The Apostle (Saint) Paul's BackgroundFrom series Spotlight on The Apostle (Saint) Paul.
Saint Paul's Background
Saint Paul was both a Jewish citizen and Roman citizen; he took great pride in his dual-citizenship. He was the son of slave parents and grew up in Tarsus, which is in modern day Turkey. At that time, much like Oxford or Cambridge today, Tarsus was a liberal, highly philosophical place to live, that thrived on academia. Paul too thrived on the pursuit of knowledge and was highly educated, learning multiple languages, including Greek.
Tent making and religion
As a young man, Saint Paul was known simply as Saul, and in his youth he trained in the art of tent making. At the same time, Saul grew in his understanding of the Jewish faith. It was a heritage that he became increasingly proud of, and a religion that he became increasingly devoted to.
Pursuing this passion for Judaism further, Saul moved to Jerusalem in Israel. There he immersed himself into the ways of a very strict Jewish sect called the Pharisees. The Pharisees devoted themselves to ushering in the coming of the Messiah and the redemption of Jerusalem (which was under Roman rule), by following strict religious observance.
A break away Jewish movement
Also at this time a break away Jewish movement was springing up after a young rabbi with a growing following was put to death for claiming to be the Messiah (a heresy in Jewish law). However, this rabbi’s claims were becoming further validated when reports began to be gathered of his resurrection from the dead and ascension into heaven. This young rabbi’s name was Jesus.
If the claims of Jesus and his followers were true: that he was in fact the long-awaited Messiah (and further, that he was the Messiah and redeemer of all people, everywhere, for all of time), then the message of strict religious observance that Saul and his brotherhood of Pharisees were preaching was being undermined. If the claims of Jesus were true then the Jewish law, even the religion itself, no longer had any place. If that was the case, then everything that Saul lived for had lost it’s meaning. Saul’s identity was being ruined.
An over zealous reaction
So outraged and offended were the Pharisees that they began persecuting, even to the point of death, those who believed and were communicating the claims about Jesus. The first victim of the Pharisees’ over zealous attitude was Saint Stephen (the first Martyr) who was stoned to death for preaching the good news of Jesus. Saul was no innocent in this affair and not only stood watching, but held the coats of those who were throwing the stones.
Saul was becoming more and more zealous and violent towards those who preached the message that Jesus was the true Messiah. It would take a miracle to stop him.
In the next study, we look at St Paul's conversion.