Saul's mission was to persecute and stamp out the followers of Jesus of Nazareth.
Acts 9:1-2 says Saul was breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord and sought letters from the high priest to arrest followers of the Way in Damascus and bring them bound to Jerusalem. Les Feldick explains that Saul was a religious zealot who thought he was doing God a service by crushing the belief that Jesus was the Messiah.
Acts 9:1-2 — This is the key passage describing Saul's pre-conversion mission to arrest followers of Jesus in Damascus.
Scripture is explicit about Saul of Tarsus before his conversion. Acts 9:1-2 records that "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 a formal, organized campaign authorized by the high priest. He was not merely disagreeing with believers; he was pursuing them for arrest and transport back to Jerusalem. The phrase "this Way" refers to the early movement of Jews who recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah.
Les Feldick describes Saul of Tarsus as a fanatic to the extreme who thought he was doing his God a favor by stamping out anything that had to do with Jesus of Nazareth. According to Les, Saul first began his rampage against believing Jews at the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7), and then, not satisfied with Jerusalem and Judea, obtained letters from the high priest to go after believers in Damascus. Les emphasizes that Saul did all of this in the name of religion, viewing the confession that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah as a heresy that had to be extinguished by persecution, imprisonment, and even death.
Saul pursued his mission with official sanction. Scripture records that he went to the high priest and desired letters to Damascus so that if he found any of "this way," whether men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. Les Feldick adds that Saul began against believing Jews in Jerusalem and Judea after Stephen was martyred, and then sought to extend the persecution into Damascus. His methods included persecution, imprisonment, and putting believers to death.
Les Feldick explains that Saul was a religious zealot who honestly believed he was serving the God of Abraham by stamping out belief in Jesus of Nazareth. To this good Jew, nothing worse could have happened to Israel than the claim that Jesus was the Messiah, so he tried to remove it by force. This religious motive explains why Saul could be so devoted to persecution before his Damascus road encounter.
No. As Les points out, Saul was not satisfied with what he had accomplished in Jerusalem and Judea; he wanted to go after believing Jews up at Damascus. Since Damascus was in Gentile territory, he asked the high priest for letters to the synagogues there so he could bring believers bound to Jerusalem.
The Weapons of Our Warfare — 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Explained
with Jesus three years like Peter, James and John. And so this was the thing he had to constantly overcome. Well who are you? Who do you think you are? That reminds me of a lady who called from Minnesota several years ago, and that's just exactly what she said. I said, Feldicks, and she said, Is this Les Feldick? And I said, Yes.
Paul's religious fanaticism
Les shows Saul of Tarsus was a fanatical religious zealot who believed he was doing God a favor by attacking followers of Jesus.
Persecution begins against believing Jews
Les explains that Saul's rampage started when Stephen was martyred and was directed against believing Jews who had not separated from the Law.
The Rapture Is a Mystery — What Paul Revealed That No One Else Did
Well, people have often asked, If I feel that Saul of Tarsus after his conversion on the road to Damascus, and I feel that from Damascus they led him down over the wall and God led him down to Mount Sinai in Arabia for three years, well why would it take so long? Well, I've got several reasons, but one of which of course you want to remember that Saul of Tarsus was steeped in Judaism.
Saul's religious zeal to stamp out Jesus' followers
Les describes Saul as a religious zealot who thought he was serving the God of Abraham by stamping out anything that referred to Jesus of Nazareth.
Saul on his way to Damascus
Les reads Acts 9:1-2 showing Saul breathing out threatenings and slaughter, and asking the high priest for letters to Damascus.
Why Paul's Gospel Is Different From Peter's — Acts 9 & Galatians 1
Even Saul of Tarsus was saved under the Kingdom Gospel, believing who Jesus was. And who was He? The Son of God, the Messiah of Israel, the Promised One out of the Old Testament as coming to the Jews under the covenant promises. That's all he understood. But see that was enough, because that's as much as God had revealed at this time.
Persecution by imprisonment and death
Les says Saul was after believing Jews who followed the 'heresy' that Jesus was the Messiah, and that he tried to stamp it out by persecution, imprisonment, and putting them to death.
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 is the key passage describing Saul's pre-conversion mission to arrest followers of Jesus in Damascus.
Scripture says he was breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, and he obtained letters from the high priest to arrest followers of the Way in Damascus and bring them bound to Jerusalem. Les Feldick says his methods included persecution, imprisonment, and death.
Les Feldick explains that Saul was a religious zealot who thought he was doing God a service by stamping out belief in Jesus of Nazareth. He considered it the worst possible heresy against Israel.
According to the evidence, Saul went after believing Jews — those who recognized Jesus as the Messiah — first in Jerusalem and Judea, then in Damascus. He asked the high priest for letters to the synagogues, showing his mission was centered on the Jewish community.
Watch the Teaching: The Weapons of Our Warfare — 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Explained