The New and Improved Paul

We meet up with Saul at the home of Judas on Straight Street. This is the third day and I am sure he is wondering if he will ever get his directions from God. In the door walks Ananias.

We need to look at Ananias' role. Charles Swindoll has suggested that it would be comparable to asking someone on the outskirts of Vienna, Austria in 1940, being sent to the home of Franz Kaiser. There you will find a man named Adolf Hitler, he is praying. He is blind and I have revealed myself to him. Go and touch him, and he will regain his eyesight and he will save your people.

This is a very tough assignment but after a few questions and with much reluctance, Ananias does as God commands and goes to the house of Judas on Straight Street where he finds Saul praying. He laid hands on Saul and told him that - Jesus who appeared to you on the road had sent him so that Saul could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately something like scales fell from Saul's eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptized. This was Saul's first taste of Christian grace.

Some have suggested a symbolism between Saul's three days of blindness and Christ's three days in the tomb. What do you think?

An ultimate turnaround happened with Saul's genuine repentence. Acts 9 says that he spent several days with the disciples and at once started preaching in the synagogues. It is suggested in Galatians chapter 1 that Saul went immediately into Arabia. It is unknown where in Arabia, but it is possible that he went just over the border which was about 100 miles away. What is know is that it was a dessert region. He later returned to Damascus. After three years he went and stayed with Peter, in Jerusalem, for fifteen days. He did not meet any of the other apostles, only James, the Lord's brother. He moved on from there to he went on to Syria and Cilicia. It was not uncommon for Paul to change locations because he was in danger of persecution.

Fourteen years later Paul returns to Jerusalem. Paul takes along with him Barnabas and Titus. Barnabas helps to smooth the introductions between Paul and the other apostles. Just like now it is hard for us to believe when someone changes so radically. When he left Antioch he is called Saul, previous to this his ministry had been for the Jewish people. When he returns to Antioch he is called Paul. The change of name marks the change in his outlook. Paul's mission has also changed to be one for the Gentiles, so he uses his Roman name of Paul from now on. This duality is characteristic of Paul: the Jew who was also Roman, the Pharisee who became Christian.

So that brings us up to the beginning of our study of Romans. We don't know who founded the Church in Rome but we do know that it wasn't Paul. The Epistle of Romans was written around the year 57 or 58. Paul was probably in Corinth (there are references in the letter to people living there) after his third missionary journey. He was getting ready to head off to Jerusalem.

He doesn't say much about the Roman church, probably because he doesn't know much about it. The letter to the church seems to be more of a letter of introduction of himself, his beliefs and his plans.

Next week we will start with the study of the Epistles of Saint Paul: A Bible Study by Claude McKiddy. If you have any questions on the life of Paul please feel free to post them. I will do my best to find the answers in a timely manner.