St. Paul: The Apostle to the Gentiles

1. St. Paul:
The Apostle to the
Gentiles
•His life and Ministry

2. Who was
Saul?

3. Who was Saul?
He was born in
Tarsus Cilicia. He
was a Roman citizen
(Acts 22:3,28) He belong to the
Tribe of Benjamin
(Phil. 3:5)
He was a Pharisee like
his Father (Acts 23:6)
He grew up in
Jerusalem. He was a
disciple of
Gamaliel(Acts 22:3)

4. He was a member of the
Sanhedrin, so he was
married. Nevertheless, he
no longer was when he
wrote his letters (1 Cor. 7:8)
He had at least a sister and
a nephew who lived in
Jerusalem (Acts 23:16)
He was a tent maker
(Acts 18:13)
Who was Saul?

5. was a religious legislative body “whence the
law [Halakha] goes out to all Israel.”
Politically - it could appoint the king and the
high priest, declare war, and expand the
territory of Jerusalem and the Temple.
Judicially - it could try a high priest, a false
prophet, a rebellious elder, or an errant tribe
Christian deacon in Jerusalem
Sanhedrin

6. What type of Person was Saul?
• Paul was a person of great
conviction and zeal
➢He supported the stoning of Stephen
(Acts 7:58)
➢He persecuted the Church (Acts 8:3)
➢He threatened to kill the disciples (9:1)
➢He organized a raid against Christians in
Damascus (Acts 9:2)
Before his conversion

7. Conversion of Saul

8. ➢Just (Phil. 3:6)
➢Hard worker (2Thesalonians 3:7-8)
➢Contrite (1 Tim. 1:16)
➢Tough (2Cor. 11:23-33)
➢Humble (1Cor. 15:9)
After his conversion he
showed he was:
What type of Person was Paul?

9. What are his reasons for
persecuting Christians?
o Saul believed that Jewish converts mingled too
freely with Gentile converts, thus associating
themselves with idolatrous practices
o Rejected the view that Jesus had been raised
after His death

10. What was the purpose of His call?
• Jesus considered Paul as the New Moses
• Paul went to the Gentiles so they could do
God’s will too (Rom. 15:19)
• Jesus called him so His message could reach
everyone. In order to fulfill his call, Paul had
to:
• Open their eyes
• Turn them to light
• Free them from the power of Satan
• Tell them how to receive forgiveness
• Help them to get an eternal
inheritance

11. What was the fruit of his call?
• Paul’s mission involved three main
aspects
• Preaching Jesus Christ
• Paul always exalted the cross
of Christ above all (1Co. 2:2)
• Planting Churches
• He planted a church
in every city he
visited (Titus 1:5)
• Feeding the Church
• He nourished the
church and
corrected their
mistakes with his
letters (1Cor. 14:37)

12. ACTIVITY 2.1
1. What is the message of Saul’s
conversion?
2. What is your conversion story?
3. What was your understanding of
God before your conversion?
How did that understanding change
after your conversion?