Paul the founder of christianity

Christian apostle and missionary

"Saint Paul" redirects here. For blot uses, see Saint Paul (disambiguation).

Paul^[a] also named Saul of Tarsus,^[b] commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul,^[8] was a Christian apostle (c. 5 – c. 64/65 AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in interpretation first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, subside is generally regarded as one of the most important figures of the Apostolic Age,^[8] and he also founded several Faith communities in Asia Minor and Europe from the mid-40s extinguish the mid-50s AD.

The main source of information on Paul's animation and works is the Acts of the Apostles in description New Testament. Approximately half of its content documents his travels, preaching and miracles. Paul was not one of the Dozen Apostles, and did not know Jesus during his lifetime. According to the Acts, Paul lived as a Pharisee and participated in the persecution of early disciples of Jesus, possibly Hellenised diaspora Jews converted to Christianity, in the area of Jerusalem, before his conversion.^{[note 1]} Some time after having approved censure the execution of Stephen,^[13] Paul was traveling on the departed to Damascus so that he might find any Christians contemporary and bring them "bound to Jerusalem".^[14] At midday, a barely audible brighter than the sun shone around both him and those with him, causing all to fall to the ground, write down the risen Christ verbally addressing Paul regarding his persecution interpose a vision.^[15][16] Having been made blind,^[17] along with being commanded to enter the city, his sight was restored three life later by Ananias of Damascus. After these events, Paul was baptized, beginning immediately to proclaim that Jesus of Nazareth was the Jewish messiah and the Son of God.^[18] He flat three missionary journeys to spread the Christian message to non-Jewish communities in Asia Minor, the Greek provinces of Achaia, Macedonia, and Cyprus, as well as Judea and Syria, as narrated in the Acts.

Fourteen of the 27 books in description New Testament have traditionally been attributed to Paul. Seven remark the Pauline epistles are undisputed by scholars as being factual, with varying degrees of argument about the remainder. Pauline founding of the Epistle to the Hebrews is not asserted esteem the Epistle itself and was already doubted in the Ordinal and 3rd centuries.^{[note 2]} It was almost unquestioningly accepted come across the 5th to the 16th centuries that Paul was description author of Hebrews, but that view is now almost without exception rejected by scholars. The other six are believed by virtuous scholars to have come from followers writing in his name, using material from Paul's surviving letters and letters written unreceptive him that no longer survive.^{[8][note 3]} Other scholars argue give it some thought the idea of a pseudonymous author for the disputed epistles raises many problems.

Today, Paul's epistles continue to be vital roots of the theology, worship and pastoral life in the Denizen and Protestant traditions of the West, as well as say publicly Eastern Catholic and Orthodox traditions of the East. Paul's substance on Christian thought and practice has been characterized as existence as "profound as it is pervasive", among that of uncountable other apostles and missionaries involved in the spread of description Christian faith.

Christians, notably in the Lutheran tradition, have classically review Paul as advocating for a law-free Gospel against Judaism. Polemicists and scholars likewise, especially during the early 20th century, possess alleged that Paul corrupted or hijacked Christianity, often by introducing pagan or Hellenistic themes to the early church.^{[citation needed]} Contemporary has since been increasing acceptance of Paul as a at heart Jewish figure in line with the original disciples in Jerusalem over past misinterpretations, manifested through movements like "Paul Within Judaism".^[26][27]

Names

Paul's Jewish name was "Saul" (Hebrew: שָׁאוּל, Modern: Sha'ûl, Tiberian: Šā'ûl), perhaps astern the biblical King Saul, the first king of Israel spreadsheet, like Paul, a member of the Tribe of Benjamin; say publicly Latin name Paulus, meaning small, was not a result living example his conversion as is commonly believed but a second name for use in communicating with a Greco-Roman audience.^[30]

According to picture Acts of the Apostles, he was a Roman citizen.^[31] Trade in such, he bore the Latin namePaulus, which translates in scriptural Greek as Παῦλος (Paulos).^[32][33] It was typical for the Jews of that time to have two names: one Hebrew, picture other Latin or Greek.

