Written by Wayne Jackson, this look at the Apostle Paul appeared in the September, 1978 Christian Courier. The paper was published by the East Main Street Church of Christ in Stockton, California. It was edited by Jackson.
Aside from the blessed Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the apostle Paul has clearly been history's most influential person in this Christian era. A study of this fascinating man is one of the most thrilling endeavors in which the Bible student can engage. In a series of several brief articles, we propose to study the life and labors of Paul the Apostle. Paul's life, which possibly spanned some 66 years, may be conveniently studied under four headings: Paul the Prominent; Paul the Persecutor; Paul the Penitent; Paul the Preacher. The first of these will occupy our present consideration.
Paul the Prominent - The man who was destined to become the great apostle to the Gentiles had two names. His Hebrew title was Saulos, signifying "asked for" (perhaps his mother had prayed for a son even as Hannah had in I Samuel 1:11) and his Roman name was Paulos, meaning "little." Not much is known of Paul's early years. He was descended from the tribe of Benjamin and both of his parents were Hebrews (Philippians 3:5). As they were Roman citizens, Paul inherited that status (Acts 22:28). The religious emphasis of Paul's family was Pharisaisim (Acts 23:6), a course which this talented young Jew vigorously pursued (Philippians 3:5; Acts 26:5). Paul had a sister who is alluded to in Acts 23:16. There is no proof for the view that Paul had once been married.
The city of the apostle's birth was Tarsus in the province of Cilicia (Acts 21:39; 22:3). Tarsus, lying astride the Cyndus River some ten miles from the Mediterranean Sea, was
"no mean city." It had broad streets with porticoes, numerous fountains and baths, theaters, temples, a gymnasium and other public buildings of note. It was a great intellectual center rivaling Athens and Alexandria. Possibly in these early years Paul received considerable Greek education becoming familiar with such writers as Aratus, Menander and Epimenides (Acts 17:28; I Corinthians 15:33; Titus 1:12). Most assuredly however, "from the earliest infancy" (Josephus, Against Apion, II, 18; Cf. Deuteronomy 6:4-9) Saul, along with other Hebrew boys, was taught the Law of Moses. At the age of 13 a Jewish lad became a bar mitzvah (son of the commandment) and assumed the full obligations of the law (Zondervan Pictorial Bible Encyclopedia, IV, p. 625). Possibly, therefore at about this age Paul journeyed to Jerusalem to study under the noted Jewish rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). Significant also is the fact that the Jews believed that, "whoever does not teach his son a trade is as if he brought him up to be a robber" (Edersheim, Sketches of Jewish Social Life, p. 190). Accordingly, Paul was trained as a tent maker (Acts 18:3) in addition to his religious education.
Like a brilliant meteor across the night sky was Saul's ascendancy to fame. Being zealous for God (Acts 22:3), blameless in the law's righteousness (Philippians 3:6) and more exceeding zealous for the traditions of his fathers (i.e., some 613 rabbinical rules appended to the Old Testament law), it is hardly surprising that he, "advanced in the Jews' religion" beyond many of his countrymen (Galatians 1:14). And these were not idle boasts; rather, they were traits modestly penned by inspiration! So prominent was this young firebrand that he could say in one of his defenses: "My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; having knowledge of me from the first..." (Acts 26:4-5). It is only when one understands this illustrious background of Paul that he is prepared to appreciate future events in the life of that peerless apostle.
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