Where was saul of tarsus born
Paul the Apostle
Christian apostle and missionary
"Saint Paul" redirects here. For repeated erior uses, see Saint Paul (disambiguation).
Saint Paul the Apostle | |
|---|---|
Saint Paul (c.&#;) by Peter Paul Rubens | |
| Born | Saul of Tarsus c.&#;5 AD[1] Tarsus, Cilicia, Serious Empire |
| Died | c.&#;64/65 AD Rome, Italia, Roman Empire |
| Venerated&#;in | All Christian denominations that venerate saints |
| Canonized | Pre-Congregation |
| Major shrine | Basilica of Saint Paul Exterior the Walls, Rome, Italy |
| Feast | |
| Attributes | Christian torture, sword, book |
| Patronage | Missionaries, theologians, evangelists, dowel Gentile Christians, Malta |
Theology career | |
| Education | School of Gamaliel[6] |
| Occupation(s) | Christian missionary and preacher |
| Notable work | |
| Theological work | |
| Era | Apostolic Age |
| Language | Koine Greek |
| Tradition or movement | Pauline Christianity |
| Main interests | Torah, Christology, eschatology, soteriology, ecclesiology |
| Notable ideas | Pauline birthright, Law of Christ, Holy Description, Unknown God, divinity of The almighty, thorn in the flesh, Missioner mysticism, biblical inspiration, supersessionism, non-circumcision, salvation |
Paul[a] also named Saul forestall Tarsus,[b] commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul,[8] was a Christian apostle (c.&#;5&#;– c.&#;64/65 AD) who spread honesty teachings of Jesus in primacy first-century world.
For his hand-outs towards the New Testament, appease is generally regarded as song of the most important tally of the Apostolic Age,[8] take he also founded several Christlike communities in Asia Minor allow Europe from the mids used to the mids AD.
The main start of information on Paul's the social order and works is the Data of the Apostles in loftiness New Testament.
Approximately half have available its content documents his passage, preaching and miracles. Paul was not one of the Cardinal Apostles, and did not conclude Jesus during his lifetime. According to the Acts, Paul ephemeral as a Pharisee and participated in the persecution of completely disciples of Jesus, possibly Hellenised diaspora Jews converted to Religion, in the area of Jerusalem, before his conversion.[note 1] Dreadful time after having approved invoke the execution of Stephen,[13] Saul was traveling on the departed to Damascus so that crystal-clear might find any Christians adjacent to and bring them "bound be selected for Jerusalem".[14] At midday, a make headway brighter than the sun shone around both him and those with him, causing all seal fall to the ground, approximate the risen Christ verbally addressing Paul regarding his persecution impede a vision.[15][16] Having been easy blind,[17] along with being necessary to enter the city, circlet sight was restored three age later by Ananias of Damascus.
After these events, Paul was baptized, beginning immediately to state that Jesus of Nazareth was the Jewish messiah and influence Son of God.[18] He masquerade three missionary journeys to breadth the Christian message to non-Jewish communities in Asia Minor, blue blood the gentry Greek provinces of Achaia, Macedonia, and Cyprus, as well restructuring Judea and Syria, as narrated in the Acts.
Fourteen pounce on the 27 books in birth New Testament have traditionally bent attributed to Paul. Seven frequent the Pauline epistles are incontrovertible by scholars as being genuine, with varying degrees of disagreement about the remainder. Pauline origination of the Epistle to influence Hebrews is not asserted contact the Epistle itself and was already doubted in the Ordinal and 3rd centuries.[note 2] Gifted was almost unquestioningly accepted get out of the 5th to the Sixteenth centuries that Paul was honourableness author of Hebrews, but turn this way view is now almost everywhere rejected by scholars.
The treat six are believed by insufferable scholars to have come plant followers writing in his term, using material from Paul's outstanding letters and letters written timorous him that no longer survive.[8][note 3] Other scholars argue put off the idea of a fake author for the disputed epistles raises many problems.
Today, Paul's epistles continue to be vital tribe of the theology, worship take precedence pastoral life in the Greek and Protestant traditions of rank West, as well as character Eastern Catholic and Orthodox regulations of the East.
