Paul

Paul/Saul

Paul, the man

Acts 22:3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city (Jerusalem), educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.

1. Jewish (Acts 22:3)
2. Born in Tarsus (Acts 22:3)
3. Brought up in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3)
4. Educated under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3)
1. Gamaliel (Acts 5:34)

                                                               i.      Pharisee on the Sanhedrin

                                                             ii.      Teacher of the Law

                                                            iii.      Convinced the Council not to kill Peter and John

1. Zealous for God (Acts 22:3)
1. Notice that his zeal for God didn’t save him – he was still in his sins
2. A Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee  – Acts 23:6
3. Advancing in Judaism faster than those his age – Galatians 1:14
4. He was single – 1 Corinthians 7:8
5. He had a sister – Acts 23:16

Main Events recorded in Acts

1. Seen at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58)
2. Began a great persecution of the church (Acts 8:1ff)
3. Gets authority from the Council to arrest Christians (Acts 9:1ff)
4. The Lord appears to him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-8; 22:6-11; )
5. Obeys the gospel in Damascus (Acts 9:9-19; Acts 22:12-16; 26:)
6. Begins preaching to the Jews (Acts 9:19-30)
7. First missionary journey (Paul and Barnabas) (Acts 13-14:28)
8. Traveled to the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1-35)
9. Second missionary journey (Acts 15:36-18:22)
10. Third missionary journey (Acts 18:23-21:15)
11. Arrested by the Jews in Jerusalem (Acts 21:27)
12. Paul’s defense before the Jews (Acts 22)
13. Paul before the Sanhedrin (Acts 23)
14. Paul before Felix (governor) (Acts 24)
15. Paul before Festus (Acts 25)
16. Paul before King Agrippa (Acts 25:23-26:32)
17. Paul sent to Rome (Acts 27)
18. Under house arrest in Rome (Acts 28)

His Conversion – Acts 9, 22, 26

• \\ 9:3 *As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him;

- It was noontime (22:6), midday (26:13)

9:4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

- They all fell to the ground (26:14)

- The voice spoke in Hebrew (26:14)

9:5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,

 - “What shall I do , Lord?” (22:10)

9:6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.”

 - all that is appointed for you to do. (22:10).

9:7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

- They heard, but did not understand the voice (22:9)

9:8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.
9:9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
9:10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

- was a devout man by the standard of the Law (22:12)

- well spoken of by the Jews (22:12)

9:11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying,
9:12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.”
9:13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem;
9:14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
9:16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
9:17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

- “Brother Saul, receive your sight!” (22:13)

             - Brother = fellow Jew, not a Christian yet

9:18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;

After receiving his sight
- “the God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth” (22:14)

- “for you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard” (22:15)

- “Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name” (22:16)

Note: He was still in his sins after seeing Jesus on the road.