[pcottraux]

I’m a Christian blogger who writes weekly Bible lessons. Topics range from Bible studies, apologetics, theology, history, and occasionally current events. Every now and then I upload sermons or classes onto YouTube.

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[pcottraux]

My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge:
Hosea 4:6.

[mindburglar]

Good read. Thanks.

[Scrambler Bob]

And I know you Don’t mean Paul Ryan!

[metmom]

Apparently, Luke actually traveled with Paul on a few different occasions.

In much of his narrative, he chronicles the events that Paul and his companions were doing.

But on occasion, he changes the personal pronouns from *he* and *they* to *us* and *we*.

It’s kind of interesting reading that in Acts and noting when it happens.

[Peter W. Kessler]

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[Salvation]

Jesus Christ is much more important than Paul.

[unlearner]

“Not only did he lose out on ever becoming a high priest, he brought shame to his family joined his enemies, becoming their most zealous apostle.”

Excellent article, however, I wish to point out that Paul was not a Levite—Levi being the priestly tribe. He was a Benjamite. He could have risen to be a highly respected leader in Israel, but becoming the high priest or any priest was never an option for him.

[daniel1212]

The men with him heard the voice but didn’t see anyone...Therefore, the men accompanying Paul really did hear the voice.

Overall well done and written, except for this technicality, which pertains to a false charge of contradiction by adversaries:

And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice , but seeing no man. (Act 9:7)

And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. (Act 26:14)

And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. (Act 22:9)

But the word for "voice" ("phōnē) can simply mean "sound" versus a the articulation, as in John 12:28-29:

Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

Thus the men traveling with Paul fearfully heard a sound without an apparent source, but did not hear the words "Saul, Saul," etc).

And what we need is "ears to hear:" Deuteronomy 29:4 Ezekiel 12:2 Matthew 11:15 Matthew 13:9 Matthew 13:43 Mark 4:9 Mark 4:23 Mark 7:16 Luke 8:8 Luke 14:35

[HarleyD]

One of the most interesting facts about Paul is that he called himself the “chief of sinners”. While this may seem like a humble and modest view of himself, John MacArthur makes an interesting point that this view was given and inserted under the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Which means that Paul was indeed the chief of sinners. The text cannot lie. No one was worst then Paul. Paul, before his conversion, will always be the chief of sinners.

Given that, and understanding the great accomplishments of Paul, one can see what the Holy Spirit can do in us if we submit our lives to Him.

[Wuli]

I am often “flamed” for saying it, but I have believed for a long time that much of Christianity, as taught and believed, would not be the same without Paul's contributions and the contributions of Luke who assisted him. To me it would be a “different” Christianity in many ways, regardless of the truth of Yeshua, his Crucifixion and Resurrection, and what others testified was said to them by Yeshua. There are some theologians who have actually referred to Chrisyianity as Pauline Christianity because Paul looms so large over the body of works from the era of the apostles.