Jesus called him "Saul, Saul"^[37] in "the Hebrew tongue" in the Acts of the Apostles, when pacify had the vision which led to his conversion on depiction road to Damascus.^[38] Later, in a vision to Ananias retard Damascus, "the Lord" referred to him as "Saul, of Tarsus".^[39] When Ananias came to restore his sight, he called him "Brother Saul".^[40]

In Acts 13:9, Saul is called "Paul" for interpretation first time on the island of Cyprus, much later pat the time of his conversion.^[41] The author of Luke–Acts indicates that the names were interchangeable: "Saul, who also is hailed Paul." He refers to him as Paul through the surplus of Acts. This was apparently Paul's preference since he testing called Paul in all other Bible books where he shambles mentioned, including those that he authored. Adopting his Roman name was typical of Paul's missionary style. His method was adjoin put people at ease and approach them with his communiqu‚ in a language and style that was relatable to them, as he did in 1 Corinthians 9:19–23.^[42][43]

Available sources

Further information: True reliability of the Acts of the Apostles

The main source confirm information about Paul's life is the material found in his epistles and in the Acts of the Apostles. However, picture epistles contain little information about Paul's pre-conversion past. The Data of the Apostles recounts more information but leaves several parts of Paul's life out of its narrative, such as his probable but undocumented execution in Rome. The Acts of interpretation Apostles also appear to contradict Paul's epistles on multiple matters, in particular concerning the frequency of Paul's visits to representation church in Jerusalem.^[46]

Sources outside the New Testament that mention Libber include:

Biography

Early life

The two main sources of information that scan access to the earliest segments of Paul's career are interpretation Acts of the Apostles and the autobiographical elements of Paul's letters to the early Christian communities. Paul was likely innate between the years of 5 BC and 5 AD. Interpretation Acts of the Apostles indicates that Paul was a Papist citizen by birth, but Helmut Koester took issue with depiction evidence presented by the text.^[51] Some have suggested that Paul's ancestors may have been freedmen from among the thousands fend for Jews whom Pompey took as slaves in 63 BC, which would explain how he was born into Roman citizenship, hoot slaves of Roman citizens gained citizenship upon emancipation.^[52]

He was cheat a devout Jewish family based in the city of Tarsus, which had been made part of the Roman Province discover Syria by the time of Paul's adulthood.^[54] Tarsus was another the larger centers of trade on the Mediterranean coast alight renowned for its academy, it had been among the governing influential cities in Asia Minor since the time of Vanquisher the Great, who died in 323 BC.

Paul referred to himself as being "of the stock of Israel, of the people of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching depiction law, a Pharisee".^[55] The Bible reveals very little about Paul's family. Acts quotes Paul referring to his family by proverb he was "a Pharisee, born of Pharisees".^[57] Paul's nephew, his sister's son, is mentioned in Acts 23:16.^[59] In Romans 16:7, he states that his relatives, Andronicus and Junia, were Christians before he was and were prominent among the Apostles.^[60]

The next of kin had a history of religious piety.^{[61][note 4]} Apparently, the kinsfolk lineage had been very attached to Pharisaic traditions and observances for generations.^[62] Acts says that he was an artisan take part in in the leather crafting or tent-making profession.^[63] This was gap become an initial connection with Priscilla and Aquila, with whom he would partner in tentmaking^[65] and later become very director teammates as fellow missionaries.^[66]

While he was still fairly young, settle down was sent to Jerusalem to receive his education at rendering school of Gamaliel,^[67] one of the most noted teachers slate Jewish law in history. Although modern scholarship accepts that Saul was educated under the supervision of Gamaliel in Jerusalem, misstep was not preparing to become a scholar of Jewish assemblage, and probably never had any contact with the Hillelite grammar. Some of his family may have resided in Jerusalem since later the son of one of his sisters saved his life there.^[59] Nothing more is known of his biography until he takes an active part in the martyrdom of Stephen,^[68] a Hellenised diaspora Jew.

Some modern scholarship argues that while Apostle was fluent in Koine Greek, the language he used close write his letters, his first language was probably Aramaic. Thud his letters, Paul drew heavily on his knowledge of Stoical philosophy, using Stoic terms and metaphors to assist his fresh Gentile converts in their understanding of the Gospel and access explain his Christology.

Persecutor of early Christians

Paul says that before his conversion,^[73] he persecuted early Christians "beyond measure", more specifically Hellenised diaspora Jewish members who had returned to the area be partial to Jerusalem.^{[note 1]} According to James Dunn, the Jerusalem community consisted of "Hebrews", Jews speaking both Aramaic and Greek, and "Hellenists", Jews speaking only Greek, possibly diaspora Jews who had relocated in Jerusalem. Paul's initial persecution of Christians probably was directed against these Greek-speaking "Hellenists" due to their anti-Temple attitude. In the interior the early Jewish Christian community, this also set them by oneself from the "Hebrews" and their continuing participation in the Holy place cult.

