What was Saul doing to Jews before he was saved?
Before salvation, Saul persecuted Jewish believers, putting them to death for embracing Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. As a Jewish zealot, he caused the persecution that arose around Stephen, scattering them abroad as they preached the Word from the Old Testament to Jews only.
Les explains that Saul was a Jewish zealot who had been putting Jews to death for having embraced Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. The persecution that arose around Stephen was caused by Saul, and it scattered believers as far as Phenis, out to the island of Cyprus, and up to Antioch in Syria, where they preached the Word—the Old Testament—to Jews only. Les points out this was long after Pentecost, about seven years, and they were still adhering to Jesus' commandment in Matthew not to go in the way of a Gentile but only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Les teaches that the Lord had to emphasize to Ananias the purpose of saving this Jewish zealot because now there was going to be a change of direction. From Genesis 12 until Acts chapter 9, God was dealing with the nation of Israel, not exclusively but almost.
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
See the restWho 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.
How did Saul treat the believers he persecuted?
Saul treated believers with viciousness and no mercy, targeting Jews who had embraced Jesus as Messiah. He obtained letters to Damascus synagogues to bring them bound to Jerusalem, disregarding age or gender. He considered them not worth living and a threat to his religion, persecuting them beyond measure and chasing them to the ends of his authority.
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.
Why did Saul go to Damascus to arrest Jews instead of the Syrian population?
Saul's target in Damascus was not the Syrian (Gentile) population; he wanted only the Jews who had embraced faith in the Messiah.