Acts 17:5-9).

4. Failure in Athens (speech at the Areopagus: Acts 17:32-34): People

laughed at him and did not believe him. Internal conflict in Paul: he learns to
trust more the cross of Jesus than his own speech (1Cor 2:1-5).

5. Foundation of the community of Corinth: Paul stayed for 18 months

(Acts 18:1-8). This is a problematic community and gave Paul many
headaches. It will also help him to grow and mature in the mystery of Christ.
6. Paul’s letters during his second journey: 1-2Thessalonians.

- THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY (Acts 18:23-21:17)

27
Departure point: Antioch of Syria (Acts 18:23).

Itinerary of journey:
- Travelled through Galatia and Phrygia: encouraging the churches.
- Stayed 3 years in Ephesus: conflict with Jews and gentiles.
- Left for the region of Macedonia: confirming communities.
- 3 months in Corinth, Greece: death threats from Jews.
- Went to Philippi and then to Troas by boat.
- From Troas to Miletus: travelled in two groups.
- In Miletus: speech to the elders of Ephesus.
- By boat to Tyre, Syria: visiting the brothers for a week.
- To Ptolemais and Caesarea: stayed with the brothers there.

Arrival point: Jerusalem: Paul’s arrest in the Temple square (Acts 21:17ss).
Important events during his third journey:

1. More than a journey, it looks like a change of place of residence: he

lived in Ephesus for three years (Acts 20:31).

28
 2. Growing disputes and conflicts in the communities: “false brothers”
go to the communities where Paul had preached with the intention of
destroying his work (Gal 1:7; 2:4; 6:13; 2Cor 11:4; 2Thes 2:2).

3. Growing conflict with the beliefs and way of life of the Greeks: Paul
disagrees with the culture and mentality of the Greeks; he considers the
popular religion of the Ephesians to be fake, human invention (Acts 19:23-
40); he fought against magic in Ephesus and surroundings (Acts 19:18-19).

4. Internal conflict in the communities due to fast spreading and

growth: confusion about the Baptism of Jesus and the one of John (Acts
18:24-26); confusion about the action of the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7).

5. Paul organized a money collection among the gentiles converted for

the poor in the communities of Jerusalem (2Cor 8:10; Gal 2:10).

6. During his third journey, Paul wrote these letters: 1-2Corinthians,

Romans, Philippians, and Galatians.

2. Similar facts and actions during the three journeys

Paul was not an experienced missionary. He learnt everything while

preaching the gospel in different countries and listening to his companions or
native brothers. He also learnt from his mistakes. We must remember that
those communities had different languages, customs, culture, religion, and
life style. Here, I present some of the facts that more or less appear in all
the journeys:

a) The same plan or strategy of action: when Paul arrives at one

place, he first goes to the synagogue to proclaim the gospel. In there, he
preaches to the Jews, but also to the gentiles. The result is always the
same: the Jews resist his message, while the gentiles welcome it with joy.
Because of this refusal, Paul leaves the synagogue and preaches to the
gentiles.

29
 b) The visit to the communities: Paul cares a lot for his communities
and others. He visits them when possible with the intention of giving them
hope and courage in their struggle, confirming and consolidating them in
their beliefs, and making them feel part of the whole Church through
letters, messengers, and collections.

c) Persecutions, sufferings, and conflicts: the birth and growth of

these communities was very painful. They have to face internal and external
conflicts; Paul himself had to face many sufferings to see them grow, but
problems never stopped him from reaching his purpose. He was fearless!

d) The use of the Bible: while announcing the good news, Paul’s most
important instrument was the Bible. It was the Old Testament, because at
that time the New Testament was not written yet. But for sure he told them
many stories about Jesus and probably brought with him some small
compilations about the teachings and actions of Jesus. The Bible was read
and meditated in private and in the public meetings trying to grasp the
meaning of Jesus’ message for them and their communities.

e) The action of the Holy Spirit: According to Acts, the action of

the Holy Spirit is very important in the missionary activity of Paul: The Holy
Spirit takes the initiative in the beginning of the mission; he sends the
missionaries; pushes Paul to speak; guides him through his journeys; speak
through the prophets in the communities; brings them joy; gives Paul
strength in his conflicts.

f) Celebration and prayer: According to Acts, Paul takes advantage

of every opportunity for praying and celebrating. Prayer and fasting
accompany and stimulate the mission. During prayer or celebration, they are
inspired to make decisions about the mission or to choose the right people
for a specific task. Paul prays with the communities and breaks the bread
with them; he prays with the people or in the synagogues; he prays in the
Temple; he prays at the sea, on the mountains, in prison, everywhere…

g) Meaningful speeches: every journey includes an important speech

that summarizes the missionary activity of Paul during that travel:

30
 - First journey: mission among the Jews. Paul’s speech for the
Jews in the synagogue of Antioch of Pisidia tried to explain to
them the sense of the history of the Old Testament through the
death and resurrection of Jesus.

- Second journey: opening to the gentiles. Paul’s speech was

pronounced in the Areopagus of Athens. Paul offers a key to read
the sense of the creation of life and culture through the faith in
God, universal creator and judge, who raised Jesus from the dead.

- Third journey: organization of the communities. Paul’s speech to

the leaders of the communities in Miletus. Paul put his personal
experience on the table to teach them how to preach the gospel
and organize the communities.

