Inside the Author-The Apostle Paul (Part 3 of 3)

To the gentiles and the Jews

Both Paul’s compassion for his fellow Jews and his call to the gentiles are obvious from the start of his journey. In Acts 13, the apostle sets off and begins to preach to the Jews and the gentiles. However, as soon as the non-believing Jews start to revile Paul and contradict his message, he surprisingly proclaims that even though it was necessary to preach to the Jews first, he will now turn to the gentiles (13:46).

To explain this seemingly rash decision, Paul shares another word he had received from the Lord, which further informs the oracle to Ananias.

“ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,

that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” (Acts 13:47)

In Acts 9, the oracle to Ananias appears to treat Paul’s commissions equally: he will proclaim the Lord’s name to the gentiles as well as to the Jews. But in Acts 13, the Lord’s word to Paul stresses the mission to the gentiles and conspicuously omits a call to the Jews. The prophetic oracle of Acts 9 comes to fruition, then, in a remarkable way: the people of Israel rejected Paul’s message about their promised Messiah (see 13:44, for example), while in stark contrast many of the gentiles rejoiced at and accepted the good news about Israel’s Christ (13:48).

This pattern continues through the rest of Acts. Although Paul will still offer the gospel to the Jews first, he often ends up quickly turning to the gentiles instead (for example, see 18:5). What is more, this sequence serves as the culmination of the entire book. In the concluding chapter of Acts, Paul rages against the unbelieving Jews for not accepting Jesus and leaves them with some blistering parting words, a final oracle which anticipates how the two groups will receive the gospel beyond the book of Acts. Paul says to the unbelieving Jews:

“The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:

‘Go to this people and say,

“You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”

For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.’ …

Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” (Acts 28:25–28)

The emphasis regarding Paul’s focus on the gentiles also shows up in his letters. As early as Galatians, Paul writes how the leaders in the Jerusalem church acknowledged him as the one who was called to the gentiles just as Peter was called to the Jews (Gal 2:7–9). And although Paul never gives up hope for Israel, he prides himself as being “the apostle to the Gentiles” who was set apart to call these non-Jews to the obedience that comes from Abraham’s faith (for example, see Rom 1:5; 4:16; 11:13).

Before two kings

The second thread in Ananias’ oracle is that Paul would proclaim the gospel before kings. For Luke’s first-century audience, this prediction would have struck their curiosity: what kings will Paul stand before, and how will he get the opportunity to do so? Even though the apostle appears before only one king in Acts—Herod Agrippa, the so-called king of Jews—a later oracle given to Paul clarifies the plural “kings” from Acts 9. In Acts 27:24, the angel tells the apostle not to be afraid. He will not die at sea since he “must stand trial before Caesar.” The word comes true: Paul survives a shipwreck, a snakebite, and the final leg of the trip so that he eventually winds up in Rome waiting to appear before Nero, the dark lord of the empire.

Furthermore, Luke’s audience might have been startled to find that Paul would come to stand trial before Herod and Caesar because his own people attempted to assassinate him. Therefore, in a twist for the audience, it is in chains that Paul witnesses to the kings. Moreover, this period of captivity was the setting in which Paul penned powerful letters such as Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.

In suffering for the gospel

Also true to the Acts 9 oracle, Paul’s ministry was replete with suffering. Even on his first missionary journey, Jewish leaders stirred up persecution against Paul resulting in his being expelled from Pisidia (13:50), chased out of Iconium (14:5–6), and stoned in Lystra (14:19). Moreover, he was beaten and imprisoned in Philippi (16:22–24), seized and tried in Corinth (18:12), and almost executed and assassinated in Jerusalem (21:30–31; 23:12–34). This is not even to mention the book’s cliffhanger: Acts sharply concludes with Paul under house arrest in Rome, leaving the reader in suspense to ponder his fate.

