The Conversion of Paul

By Ben Hagar

   Of all the Apostles in the Bible, none did as much work in spreading the good news and establishing churches throughout the Roman Empire as the Apostle Paul did.  Bow-legged, bald, with meeting eyebrows, a large somewhat hooked nose and a fierce temper, Paul probably was not one of the most handsome people in the world at that time but his power, as an apostle, was unmistakable.  Strongly built, he was full of grace, “for at times he looked like a man and at times like an angel.”  (Brownrigg 398) 
   A man of great talent, ardent disposition, and flaming nature, Paul, became the chosen instrument of God (Lapid 28).  He inspired courage and brotherhood into the early struggling Christian communities in Palestine, Syria and Greek cities of the eastern Mediterranean provinces (Brownrigg 399).  No other person, apart from Jesus himself, shaped the history of Christianity as Paul did but he was not always such a good Christian.  Before his conversion, he was Saul of Tarsus, one of the fiercest persecutors of Christianity. His actions before conversion were significant to the growth of the church.

His frenzied persecution of Christians following the death of Stephen got the church to begin obeying Christ’s final command: to take the gospel and spread its message throughout the world (Tyndale 1641).
   The conversion of Paul was a miraculous act of God.  His zealous activity as a Pharisee was turned form persecuting Christians to spreading the gospel to all Gentiles.  Even after Paul’s conversion he never lost his fierce intensity but instead focused it on the gospel and preaching the good news.  God did not waste any part of Paul, his background, intelligence, training, citizenship, strengths and weaknesses were all useful in his ministry (Tyndale 1641).             
   Saul was a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, and destined for the Rabbinate.  He called himself the “Hebrew of Hebrews” and had a lot of pride in his ancestry from the tribe of Benjamin and that he shared the name of Israel’s first king (Brownrigg 401).  He had strict upbringing in the synagogue and an education based on the Old Testament.  He was zealous to follow every point of the Mosaic commands and traveled to Jerusalem to study under the famous teacher Gamaliel.  With all of the training he received, he believed himself sinless and a very religious man who could do no wrong (Gardner 512).