3.3. THE ACCEPTANCE OF GENTILES IN THE COMMUNITIES

“Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, “Unless
you have yourselves circumcised in the tradition of Moses you cannot
be saved”. This led to disagreement, and after Paul and Barnabas had
had a long argument with these men it was decided that Paul and
Barnabas and others of the church should go up to Jerusalem and
discuss the question with the apostles and elders” (Acts 15:1-2).

At the beginning, the first Christians only preached the gospel to the
Jews of Israel. With the persecution started by Paul, many Christians fled
to neighboring countries for their safety. In Antioch of Syria, some of them
began to preach the good news to the gentiles, the Greeks, and many of
them believed in Jesus (Acts 11:20-21). When the apostles knew about it,
they sent Barnabas to observe the situation and he was very pleased.
Barnabas asked Paul to help him and they worked there for a year. It was in
Antioch were the followers of Jesus were called for the first time
“Christians”. Here, there are not called Jews21 anymore, they have their own

21
Since the first century A. D., there were Jews missionaries all over the known world
trying to convert gentiles to Judaism. In every big city they built synagogues were the new

31
identity. From there and thanks to Paul’s journeys, in about 20 years, we
have Christian communities all over the Roman Empire.

The gospel of Jesus, announced by Paul, was good news for the
“fearful of God” (see footnote n. 21) because it offered what they were
looking for: serious community life, access to the God of Abraham through
the faith in Jesus, no need to observe the laws and traditions of the Jewish
ancestors, and no need to circumcise. That is why they accepted the
message with great joy; it was what they have been waiting and praying for.

The conflict with the gentiles in the communities started when Peter
baptized Cornelius, a gentile, without first becoming a Jew (without
accepting the Law of Moses and the circumcision). Peter did not want to
baptize him, but the Holy Spirit forced him to do so (Acts 10:1-48). Peter’s
attitude was not welcomed or accepted in the community of Jerusalem and
he had to explain himself because until now everybody had to be a Jew first
in order to enter the Christian community. Peter’s attitude and the mixed
community of Antioch provoked the first crisis within the Christian faith.

This is the question that needed to be answered: “in order to obtain

salvation, is it necessary to observe the Law of Moses and be
circumcised? Yes or not?”

- The conservative group, gathered around James in Jerusalem, said

“yes”. They believed that it was necessary to keep and follow the
traditions of the ancestors, from Abraham to Jesus.

- The liberal group, gathered around Paul and Barnabas, said “no”.
The gentiles do not have to become Jews, but Christians. Besides,
salvation comes from the grace of Jesus, not from the law.
The Christian Church was divided. In order to solve the problem, they
arranged a meeting known as the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:6-21; Gal 2:1-
10). Paul’s contribution to the council was impressive and helped Peter to

Jews could pray and learn the Torah. Those who sympathized with Judaism were divided in
two groups: “proselytes” and “fearful of God - God worshipers”. The proselytes observed
the Law of Moses entirely and were circumcised; the fearful of God accepted some parts of
the Law, went to the synagogues on Saturday, read the Torah, but did not want to
circumcise. The second was the largest group (Cf. LEIPOLDT, J. – GRUNDMANN, W., El
mundo del Nuevo Testamento, Vol. I, Cristiandad, Madrid 1973, Págs. 321-328).

32
decide in favor of the acceptance of the gentiles in the communities without
keeping the Law of Moses and being circumcised. Peter’s decision was based
on these three points:

1. The first missionary experience of Paul and Barnabas.

2. Peter’s experience: the conversion and baptism of Cornelius.

3. The lesson from the Jewish history: since the beginning, they tried to
achieve true justice and faith through the observance of the Torah,
but did not succeed.

Once they had solved this doctrinal problem, now they had to solve
other practical issues:

1. Fellowship (life together) between Jews and gentiles converted to

Christianity: all Christians, Jews and gentiles, must accept these
practices: abstain from food sacrificed to idols; from blood; from
meat of strangled animals; and from illicit marriages (Peter’s letter to
the communities outside Israel: Acts 15:23-29).

2. Organization and coordination of the communities: Peter, John, and

James will preach the gospel among the Jews; Paul and Barnabas will
go to the gentiles (Gal 2:9-10).

The decision of the Council of Jerusalem was extremely important in

the history of the first communities. It did not solve all the problems, but
provided an orientation to overcome them. After the council, Paul still had to
face some painful conflicts:

1. Conflict with Peter: When visiting the community of Antioch, Peter

mixed with Jews and gentiles according to the spirit of the council.
Then, some other brothers came from Jerusalem and did not mix with
the gentiles, just with the Jews. At that point, Peter, afraid of being
criticized, stopped mixing with the gentiles as well. Paul could not
stand such a hypocrite attitude and reprimanded Peter for treating
the gentiles as second class Christians (Gal 2:11-13).

33
 2. Conflicts with the Jews: Paul, while preaching the gospel in the
synagogues of Antioch, Iconium, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens,
Corinth, and Ephesus, was able to attract many Jewish sympathizers
to believe in Jesus. These people left the Jewish synagogues and
joined the Christian communities. So, the Jews were losing members
and also influence in the cities. They became angry and envious of
Paul’s success and tried to stop him in every possible way: contradict
his teachings; stoning him to death; turning the people against
Christians; even using the Roman institutions against the Christians.