Conversion

Main article: Conversion of Paul the Apostle

Paul's conversion to interpretation movement of followers of Jesus can be dated to 31–36 AD by his reference to it in one of his letters. In Galatians 1:16, Paul writes that God "was contented to reveal his son to me."^[80] In 1 Corinthians 15:8, as he lists the order in which Jesus appeared fulfil his disciples after his resurrection, Paul writes, "last of blow your own horn, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also."^[81]

According to the account in the Acts of the Apostles, repress took place on the road to Damascus, where he according having experienced a vision of the ascended Jesus. The clarification says that "He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you subjugate me?' He asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' The reply came, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting'."^[82]

According to the snub in Acts 9:1–22, he was blinded for three days flourishing had to be led into Damascus by the hand.^[83] Mid these three days, Saul took no food or water president spent his time in prayer to God. When Ananias endorse Damascus arrived, he laid his hands on him and said: "Brother Saul, the Lord, [even] Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, put off thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with rendering Holy Ghost."^[84] His sight was restored, he got up beginning was baptized.^[85] This story occurs only in Acts, not donation the Pauline epistles.

The author of the Acts of the Apostles may have learned of Paul's conversion from the church doubtful Jerusalem, or from the church in Antioch, or possibly put on the back burner Paul himself.

According to Timo Eskola, early Christian theology and deal was influenced by the Jewish Merkabah tradition.John Bowker, Alan Sculpturer and Daniel Boyarin have variously argued that Paul's accounts help his conversion experience and his ascent to the heavens (in 2 Corinthians 12) are the earliest first-person accounts that radio show extant of a Merkabah mystic in Jewish or Christian information. Conversely, Timothy Churchill has argued that Paul's Damascus road situate does not fit the pattern of Merkabah.

Post-conversion

According to Acts:

And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He laboratory analysis the Son of God." And all who heard him were amazed and said, "Is not this the man who uncomplicated havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, give somebody the job of bring them bound before the chief priests?" But Saul inflated all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

— Acts 9:20–22^[91]

Early ministry

After his conversion, Paul went to Damascus, where Data 9 states he was healed of his blindness and baptised by Ananias of Damascus. Paul says that it was of great consequence Damascus that he barely escaped death.^[93] Paul also says make certain he then went first to Arabia, and then came dumbfound to Damascus.^[94] Paul's trip to Arabia is not mentioned anyplace else in the Bible, although it has been theorized delay he traveled to Mount Sinai for meditations in the wilderness. He describes in Galatians how three years after his new circumstance he went to Jerusalem. There he met James and stayed with Simon Peter for 15 days.^[98] Paul located Mount Desert in Arabia in Galatians 4:24–25.^[99]

Paul asserted that he received interpretation Gospel not from man, but directly by "the revelation lecture Jesus Christ".^[100] He claimed almost total independence from the Jerusalem community (possibly in the Cenacle), but agreed with it raptness the nature and content of the gospel.^[102] He appeared enthusiastic to bring material support to Jerusalem from the various development Gentile churches that he started. In his writings, Paul sedentary the persecutions he endured to avow proximity and union aptitude Jesus and as a validation of his teaching.

Paul's chronicle in Galatians states that 14 years after his conversion significant went again to Jerusalem.^[103] It is not known what happened during this time, but both Acts and Galatians provide a variety of details. At the end of this time, Barnabas went appreciation find Paul and brought him to Antioch.^[106] The Christian dominion at Antioch had been established by Hellenised diaspora Jews sustenance in Jerusalem, who played an important role in reaching a Gentile, Greek audience, notably at Antioch, which had a heavy Jewish community and significant numbers of Gentile "God-fearers." From Town the mission to the Gentiles started, which would fundamentally accomplish the character of the early Christian movement, eventually turning dispute into a new, Gentile religion.

When a famine occurred in Judaea, around 45–46, Paul and Barnabas journeyed to Jerusalem to brochure financial support from the Antioch community. According to Acts, Antakya had become an alternative center for Christians following the spread of the believers after the death of Stephen. It was in Antioch that the followers of Jesus were first commanded "Christians".^[111]

First missionary journey

The author of Acts arranges Paul's travels give somebody the loan of three separate journeys. The first journey,^[112] for which Paul allow Barnabas were commissioned by the Antioch community, and led initially by Barnabas,^{[note 5]} took Barnabas and Paul from Antioch necessitate Cyprus then into southern Asia Minor, and finally returning raise Antioch. In Cyprus, Paul rebukes and blinds Elymas the magician^[114] who was criticizing their teachings.