Nevertheless, these encounters taught Paul that suffering and glory go hand in hand. Perhaps this paradox helps clarify the Acts 9 oracle. The promise that Paul was to suffer turned out to be a blessing not a curse. Rather than a wrathful punishment, it was a sign that God had chosen Paul for a special purpose. Suffering was for Paul the necessary wound that grace must give before it can heal. As the initial oracle came to fruition in his life, it proved the truths he later proclaimed in his letters—regarding how affliction produces perseverance, character, and hope; how he could endure all things through Christ who strengthens him; and how, in every situation, God’s grace is altogether sufficient.

According to Paul, though, he is not the only one called to suffer for the gospel. This thread of the oracle also extends to us. In one of his first letters, Paul tells the believers not to be shaken by their afflictions because they, too, were destined for them (1 Thess 3:3). And in his last letter, he proclaims that anyone who desires to live a godly life will be persecuted (2 Tim 3:12). The unfolding of that first oracle probably led Paul to the conviction that like him, believers share in Christ’s suffering so that they may also share in his glory (Rom 8:17). Therefore, just as Socrates’ oracle led him to the paradox that when I am humble I am wise, Paul discovered that when we are weak, then we are strong (2 Cor 12:10).[1]

Conclusion

Transformed by the Messiah-How the Damascus Road Event Shaped Paul’s Ministry

By Matthew D. Aernie

Paul’s encounter with the risen Lord Jesus on the Damascus road forever changed the course of his life and would make a permanent impact on the church. As a conversion experience, this event radically transformed Paul’s understanding of Jesus Christ, whom he now confessed as his Lord. In addition, the Damascus road event resulted in Paul’s specific calling to be the apostle to the gentiles.

But how, exactly, did Paul’s conversion/call impact the ministry that would consume him for the rest of his life? To answer this question, we can explore three areas reflected in Acts and in Paul’s letters: his theological framework, his prophetic self-understanding, and his views about the end times (eschatology).

A theological U-turn

Prior to his conversion, Paul was “zealous for the traditions of his ancestors” (Gal 1:14). He was a dedicated Pharisee, a devout monotheist, and a faithful upholder of Old Testament teachings (Phil 3:5–6). However, after his conversion, Paul came to understand his entire theological framework through the lens of faith in Christ. His understanding of Jesus Christ was radically changed, for he now understood Jesus to be the Son of God, the Savior of his people (Acts 9:20; Gal 2:20; Col 2:9).

God graciously enabled Paul to understand that Jesus was both Lord and Messiah—the one who had fulfilled all of God’s covenant promises and inaugurated the new-covenant era. This divine revelation transformed how Paul thought about the progression of God’s redemptive work throughout history. It also completely reversed the focus of Paul’s life, which would now be dedicated to proclaiming the good news of the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

The repercussions of this theological reorientation are evident throughout Paul’s writings. He had built his life on the foundational precepts of Judaism—the law, circumcision, Sabbath, justification, sanctification, the people of God, the kingdom of God, redemption, atonement, the coming day of the Lord, and so on. Paul did not abandon these precepts, but he now interpreted them through what Christ had accomplished in his life, death, and resurrection (1 Cor 7:17–24; Gal 3:23–29; Phil 2:6–11; Col 2:9–19).

A prophetic calling

Although Paul never explicitly calls himself a prophet, scholars have long recognized numerous parallels between his divine appointment and the calling of the Old Testament prophets. Indeed, Paul’s commissioning on the Damascus road arguably bears many similarities with the callings of Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Some of the more commonly observed parallels include:

• the prophet experiencing a theophany;

• the prophet declaring his unworthiness or inadequacies;

• the Lord overcoming the prophet’s inadequacies and enabling him to carry out the ministry;

• the Lord giving the prophet a divine message; and

• the Lord granting the prophet authority to carry out the ministry.

Theophany- a visible appearance of God.

In his writings, Paul seems to indicate that he interpreted his divine appointment to be in line with the callings of the Old Testament prophets. For instance, in Galatians 1:15–16 Paul uses language reminiscent of the prophetic callings—particularly of Isaiah and Jeremiah—when he says that God had set him apart, called him by his grace, and appointed him as the apostle to the gentiles (Isa 49:1–6; Jer 1:5). He also mentions in Galatians 1:16a that “God had revealed his Son to me,” which is arguably a reference to the Christophany he experienced on the Damascus road. Paul may be indicating that the risen Lord had appeared to him physically, not just in the heavenly light and voice described in Acts 9:4–6.