3. Internal conflicts: “false brothers” (Gal 2:4; 2Cor 11:26). These

false brothers were probably Pharisees who converted to the
Christian faith (Acts 15:5). They defended the observance of the Law
as the only way to attain salvation; they disagree with the decisions of
the Council of Jerusalem; they were against the acceptance of
gentiles in the Church. In order to reach their goal, these “false
brothers” went to the communities were Paul had preached to destroy
the seed planted by him, creating confusion, writing false letters, and
turning the communities against him.

Paul’s reaction to these conflicts was always the same: when the
integrity of the message of Jesus was at stake, he was radical, inflexible
and hard; but he was also understanding and humane when brothers offered
him suggestions to solve problems or ease difficult situations. Faithfulness
to the gospel and freedom in the Spirit were the marks of his personality.

CHAPTER IV
PAUL, THE PRISONER AND THE MARTYR

34
4.1. PAUL, THE PRISONER FOR CHRIST

1. Paul’s journey to Rome

When Paul arrived to Jerusalem, after his third journey, he was sent
by James to the temple for purification. While he was in the Temple’s
square, some Jews recognized him and tried to kill him for all the troubles
he had caused the Jewish people in many countries. He was saved by the
Roman soldiers who took him to the Antonia fortress for his own protection
while learning about his case (Acts 21:27-40). They learnt that Paul was a
Roman citizen and there was nothing punishable in his conduct. They also
heard of a plot to kill him in Jerusalem, so they decided to send him to
Caesarea, the residence of the Roman governor Felix, and put the case in his
hands. Felix kept Paul under house arrest for two years in Caesarea (Acts
24:27), where he had freedom of movement and could receive visitors.

At that time, Festus replaced Felix as governor of the region and,

wanting to obtain the favor of the Jews, decided that Paul should face trial
in Jerusalem. Paul refused this proposal and appealed to the Emperor. King
Agrippa22, who came to pay a visit to the new governor with his sister
Bernice, and Festus listened to Paul’s defense and admitted that he had done
nothing wrong to deserve death or imprisonment. But, since he appealed to
Caesar, Festus decided to get rid off him by sending him to Rome (Acts
25:12; 27:30-32). Here we have a map of Paul’s journey to Rome:

22
King Agrippa is the son of King Agrippa I, who also had two daughters, Bernice and
Drusilla, the wife of Governor Felix. After his father’s death, Agrippa II was named King of
some regions of Israel by the Roman Emperor (around the year 48 AD).

35
 After all the preparations, Festus ordered centurion Julius and his
soldiers to take Paul and the other prisoners to Rome. Among the prisoners,
there was a Christian brother called Aristarchus, from Thessalonica. It was
autumn of the year 60 AD. They sailed for Sidon, then to Myra, and finally
landed in the island of Crete. At that time of the year, the sea was rough
and dangerous because of the strong winds and the storms. Paul advised
them to postpone the journey for some time, but they did not listen to him.
Not long after leaving Crete, a big storm was formed at sea and they lost
control of the boat and feared for their lives (276 people on board). After a
few weeks lost at sea and without any hope of saving their lives, they finally
spotted the island of Malta and swam safely to the shore while the boat was
destroyed by the rocks (Acts 27).

They stayed three months in Malta (winter time). During this time,
Paul was bitten by a viper, and because nothing happened to him, people
there thought that he was a god. He also healed Publius’ father, the
governor of the island, and many other sick people.

In spring of the year 61 AD, they sailed to Syracuse, then to Rhegium

and Puteoli, and finally arrived to Rome. When the brothers who lived near

36
Rome heard about his presence there, they went to meet him. In Rome, Paul
rented a place to stay and was put under house arrest with a soldier to guard
him (Acts 28:16).

2. Paul preaches the gospel in Rome

Paul spent two years in Rome under house arrest (61-63 AD). During
this time, he invited the Jewish leaders to his house and taught them about
Jesus, the Messiah promised by God to save the people of Israel. The
Jewish leaders had never heard of him and had no complaints against him.
The only thing they know is that this “new sect” (Christians) encounters
opposition everywhere (Acts 28:22). So, some of the Jews were persuaded
by Paul’s preaching, but many others refused to believe in his words. That is
why Paul concludes that since the Jews do not want to accept God’s
salvation, it will be given to the gentiles who will accept it (Acts 28:28).

The Acts of the Apostles conclude saying that Paul welcomed

everyone who came to visit him and preached to them the good news of the
Kingdom of God without fear and without getting any trouble from the
authorities of Rome (Acts 28:30-31). It was during this time in prison when
Paul wrote the letters to the Colossians, Ephesians, and Philemon.

As we said before, in the region of Rome there were some Christians

already (Acts 28:15). So, we can say that Paul was the first apostle among
them. But, how did they become Christians? Who did bring the gospel to
them? We do not know for sure! It is probable that some brothers from
Asia Minor came to Rome and tried to spread the Christian faith among the
Jews living in Rome and in other cities, like Puteoli (Naples), where there was
a community already.

4.2. THE LAST YEARS OF PAUL

With the end of the Acts of the Apostles, our knowledge of Paul’s life
ends too. From now on, the Pastoral letters (1-2Timothy and Titus) are the

37
only source of information, but many experts doubt their historical value.
They teach us that after his two years of house arrest, Paul’s case was
dismissed for lack of evidence and he was set free.

For sure Paul began to travel again. Paul had the intention of going to
Spain (Rom 15:24), but we do not know if he arrived there. Now, he feels the
need of putting trusted friends in charge of the apostolic and pastoral
activity in the churches founded by him. According to the pastoral letters,
he first travelled to Crete, where he left Titus, and then spent the winter in
Nicopolis (Titus 3:12). From there, he went to Ephesus and put Timothy in
charge of the community. Later, he passed through Macedonia (1Timothy
1:3), Troas (2Tim 4:13), and Miletus (2Tim 4:20). During these last journeys,
he probably wrote the first letter to Timothy and the letter to Titus.