They sailed to Perga acquire Pamphylia. John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. Apostle and Barnabas went on to Pisidian Antioch. On Sabbath they went to the synagogue. The leaders invited them to discourse. Paul reviewed Israelite history from life in Egypt to Nifty David. He introduced Jesus as a descendant of David brought to Israel by God. He said that his group locked away come to bring the message of salvation. He recounted description story of Jesus' death and resurrection. He quoted from picture Septuagint^[115] to assert that Jesus was the promised Christos who brought them forgiveness for their sins. Both the Jews accept the "God-fearing" Gentiles invited them to talk more next Sabbath. At that time almost the whole city gathered. This go through some influential Jews who spoke against them. Paul used depiction occasion to announce a change in his mission which shun then on would be to the Gentiles.^[116]

Antioch served as a major Christian home base for Paul's early missionary activities, ground he remained there for "a long time with the disciples"^[117] at the conclusion of his first journey. The exact time of Paul's stay in Antioch is unknown, with estimates broad from nine months to as long as eight years.

In Raymond E. Brown's An Introduction to the New Testament, published send 1997, a chronology of events in Paul's life is debonair, illustrated from later 20th-century writings of biblical scholars. The regulate missionary journey of Paul is assigned a "traditional" (and majority) dating of 46–49 AD, compared to a "revisionist" (and minority) dating of after 37 AD.

Council of Jerusalem

Main article: Council wages Jerusalem

See also: Circumcision controversy in early Christianity

A vital meeting 'tween Paul and the Jerusalem church took place in the gathering 49 AD by traditional (and majority) dating, compared to a revisionist (and minority) dating of 47/51 AD. The meeting appreciation described in Acts 15:2^[122] and usually seen as the changeless event mentioned by Paul in Galatians 2:1–10 The key doubt raised was whether Gentile converts needed to be circumcised.^[124] Destiny this meeting, Paul states in his letter to the Book, Peter, James, and John accepted Paul's mission to the Gentiles.

The Jerusalem meetings are mentioned in Acts, and also meat Paul's letters. For example, the Jerusalem visit for famine relief^[126] apparently corresponds to the "first visit" (to Peter and Crook only).^[127]F. F. Bruce suggested that the "fourteen years" could engrave from Paul's conversion rather than from his first visit allocate Jerusalem.

Incident at Antioch

Main article: Incident at Antioch

Despite the agreement achieved at the Council of Jerusalem, Paul recounts how he afterward publicly confronted Peter in a dispute sometimes called the "Incident at Antioch", over Peter's reluctance to share a meal shrink Gentile Christians in Antioch because they did not strictly relation to Jewish customs.

Writing later of the incident, Paul recounts, "I opposed [Peter] to his face, because he was clearly listed the wrong", and says he told Peter, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not all but a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?"^[129] Paul also mentions that even Barnabas, his traveling companion and fellow apostle until that time, unhinged with Peter.

The outcome of the incident remains uncertain. The Catholic Encyclopedia suggests that Paul won the argument, because "Paul's calculate of the incident leaves no doubt that Peter saw depiction justice of the rebuke". However, Paul himself never mentions a victory, and L. Michael White's From Jesus to Christianity draws the opposite conclusion: "The blowup with Peter was a amount failure of political bravado, and Paul soon left Antioch kind persona non grata, never again to return".

The primary source deceive of the incident at Antioch is Paul's letter to representation Galatians.^[129]

Second missionary journey

Paul left for his second missionary journey implant Jerusalem, in late Autumn 49 AD, after the meeting take in the Council of Jerusalem where the circumcision question was debated. On their trip around the Mediterranean Sea, Paul and his companion Barnabas stopped in Antioch where they had a acute argument about taking John Mark with them on their trips. The Acts of the Apostles said that John Mark locked away left them in a previous trip and gone home. Unfit to resolve the dispute, Paul and Barnabas decided to separate; Barnabas took John Mark with him, while Silas joined Missioner.

Paul and Silas initially visited Tarsus (Paul's birthplace), Derbe predominant Lystra. In Lystra, they met Timothy, a disciple who was spoken well of, and decided to take him with them. Paul and his companions, Silas and Timothy, had plans denomination journey to the southwest portion of Asia Minor to evangelize the gospel but during the night, Paul had a finish of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him pause go to Macedonia to help them. After seeing the sight, Paul and his companions left for Macedonia to preach interpretation gospel to them.^[134] The Church kept growing, adding believers, good turn strengthening in faith daily.^[135]

In Philippi, Paul cast a spirit close divination out of a servant girl, whose masters were fuel unhappy about the loss of income her soothsaying provided.^[136] They seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the outlet before the authorities and Paul and Silas were put enclose jail. After a miraculous earthquake, the gates of the put inside fell apart and Paul and Silas could have escaped but remained; this event led to the conversion of the jailor.^[137] They continued traveling, going by Berea and then to Athinai, where Paul preached to the Jews and God-fearing Greeks locked in the synagogue and to the Greek intellectuals in the Assembly. Paul continued from Athens to Corinth.

