Paul the ApostlePaul the ApostleSee Harris, pp. 464-473See Harris, pp. 464-473

Paul is born a Hellenistic Jew and Paul is born a Hellenistic Jew and educated as a Pharisee (Phil. 3:5; 2 educated as a Pharisee (Phil. 3:5; 2 Cor. 11:22)Cor. 11:22)

[I was] circumcised on the eighth day, [I was] circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.the law, blameless.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.descendants of Abraham? So am I.

Paul harasses members of Paul harasses members of the early Jesus movement the early Jesus movement (1 Cor. 15:9; Gal.1:13-14)(1 Cor. 15:9; Gal.1:13-14)

For I am the least of the For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I an apostle, because I persecuted the church of persecuted the church of God.God.

You have heard, no doubt, You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting I was violently persecuting the church of God and was the church of God and was trying to destroy it. I trying to destroy it. I advanced in Judaism advanced in Judaism beyond many among my beyond many among my people of the same age, for people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my the traditions of my ancestors. ancestors.

Paul encounters the risen Paul encounters the risen Jesus (ca. 32-34 CE) (1Gal. Jesus (ca. 32-34 CE) (1Gal. 1:10-12, 16) 1:10-12, 16)

Am I now seeking human Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval? approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a people, I would not be a servant of Christ. For I want servant of Christ. For I want you to know, brothers and you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; for I did not of human origin; for I did not receive it from a human receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ … revelation of Jesus Christ … [When God was pleased] to [When God was pleased] to reveal his Son to me, so that reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being … with any human being …

Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 1 Corinthians 15:8

After his revelation, Paul travels After his revelation, Paul travels to “Arabia” and then returns to to “Arabia” and then returns to Damascus (Gal. 1:16-17)Damascus (Gal. 1:16-17)

[When God was pleased] to [When God was pleased] to reveal his Son to me, so that I reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being, nor did I go any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before were already apostles before me, but I went away at once me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus.returned to Damascus.

““After three years,” he visits Jerusalem to meet Peter (Cephas) and After three years,” he visits Jerusalem to meet Peter (Cephas) and James “the Lord’s brother” (Gal. 1:18-19)James “the Lord’s brother” (Gal. 1:18-19)Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days; but I did not see any other apostle except stayed with him fifteen days; but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord’s brother.James the Lord’s brother.

He then travels to “Syria He then travels to “Syria and Cilicia,” presumably as and Cilicia,” presumably as a missionary to Gentiles a missionary to Gentiles (non-Jews), and steering (non-Jews), and steering clear of Jewish churches clear of Jewish churches (Gal. 1:21-24)(Gal. 1:21-24)Then I went into the regions Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, and I of Syria and Cilicia, and I was still unknown by sight was still unknown by sight to the churches in Judea to the churches in Judea that are in Christ; they only that are in Christ; they only heard it said, “The one who heard it said, “The one who formerly was persecuting formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified destroy.” And they glorified God because of me.God because of me.““Fourteen years later,” with Fourteen years later,” with Titus and Barnabas, Paul Titus and Barnabas, Paul makes a second visit to makes a second visit to Jerusalem (ca. 49 CE), Jerusalem (ca. 49 CE), presumably to confer with presumably to confer with Peter, John, James, and Peter, John, James, and representatives from representatives from Antioch about admitting Antioch about admitting Gentiles as equal members Gentiles as equal members of the church (Gal. 2:1-10; of the church (Gal. 2:1-10; cf. Acts 15)cf. Acts 15)

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up in response to a revelation. Then I laid before them (though only in a private meeting with the acknowledged leaders) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure that I was not running, or had not run, in vain. But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. But because of false believers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might enslave us— we did not submit to them even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might always remain with you. And from those who were supposed to be acknowledged leaders (what they actually were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) —those leaders contributed nothing to me. On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter making him an apostle to the circumcised also worked through me in sending me to the Gentiles), and when James and Cephas and John, who were acknowledged pillars, recognized the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They asked only one thing, that we remember the poor, which was actually what I was eager to do.

After the Jerusalem consultation, After the Jerusalem consultation, Paul returns to Antioch, where he Paul returns to Antioch, where he opposes Peter over the issue of opposes Peter over the issue of dining with Gentiles (Gal. 2:11-14)dining with Gentiles (Gal. 2:11-14)

But when Cephas came to But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood self-because he stood self-condemned; for until certain condemned; for until certain people came from James, he used people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But after to eat with the Gentiles. But after they came, he drew back and kept they came, he drew back and kept himself separate for fear of the himself separate for fear of the circumcision faction. And the other circumcision faction. And the other Jews joined him in this hypocrisy, Jews joined him in this hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not when I saw that they were not acting consistently with the truth of acting consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Traveling from Antioch Traveling from Antioch to Greece, Paul to Greece, Paul establishes the first establishes the first Christian congregations Christian congregations of Europe (Philippi, of Europe (Philippi, Thessalonica, and Thessalonica, and Corinth); he remains in Corinth); he remains in Corinth for eighteen Corinth for eighteen months (ca. 49-51 CE), months (ca. 49-51 CE), and writes a letter to and writes a letter to the Thessalonians (ca. the Thessalonians (ca. 50 CE—see Acts 50 CE—see Acts 18:11-12)18:11-12)Paul visits Ephesus Paul visits Ephesus (ca. 52-55 CE); he (ca. 52-55 CE); he writes 1 Corinthians writes 1 Corinthians (ca. 54-55 CE)(ca. 54-55 CE)Paul makes a Paul makes a (second?) tour of (second?) tour of Macedonia and Greece Macedonia and Greece (Acts 19:1, 10, 22); he (Acts 19:1, 10, 22); he writes various parts of writes various parts of 2 Corinthians (and 2 Corinthians (and Galatians?)Galatians?)Paul makes a third and Paul makes a third and final visit to Corinth; he final visit to Corinth; he writes Romans and writes Romans and plans to revisit plans to revisit Jerusalem and then to Jerusalem and then to stop by Rome en route stop by Rome en route to Spain (Rom. 15:23-to Spain (Rom. 15:23-29)29)

Paul makes a third visit to Paul makes a third visit to Jerusalem, where he is Jerusalem, where he is arrested and then arrested and then imprisoned at Caesareaimprisoned at CaesareaUnder armed guard, Paul Under armed guard, Paul is transported to Rome, is transported to Rome, where he remains under where he remains under hous arrest for two years hous arrest for two years (60-62 CE—Acts 27-28)(60-62 CE—Acts 27-28)Paul is executed in Rome Paul is executed in Rome under Nero (ca. 62-64 under Nero (ca. 62-64 CE)CE)

Paul’s LettersPaul’s Letters

Considered genuine by almost everybody:

1 Thessalonians

1 & 2 Corinthians

Galatians

Romans

Philemon

Philippians

Considered genuine by many:

2 Thessalonians

Colossians

Considered “pseudonymous” by most:

Ephesians

1 & 2 Timothy

Titus