4.3. PAUL’S DEATH IN ROME

During these travels, Paul was caught and brought to Rome again. It
was the time of Nero’s persecution of Christians23. The people of Rome were
filled with hatred and anger against the Christians because of the fire.
Because of this, nobody came to meet Paul. He is in prison alone, only Luke is
with him (2Tim 4:11). During his imprisonment, he probably wrote the second
letter to Timothy. He is aware of the danger of the situation and feels that
his death is near. That is the reason behind these words: “I have fought the
good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the
faith” (2Tim 4:7).

The New Testament does not inform us about his last days in prison,
his trial, his sentence, and his death. According to the tradition of the
Church, he was sentenced to death by decapitation outside the city walls. At
dawn, he was decapitated by sword24; his head bounced over three times, and
at each spot a fountain of water appeared. This place is called “The three
23
In the year 64 AD, there was a horrible fire in Rome that destroyed a big part of the
city. People suspected that the Emperor Nero had ordered it with the intention of building a
new one according to his wishes. To avoid rumors and suspicions, Nero blamed the Christians
for the fire and began their persecution. Many of them were killed in terrible manners:
eaten by beasts, crucified, and burnt alive (See TACITUS, The Annals, book XV). Peter was
one of those crucified in the circus near the Vatican.

38
fountains”. He was buried in a cemetery nearby along the Ostian way. It was
the year 67 AD. The blood of the martyr became a source of new life!

CHAPTER V
PAUL’S PERSONALITY

5.1. THE MAN

Paul’s physical appearance was not very impressive: “when you see him
in person, he makes no impression and his powers of speaking are negligible ”
(2Cor 10:10; 12:9). The Acts of Paul and Thecla 25 picture him as “small in
stature with meeting eyebrows, bald head, bow-legged, strongly built,
hollow-eyed, with a large crooked nose; but full of grace”. This portrait of
Paul probably corresponds to the truth, since there is no reason to make him
look so bad or exaggerate his appearance. Some experts say that Paul was a
sickly person, having chronic headaches or nerve diseases. This is hard to
believe since a sickly person could not have travelled so much and have
endured so many sufferings and tribulations. So, we must conclude that he
had an incredible health and physical resistance.

The most important marks of his temperament are: nervous and

athletic. He is very active; he cannot stop and relax. He suffers and enjoys
the smallest things. But he is also resistant to challenges and difficulties;
nothing breaks him down, like an athlete.

Paul’s personality can be easily seen through his letters. He is a man of

extraordinary intelligence, exquisite sensitivity, and strong willpower, but all
of them centered in the person of Christ. Paul’s intelligence is profound and
creative. He is not the “creator” of Christianity, but he is the creator of the
Christian theology that we still use nowadays. His understanding of the

24
See Cf. EUSEBIUS OF CAESAREA, Church History, book II, chapter 25. See also, Cf.
CLEMENT OF ROME, Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 5.
25
“The Acts of Paul and Thecla” is an apocryphal story of Saint Paul’s influence on a young
virgin called Thecla. It was written on the II century AD. Paul’s physical description is found
in the first chapter.

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mystery of Christ is amazing: he is a mystic! He is a great thinker, but can
also be practical while governing and organizing the communities. He has a
hot and quick temperament, but a warm heart as well; he is full of ideas and
loves to go straight to the essence of things and their consequences.

He feels a passionate love for Christ who is the source of his

eloquence, courage and willpower. Paul is full of life and speaks with the
heart. His will is the will of an athlete, a soldier, a winner. The
characteristics of his spirituality are these: personal effort, fighter spirit,
and self-denial (1Cor 9:24s; 1Tim 6:11s; 2Tim 4:7s; Philip 3:12s).

His sensitivity is filled with contrasts. In his speech, he can be as

tender and loving as a mother, but he can also be cold, distant, angry and
hard. Nevertheless, his anxiety and anguish never reaches the depths of his
soul.

Paul’s imagination is not so extraordinary though. He uses a few

images in his letters and these are very common: stadium, sea, agriculture,
building construction, men… During his journeys, he has seen amazing
landscapes, but seldom uses them as images in his letters.

Finally, his personality is extremely religious: his ideals, experience

and commitment are religious, so he can be compared to the prophets or the
great characters of the history of Israel.

5.2. THE APOSTLE

Paul is the greatest “apostle” for two reasons: a) he has been chosen
by Jesus to preach the gospel to the gentiles; b) his dedication to the
apostolic mission is superior to the one of the other apostles. Paul says that
he has brought the gospel of Christ to the ends of the world (Rom 15:19).
Looking at his three missionary journeys and how far he travelled is enough
to consider him a great apostle; even more if we think of the difficulties and
the tribulations he had to face during his missionary activity.
5.3. THE SAINT

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 There is no doubt that Paul is one of the greatest saints of all times.
This is his identity card: “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an
apostle, set apart for the service of the gospel that God promised long ago
through his prophets in the holy scriptures” (Rom 1:1-2). Christ26 is the
reason behind his preaching and the only one capable of filling his life with
joy and love: Christ is his wisdom, his Lord, his model, his life, his savior, his
eternal life. Paul is just his servant, his instrument, and his prisoner. Christ
is his mirror: Paul desires to experience in himself the life and death of
Jesus. He cannot live without preaching Christ and his love for Christ
inspires and moves everything around him (2Cor 5:14).

