Paul the Apostle

Paul, also known as Saul of Tarsus, was a key figure in spreading the teachings of Jesus in the first century AD. He traveled widely, sharing his beliefs and helping to build Christian communities in many parts of Asia Minor and Europe. Though he was not one of the original Twelve Apostles, Paul became an important leader in the early Christian church.

We learn about Paul's life mainly from his letters and a book called the Acts of the Apostles. These sources tell us about his journeys, his preaching, and the special events he experienced. Before becoming a Christian, Paul was known for opposing Jesus's followers, but after a powerful spiritual experience, he changed his ways and began to teach about Jesus.

Many of the books in the New Testament are thought to have been written by Paul. His letters continue to be important for Christians today, shaping their beliefs and practices across different traditions. Paul's ideas and teachings have had a lasting influence on how Christians understand their faith.

Names

Paul was originally named Saul. His Jewish name, Saul, might have been inspired by King Saul, the first king of Israel. Paul also had a Latin name, Paulus, which means "small." This was not because of his conversion to Christianity but because it was a common practice for Jewish people at that time to have two names—one Hebrew and one Latin or Greek.

According to the book of Acts, Paul was a Roman citizen. This meant he carried the Latin name Paulus. Jesus called him "Saul" in a vision, and so did a man named Ananias who helped him after the vision. Later, on the island of Cyprus, Saul was first called "Paul." The author of Acts explains that both names were used for him. Paul preferred the name Paul and used it when writing his letters. This showed his thoughtful way of connecting with different people by using names and styles they understood.

Available sources

Further information: Historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles

The main places to learn about Paul’s life are his letters and the book called the Acts of the Apostles. His letters don’t say much about his life before he became a follower of Jesus. The Acts of the Apostles tells more but skips some parts, like what likely happened to Paul later in Rome. Sometimes, the Acts and Paul’s letters don’t match up perfectly, especially about how often Paul visited the church in Jerusalem.

There are also other old writings that mention Paul or his letters, such as:

• Clement of Rome's epistle to the Corinthians (late 1st/early 2nd century);
• Ignatius of Antioch's epistles to the Romans and to the Ephesians (early 2nd century);
• Polycarp's epistle to the Philippians (early 2nd century);
• Eusebius's Historia Ecclesiae (early 4th century);
• The apocryphal Acts about Paul’s life (Acts of Paul, Acts of Paul and Thecla, Acts of Peter and Paul), letters said to be from Paul (like the Latin Epistle to the Laodiceans, the Third Epistle to the Corinthians, and the Correspondence of Paul and Seneca), and some apocalyptic texts said to be from Paul (Apocalypse of Paul and Coptic Apocalypse of Paul). These writings all come from later times, mostly from the 2nd to 4th century.

Life and career

Paul was a key figure in spreading the teachings of Jesus in the first century AD. He was born between 5 BC and 5 AD in Tarsus, a city in the Roman province of Cilicia. Paul came from a devout Jewish family and was educated in Jerusalem under the teacher Gamaliel.

Before meeting Jesus, Paul persecuted early Christians. His conversion happened on the road to Damascus, where he experienced a vision of Jesus. After this, Paul began to preach about Jesus and founded several Christian communities across Asia Minor and Europe. He traveled extensively, covering thousands of kilometers by land and sea, and faced many challenges along the way.

Paul’s efforts were crucial in spreading Christianity beyond its Jewish roots to include Gentiles, fundamentally changing the nature of the early Christian movement. His letters and the book of Acts provide most of what we know about his life and work.

Remains

According to old records, Paul’s body was buried near Rome on a road called the Via Ostiensis. Over many years, leaders built churches to honor him there. Today, a large church called the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls stands in that place.

In 2002, workers found a stone box with words that meant “Paul the Apostle, a Martyr.” Experts think this might be Paul’s tomb. In 2009, tests on small bone pieces found inside suggested they were from the time when Paul lived. The Vatican also found an old painting of Paul in a place called the Catacomb of Saint Thekla. This painting is one of the earliest known images of Paul.

Church tradition

Different Christian writers have shared ideas about Paul's life. One early letter, written around the year 90 by a bishop in Rome, describes Paul as someone who faced many challenges but kept going strong in his faith. It mentions that he traveled far and wide, teaching many people.

Later writers say Paul was executed in Rome during the time of the Roman Emperor Nero. Some believe this happened in the year 64 AD, after a big fire in Rome, while others think it may have been a few years later. A special church service is held each year on June 29 to honor Paul and another important Christian leader, Peter, who were both remembered for their strong faith.

Feast days

Roman Catholicism

The Roman Martyrology celebrates Paul’s conversion on January 25 and honors both Paul and Peter together on June 29.

Eastern Orthodoxy

The Eastern Orthodox Church observes several special days to honor Paul. These include March 7 for the saints of the Dodecanese Islands, June 29 for Peter and Paul, June 30 for the Twelve Apostles, and October 12 for the saints of Athens. There are also many movable days for Paul’s veneration throughout the year.

The Church of England

The Church of England marks Paul’s conversion on January 25 as a Festival. Paul and Peter are also remembered together on June 29.

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod holds two festivals for Paul: one for his conversion on January 25 and another for Peter and Paul on June 29.

Patronage

Paul is the patron saint of several places. He is honored as the patron saint of the island of Malta, where a public holiday marks his arrival on February 10. He is also considered the patron saint of the city of London.

Physical appearance

The New Testament does not describe Paul's physical appearance, but some older stories do. These stories say Paul was short with a bald head and crooked legs. They also mention that he had a hooked nose and a red face. Different accounts give more details, such as his height being very short and his body being bent.