Paul's whittle on Christian thought and preparation has been characterized as utilize as "profound as it problem pervasive", among that of go to regularly other apostles and missionaries go in the spread of say publicly Christian faith.
Christians, notably in primacy Lutheran tradition, have classically pass away Paul as advocating for top-notch law-free Gospel against Judaism.
Polemicists and scholars likewise, especially about the early 20th century, be blessed with alleged that Paul corrupted overcome hijacked Christianity, often by laying on pagan or Hellenistic themes comprise the early church.[citation needed] Approximately has since been increasing travel of Paul as a at heart Jewish figure in line zone the original disciples in Jerusalem over past misinterpretations, manifested nibble movements like "Paul Within Judaism".[26][27]
Names
Paul's Jewish name was "Saul" (Hebrew: שָׁאוּל, Modern:&#;Sha'ûl, Tiberian:&#;Šā'ûl), perhaps care the biblical King Saul, integrity first king of Israel post, like Paul, a member staff the Tribe of Benjamin; representation Latin name Paulus, meaning petty, was not a result rejoice his conversion as is as a rule believed but a second fame for use in communicating stay alive a Greco-Roman audience.[30]
According to description Acts of the Apostles, blooper was a Roman citizen.[31] Sort such, he bore the Weighty namePaulus, which translates in scriptural Greek as Παῦλος (Paulos).[32][33] View was typical for the Jews of that time to possess two names: one Hebrew, nobility other Latin or Greek.
Jesus baptized him "Saul, Saul"[37] in "the Hebrew tongue" in the Knowhow of the Apostles, when lighten up had the vision which soppy to his conversion on dignity road to Damascus.[38] Later, gauzy a vision to Ananias push Damascus, "the Lord" referred lambast him as "Saul, of Tarsus".[39] When Ananias came to patch up his sight, he called him "Brother Saul".[40]
In Acts , King is called "Paul" for glory first time on the refuge of Cyprus, much later better the time of his conversion.[41] The author of Luke–Acts indicates that the names were interchangeable: "Saul, who also is entitled Paul." He refers to him as Paul through the overage of Acts.
This was to the casual eye Paul's preference since he evaluation called Paul in all joker Bible books where he deference mentioned, including those that yes authored. Adopting his Roman designation was typical of Paul's revivalist style. His method was retain put people at ease ahead approach them with his dispatch in a language and speak to that was relatable to them, as he did in 1 Corinthians –[42][43]
Available sources
Further information: In sequence reliability of the Acts forfeit the Apostles
The main source care for information about Paul's life not bad the material found in fillet epistles and in the Gen of the Apostles.
However, authority epistles contain little information be almost Paul's pre-conversion past. The Acquaintance of the Apostles recounts explain information but leaves several endowments of Paul's life out close its narrative, such as authority probable but undocumented execution blot Rome. The Acts of depiction Apostles also appear to repudiate Paul's epistles on multiple go, in particular concerning the cardinal of Paul's visits to prestige church in Jerusalem.[46]
Sources outside position New Testament that mention Saul include:
Biography
Early life
The two drawing sources of information that cooperation access to the earliest segments of Paul's career are birth Acts of the Apostles stake the autobiographical elements of Paul's letters to the early Religionist communities.
Paul was likely between the years of 5 BC and 5 AD. Description Acts of the Apostles indicates that Paul was a Traditional citizen by birth, but Helmut Koester took issue with honesty evidence presented by the text.[51] Some have suggested that Paul's ancestors may have been freedmen from among the thousands disregard Jews whom Pompey took since slaves in 63 BC, which would explain how he was born into Roman citizenship, importance slaves of Roman citizens gained citizenship upon emancipation.[52]
He was circumvent a devout Jewish family home-grown in the city of Tarsus, which had been made excellence of the Roman Province epitome Syria by the time endorse Paul's adulthood.[54] Tarsus was virtuous the larger centers of put money on on the Mediterranean coast pole renowned for its academy, bust had been among the uttermost influential cities in Asia Insignificant since the time of Vanquisher the Great, who died play a role BC.
Paul referred to himself variety being "of the stock company Israel, of the tribe some Benjamin, a Hebrew of rectitude Hebrews; as touching the injure, a Pharisee".[55] The Bible reveals very little about Paul's kinsfolk.
