Paul: His Conversion and Our Hope!
I. Paul’s Life
Paul is a colourful character and a difficult author to understand. As one author says
Paul is “a saint with countless failings.” There are examples of this Gal 2:11; Acts
15:39; 1Cor 4:21 and 11:16 which show a man of great integrity and also great
temper.
Paul was born circa 10 BCE (the son of a Roman citizen) in Tarsus, Cilicia in Asia
Minor, in what we know as Turkey. Tarsus was a university city with a population of
approximately 300,000. His father was a leather worker and the family may have had ties to
Judea, because Paul insists that he is a “Hebrew” [2Cor 11:22] and from the “tribe of Benjamin”
[Phil 3:5]. The city Tarsus was on the crossroads between two civilisations as Paul’s names
demonstrate. He was known as Saul (Jewish) and Paul (Greek). So Saul/Paul was brought up in
a culture that enjoyed the best of both civilisations cf. Acts 22:25-28.
He was educated as a Pharisaic Jew and studied with the great Jewish Rabbi, Gamaliel in
Jerusalem (Acts 22:3 and 5:37). During the public ministry of Jesus, Paul had returned to
Tarsus and appears to be unaware of the Nazarene’s preaching. There, he learned to weave
‘cilice’ (French) a rough material made from goat’s hair. He was almost certainly a rabbi and
was, therefore, married. So he was both a learned and skilled man.
As a Jew he served God by his scrupulous observance of the Torah, the Jewish Law that had
631 rules that had to by followed.
The (Jewish) LAW was LIFE and LIFE was the strict observance of the (Jewish) LAW.
A failure to observe all the rules correctly meant that one had to undergo elaborate purification
rituals so that one could be a part of the community again.
On his return to Jerusalem between 31-36, a couple of years after the death of Jesus, he was
appalled by Peter’s preaching that Jesus was the Messiah
promised by God (Gal 1:13, 1Cor15:9). As a theologian he
understood, better than Peter, that the apostles ran the risk
of overthrowing Judaism. His one great question was
“How could a convicted blasphemer be God?” Remember,
Jesus was put to death for his claim that he was “Son of
God”. Paul ever the purist as to the letter of the Law,
fought the new sect. We are told in Acts 9 that he approved
of the death of Stephen and left for Damascus “murmuring
murder” to find Stephen’s disciples and drag them back to
the Sanhedrin [the Jewish Religious Authority] for
summary judgement. It is now sometime between 33/35
and Acts 9:19-26 reports that, it was this now famous
journey to Damascus that Paul had his conversion
experience. He became convinced that with the Risen
Christ he spoken to him directly in a vision and that would
change him and the course of human history forever.
His companions lead him to Damascus, as he is now blind
from the light of the vision that seized him. There he is
healed and baptised by Ananias. Paul, immediately, begins
to witness that Jesus is not only the Messiah, but also that
he is Son of God. Local Jews could not tolerate this, particularly from the one who was
supposed to rid them of these troublesome “Followers of the Way” [as Jesus’ disciples were
called] and they plotted to kill him. Paul hears of the plot and his disciples help him escape the
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city at night, by lowering him over the city walls in a basket. He flees to Jerusalem and begins
preaching in Roman Arabia, then returns to Damascus and finally after three years returns again
to Jerusalem. There he spends two weeks with James and Peter but not the larger church (Gal
1:17-18). His mission to the Gentiles is confirmed and for the next 30 plus years Paul works
tirelessly for the gospel establishing churches in Asia Minor and Greece.
II. Faithful Jew to Missionary Christian
But how was the transformation from Jew to Christian achieved. It is reported in Acts 9:1-19
that Paul had a vision on the road to Damascus and Paul recalls this vision in two speeches Acts
22:3-16 and 26:9-17. There are further recollections in 1Cor 9:1 and Gal 1:11-17. There are
slight differences in these accounts but common to them all is the Paul felt overwhelmed and
challenged by Christ whom he believed had spoken to him directly.
One question that I’m usually asked is “Did Paul’s vision really happen?” I believe that he did
really have a vision. And here is why. As a well educated Jew he may have been instructed in an
advanced Jewish practise of ‘Merkabah’ (Hebrew for chariot) or chariot mysticism. By
following various ascetic practises the soul of the believer can ascend into the heavenly realm;
looking within his heart he will eventually see the heavenly chariot and the seven halls of the
angels.
These techniques continued to be a basis for Jewish Kabbalah. This was often practised, usually
on a journey, by visualising the chariot chapters of Ezekiel (40-48) until a
visionary state is achieved. In Jewish texts there are references to other
practitioners of chariot mysticism, such as Johanan ben Zakkai, a
contemporary of Paul’s, being caught up in a third heaven. Resemblances
between these accounts and Paul’s vision are sufficiently close to make it
possible that Paul engaged in this practise during his journey. What
remains extraordinary is Paul’s absolute conviction that it was Jesus who
spoke to him!
That Paul should have a vision as he travelled to Damascus is not
surprising. He had several visions during his life that we know of
• Acts 9 his vision and conversion
• Acts 16:9-10 the Macedonian man
• Acts 18:8-10 assurance from the Lord
• Acts 22:17-21 from Jesus to escape the Temple in Jerusalem
• Acts 23:11 Jesus telling him to witness in Rome
• Acts 27:23-26 from an angel that he would survive a shipwreck
• 2Cor 12:2 his vision of a third heaven
The glorified Christ had made himself known to Paul – the one who had died an accursed death
on a tree as a convicted blasphemer had been glorified by God. [Cf. Dt 21:23 and Gal 3] Paul
understood that God had sided with this crucified man; therefore the [Jewish] Law that had
accused Jesus must itself be condemned. The Law itself – the one he had lived by his whole life
up to this point – had come to an end. A complete reversal of the established order had
occurred to the point where Paul confesses, “My life is Christ”. Paul had completed a
THEOLOGICAL U-turn. Indeed we may go so far as to say that the Damascus events are Paul’s
personal Exodus experience.