His calling or vocation is turning point in his life: God revealed to him
his eternal design for the world; God looked at him with love; he has been
chosen and given the gospel of Jesus. That is why Paul surrenders to God
with generosity and faithfulness. He is a “citizen of heaven” and his life is
just a pilgrimage heading towards it.

The ideas of death, judgment, salvation, and resurrection had a great

impact in his personal life, thoughts and teachings. Time is short; the end of
the world is coming. Sufferings and tribulations are nothing compared to the
eternal glory that they can provide (Rom 8:18; 2Cor 4:17s). Heaven is being
with the Lord forever; hell is being separated from him. Paul’s joy and hope
come from the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul is also humble and optimistic. He is the first of sinners and

admits his weaknesses; everything that he is comes from God; he keeps a
great treasure in a clay vase; he is grateful to God and prays constantly; he
does not want to please human beings, but God. His ideal can be summed up
with this phrase: “follow Christ by loving as he loved you, giving himself up
for us as an offering and a sweet-smelling sacrifice to God” (Eph 5:2-3).

CHAPTER VI
PAUL’S GOSPEL
26
In the epistles, Paul uses several terms to talk about Christ: Jesus, 33 times; Christ, 225
times; Jesus Christ, 82 times; Son of God or Beloved Son, 19 times; God, 2 times; Savior, 3
times; Lord, more than 200 times.

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6.1. SUMMARY OF PAUL’S GOSPEL

In order to understand Paul, we must put his ideas in connection with

the theology of the restoration of Israel. His religious thinking comes from
a Jewish environment, especially from the movement of the Pharisees. Paul’s
calling or encounter with Jesus on the way to Damascus was the beginning of
his transformation. He understood this event as a special revelation from
Jesus, similar to God’s revelations to the prophets of the Old Testament:
“But when God, who had set me apart from the time I was in my mother’s
womb, called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me, so that
I should preach him to the gentiles” (Gal 1:15-16). This revelation makes him
an apostle as important as the apostles who lived with Jesus while he was on
earth (2Cor 2:14-7:4). He is proud of calling himself an apostle because he
has been chosen by God to represent Jesus and to preach the gospel with
authority. He enjoys God’s trust and his life is an example that the
Christians should imitate. These are the key points of God’s revelation to
Paul:

1. Even though Jesus died on the cross, he is the true Messiah. After
his death, interpreted as a sacrifice for our sins, God made him
Lord and Messiah.

2. This event gave birth to the messianic times, interpreted as the

final intervention of God’s power in the world in order to bring
salvation to mankind.

3. God has prepared a new plan of salvation; this is a time of grace;

God’s promise to Abraham is going to be fulfilled. The Messiah is
not only the Redeemer of Israel, but also accepts those gentiles
who believe in him. All the people of God, Jews and gentiles, will be
gathered at the present moment thanks to the activity of Jesus in
the world.

4. Those chosen by God, the apostles, must work hard and fast to
achieve the two objectives of God’s project for the final times: a)

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 make sure that Israel accepts Jesus as their Messiah; b) gather a
number of gentiles to be part of the true people of God.

5. The end of the world is near; there is not much time left. Soon
Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead. It will be the end
of the present world and the beginning of God’s kingdom in heaven.

Thanks to this revelation, Paul obtained a clear understanding of the

life and mission of Jesus and of what he had to preach about the Messiah:
“Now I want to make it quite clear to you, brothers, about the gospel that
was preached by me, that it was not human message. It was not from any
human being that I received it, and I was not taught it, but it came to me
through a revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal 1:11-12). He preaches the true
“gospel”; there is no other. If anyone teaches something different, that is
not the gospel of Jesus.

Paul’s gospel was perfected and completed with the information and
reflections about Jesus that many Christians shared with him in the
communities of Damascus and Antioch. When he was ready, Paul begun to
preach what he thought was God’s plan for the last days. He tried to
convince the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. In fact, when arriving in a
city, he would preach in the synagogues about Jesus. Only when his preaching
was rejected, he offered the gospel to the gentiles.

When he failed to attract the Jews to the faith in the Messiah, the
savior, he realized that God’s plan was more complicated. He had to offer
God’s salvation to the gentiles first, and later the people of Israel, filled
with jealousy, would accept Jesus and his salvation (Rom 11:13-16).

The easiest way to convert the gentiles to the faith in Jesus was to
direct his mission to the “God fearers”, those gentiles who sympathized with
the Jews and attended the services in the synagogues, but did not become
proselytes (converted to Judaism). Paul explained to them that Jesus was
the Messiah expected by the Jews, but also the savior of the world. All
those who accepted him as savior, Jews or gentiles, would obtain salvation.

Paul was convinced that the number of gentiles requested by God to

enter to his kingdom was small. He did not have to convert them all. That

43
would explain his missionary method: moving fast from one place to another
while founding new communities (Asia Minor, Greece, Rome, Spain). God alone
knew the number of gentiles he needed to fulfill his plan. Paul’s mission was
to plant the seed… God would make it grow (1Cor 3:6).

According to the Jewish beliefs, the gentiles were excluded from

God’s salvation unless they became Jews (keep the Law of Moses and be
circumcised). Now Paul offers the gentiles God’s new plan of salvation:

a) God does not want people to keep the Law of Moses, but the “law of
love” according to Jesus teachings;

b) There is no need of physical circumcision, now it is time for

“spiritual circumcision” through an act of faith in Jesus.