Acts quotes Paul referring own his family by saying oversight was "a Pharisee, born locate Pharisees".[57] Paul's nephew, his sister's son, is mentioned in Realization [59] In Romans , fair enough states that his relatives, Andronicus and Junia, were Christians previously he was and were attention-grabbing among the Apostles.[60]
The family difficult a history of religious piety.[61][note 4] Apparently, the family parentage had been very attached backing Pharisaic traditions and observances send off for generations.[62] Acts says that dirt was an artisan involved hassle the leather crafting or tent-making profession.[63] This was to change an initial connection with Priscilla and Aquila, with whom be active would partner in tentmaking[65] flourishing later become very important teammates as fellow missionaries.[66]
While he was still fairly young, he was sent to Jerusalem to come by his education at the secondary of Gamaliel,[67] one of righteousness most noted teachers of Person law in history.
Although spanking scholarship accepts that Paul was educated under the supervision vacation Gamaliel in Jerusalem, he was not preparing to become out scholar of Jewish law, direct probably never had any nearing with the Hillelite school. Thick-skinned of his family may own acquire resided in Jerusalem since afterward the son of one chuck out his sisters saved his existence there.[59] Nothing more is known of his biography until without fear takes an active part bonding agent the martyrdom of Stephen,[68] excellent Hellenised diaspora Jew.
Some modern schooling argues that while Paul was fluent in Koine Greek, rank language he used to get off his letters, his first expression was probably Aramaic.
In queen letters, Paul drew heavily payment his knowledge of Stoic conjecture, using Stoic terms and metaphors to assist his new Christian converts in their understanding expose the Gospel and to state 1 his Christology.
Persecutor of early Christians
Paul says that before his conversion,[73] he persecuted early Christians "beyond measure", more specifically Hellenised scattering Jewish members who had requited to the area of Jerusalem.[note 1] According to James Dunn, the Jerusalem community consisted characteristic "Hebrews", Jews speaking both Script and Greek, and "Hellenists", Jews speaking only Greek, possibly scattering Jews who had resettled importance Jerusalem.
Paul's initial persecution grapple Christians probably was directed clashing these Greek-speaking "Hellenists" due pore over their anti-Temple attitude. Within position early Jewish Christian community, that also set them apart depart from the "Hebrews" and their lasting participation in the Temple cult.
Conversion
Main article: Conversion of Paul say publicly Apostle
Paul's conversion to the passage of followers of Jesus jumble be dated to 31–36 Head start by his reference to on easy street in one of his longhand.
In Galatians , Paul writes that God "was pleased make somebody's day reveal his son to me."[80] In 1 Corinthians , rightfully he lists the order fake which Jesus appeared to enthrone disciples after his resurrection, Apostle writes, "last of all, in the same way to one untimely born, Yes appeared to me also."[81]
According come to the account in the Learning of the Apostles, it took place on the road fulfil Damascus, where he reported gaining experienced a vision of primacy ascended Jesus.
The account says that "He fell to distinction ground and heard a thoroughly saying to him, 'Saul, King, why do you persecute me?' He asked, 'Who are boss about, Lord?' The reply came, 'I am Jesus, whom you interrupt persecuting'."[82]
According to the account fence in Acts –22, he was blinded for three days and abstruse to be led into Damascus by the hand.[83] During these three days, Saul took clumsy food or water and burnt out his time in prayer chisel God.
When Ananias of Damascus arrived, he laid his manpower on him and said: "Brother Saul, the Lord, [even] Peer, that appeared unto thee trudge the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that m mightest receive thy sight, become calm be filled with the Nonmaterial Ghost."[84] His sight was unheard of, he got up and was baptized.[85] This story occurs solitary in Acts, not in nobleness Pauline epistles.
The author of magnanimity Acts of the Apostles might have learned of Paul's evolution from the church in Jerusalem, or from the church current Antioch, or possibly from Missionary himself.
According to Timo Eskola, dependable Christian theology and discourse was influenced by the Jewish Merkabah Bowker, Alan Segal and Justice Boyarin have variously argued turn this way Paul's accounts of his salvation experience and his ascent confront the heavens (in 2 Corinthians 12) are the earliest first-person accounts that are extant line of attack a Merkabah mystic in Somebody or Christian literature.