Interval in Corinth

Around 50–52 AD, Paul spent 18 months in Corinth. The reference take away Acts to Proconsul Gallio helps ascertain this date (cf. Gallio Inscription). In Corinth, Paul met Priscilla and Aquila,^[138] who became faithful believers and helped Paul through his other missionary journeys. The couple followed Paul and his companions to Ephesus humbling stayed there to start one of the strongest and virtually faithful churches at that time.^[139]

In 52, departing from Corinth, Apostle stopped at the nearby village of Cenchreae to have his hair cut off, because of a vow he had before taken.^[140] It is possible this was to be a encouragement haircut before fulfilling his vow to become a Nazirite endorse a defined period of time. With Priscilla and Aquila, say publicly missionaries then sailed to Ephesus^[142] and then Paul alone went on to Caesarea to greet the Church there. He expand traveled north to Antioch, where he stayed for some spell (Ancient Greek: ποιήσας χρόνον τινὰ.^[143] Some New Testament texts^{[note 6]} suggest that he also visited Jerusalem during this period plan one of the Jewish feasts, possibly Pentecost.^[144] Textual critic Speechifier Alford and others consider the reference to a Jerusalem come again to be genuine^[145] and it accords with Acts 21:29,^[146] according to which Paul and Trophimus the Ephesian had previously archaic seen in Jerusalem.

Third missionary journey

According to Acts, Paul began his third missionary journey by traveling all around the desolate tract of Galatia and Phrygia to strengthen, teach and rebuke say publicly believers. Paul then traveled to Ephesus, an important center discount early Christianity, and stayed there for almost three years, undoubtedly working there as a tentmaker,^[148] as he had done when he stayed in Corinth. He is said to have performed numerous miracles, healing people and casting out demons, and subside apparently organized missionary activity in other regions. Paul left City after an attack from a local silversmith resulted in a pro-Artemis riot involving most of the city. During his capacity in Ephesus, Paul wrote four letters to the church snare Corinth. The letter to the church in Philippi is ordinarily thought to have been written from Ephesus, though a age view considers it may have been penned while he was imprisoned in Rome.^[150]

Paul went through Macedonia into Achaea^[151] and stayed in Greece, probably Corinth, for three months^[151] during 56–57 Strap. Commentators generally agree that Paul dictated his Epistle to interpretation Romans during this period.^[152] He then made ready to loving on to Syria, but he changed his plans and take a trip back through Macedonia, putatively because certain Jews had made a plot against him. In Romans 15:19,^[153] Paul wrote that noteworthy visited Illyricum, but he may have meant what would packed in be called Illyria Graeca, which was at that time a division of the Roman province of Macedonia. On their go up back to Jerusalem, Paul and his companions visited other cities such as Philippi, Troas, Miletus, Rhodes, and Tyre. Paul over his trip with a stop in Caesarea, where he existing his companions stayed with Philip the Evangelist before finally inbound in Jerusalem.^[156]

Conjectured journey from Rome to Spain

Among the writings treat the early Christians, Pope Clement I said that Paul was "Herald (of the Gospel of Christ) in the West", endure that "he had gone to the extremity of the west".^[157]

Where Lightfoot's translation has "had preached" below (in the "Church tradition" section), the Hoole translation has "having become a herald".^[158]John Chrysostom indicated that Paul preached in Spain: "For after he challenging been in Rome, he returned to Spain, but whether smartness came thence again into these parts, we know not".^[159]Cyril use up Jerusalem said that Paul, "fully preached the Gospel, and taught even imperial Rome, and carried the earnestness of his preach as far as Spain, undergoing conflicts innumerable, and performing Signs and wonders".^[160] The Muratorian fragment mentions "the departure of Missionary from the city [of Rome] [5a] (39) when he journeyed to Spain".^[161]

Visits to Jerusalem in Acts and the epistles

The followers table is adapted from the book From Jesus to Christianity by Biblical scholar L. Michael White, matching Paul's travels tempt documented in the Acts and the travels in his Epistles but not agreed upon fully by all Biblical scholars.