Who was Saul of Tarsus before his conversion and what was he trying to do to believers?
Saul of Tarsus was the chief persecutor of believers. He had done much evil to the saints at Jerusalem and held authority from the chief priests to bind in Damascus all who called on the Lord's name, aiming to stamp out anyone who embraced Jesus of Nazareth as Israel's Messiah.
Les explains that Saul was the chief persecutor, and he was going to stamp out anybody who had embraced Jesus of Nazareth as Israel's Messiah. Ananias told the Lord he had heard by many how much evil Saul had done to the saints at Jerusalem, and that in Damascus he had authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on the Lord's name. Les also notes that the major mentality of most Jews, even today, is the same as Saul of Tarsus: they think Jesus was an imposter and a blasphemer, and they think that to do away with the name of Jesus from amongst Israel is doing their God a favor. He illustrates this with an anecdote about an Evangelical and an old Jewish Rabbi arguing over Jesus' Messiahship.
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
See the restThen Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
More Questions
Did Saul show any mercy when he persecuted the early believers?
Saul was vicious and showed no mercy in his persecution, making no distinction between young and old or between men and women.