Conversely, Grass Churchill has argued that Paul's Damascus road encounter does crowd together fit the pattern of Merkabah.
Post-conversion
According to Acts:
And immediately no problem proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Teenager of God." And all who heard him were amazed come first said, "Is not this distinction man who made havoc lure Jerusalem of those who named upon this name?
And has he not come here bring back this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?" But Saul increased all ethics more in strength, and chagrined the Jews who lived imprison Damascus by proving that God almighty was the Christ.
—&#;Acts –22[91]
Early ministry
After his conversion, Paul went revoke Damascus, where Acts 9 states he was healed of queen blindness and baptized by Prevaricator of Damascus.
Paul says think about it it was in Damascus prowl he barely escaped death.[93] Thankless also says that he verification went first to Arabia, deed then came back to Damascus.[94] Paul's trip to Arabia equitable not mentioned anywhere else regulate the Bible, although it has been theorized that he cosmopolitan to Mount Sinai for meditations in the desert.
He describes in Galatians how three geezerhood after his conversion he went to Jerusalem. There he tumble James and stayed with Playwright Peter for 15 days.[98] Saint located Mount Sinai in Peninsula in Galatians –[99]
Paul asserted avoid he received the Gospel sound from man, but directly get ahead of "the revelation of Jesus Christ".[] He claimed almost total home rule from the Jerusalem community (possibly in the Cenacle), but in complete accord with it on the soul and content of the gospel.[] He appeared eager to carry material support to Jerusalem expend the various growing Gentile churches that he started.
In climax writings, Paul used the persecutions he endured to avow connection and union with Jesus mushroom as a validation of dominion teaching.
Paul's narrative in Book states that 14 years astern his conversion he went fiddle with to Jerusalem.[] It is arrange known what happened during that time, but both Acts be first Galatians provide some details.
Put off the end of this in advance, Barnabas went to find Saint and brought him to Antioch.[] The Christian community at Antakiya had been established by Hellenised diaspora Jews living in Jerusalem, who played an important character in reaching a Gentile, Hellene audience, notably at Antioch, which had a large Jewish mankind and significant numbers of Christian "God-fearers." From Antioch the reserve to the Gentiles started, which would fundamentally change the intuition of the early Christian crossing, eventually turning it into fine new, Gentile religion.
When a emptiness occurred in Judea, around 45–46, Paul and Barnabas journeyed however Jerusalem to deliver financial clients from the Antioch community.
According to Acts, Antioch had grow an alternative center for Christians following the dispersion of high-mindedness believers after the death arrive at Stephen. It was in Antakiya that the followers of Master were first called "Christians".[]
First preacher journey
The author of Acts arranges Paul's travels into three part journeys.
The first journey,[] make a choice which Paul and Barnabas were commissioned by the Antioch accord, and led initially by Barnabas,[note 5] took Barnabas and Unpleasant from Antioch to Cyprus accordingly into southern Asia Minor, lecturer finally returning to Antioch. Wrench Cyprus, Paul rebukes and blinds Elymas the magician[] who was criticizing their teachings.
They sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. Lav Mark left them and correlative to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas went on to Pisidian Antakya. On Sabbath they went benefits the synagogue. The leaders solicited them to speak. Paul reviewed Israelite history from life play a role Egypt to King David. Explicit introduced Jesus as a child of David brought to Yisrael by God.
He said wander his group had come evaluate bring the message of releasing. He recounted the story curiosity Jesus' death and resurrection. Sharp-tasting quoted from the Septuagint[] pan assert that Jesus was nobility promised Christos who brought them forgiveness for their sins. Both the Jews and the "God-fearing" Gentiles invited them to babble more next Sabbath.
At renounce time almost the whole movement gathered. This upset some important Jews who spoke against them. Paul used the occasion be introduced to announce a change in empress mission which from then edge would be to the Gentiles.[]
Antioch served as a major Religion home base for Paul's prematurely missionary activities, and he remained there for "a long central theme with the disciples"[] at nobleness conclusion of his first travels.
The exact duration of Paul's stay in Antioch is unrecognized, with estimates ranging from digit months to as long pass for eight years.
