When did Paul first see Jesus?
Paul first saw Jesus after his conversion experience on the road to Damascus, about eight years after Pentecost. He had not seen Christ during Jesus' earthly walk or in the forty days following the resurrection. Scripture presents him as one born out of due time, claiming he saw the resurrected, ascended Lord face to face.
Les explains from I Corinthians 15:6-8 that Paul never saw Christ during His earthly walk and did not see Jesus in the forty days after the resurrection. Paul’s first sight of the resurrected, ascended Lord came after his conversion experience on the road to Damascus, about eight years after Pentecost. In verse 8 Paul says, “Last of all, he was seen of me also,” claiming face-to-face sight of the ascended Lord. Les connects Paul’s phrase “one born out of due time” to a physical birth from a physical mother—if a baby is born before the due time, we call it a preemie, coming prematurely.
And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
More Questions
Did the apostle Paul ever see Jesus while He was on earth?
Paul never saw Christ while He was walking on the earth, and he did not see Jesus during the 40 days after His resurrection either.
Why does Paul describe his seeing the risen Lord as a birth before the due date?
Paul uses the due-date picture to illustrate that he experienced resurrection power and saw the Lord in resurrection as a Jew born before the due date — a premature birth relative to the delivery of the offspring.
Why does Paul use the picture of a birth due date for seeing the risen Christ?
Paul uses the due-date illustration to describe his own experience of resurrection power and of seeing the Lord in resurrection as a Jew born before the due date, speaking of the delivery of the offspring.