Evidence For The Resurrection: The Radical Change of Saul

Our goal over the course of the past few weeks and now is to compile evidence that a vast majority of historians say happened. The facts thus far, including tonight’s session is uncontested. Eventually we will put all of the evidence together and see what the logical conclusion is. If I may put it bluntly, by the time we get to the end we see that the most logical and really only logical conclusion is that Jesus rose from the dead.

So far we have seen these uncontested facts.

1. Jesus Died On The Cross In History
2. The Disciples Truly Believed That Jesus Rose From The Dead

This session will focus in on the changed life of Saul, the Persecutor of Christians.

Fact #3: The Sudden Change of Saul the Persecutor

Paul was the writer of a majority of the New Testament. His work to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles was amazing and we have much of it in the New Testament. His love for God was incredible and his willingness to lay down his life for the spread of the Gospel was quite extraordinary. But, his name was not always Paul and he did not always behave this way.

Paul describes himself in Philippians as a leader among the Hebrew people.

“If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the Law, blameless.” -Philippians 3:4-6 ESV-

This was when his name was still Saul. Apparently he was esteemed within the Hebrew community. And, as we read more about Saul we find that he was an incredibly zealous defender of Judaism against Christianity.

 

54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

1 And Saul approved of his execution.
And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
-Acts 7:54-8:3 ESV-

Notice here the brutal stoning of Stephen. Now take notice of who was approving of the execution. It was Saul, who would later become Paul. It is Saul who is “ravaging the church” and dragging people out of their homes and putting people into prison.

This same man would become the person that I described earlier: a leader among the early believers and lead the charge to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles. So, what gives?

Saul’s Change

Paul himself says that he witnessed the risen Jesus.

“Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?” -1 Corinthians 9:1 ESV-

Luke reports that Saul changed after witnessing the risen Christ in Acts 9. How amazing is this. This staunch defender of the Hebrews is now a stubborn missionary for Christ. This persecutor of believers is now spreading the Good News that the believers held dear. This is a massive and radical change and both Paul and Luke report that it is due to the work of Christ. Luke goes further by revealing that Christ appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus.

Saul’s Commitment

Saul’s commitment to Christ and His people is extraordinary. Actually, Jesus changed his name to Paul when he converted Saul. So, it would be better to say that Paul’s commitment was extraordinary. And this extraordinary commitment is documented by Luke in the accounts of Paul’s many sufferings for Christ in Acts 20-28.

Paul himself actually discusses his many beatings and sufferings for the sake of the Gospel.

“But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?” – 1 Corinthians 11:21-29 ESV

How Does The Evidence Stack Up?

Historians Have No Doubt That The Apostle Paul Was Changed, But Many Disagree As To Why. They really have no clear answer as to why Paul’s actions would have changed so much. Luke and Paul state that the reason is the Resurrection of Christ.

Why Does This matter?

Paul is a primary rather than a secondary source and we know from our own view of the world that it would take a lot to change a person from being a leader of the Hebrew people and persecutor of Christians to follower of Christ. This type of mind change just doesn’t seem to happen.