Paul, then known as Saul, was a "zealous". These were Pharisee’s who "intensely persecuted" and murdered the early followers of Jesus of Nazareth and violently tried to destroy the newly forming Christian church.
Paul's dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus dramatically changed the course of his life. He experienced a vision of the resurrected Jesus and was blinded by the bright light. He fell to the ground and heard a voice. “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” It was Jesus speaking to him. “Get up and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do". |
After this experience Paul sight was gone (from the bright light) and had to be led into Damascus by the hand by the people he was traveling with. He was blind for three days until
12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him. This extraordinary life-changing experience and revelation convinced Paul that God indeed had chosen Jesus to be the promised messiah. |
After Paul's conversion, he began to preach that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. His leadership, and influence led to the formation of communities and groups that worshiped Jesus.
Paul taught the life and works of Jesus Christ the Son of God and his teachings of the New Testament. Paul is the most prominent apostle in the early Church because he was so effective at forming Christian communities. Paul wrote the most books of the New Testament |