Saul of Tarsus was the leading persecutor of Jewish believers in Jesus before his conversion.
Acts first introduces Saul at Stephen's stoning, when the witnesses laid their clothes at his feet. He then made havoc of the church, entering houses and committing men and women to prison, and later obtained letters from the chief priests to arrest believers in Damascus. Les Feldick describes him as a religious zealot who thought he was serving God by stamping out belief in Jesus of Nazareth.
Acts 9:1-2 — Shows Saul's pre-conversion role as the one 'breathing out threatenings and slaughter' against believers, seeking authority to arrest them in Damascus.
Acts 8:3 — Describes Saul's active persecution: he made havoc of the church and imprisoned both men and women.
Acts 7:58 — Introduces Saul at Stephen's stoning, the starting point of his persecution campaign.
In the book of Acts, Saul of Tarsus first appears at the stoning of Stephen: 'And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul' (Acts 7:58). The next chapter shows what kind of role he took: 'As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison' (Acts 8:3).
Les Feldick presents Saul as a religious zealot who was convinced he was serving God. He says Saul honestly thought Jesus was an impostor and a blasphemer, and that the best thing for Israel was to stamp out everything connected with Jesus. Les emphasizes Saul's Jewish credentials: he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, trained at the feet of Gamaliel, and determined to remove the 'heresy' that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah.
Les Feldick describes Saul as a Jew, 'a Pharisee of the Pharisees,' and a religious man who had been taught at the feet of Gamaliel, the greatest rabbi of the day. He says Saul was a religious zealot who honestly believed Jesus of Nazareth was an impostor and a blasphemer, and that the best thing that could happen to Israel was to have everything connected with Jesus stamped out and put out of memory. Les's point is that Saul's role before conversion was a devout Jewish leader who considered persecution of believers an act of service to God.
At Stephen's stoning the witnesses laid their cloaks at Saul's feet, and from that point Saul made havoc of the believing assembly. He entered every house, haled men and women, and committed them to prison. Paul later testified that he shut up many saints in prison with authority from the chief priests and gave his voice against them when they were put to death. Les calls Saul the chief advocate of these executions, because Saul believed the quicker the believers were gone, the quicker any reference to Jesus of Nazareth could be stamped out.
Les emphasizes that Saul was not acting out of malice or political ambition. Saul was a religious man who genuinely thought Jesus was an impostor and that following Jesus was a heresy ruining the Jewish religion and culture. To this good Jew, nothing worse could have happened to Israel than believers claiming Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. So he tried to stamp out the movement by persecution, imprisonment, and death, all in the name of religion, because he thought he was doing God a service.
After working in Jerusalem and Judea, Saul was not satisfied. Acts 9 says he was still breathing out threatenings and slaughter against disciples of the Lord, and he went to the high priest for letters to Damascus so he could go to the synagogues and arrest any who were of 'this way,' whether men or women, and bring them bound to Jerusalem. Les notes that this was still Jewish territory, because Gentiles did not worship in the synagogue, and that Saul was still attempting to stamp out belief in Jesus of Nazareth.
Why the Resurrection Happens in Order — 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
And so this is the whole scope of Scripture, that God will keep things secret until a particular point in time. Well He hasn't revealed yet that in that death, burial, and resurrection was wrapped up the salvation of the whole human race, but He's still dealing with Israel on the grounds of those covenant promises.
Saul's Rampage Against Believing Jews
Les shows that after Stephen's martyrdom, Saul began a rampage against believing Jews in Jerusalem and then planned to take the same persecution to Damascus.
Saul's Havoc on the Church
Les describes how Saul entered every house, haling men and women to prison, and identifies him as a religious zealot who thought Jesus was an impostor.
Introduction at Stephen's Stoning
Les identifies Saul as a Jew and Pharisee of the Pharisees, showing his religious conviction was the motive behind his hatred of Jesus' name.
Chief Advocate of Executions
Les says Saul was the chief advocate of putting believing Jews to death, receiving authority from the chief priests and using it against them.
Letters to Damascus
Les explains that Saul's mission expanded to Damascus with letters from the high priest so he could bind followers of the Way.
Still a Religious Fanatic
Les repeats that Saul, as a religious fanatic, was on his way to Damascus with the high priest's letters to synagogues, and this was still all Jewish.
Persecution as Religious Fervor
Les shows Saul took the lead in persecuting Jewish believers because he saw Jesus as ruining the Jewish religion and culture.
Acts 7:58: And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
This is the first mention of Saul in Acts, connecting him to Stephen's death.
Acts 8:3: As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
This verse directly describes Saul's violent role against the early believers.
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.
Shows Saul's continued persecution and his authority to arrest believers beyond Jerusalem.
Acts 26:9: I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Paul's own testimony of his pre-conversion mindset against Jesus' name.
Acts 26:10: Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
Paul confirms his role in imprisoning saints and approving their deaths.
He first appears at the stoning of Stephen, where the witnesses laid their clothes at his feet. Les Feldick says this is our first introduction to the man who would become the next person on the scene in Acts.
He had authority from the chief priests. Scripture says he desired letters from the high priest to go to Damascus, and Les notes that Saul did all of this in the name of religion.
Les explains Saul's genuine religious conviction: Saul honestly believed Jesus was an impostor and a blasphemer, so stamping out His followers seemed like service to the true God of Abraham.
No. Acts 9 says he was still breathing out threatenings and slaughter and requested letters to go to Damascus and arrest believers in the synagogues there.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Resurrection Happens in Order — 1 Corinthians 15:20-23