Paul’s perception of the divine plan of salvation is opposed to the

Jewish beliefs; he turned everything around! For Paul, those who seek
salvation through their own efforts (circumcision and observance of the Law
of Moses) are wasting their time. It is Jesus who destroys the sins of the
world and reconciles people with God through his sacrifice on the cross. In
order to get the benefits of this reconciliation, every human being must
offer to God an act of faith in Jesus as a gift. This act of faith is based on
the example of Abraham, the true father of Israel, to whom God promised
many descendants and through them his salvation would reach all mankind.
With this act of faith every human being fulfills in himself the promise made
to Abraham.

For the gentiles who were listening to Paul, mainly the “God fearers”,
God’s new project of salvation was wonderful and amazing:

1) No need of circumcision;

2) No need to observe the Law of Moses (according to the Mishna, a

faithful Jew had to keep 613 precepts);

3) They need to follow only two requirements: a) “spiritual

circumcision” through an act of faith in Jesus; b) observance of the
“law of love” just like Jesus had proclaimed.

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 There was more! The preaching of Paul to the gentiles had something
else to offer that could fill their spiritual needs. The salvation and
immortality offered by the different religions of the Roman Empire could be
obtained through a long process of initiation away from their homes and
after paying a big amount of money to the sanctuaries where they stayed
during the process. Christians offered the same, but it was easier and
cheaper: first, faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection; later, welcoming in the
Christian community through the sacrament of Baptism and the participation
in the Eucharist. God’s new plan of salvation, as Paul taught them, was simple,
easy, and also… free!

Now the gentiles must hurry and accept the salvation of God through
their faith in Jesus because the end of the world is near and God’s promises
for mankind are about to be fulfilled.

6.2. PICTURE OF PAUL’S GOSPEL FROM THE EPISTLES

1. Humanity, before the coming of Jesus, was entirely trapped in a state

of sin; human beings could not overcome this situation through their
own forces and strengths (see Rom 1:18-3:20).

2. This situation goes against the project designed by God since the
beginning of the creation; so, he acts, on his own free will, to change it
once and for all: everything will be solved in the sacrifice of Jesus on
the cross (2Cor 5:14-15). Through Adam, sin and death entered the
world; through Jesus life will reign again (Rom 5:12-21).

3. The divine savior comes down from heaven and humbles himself by
taking a human body. This savior, Jesus of Nazareth, is man and God
at the same time. As a man, he represents all mankind in the sacrifice
for their sins; as God, his action placates God’s anger. If he is not
human and divine at the same time, his redeeming sacrifice will not
have any effect on us (Philip 2:6-11).

45
4. The savior dies violently on the cross, according to God’s plan. This
idea appears everywhere in the Pauline epistles.

5. The death of the savior is an expiatory sacrifice for the sins of

mankind (Rom 5:8; 1Cor 15:3; 2Cor 5:14-15).

6. The crucified savior is raised from the death, which confirms his
divinity and immortality (1Cor 15:3-8). The resurrection of Jesus is a
key element in the Pauline theology because salvation does not come
from the dead of the victim (Jesus), but from his resurrection.

7. Therefore, the divine salvation will not happen in the future; it has
already happened in the past with Jesus’ death on the cross. What will
happen in the future is just the end of the world and God’s judgment.

8. The benefits of this saving event, the death and resurrection of

Jesus, will only be effective on those who make an act of faith on the
meaning and significance of this redemptive death. This is one of the
most important contributions of Paul to the development of the
Christian theology: the doctrine of the justification by faith and not
by works (Rom 3:21-31; 4:1-5:2; 10:5-13; Gal 2:15-21; Philip 3:9). But
we need to remember that after a person has been justified by God
(the act of faith), then begins for the Christian a life in a state of
salvation that requires doing good works according to the faith
(keeping the act of faith alive through good actions: Rom 2:6). In
other words, a person is saved by faith, but at the end of his life he
will be judge by his works.

8.1. The works mentioned by Paul are those required by the “law
of love” or the “Law of Christ” (Gal 6:2; 5:13-14; 6:1-11). This is
how Paul himself put it: “act according to the Spirit, not
according to the flesh”. To this, we must add the hymn of love
(1Cor 13) as the engine that controls the good relationship
within the community.

8.2. Consequently, “keeping the law of Moses” does not have any
effect on our salvation.

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 8.3. The justification by faith can be compared to the “spiritual
circumcision”. Paul never mentions this comparison, but it is
obvious that this is his doctrine.

8.4. The justification by faith offers eternal salvation and

immortality. Our faith in Jesus is evident when we join the
Christian community through the baptism and the Eucharist
(1Cor 11:2-34).

9. The life of the community. The Law of Christ is realized in the

community life with the help of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:16-6:10).
Christians show their true identity only in the community life and
when this community is united in Christ (1Cor 1-4). In order to make it
clear, Paul uses the symbol of the body: the body is one, but it has
many members and each member has a different function.

10. There is not time to waste, the end of the world is coming (Rom 13:11-
14; 1Thes 4:13-18; 5:1-11). Christians must prepare and be vigilant
while waiting for Jesus’ coming. Jesus is coming like a judge for the
unbelievers, but for the Christians like their savior and comforter.