Christophany- a visible appearance of Christ.

A further example involves texts—particularly in 2 Corinthians—where Paul recognizes his insufficiencies and understands that only by God’s grace can he carry out his new-covenant ministry. Just as Moses (Exod 4:10), Isaiah (Isa 6:5), and Jeremiah (Jer 1:6) all recognized their inadequacies, Paul affirmed his insufficiency and acknowledged his dependence on God’s grace and power (2 Cor 3:5; 4:7–18). This is why Paul can say “when I am weak, then I am strong” (12:10).

The outcome of the Damascus road event was that Paul interpreted his new-covenant ministry to correspond with the ministry of the Old Testament prophets. Granted, Paul’s message was distinct from the messages of the Old Testament prophets, in that he preached repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. But Paul’s mission was the same. Just like those prophets, he faithfully proclaimed the message God had given him.

A new vision of final judgment

In the Old Testament, Yahweh sometimes manifests himself or “comes down” in various forms to confront his people regarding judgment and salvation (for example, Exod 3:2–4; 19:16; Ps 18:14; Hab 3:12–13). Paul seems to have recognized the parallels between these Old Testament theophanies and his own Christophany on the Damascus road. For instance, he reminds the Corinthians that he had seen the Lord (1 Cor 9:1) and tells the Galatians that God was pleased to reveal his Son to him (Gal 1:16). The book of Acts describes this Christophany as Paul seeing a light from heaven (Acts 9:3; 22:6; 26:13).

Paul was certainly familiar with Old Testament teachings about the day of the Lord, when God would ultimately judge his enemies and vindicate his people. In theological scholarship, the term for this area of study is “eschatology” (the Greek word eschaton means “final event”). On the Damascus road, Paul’s eschatological framework was reoriented; he was confronted with the reality that the final Judge will be none other than risen Lord Jesus. For Paul, the Damascus road Christophany was in essence a preview of the day of the Lord.

Paul had once believed it was his duty before God to extinguish the new movement that was proclaiming a crucified and risen Messiah. But the pursuer was actually being pursued. And when the risen Christ appeared, he pronounced a severe indictment against Paul—namely that he was guilty of fighting against God (Acts 9:4–5; 26:14). This accusation forced Paul to realize that he actually stood guilty before the Judge of all the earth. But even as Paul stood condemned, having no defense, the Judge granted him mercy, transformed his life, and appointed him with a new vocation.

This Christophany radically altered how Paul understood God’s plan for judging and redeeming the world, which in turn shaped his approach to ministry. He was confronted with the fact that the Son of God functions as the Father’s judicial agent, to whom all people must give an account. He realized that the day of the Lord was more imminent than ever before and that “the time is short … for the present shape of this world is passing away” (1 Cor 7:29–31).

The reality of the return of Christ and the consummation of all things meant there was an urgency in Paul’s missionary work. For instance, when he writes “now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2), he means that God is presently at work redeeming his people through his Son. But when the Father completes his work of reconciliation, the day of the Lord will commence and Christ will come to render judgments. Like the Old Testament prophets who preceded him, Paul proclaimed that the final day of the Lord will be a day of both vindication and condemnation: vindication for those who identify with Christ by faith, and condemnation for those who reject him.

Paul’s life was radically transformed when he saw the risen Lord Jesus. At one moment he was working against the Messiah, and in the next he was working for the Messiah. Seeing Jesus on the Damascus road reversed the trajectory of Paul’s life, resulting in a ministry that would have a lasting impact on the church.[2]

[1] Dodson, J. R. (2019). Cutting Edge: A New Hope and Divine Direction: Confronted by Oracles, the Persecutor Became an Apostle. Bible Study Magazine, 11(5), 39–42.

[2] Aernie, M. D. (2019). Conclusion: Transformed by the Messiah: How the Damascus Road Event Shaped Paul’s Ministry. Bible Study Magazine, 11(5), 43–45.