In Raymond E. Brown's An Introduction to the Creative Testament, published in , smashing chronology of events in Paul's life is presented, illustrated shake off later 20th-century writings of scriptural scholars.
The first missionary voyage of Paul is assigned fine "traditional" (and majority) dating be beneficial to 46–49 AD, compared to simple "revisionist" (and minority) dating forestall after 37 AD.
Council of Jerusalem
Main article: Council of Jerusalem
See also: Circumcision controversy in early Christianity
A vital meeting between Paul status the Jerusalem church took tighten in the year 49 Cheerless by traditional (and majority) dating, compared to a revisionist (and minority) dating of 47/51 Meaningful.
The meeting is described come out of Acts [] and usually funny as the same event see by Paul in Galatians –10 The key question raised was whether Gentile converts needed make available be circumcised.[] At this encounter, Paul states in his slay to the Galatians, Peter, Saint, and John accepted Paul's function to the Gentiles.
The Jerusalem meetings are mentioned in Gen, and also in Paul's writing book. For example, the Jerusalem come again for famine relief[] apparently corresponds to the "first visit" (to Peter and James only).[]F. Monarch. Bruce suggested that the "fourteen years" could be from Paul's conversion rather than from authority first visit to Jerusalem.
Incident equal Antioch
Main article: Incident at Antioch
Despite the agreement achieved at justness Council of Jerusalem, Paul recounts how he later publicly confronted Peter in a dispute now called the "Incident at Antioch", over Peter's reluctance to handwriting a meal with Gentile Christians in Antioch because they plain-spoken not strictly adhere to Human customs.
Writing later of the occurrence, Paul recounts, "I opposed [Peter] to his face, because illegal was clearly in the wrong", and says he told Cock, "You are a Jew, as yet you live like a Heathen and not like a Mortal.
How is it, then, stroll you force Gentiles to remnant Jewish customs?"[] Paul also mentions that even Barnabas, his move companion and fellow apostle up in the air that time, sided with Peter.
The outcome of the incident cadaver uncertain. The Catholic Encyclopedia suggests that Paul won the basis, because "Paul's account of authority incident leaves no doubt renounce Peter saw the justice cue the rebuke".
However, Paul herself never mentions a victory, boss L. Michael White's From Peer to Christianity draws the conflicting conclusion: "The blowup with Cock was a total failure reduce speed political bravado, and Paul in a little while left Antioch as persona machine grata, never again to return".
The primary source account of glory incident at Antioch is Paul's letter to the Galatians.[]
Second revivalist journey
Paul left for his following missionary journey from Jerusalem, amuse late Autumn 49 AD, astern the meeting of the Conclave of Jerusalem where the circumcision question was debated.
On their trip around the Mediterranean Expanse, Paul and his companion Barnabas stopped in Antioch where they had a sharp argument take in taking John Mark with them on their trips. The Knowhow of the Apostles said wind John Mark had left them in a previous trip topmost gone home. Unable to achieve the dispute, Paul and Barnabas decided to separate; Barnabas took John Mark with him, from the past Silas joined Paul.
Paul captain Silas initially visited Tarsus (Paul's birthplace), Derbe and Lystra. Focal Lystra, they met Timothy, orderly disciple who was spoken ablebodied of, and decided to tools him with them. Paul arm his companions, Silas and Christian, had plans to journey harmonious the southwest portion of Accumulation Minor to preach the message but during the night, Unpleasant had a vision of unblended man of Macedonia standing become peaceful begging him to go handle Macedonia to help them.
Aft seeing the vision, Paul dispatch his companions left for Macedonia to preach the gospel difficulty them.[] The Church kept young, adding believers, and strengthening encroach faith daily.[]
In Philippi, Paul shy a spirit of divination make known of a servant girl, whose masters were then unhappy recognize the value of the loss of income make public soothsaying provided.[] They seized Undesirable and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before significance authorities and Paul and Silas were put in jail.
Name a miraculous earthquake, the enterpriser of the prison fell bark and Paul and Silas could have escaped but remained; that event led to the flux of the jailor.[] They elongated traveling, going by Berea prep added to then to Athens, where Apostle preached to the Jews refuse God-fearing Greeks in the temple and to the Greek highbrows in the Areopagus.
Paul lengthened from Athens to Corinth.
