Yes, Saul of Tarsus became a key figure in spreading Christianity after realizing who Jesus really was and becoming an unstoppable force for the faith.
Les Feldick explains that Saul was a fanatical Pharisee who persecuted believers, thinking he was serving God. But after encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus, he understood Jesus' true identity and became the primary builder of Christianity, taking the gospel to the Gentile world.
Acts 9:1-2 — Introduces Saul's persecution of believers and his journey to Damascus, which is central to his transformation.
The Bible introduces Saul of Tarsus as a persecutor of the early church. Acts 9:1-2 says, "And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem." This shows his zealous opposition to those who followed Jesus. Scripture records that Saul held the garments of those who stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr, as seen in Acts 7. He was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, a devout Jew who considered the belief in Jesus the Messiah a heresy. His mission was to stamp out this movement by imprisonment and death. Later, on the road to Damascus, Saul encountered a light from heaven, and the Lord spoke to him. This event transformed him from a persecutor into a chosen apostle, but the evidence focuses on his background and the beginning of his mission.
Les Feldick teaches that Saul of Tarsus was a religious fanatic who genuinely believed he was serving God by persecuting the early Jewish believers who claimed Jesus was the Messiah. His zeal was so extreme that he wanted to extend his persecution beyond Jerusalem to Damascus. Les emphasizes that Saul's transformation came when he realized who Jesus really was—the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel. This realization turned him into an unstoppable force for Christianity. Les highlights that while Jesus is the foundation of Christianity, it was the Apostle Paul who built upon that foundation and took the gospel to the Gentile world, making him one of the most influential men in human history. Les also notes that Paul's apostleship was different from the twelve, and that God had a specific path for him to reach the Gentiles, which required further enlightenment after his conversion.
Before his conversion, Saul was a fanatical Pharisee who hated the name of Jesus. Les says he was infuriated by reports of Jesus' miracles and the Jews who followed him, because he was defending his religion. He was a key man of the Sanhedrin and thought he was doing God a service by stamping out believers.
According to Les, Saul persecuted believers by imprisonment, threatening, and putting them to death. He held the garments of those who stoned Stephen and then sought letters from the high priest to go to Damascus to arrest believing Jews there. He was not satisfied with what he had done in Jerusalem and wanted to go into Gentile territory to find followers of "the way."
Les teaches that after realizing who Jesus was, Saul became the one who built upon the foundation of Christ. He took the gospel to the Gentile world, which was a turning point in the spread of Christianity. Les quotes U.S. News and World Report listing Paul as one of the most influential men in changing human history, giving him credit for beginning Christianity as we know it.
Saul's Infuriation
Les explains that Saul was infuriated by Jesus' miracles and the Jews following him because he was defending his religion, showing his initial hostility.
Paul's Influence
Les highlights that Paul was a fanatic who thought he was serving God, and that he would turn the world inside out, becoming a key figure in human history.
Paul Built on the Foundation
Les teaches that while Jesus is the foundation, Paul built upon it to spread Christianity, as shown by the example of Saul breathing out threatenings on his way to Damascus.
Saul's Religious Conviction
Les notes that Saul hated Jesus not because he was a blasphemer, but because of his religious convictions, thinking he was serving God by stamping out believers.
Saul's Rampage
Les describes how Saul began his rampage against believing Jews after Stephen's martyrdom, and wanted to extend it to Damascus.
Saul's Persecution Mission
Les explains that Saul was persecuting believers by imprisonment and death, and was seeking letters to Damascus to arrest those who followed Jesus.
Paul's Impact
Les says that Paul took the gospel to the Gentile world and, next to Christ, is one of the two greatest men who ever lived, impacting all of human history.
Saul's Salvation
Les explains that Saul was saved under the Kingdom Gospel, believing Jesus was the Son of God and Messiah, which was enough at that time.
Acts 9:1-2: And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
This shows Saul's zeal in persecuting believers, which set the stage for his dramatic conversion.
Acts 7:59-60: And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Stephen's martyrdom, at which Saul was present, is a key event in the introduction of Saul.
Saul was a devout Pharisee who thought he was serving God by stamping out the belief that Jesus was the Messiah. His religious convictions drove him to persecute and imprison believers, as Les Feldick explains.
Saul became influential after realizing who Jesus really was—the Son of God and Messiah. Les Feldick teaches that Paul built upon the foundation of Christ and took the gospel to the Gentile world, making him a key figure in spreading Christianity.
Watch the Teaching: Why Paul Said "We Know Christ No More" — 2 Corinthians 5:16