Before – Pharisee, Against Christ, Persecutor
After – Devoted to Christ who had seized him, Christian, Persecuted.
Everything he understood about God had been turned on its head. Henceforth Paul’s theology
would form along the following lines: -
1. Justification by Faith
As a Pharisee he had believed that justification was achieved by correct observance of the
631 rules of the [Jewish] Law – that is, salvation was achieved through one’s own actions.
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As a Christian he understood that justification came by faith alone. It is the free gift of
salvation from God; that is to say, we receive salvation through our belief in Christ. This
means that we have a moral obligation to live in love because we know we are especially
loved by God.
2. The God’s Free Gift of Grace
This is key to understanding the theology of Paul – God does not love us because we are
good but so that we might become good. We do not need to earn God’s love because God
loves us already. The true source of our joy is not to rely on what we can do or who we are,
but on the love of God who is ever faithful and ever loving.
3. Jesus Christ Crucified
God loves us so much that Christ was crucified as part of God’s plan of salvation. To
understand this Paul reread sacred scripture particularly the four Servant Songs in the
Prophet Isaiah. He understood from these texts that Jesus was not condemned for his own
sins but for ours. Isa 53:3-5 tells us “He was despised and rejected by others; a man of
suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he
was despised, and we held him of no account. Surely he has borne our infirmities and
carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But
he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises
we are healed.” By his bruises we are healed. We stand at the foot of
the cross as pardoned sinners. This means that the tortured figure of
Christ on the cross IS our forgiveness. Therefore an awareness of our
sin is, in fact, an occasion for thanksgiving because it is God who
purifies us through Christ. We do not need elaborate purification
rituals, because our salvation comes through the cross of Christ. To put
it another way, the cross - illuminated by the resurrection - is the heart
of Pauline theology.
4. The Church as the Body of Christ
Paul takes it one step further. He sees the intimate union of Christ with his disciples as
forming a single body, the church. This becomes the foundation of Pauline morality.
Through faith and baptism the Christian puts on Christ and becomes Christ’s body and must
live accordingly. No half measures!
5. The Journey into Faith
For Paul, conversion and baptism were quite immediate. But it would be wrong to think
that with baptism came the full knowledge of Christ. While the Lord had made him his own
(Phil 3:12) it was the experience of everyday life and contact with different communities
that forced him to deepen his knowledge of his relationship with God in Christ. In many
ways his missionary journeys are a journey into faith. Just as our lives are a journey in faith
in God.
6. Apostle to the Gentiles
Paul had all the natural gifts to become the leader of a sect – he was intelligent, passionate,
and, of course, chosen by God. With the other apostles he felt that he must speak, 1Cor
9:16, and to proclaim Christ to all – Jew and Gentile – became his labour of love. He
understood that he was loved by God and wanted others to share in the joy of this love.
III. Paul’s Legacy to Us
The NT does not present a single picture of Jesus. Indeed there are 5 portraits in all, 4 from the
gospels and one from Paul. Each individual picture helps us nearer to the invisible one.
With the other apostles there had been a slow growth into full understanding through Jesus’
public life, the experience of Easter and gifts that come with Pentecost. Indeed it is a similar
experience for all of us who are born into Christianity. For Paul the discovery was immediate
and profound if not traumatic. But his knowledge of Jesus developed over time as his
relationship with Christ deepened and does not come to us from one single source but from a
series of letters. And it particularly appropriate that we gather here in the season of Lent and
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reflect on Paul’s life and conversion. His legacy to us is profound. Paul was a very practical
man who worked with his hands for a living, preaching the Good News in his spare time.
The Exodus was the revelation to Israel and Damascus is the revelation to Paul. As with most
converts, his new life as Christian is marked by the astonished enthusiasm of conversion. He is
fully aware of Christ in him and of his new world of belief. With baptism he has only one
desire, to preach that Jesus is Saviour. Paul acknowledges Christ’s true place in the universe.
Christ is not only saviour of his community but is the Lord of History; the visible image of the
invisible God, the Firstborn of Creation and Creator of the Universe by
whom, and for whom, all things were made. Christ is the one who brings all
things together to God. Jesus is “Lord” to the glory of the Father.
Paul puts his conversion vision on the same level as a resurrection
appearance. Therefore Paul truly is an apostle since apostleship is to
encounter the Risen Christ, and Paul is called to be such 1Cor 15:9, 9:1 and
Gal 1:1. Though our common baptism we too are called to be apostles, to
witness to the Risen Christ in our world. BUT HOW DO WE DO THAT?
We, too, are saved by the free gift of God’s grace. In other words God loves
us as we are! All we have to do is accept that we are REALLY TRULY
AND WHOLLY LOVED by God who only wants the very best for us! When
we really truly and wholly believed that, we could begin to live it! And that
would mean that we would imitate Paul. We, too, would show our
unconditional commitment to Christ by our baptism and faith. The concrete consequences of
what that means are spelled out in Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, Philippians, Romans, and
Galatians. In a sentence, Paul asserts in these letters that the significance of the Cross of
Salvation is to live everyday life with Christ and IN Christ. To have our whole lives centred on
Christ. But do not take my word for what these letters say! Read them for yourselves. They are
treasures left to us as a legacy for a life of Hope centred on Faith in Christ.
A guided reading list is provided on this website to encourage you to read the text for yourself.
Please follow the directions provided.