PAUL

Hi Al,

Quote from the Challenge to Webber:
Saul , Paul, ( Never ) was a Disciple of Isa , Jesus ! How do I know ? According to Paul, Jesus chose him as his instrument for carrying his teaching to The Gentiles who were not of the House of Israel . ( Acts 9 ; 15 - 16 ). Paul acclaimed vision is the only evidence Paul could produce for his bid for the leadership of The New Church Paul , would raise , No wonder the Jews were highly skeptical about the whole claim and would not listen to him . Let's take a look in The Bible where Paul contradicts himself three times .

Response: --- I see that you have a general dislike for our Apostle Paul. --- Except for the Apostle Paul to the Gentiles we may not have heard the Gospel.
I say �we� because Muslim Nations were Gentiles too. --- However, Saul, who became Paul, started out persecuting the followers of Jesus, --- but as a follower himself, became the �persecuted.�

We can look at the verses you gave on his conversion, but first it is good to know his background.
Saul was from Tarsus in Cilicia. He was a Jew, but a Roman citizen, and a Pharisee. --- He studied in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. Quote: �the Jewish law teacher of Paul the Apostle in Acts 22:3�
He would have been in Jerusalem during the time that Jesus was preaching and gathering disciples and appointing His Apostles.
As an upcoming leader among the Pharisees who, a short time later could lead a group of perhaps the Roman guard, having authority to arrest Christians in Damascus, --- he may well have been there at the trial of Jesus, or among the crowd that called out �Crucify Him, Crucify Him.�
And the Pharisees felt somewhat satisfied when Jesus was crucified at the hands of the Romans, but Jesus had to die to be Resurrected from the dead.

--- Though Jesus had fed the 5000, and was known to everyone in Jerusalem and all Judea, --- after His ascension the close followers were only about 120 (Acts 1:15), so they wouldn�t appear to the Pharisees as a great threat.
Jesus had said, �Wait in the City of Jerusalem until you are endued with Power from on high.� He was referring to the Holy Spirit that fell on them on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. (Read about it). --- Peter stood up with the Apostles and began to preach, which he had never done before. --- As a result of his preaching, and the evidence of the Holy Spirit, there were 3000 converted and added that first day (Acts 2:41). --- Within a short time the numbers grew to �five thousand men,� (Acts 4:4) --- If there were 5000 men, they would represent families, so this became the problem to the Pharisees, who felt, having Roman support that they would attack them and arrest a bunch of the leaders and the rest may scatter.
--- So Saul became involved. --- The Pharisees had no authority to kill anyone, but they could arrest them and have them put in Jail.

--- But this happened, which was against the law, but was a result of mob violence in acts 7:
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;
58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, �Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.�
60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, �Lord, do not charge them with this sin.� And when he had said this, he fell asleep (in death).

This was the first mention of Saul in Acts 7, but he had been there in Jerusalem all of the time and was no doubt at their council meetings, though unnamed..
--- While the Pharisees thought the persecution would slow them down, many Christians left Jerusalem and Judea, but it says, in Acts 8:
1 Now Saul was consenting to his death. --- At that time a great persecution arose against the Church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles.
3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the Church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word
--- So, you see, what the Pharisees tried to stop was spread even more.

And finally this statement in Acts 9:
1Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
--- This is who Saul was, --- the �terrorist' to the Christians.
(So as not to get too long, I will follow with the verses next.)

Placid

Hi ,
You seem t know a lot about Paul,could you please explain this verse.

14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

The meaning of kick against the pricks???? please explain.

Placid wrote: Hi iec, Quote: The meaning of kick against the pricks???? please explain. Response: --- Paul was well educated in Jewish law and was a Pharisee, no doubt with great ambition for his life. --- When the Christians increased, he let his hateful nature take over his reason and began fighting against the Christians. --- Sometimes if you want to sabotage a movement you arrest some leaders and put them in prison, so without a leader the others perhaps disperse. --- However, with the Pharisee�s, --- their first efforts seemed to have no effect, --- and Paul became the terrorist to the Christians. --- Everything the Christians did infuriated him and these were the 'goads' or 'pricks' that he was fighting against. In the King James it says pricks (like sharp needles or thorns.) In the New King James it uses the word �goads� which is like a �cattle prod� that gives a little electric shock (like a pin prick) to move the cattle on against their will. --- If you will forgive me for saying so, that is what you are doing. --- You are re-acting against the accuracy of the Bible, and the Gospel Message of Jesus, the same way that Paul did. --- Each time you say the crucifixion is a fairytale, or the Bible is beyond repair, you are setting yourself up to be knocked off your high horse, just like Paul did. I have no interest in you being a Christian, but you could be a more understanding Muslim, then you might become a learner, instead of a critic.

Hi Placid,

Let me help you,against the pricks means between the legs of a man on his penis.

iec

Edited by iec786 - 04 December 2013 at 10:09pm

Hi Caringheart,
I knew you would respond.Yes the words that they used are sometimes beyond description.The word priks has changed to goads.We call this verbal diarrhea.

Greetings,
iec