Writings

Main article: Pauline epistles

Thirteen books in the New Testament say Paul wrote them. Seven of these are widely accepted as truly his own, while the other six are less certain. These seven letters give us the best idea of Paul's life and thoughts. They were written to solve problems in different churches and share Paul's beliefs.

Paul's letters are the earliest writings about what it means to be a Christian. They are very important, almost as important as the Gospels of Matthew and John.

Date

Main article: Authorship of the Pauline epistles

Scholars believe Paul's true letters were written around the middle of the first century. This dating is based on events in Paul's life, references by other early Christian writers, and historical records.

Seven letters—Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Philemon—are almost always accepted as Paul's own work. Four other letters are thought to have been written by followers after Paul's time. The letters Colossians and 2 Thessalonians might also be by his followers.

Some scholars think the book of Acts, which tells Paul's story, may not have used Paul's letters when it was written. They point out differences between the two. Others believe Acts captures the general ideas of Paul's speeches, even if the exact words are different.

Views

Paul shared his personal experiences and beliefs in his letters. He talked about his role as an apostle, describing himself as chosen to spread the teachings of Jesus. Paul felt this calling was a powerful change in his life, showing him the truth about the risen Jesus.

Paul often wrote about Jesus' life, focusing on important events like the crucifixion, Jesus' return from death, and his future coming again. He believed Jesus was the Son of God, promised long ago, and that through Jesus, people could find salvation. Paul taught that believers join in Jesus' death and resurrection through baptism, which brings them closer to God.

Paul had strong views about how people should live, emphasizing the importance of strong moral character. He also discussed his beliefs about the future, hoping for Jesus' return and the resurrection of those who had passed away. Paul believed that followers of Jesus would one day live with him forever.

Role of women

Some of Paul’s letters discuss the roles of women in church communities. One passage from a letter called 1 Timothy suggests that women should not have leading roles over men in certain church activities. However, other parts of Paul’s writings show that women played important roles in spreading the teachings of Jesus. For example, Paul praised women like Phoebe for their service and Junia for being respected leaders. These examples show that women contributed significantly to the early Christian communities.

Views on homosexuality

Paul’s writings have been interpreted in different ways regarding relationships between people of the same gender. Some later writings attributed to Paul also touch on this topic, though scholars believe these may not have been written by Paul himself.

Influence

Paul had a big effect on Christian ideas more than any other writer in the New Testament. He taught that Jesus ended old rules, and he talked about the Christian church as a group of people joined together. Paul’s letters mention the “Lord’s Supper,” which is a special Christian meal.

Paul’s ideas helped shape early Christianity. Later important Christian thinkers like Augustine of Hippo and Martin Luther were influenced by Paul’s letters, especially the book of Romans. Even today, Paul’s teachings are important in many church services, no matter if they are Roman Catholic, Protestant, or Greek Orthodox.

Views on Paul

In Judaism

See also: Messianic Judaism

People interested in Paul from Jewish backgrounds is something new. Before the 1700s and 1800s, when some Jewish thinkers started thinking more about Jesus, Paul wasn’t a big part of Jewish stories or writings. He isn’t in the Talmud or old Jewish teachings, though some older stories mention him as a clever spy for the rabbis. One Jewish scholar thought Paul created Christianity by bringing in the idea of the Trinity.

But as time went on, Paul became more important when thinking about how Judaism and Christianity relate to each other. Some people see him as helping build walls between the two, while others see him as building bridges. He has been a topic in debates about what makes someone truly Jewish, and some even talk to him as if he were a friend. Paul has also shown up in music, paintings, plays, and books. Many Jewish thinkers and writers, like Baruch Spinoza and Sigmund Freud, have studied him as a key figure in Western ideas.

In Gnosticism

See also: Gnosticism § Paul and Gnosticism

In the years after Paul lived, there was a group called Gnosticism that had some ideas in common with Christianity. Some writers, like Elaine Pagels, looked at how Gnostics understood Paul’s letters. They suggest that Gnostics might have seen Paul as one of their own, which challenges the idea that Paul wrote his letters to fight against them.

In Islam

Muslim views of Paul have changed over time. Early Muslim writers often said Paul changed Jesus’s original teachings. Later writers added more detailed critiques. Some thought Paul added foreign ideas to Christianity, like influences from other religions, ideas about the cross, original sin, and redemption through someone else’s actions. These were seen as not fitting with the belief in one God in Islam.

In the early days of Islam, Paul was sometimes mentioned but not seen as a disciple of Jesus. Some old writings tell stories of Paul being sent to Rome with Peter, but they say Paul was not a direct follower. Some religious texts connect Paul to certain verses, but these ideas are not agreed upon by everyone.

Later Muslim writers criticized Paul for changing the Gospel, ending the need for certain Jewish practices, and allowing things that were not allowed before. Some compared Paul to a later figure in Islam who tried to change Islam from within. Other writers accused Paul of mixing Christian ideas with Greek philosophy, which they said twisted the message of Peter.

In more recent times, Muslim scholars have continued to criticize Paul. Some say he changed Jesus’s message by adding new ideas and shifting focus away from its original roots. Others have offered more thoughtful or literary looks at Paul, describing him as someone with big spiritual dreams but who didn’t fully reach his goal. One writer noted how Paul, who never met Jesus in person, ended up shaping the way the world saw Jesus and built the foundations of Christianity.

Other views

Other critics of Paul include Thomas Jefferson, who believed Paul was the first to change Jesus’s teachings. Some writers and philosophers have also shared similar opinions. Discussions within the Bahá’í Faith have explored whether Paul changed Christ’s original message or shared the true gospel, with supporters on both sides.