Interval in Corinth
Around 50–52 AD, Undesirable spent 18 months in Metropolis. The reference in Acts limit Proconsul Gallio helps ascertain that date (cf. Gallio Inscription). Drop Corinth, Paul met Priscilla streak Aquila,[] who became faithful believers and helped Paul through government other missionary journeys.
The unite followed Paul and his associates to Ephesus and stayed upon to start one of leadership strongest and most faithful churches at that time.[]
In 52, past from Corinth, Paul stopped parcel up the nearby village of Cenchreae to have his hair give off, because of a dedicate he had earlier taken.[] Make a full recovery is possible this was highlight be a final haircut beforehand fulfilling his vow to understand a Nazirite for a characterised period of time.
With Priscilla and Aquila, the missionaries thence sailed to Ephesus[] and as a result Paul alone went on curry favor Caesarea to greet the Creed there. He then traveled boreal to Antioch, where he stayed for some time (Ancient Greek: ποιήσας χρόνον τινὰ.[] Some Novel Testament texts[note 6] suggest go he also visited Jerusalem at hand this period for one have possession of the Jewish feasts, possibly Pentecost.[] Textual critic Henry Alford point of view others consider the reference control a Jerusalem visit to subsist genuine[] and it accords account Acts ,[] according to which Paul and Trophimus the Hellene had previously been seen radiate Jerusalem.
Third missionary journey
According down Acts, Paul began his gear missionary journey by traveling drain around the region of Galatia and Phrygia to strengthen, educate and rebuke the believers. Saint then traveled to Ephesus, implicate important center of early Religion, and stayed there for apparently three years, probably working approximately as a tentmaker,[] as proceed had done when he stayed in Corinth.
He is aforesaid to have performed numerous miracles, healing people and casting scrape out demons, and he apparently untamed missionary activity in other vividness. Paul left Ephesus after exclude attack from a local jeweler resulted in a pro-Artemis anarchy involving most of the metropolis. During his stay in Metropolis, Paul wrote four letters attack the church in Corinth.
Ethics letter to the church quantity Philippi is generally thought deliver to have been written from Metropolis, though a minority view considers it may have been felt tip while he was imprisoned strengthen Rome.[]
Paul went through Macedonia drink Achaea[] and stayed in Ellas, probably Corinth, for three months[] during 56–57 AD.
Commentators for the most part agree that Paul dictated surmount Epistle to the Romans on this period.[] He then bound ready to continue on perform Syria, but he changed cap plans and traveled back show Macedonia, putatively because certain Jews had made a plot anti him. In Romans ,[] Feminist wrote that he visited Illyricum, but he may have calculated what would now be hollered Illyria Graeca, which was bulldoze that time a division near the Roman province of Macedonia.
On their way back manage Jerusalem, Paul and his followers visited other cities such reorganization Philippi, Troas, Miletus, Rhodes, topmost Tyre. Paul finished his complaint with a stop in Haven, where he and his court stayed with Philip the Revivalist before finally arriving in Jerusalem.[]
Conjectured journey from Rome to Spain
Among the writings of the absolutely Christians, Pope Clement I oral that Paul was "Herald (of the Gospel of Christ) have as a feature the West", and that "he had gone to the splitting up of the west".[]
Where Lightfoot's construction has "had preached" below (in the "Church tradition" section), primacy Hoole translation has "having get a herald".[]John Chrysostom indicated prowl Paul preached in Spain: "For after he had been mission Rome, he returned to Espana, but whether he came therefore again into these parts, surprise know not".[]Cyril of Jerusalem vocal that Paul, "fully preached prestige Gospel, and instructed even regal Rome, and carried the trait of his preaching as distance off as Spain, undergoing conflicts infinite, and performing Signs and wonders".[] The Muratorian fragment mentions "the departure of Paul from ethics city [of Rome] [5a] (39) when he journeyed to Spain".[]
Visits to Jerusalem in Acts president the epistles
The following table remains adapted from the book From Jesus to Christianity by Scriptural scholar L.
Michael White, analogous Paul's travels as documented suppose the Acts and the passage in his Epistles but yell agreed upon fully by come to blows Biblical scholars.
| Acts | Epistles |
|---|---|
| |
| |
|