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Just got done watching a 2-part DVD "In the Footsteps of St. Paul". Narrated by British actor David Suchet.
I had known the general outlines of Paul's story. But this series really impressed me with what an amazing man he was. And his importance to early Christianity.
He was a furious persecutor of the early followers of Jesus. Even participating in the stoning death of Stephen.
Then experiences a dramatic conversion on the way to Damascus.
He was the first to declare that it wasn't necessary to become Jewish, in order to worship Jesus. That the message of Jesus was intended for the ENTIRE world, and not just the Jews. It's hard to imagine what a revolutionary idea this was at that time. Even some of Jesus's disciples were strongly opposed to this!
As David Suchet says in the doc: If it wasn't for Paul, Christianity might have remained merely an obscure Jewish sect.
THEN he embarks on a truly epic journey throughout the Roman Empire. Probably 10,000 miles ON FOOT! And many more miles by sea. Going to places and cities that had never even heard of Jesus. Proclaiming Christian love from the rooftops!
What is great about the man, was that he was no "plaster saint". He could be tactless, extremely stubborn, imperious, and dangerously outspoken.
In the city of Ephesus, he denounced the city's patron goddess Artemis. The craftsmen in the city, who made a good living selling statues of the goddess to visiting pilgrims, were incensed. At a meeting in the town's amphitheater, hundreds of them became so angry that a riot was started. And Paul had to flee for his life, barely escaping being lynched.
When he crossed the Bosporus into Europe proper, he baptized a woman named Lydia beside a riverbank. In effect, this woman became the first Christian in Europe.
He continued to travel throughout Greece and the Roman Empire. He may even have visited Spain.
In Rome he ran into real trouble. Daring to say that the Roman Emperor was NOT a god. Imagine a man openly preaching such an idea, in the very heart of the Roman Empire! The guy had a ton of guts!!
His Letter to the Romans remains to this day probably one of the most profound expositions of the Christian faith ever produced.
Even the best Hollywood script couldn't makeup a story like this.
I had known the general outlines of Paul's story. But this series really impressed me with what an amazing man he was. And his importance to early Christianity.
He was a furious persecutor of the early followers of Jesus. Even participating in the stoning death of Stephen.
Then experiences a dramatic conversion on the way to Damascus.
He was the first to declare that it wasn't necessary to become Jewish, in order to worship Jesus. That the message of Jesus was intended for the ENTIRE world, and not just the Jews. It's hard to imagine what a revolutionary idea this was at that time. Even some of Jesus's disciples were strongly opposed to this!
As David Suchet says in the doc: If it wasn't for Paul, Christianity might have remained merely an obscure Jewish sect.
THEN he embarks on a truly epic journey throughout the Roman Empire. Probably 10,000 miles ON FOOT! And many more miles by sea. Going to places and cities that had never even heard of Jesus. Proclaiming Christian love from the rooftops!
What is great about the man, was that he was no "plaster saint". He could be tactless, extremely stubborn, imperious, and dangerously outspoken.
In the city of Ephesus, he denounced the city's patron goddess Artemis. The craftsmen in the city, who made a good living selling statues of the goddess to visiting pilgrims, were incensed. At a meeting in the town's amphitheater, hundreds of them became so angry that a riot was started. And Paul had to flee for his life, barely escaping being lynched.
When he crossed the Bosporus into Europe proper, he baptized a woman named Lydia beside a riverbank. In effect, this woman became the first Christian in Europe.
He continued to travel throughout Greece and the Roman Empire. He may even have visited Spain.
In Rome he ran into real trouble. Daring to say that the Roman Emperor was NOT a god. Imagine a man openly preaching such an idea, in the very heart of the Roman Empire! The guy had a ton of guts!!
His Letter to the Romans remains to this day probably one of the most profound expositions of the Christian faith ever produced.
Even the best Hollywood script couldn't makeup a story like this.
