Was Saul of Tarsus well known or unknown outside of Palestine?
Saul of Tarsus was well known among Jewish religious leaders as a top Pharisee in Judaism, but outside Palestine no one had heard of him. He entered Asia Minor, Greece, Athens, and Corinth as a relative unknown. So he was well known, and yet unknown.
Les explains that Saul of Tarsus was one of the top Pharisees in Judaism and was well known amongst the Jewish religious leaders. However, outside of Palestine, no one had ever heard of Saul of Tarsus. Therefore, when he came into Asia Minor, Greece, Athens, and Corinth, he came as a relative unknown. Les points out the paradox that he was well known, and yet unknown. Before this, he had been rich, profiting more than his equals in the Jewish religion, and likely had one of the better homes in Jerusalem. Yet he cast all that aside and counted it as dung for the sake of the Gospel, so that though having nothing, he possessed all things. He still faced detractors who ridiculed and scorned him, and he was always threatened with his life, as dying yet living, chastened but not killed, sorrowful yet rejoicing, poor yet making many rich.
As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;