11. Life in this world is not important (1Cor 7). Paul says that marriage is
good, it is a free choice for Christians, but he prefers them to be
single or unmarried for two reasons: a) they will not have many worries
in this world and can dedicate themselves to the Lord; b) the end of
the world is close, so they must prepare for this event. That is why
Paul does not try to overcome social problems, like slavery. He also
asks Christians to accept this world as it is, without rebellion, because
it is not important and soon will be gone.

12. Despite Paul’s preaching, Israel does not convert to the faith in Jesus.
How does this fact connect with God’s plan of salvation? (Rom 9-11).
God chose Israel to be his holy people, but they refused to accept
Jesus as their Messiah. Those who accepted Jesus by faith, the
gentiles, are the new Israel faithful to God’s promises and ready to
receive his salvation. This is how Paul explains it: the olive tree is
Israel; the gentiles are the new sprouts of this olive tree. Since God

47
 was merciful with the gentiles offering them salvation, he will be also
merciful with Israel despite their rejection of Jesus (Rom 11:30-32).

CONCLUSION: PAUL SPEAKS TO US TODAY

1. PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS

Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the way to Damascus changed his life
forever. Jesus opened his eyes to experiencing and understanding his truth.
Without this encounter, Paul still would be persecuting Christians and
believing that he was doing the right thing: fulfilling God’s will.

Have we ever had a personal encounter with Jesus-God? Have we ever

experienced God’s love for us? Have we ever feel God’s presence in our
lives? Do we believe that God is with us and speaks to us today? I really
hope so because this is the key point of our faith. Without a personal
encounter with Jesus at some point of our existence, going to mass, praying
the rosary, helping the poor or sharing our things, mean nothing. They are
just habits, customs and good actions from a kind and gentle person.

A personal encounter with Jesus is necessary for those who call

themselves Christians. Without this encounter, there is no faith in Jesus.
Where do we encounter Jesus? How do we experience his presence in our
life? Not everybody encounters Jesus as Paul did. Jesus revealed to him in a
special way. Normally, we experience Jesus through intense prayer,
meditation, other people, and reflection on the Bible… When this encounter
happens, we can experience a total transformation in our ideas, actions and
attitudes. We feel that he is with us; he walks with us and talks to us. He
brings peace, love and hope to our lives and shows us the way to happiness.
No matter what happens in our lives, good or bad, we always understand its
meaning and significance. When we have this experience, we still are the
same person, but we see everything with different eyes, the eyes of Jesus.

2. PREACHING THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS

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 After this encounter with Jesus, Paul could not keep quiet; he had to
share with others what he had found: the savior of the world. Paul found a
treasure and he wanted to share it with others. It was not just a gift for
him, but for everyone. For that reason, Paul began to preach the good news
of Jesus all over the known world. He wanted the gentiles (unbelievers) to
know about God’s love, mercy and compassion through the death and
resurrection of Jesus. Paul did not worry about health, money, tiredness,
dangers, sufferings… the important thing was to fulfill his mission; reach as
many people as possible, so that they could also enjoy his love and salvation.

Do we feel the need to preach to the gentiles? Do we share the good

news of Jesus with others? There are still many people who do not know or
believe in Jesus. So, those who have experience God’s love, mercy and
compassion, have no choice but communicating this love and compassion to
others. They feel the need of bringing the good news to every person and
every home. Their mission is to share this treasure with those who have
nothing or who put their faith in the wrong places, far from Jesus. If we
have encountered Jesus in our life, we will also bring his message to others
so that they can obtain happiness and salvation.

3. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR THE COMMUNITIES

Paul founded many Christian communities and he could not be with

them all the time. He had to preach the gospel to other people as well. He is
their father and they are his children. He cannot hide his love for each one
of the members of the communities. Even when he is far away, he keeps in
touch with them through messengers or letters. In these letters we can feel
his love for them; sometimes even the sadness of not being able to spend
time with them. He teaches and explains to them the faith in Jesus; he helps
them to solve their problems; he warns them against those who divide the
communities; he comforts the weak and the suffering. He is always alert and
vigilant, so that their faith grows stronger and the community remains
united in love with Christ and with one another.
What do we feel about the other members of the community? Do we
care for them? Do we love them? Do we help those who lose their faith or

49
are in trouble? Do we comfort the suffering and the weak? The strength of
every Christian community is unity and love in the name of Jesus. When
selfishness, pride, apathy, jealousy or greed enter our communities, we are
condemned to fail; our community loses its identity and power; we do not
reflect the true image of Jesus and nobody will feel attracted by our life
style. Therefore, if we want to be a true Christian community, we must
develop certain values and put them into practice in our daily lives: love,
prayer, service, tolerance, care, forgiveness, comfort, help, acceptance,
peace, kindness, solidarity, generosity… When a Christian community lives by
these values its faith in Jesus grows strong, the members of the community
enjoy peace and happiness, and those who do not believe in Jesus will feel
attracted and curious about our life style, and some may want to join us.

4. WILLING TO GIVE UP LIFE FOR CHRIST

Paul’s first experience of the love of Jesus for him was on the way to
Damascus. He felt it very deeply. But he also understood that Jesus died on
the cross for him, so that he could be saved. Now it was Paul’s turn to show
his love for Jesus and he did. For Jesus and his gospel, Paul would do
anything: suffer persecution; being stoned; face dangers; travel everywhere;
accept beatings and prison; provoke conflicts with Jews, Romans, and
gentiles… He was also willing to give up his life for Christ. Nothing was more
important than Christ. And, in fact, he was happy to die for him.

