Why was Paul blind to who Jesus really was before his conversion?
Paul was blind to who Jesus really was because he was a religious Jew who did everything according to the Book yet was destitute of real faith. Like the Israelites described, he had outward correctness but a dead religion, so he could not recognize Jesus’ true identity.
The context contrasts Israel’s meticulous religion with true faith. They would not dream of approaching temple worship incorrectly and did it to the last jot and tittle, but they were lacking faith; their worship had become dead religion. Paul was the same kind of religious Jew: he did everything according to the Book, yet he was destitute of real faith. Consequently, he too was blind regarding who he was and who Jesus really was. Les teaches that Israel should have known and could have known who Jesus was, and he applies the same principle to Christendom: outward rigmarole without faith to appropriate the real truth.