The Life of Paul

Why Study St.

Paul?

 He is a gifted
preacher.
 He is a
theologian.
 He is passionate
about Jesus.
Who was Paul?
1. Three formative elements in
his background
1. He was a Jew
2. He was a product of Greek
culture
3. He was a Roman Citizen
2. He persecuted the Church
3. He changed
  Paul was probably born ca. AD 5-10 during
the reign of Emperor Augustus
 Acts 7:5-8, he was a young man at the
stoning of Stephen
 Philemon 9, he referred to himself as an
old man (written after AD 55)
 The names “Saul and Paul”. Jews, at this
period, especially those in the diaspora has
two names, one Greek of Roman, the other
Birth and Semitic.
Upbringing  Paulus – a popular Roman family name
 Saul – a name proper to one who
belongs to the tribe of Benjamin
(Romans 11:1, Philippians 3:5).
 According to Acts (22:3, 21:39), he was a
citizen of Tarsus, the prosperous capital of
Cilicia.
 A Roman Citizen by birth (Acts 16:37-38 and
22:25-29).
 Tarsus, city, south-central Turkey. It is located on
the Tarsus River, about 12 miles (20 km) from the
Mediterranean Sea coast. Tarsus is an ancient city on the
alluvial plain of ancient Cilicia, the birthplace of St. Paul
(Acts of the Apostles 22:3). The total straight line distance
between Tarsus and Jerusalem is 573 KM(kilometers).
Paul’s
Conversion

Acts of the
Apostles
Chapter 9 (1-19)
Chapter 22 (6-16)
Chapter 26 (12-18)
What was Paul’s
Situation when the Word
came to Him?

• Philippians 3:4a-6
• Paul’s Autobiography. If anyone
else thinks he can be confident in
flesh, all the more can
I. Circumcised on the eighth
day, of the race of Israel, of the
tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of
Hebrew parentage, in observance
of the law a Pharisee, in zeal I
persecuted the church, in
righteousness based on the law I
was blameless.
Discoveries of Paul
• The Resurrection is true
• Jesus is indeed “Lord”
• Jesus is the Messiah who Israel
awaits.
• The discovery of grace, “charis”,
through the experience of God’s
unconditional love
• Christ is everything
Consequences of
the Conversion

1. Everything is
relativized by
Christ
2. The Gentiles
belong in God’s
story
3. Letters have to
be written
4. The whole world
belongs to God
The Three
Missionary
Journeys

• 1st Missionary Journey in AD

46-48 with Barnabas and
John Mark. (Acts 13:1 –
14:28)
• 2nd Missionary Journey in AD
50-52 with Silas, Timothy
and Luke. (Acts 15:36 –
18:22)
• 3rd Missionary Journey in AD
53-58 with Silas, Timothy
(and Luke). (Acts 18:23–
21:16)
 1. Antioch on Orontes and
Seleucia (in Turkey)
2. Salamis and Pahpos (in
1st Cyprus)
Missionary 3. Perge
Journey
4. Antioch of Pisidia
5. Iconium
6. Lystra
7. Derbe

back to Antioch on Orontes

 1. Antioch on Orontes
2. Syria
3. Cilicia
2nd 4. Derbe
12. Amphipolis
Missionary 5. Lystra
13. Apollonia
6. Iconium
Journey 7. Phyrigic-Galactic
14. Thessalonica
Territory opposite Mysia 15. Berea
8. Troas 16. Athens
9. Samothrace 17. Corinth (18 months)
10. Neapolis 18. Cenchrae
11. Philippi 19. Ephesus
20. Caesarea
21. Jerusalem

Back to Antioch in Orontes

 1. Antioch on Orontes
2. The Phyrigic-
Galactic Territory
3. Ephesus (3 years)
3rd 4. Macedonia
10. Samos
Missionary 5. Greece
11. Miletus
6. Philippi
Journey 7. Troas
12. Cos
13. Rhodes
8. Assos
14. Patara
9. Mitylele
15. Tyre
16. Ptolemais
17. Caesarea
18. Jerusalem
Paul’s Arrest in Jerusalem,
Imprisonment in Caesarea,
Taken to Rome, Death
Acts 21:15 – 28:31
Why Write
Letters?
• In order to maintain
contact with the young
churches, to help them
grow spiritually, to assist
them in resolving their
problems, Paul became a
writer.
• His letters were written for
the purpose of mission.
Classification of
Paul’s 13 Letters
• Classification based on
Authorship
• Authentic Letters
• Deutero-Pauline Letters
• Classification Based on
Themes (canon)
• Major Letters
• Letters from Prison
• Pastoral Letters
 • Letter: a private,
non-literary
correspondence
• Epistle: a
“Epistles” communication
that is more
or literary in
“Letters”? character, not
necessarily
occasioned by a
particular event
or situation and
intended for a
public audience.
 • Paul used the
koine Greek
• Paul elaborates
his concepts and
his reflections in
Greek. Greek
could have been
his mother-
tongue. He is
spontaneous and
personal
• It is typical of
The Literary Paul to adapt a
great variety of
Style of Paul literary forms.
frrolly@scs.edu.ph