Do we love Jesus as much as Paul did? Is Jesus the center of our life?
Are we willing to bear suffering and pain for the sake of Jesus and the
gospel? Would we give up our life for Jesus? Probably we will never have to
choose between Jesus and saving our life. But the key question here is: is
Jesus the most important one in my life? Do I love him more than anything
or anyone else? This is a question that we must answer personally. Nobody
can answer for you! If we believe that Jesus is our savior and our life is
meaningless without him, then we will put him first in our life, above family,
friends, money, power, fame… We will be willing to do anything for him, like
Paul, and will fear nothing because our true life is in heaven.
PAUL’S CHRONOLOGY

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 PLACE OF BIRTH: TARSUS Between 5 and 10 A.D.

EDUCATION IN JERUSALEM 22-25

IN TARSUS 26-33
IN JERUSALEM 34
Stephen’s death by stoning

CONVERSION OF PAUL 36

TIME OF SILENCE 36-48

FIRST JOURNEY 48-49

THE COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM 49 or 50

SECOND JOURNEY 50-53

1-2 Thessalonians

THIRD JOURNEY 54-58

Galatians, Philippians,
1-2 Corinthians, Romans

PRISONER IN CAESAREA 58-60

JOURNEY TO ROME 60-61

HOUSE ARREST IN ROME 61-63

Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon

LAST JOURNEYS 64-67

Titus and 1 Timothy

PAUL’S DECAPITATION 67 AD
2 Timothy
THE PLACE OF WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITIES

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 The presence and participation of women is vital in the life of the
communities, the society, and the Church. Nobody doubts that!
Nevertheless, some words from Paul appear to suggest the opposite. These
are the episodes that are causing today much controversy:

1. 1Corinthians 11:2-16: woman was created for man, so the head of

a woman is a man, like Christ is the head of every man. When a
woman prays or prophecies, she should cover her head with a veil.
If a woman goes without a veil, she should have her hair cut off
too. In this way man shows his authority over women.

2. 1Corinthians 14:34-35: women must remain silent during the

assemblies, since they have no permission to speak: theirs is a
subordinate part, as the Law itself says. If there is anything they
want to know, they should ask their husbands at home: it is
shameful for a woman to speak in the assembly.

3. Ephesians 5:21-24: Wives should be subject to their husbands as

to the Lord. Man is the head of the woman, like Christ is the head
of the Church. Husbands should love their wives…

4. 1Timothy 2:9-15: Women should wear proper clothes and be

dressed modestly, without braided hair, gold, jewelry or expensive
clothes. Their adornment is to do good works. During instruction, a
woman should be quiet and respectful. I give no permission for a
woman to teach or to have authority over a man. Adam sinned
because a woman led him astray. Nevertheless, a woman will be
saved by child-bearing, provided that she lives a sensible life and is
constant in faith, love, and holiness.

These phrases are hard and difficult to understand nowadays. We

cannot erase them from the Bible! What we need to do is to put them in the
right context and try to find out an explanation for them. The more we know
about Paul’s life and personality, the more we understand his words. So,
before judging him, we must study the role of women in his life and apostolic
mission. The letter to the Romans provides a lot of help:

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 1. I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at
Cenchreae; she helped many people, including myself (Rom 16:1-2).
2. My greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my fellow-workers in Christ
Jesus, who risked their own necks to save my life. The community
had the meetings at their house (Rom 16:3-5).
3. Greetings to Mary, who worked so hard for you (Rom 16:6).
4. Greetings to Tryphaena, Tryphosa, and my friend Persis who work
hard in the Lord (Rom 16:12).
5. Greetings to Rufus and his mother, a mother to me too (Rom
16:13).
6. Greetings to Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and
Olympas (Rom 16:15).

In these recommendations, Paul speaks about women with great

spontaneity and affection. Some of them have an important role in their
communities: deaconess or collaborators in Christ. They are presented as
sisters who work hard in the communities. Much has been done because of
them. Paul speaks of them with love and affection because he calls them
mother or friend as well.

At that time, women had no place in the public life. Their place was
the house: taking care of the family. At Paul’s time, there were no churches,
so the communities had their meetings in houses (domestic church) and
women played an important role: in Rome and Corinth, at Priscilla and Aquila’s
house; In Philippi, at Lydia’s house; In Laodicea, at Nympha’s house; At
Philemon and Apphia’s house… In these domestic churches, women had the
responsibility of organizing the activities and coordinate the communities.

Paul, when describing his mission in the communities, often uses

feminine and maternal images: a mother cares for his children; the pain of
giving birth; give them milk to drink; etc. The birth and growth of the
communities is compared to a pregnant woman who takes care of the child
inside and does not mind the pain she has to bear.

When Paul talks about matrimony, many people think that he was
against it. On the contrary, he prefers men and women to be single so that
they can dedicate their life to Jesus and the gospel; but if they cannot
control themselves, he advises them to get married (1Cor 7:8-9). Paul

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believed that marriage was an obstacle in preaching the good news and also
believed that the end of the world was coming soon, so the most important
task was to bring Christ’s salvation to as many people as possible.

In conclusion, Paul is not against the participation of women in the life

of the communities. He knows how important women are in the community
life. Therefore, his words were not general teachings that had to be applied
everywhere and always; these teachings just tried to solve a concrete
problem in a specific community at that time. Nowadays we have the
freedom of thinking and acting differently.

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