“[Paul] went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him…” (Acts 9:28)
Saul of Tarsus (Saul with an “S”), a very Jewish Pharisee and a zealous persecutor and killer of Christians, left Jerusalem in search of Christians to root out, imprison and worse. After spending time in Damascus, Paul returned to Jerusalem, now a Christian named Paul. He preached the Gospel there, placing himself in grave danger at the hands of his former religious colleagues.
I believe that by considering the life and ministry of Paul, we can learn much about our own calling and our own responsibilities as Christ’s witnesses.
What was in it for Paul?
Did Paul convert to Christianity for fame or fortune, or so that his life could be “transformed” to be pleasant and full of blessings? Did he convert because someone convinced him it would be just wonderful to be a Christian, or that if he converted he could be wonderful just like them?
Hardly! There was no fame in it for Paul, only ridicule from those whose approval he once coveted, and plenty of persecution from the religious and political authorities. There were no creature comforts in it for Paul. There was certainly no money in it – the Christians would rapidly lose whatever financial stability some of them might have enjoyed.
There was surely one thing in it for Paul - suffering. God guaranteed it (Acts 9:16).
How was Paul Converted?
Paul was converted the same way anyone else is – by the effectual calling of God and the impartation of the word and Spirit of Christ. Sure, Paul’s conversion was dramatic, with his being knocked off his horse and blinded and all, but the essential ingredients of calling - the word and the Spirit - were front, center and efficacious. Perhaps all the drama was in place for God’s own purposes of getting Paul’s full attention right away and qualifying Paul among the brothers, putting him to work on the Great Commission sooner rather than later.
Earlier in this chapter, God said He would show Paul how much he must suffer for Him. God let Him know what was coming – beatings, floggings, stoning, imprisonment, chains, hatred, ostracism, betrayals, expulsion from cities, and ultimately beheading. Yet, Paul obeyed Christ whom he now knew and in whom he now believed and trusted.
Paul the Evangelist
What was Paul’s approach to “witnessing?” We might have guessed he would spend most of his time “building relationships.” After all, what good could come of leading right off with the Gospel, proclaiming Jesus as Messiah? With all the bad reactions Paul knew were coming, and all the rejection, why rush into things?
Surely Paul would be crafty enough to think of some suitable social service projects to do, so the people would see the great transformation in his life and want to be just like him! That way, perhaps they would not be overwhelmed with complexity and with a Gospel message that was too much for them to handle.
Maybe Paul could hold free pancake breakfasts to draw unbelievers, so he could then extend the right hand of fellowship - maybe then they would want to join Paul’s church.
Of course, Paul did none of these things. Instead, he began speaking and disputing against “the Hellenists.” The Hellenists were Jews who read the Old Testament in Greek (“LXX”, or the Septuagint.) They had been “Hellenized” or molded to be more “Greek” than culturally Jewish. Some of these Hellenists were very likely converts – that is, culturally Greek Gentiles who had converted to Judaism.
Paul the Christian (with a “P”) targeted his original peer group as he moved in closer to his ultimate calling as “Apostle to the Gentiles.” After all, Hellenistic Jews, having taken on the Greek/Gentile culture, were one step along the way to being Gentiles themselves, and some of them actually were Gentiles. Paul preached the Gospel to them, argued his position as a Christian with them, gave reasons for the hope that was in him, and in every way presented Christ as Messiah.
It seems quite possible that this process of evangelizing Hellenistic Jews might have placed Paul into contact and then life-long friendship with the Gentile, Dr. Luke, author of the Gospel of Luke and Acts, the book we are now reading. Could Luke have been a Hellenistic convert to Judaism before reconverting to Christ? There is an interesting study for another day.
Summing Up
Once Paul was converted, he preached the Gospel, defended the faith, and in so doing gave up any dream of building up his own personal popularity with most people. Are we willing to do likewise?
Paul later made it clear in his writings that he personally converted no one, but that God alone did so, using believers as “secondary means” - one to sow seeds, another to water, and someone else to harvest as God gave the increase. Are we also convinced that God does the calling and converting, and that our role, while important, is secondary?
Paul did as God instructed him, though for Paul it was both unpopular and dangerous. All of this seems very much consistent with the commands of Christ in Matthew 24-28, as He prepared His followers for His death, resurrection and ascension, and for great persecution to come upon them.
In His parting instructions, Jesus commanded His Apostles to preach the Gospel, teach His word, uphold the sacraments, and pray.
Paul certainly did all of these. Are we?
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