Saul (who later became St Paul) was adamant that he and his fellow Pharisees were going to put a stop to the advancement of the new Jewish sect called The Way. Although the movement was gaining some momentum, Saul’s persecution and imprisonment of The Way’s converts was having an effect. The Way was growing, but at this rate sustainability of the movement was under great jeopardy. For The Way to grow and become sustainable it required much better organisation and empowerment. It needed a spokesman; someone who could brand it and help it to understand its identity as an independent religion, rather than simply a break-away Jewish sect.

Saul Meets Jesus 

One day, as Saul was going about his duties, ‘breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples’, he had an experience that would change him forever (Acts 9:1). As Saul was journeying on the road to Damascus a great light from heaven flashed around him, and he fell to the ground. Out of the light he heard a voice asking him: ‘Why do you persecute me?’ (Acts 9:4). What followed was a dialogue between Jesus and Saul, the details of which we know considerably little about.

This encounter between Saul and Jesus left Saul blind and unable to eat or drink for three days. Saul was led into Damascus where he met a Christian called Ananias, who had been instructed by the Lord to place hands on Saul and to heal him from his blindness.

Because of fear of Saul, Ananias was wary of the instructions that the Lord had given him. But the Lord reassures Ananias and proclaims the significance of Saul in the advancement of the gospel: ‘This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name' (Acts 9:15-16).

Physical and spiritual sight 

Ananias went and met with Saul and placed his hands on his eyes and proclaimed both his physical healing and his filling up of the Holy Spirit. Saul immediately regained his physical sight and as a sign of regaining his spiritual sight, was baptized.  

Immediately Saul began to preach the Christian message: that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. At first the people listening to him couldn’t believe what they were hearing, but Saul became more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus, academically proving to them that Jesus is the Messiah. Soon the very men that Saul used to call friends and companions, the Pharisees, began to plan how they might put a stop to Saul’s teaching, they even plotted to kill him. Saul heard of their conspiracy and escaped Damascus, traveling to Jerusalem.

Barnabas defends Saul 

The disciples in Jerusalem were initially afraid of Saul and did not believe that he really was a disciple. But one disciple called Barnabas stood up in defense of Saul and told the others how Saul was converted and how he had preached the name of Jesus across Damascus. Saul was accepted by the disciples and he spent time in Jerusalem speaking and debating boldly about Jesus with the Jews.  However, offended by his message, the Jews planned to kill Saul and when the believers found out they sent him out of Jerusalem and back to his home town of Tarsus.

An asset to the church

Saul was beginning to have a positive impact on the Christian church; his skills in communication and organisation were encouraging growth. His dialogue with the Pharisees and other Jews saw a decrease in persecution, and a time of time of peace. ‘Living in fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it [the church] increased in numbers’ (Acts 9:31).

In the next study, we look at the letters of St Paul.