Praise the Lord! Our personal testimony is that the Lord God has been good to us throughout the past week and He will definitely be good to us in this new week as well as in the weeks ahead. The Scripture passage for our meditation this week is taken from 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (mentioned above). What we can understand from the reading of the selected passage is that Apostle Paul shares his personal testimony that the final days of his life and ministry is just around the corner. In his statements, he shares his personal testimony of [i] how meaningfully he lived his life as a follower of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 4:6), [ii] how productively he carried out the responsibilities handed down to him as a co-worker of God (2 Timothy 4:7), and [iii] how expectantly he awaits for his reward on the day of the coming of the Lord God as the righteous Judge (2 Timothy 4:8). Apostle Paul was one of the most outstanding and successful ministers of the gospel who ever lived. Some believers are confused with his name Saul or Paul OR Saul and Paul. As many think, Saul did not change his name from Saul to Paul after he became a follower of Jesus Christ. It seems he had two different names. Perhaps, among the Hebrew speaking family and friends he was called as Saul and among others like Latin or Greek speaking family, friends, and a vast majority of others he was called as Paul. The fact is that, during those days, many people including Jews had more than one name (even today in our known circle many may have more than one name). Saul/Paul being a Jew as well as the citizen of the Roman Empire, might have had a name that represented his Jewish national identity and another name (Latin or Greek or Roman name) based on where he lived. Thus, the name Saul, (Sha’ul, שָׁאוּל), means ‘prayed for’ or ‘to ask, inquire, or disired,’ has its origin from the Hebrew language and the name Paul, means ‘humble’ or ‘little’ or ‘small,’ could have been his Roman name derived from the Greek form of Paulos (Παῦλος), which is basically originated from the Latin language of Paulus. That could have been the reason for the writer of Acts of the Apostle to state both of his names; i.e., Saul and Paul, as it is mentioned: Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit … (Acts 13:9).

It is very much worthwhile and interesting to know about the life and ministry of Apostle Paul. We, as faithful followers of Jesus Christ and dedicated ministers of the gospel, can learn untold number of spiritual lessons as well as practical lessons from Apostle Paul’s life and ministry, which fundamentally emerged from his relationship with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who called him and appointed him for His ministry. We can divide his life into two different sections or divisions: Firstly, his life and religious duties before his encounter with Christ Jesus (Acts 9:1-2, 13-14; 22:3-5; Galatians 1:13-14) and, secondly, his life and ministry after his encounter with Jesus (Acts 9:3-5, 15-16; Galatians 2:7-8). The first half of his life he lived as a Jew and carried out his religious duties as a pharisee to promote Judaism (opposer of the gospel of Christ) but the second half of his life he lived as a faithful follower of Jesus Christ and carried out the spiritual responsibilities Christ entrusted upon him (supporter of the gospel of Christ). In fact, Saul traveled to Damascus as an opposer of Jesus Christ but returned from Damascus as a defender of Jesus Christ.

Let us briefly look into Saul/Paul’s life. He states that he was a native of Tarsus of Cilicia (perhaps he was born there and spent his childhood years there), and a resident of Jerusalem (perhaps his whole family moved to Jerusalem from Tarsus of Cilicia or Paul came to Jerusalem for his education and religious duties as a pharisee – either way, he stated that he was brought up in Jerusalem [Acts 21:17; 22:3]). He was the son of a pharisee but we do not know anything about his mother for it is not mentioned in the Scripture. The book of Acts mentions that his sister and her son [his nephew] lived in Jerusalem (Acts 23:16). We are not sure about his marital status. Some believe that Paul was married because one of the requirements to become a Pharisee or a Rabbi is that one needs to get married, but most people believe that Paul did not marry at all. His own testimony hints that he did not marry, as it is mentioned: I wish that all of you [men] were as I am … to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. It is good for unmarried and the widows to stay unmarried, as I am (1 Corinthians 7:7-8).

Paul testified about himself stating that he was a Jew (Acts 21:39), a Hebrew, an Israelite, and a descendant of Abraham (2 Corinthians 11:22), a Benjamite (Philippians 3:4-8), a Hebrew of Hebrews, which means, a Hebrew born of a Hebrew (Philippians 3:5), a pharisee and a son of a pharisee, which means, His father was also a pharisee (Acts 23:6b; Philippians 3:5). In addition, he also stated that he was circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless (Philippians 3:5-6). Apart from his religious duties as a pharisee and Rabbi, he was also involved in the tent-making profession (Acts 18:3).

As per Jewish custom, a Pharisee ought to complete the highest level of education under the discipline of Jewish Law (perhaps equal to today’s Post-Graduate/Doctoral level studies), and, thus, he was strictly trained on the Law of God, which was given to their fathers through Moses, under Gamaliel, one of the greatest teachers of the Law and a well respected first-century Jewish Rabbi, and a prominent leader in the Jewish Sanhedrin. i.e., the Supreme Jewish Council, who was honored by all the people, including, Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, Zealots [a group that opposed Roman rule] and Essenes [a monastic group, who felt called to separate themselves from society in preparation for the end of the world], and the common Jewish people (Acts 5:34-39; 22:3). Pharisees separate themselves away from persons or things that are impure to attain holiness and righteousness in order to commune with God.

Paul, as a Pharisee, was a strict observer of the Jewish Law and kept the Law without compromising in any way (Acts 26:5). He earnestly did his best to protect the Law of God and teach them to his fellow-Israelites and anyone who would want to study the Jewish Law. Pharisees were also called to preach and propagate their faith to the people of other faiths in a similar way the Christian evangelists did, and welcomed all those who accepted Judaism as their faith and these converts are usually known as proselytes (Matthew 23:15). Anyone who violated the Law of God would be inflicted with severe punishment, including stoning to death (Acts 7:54-8:3; 9:1-2). That’s why Paul, as a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, stated while defending himself against all the accusations the Jews charged upon him that in his early days he was also as zealous as any of the Jew who was trying to kill him because of his faith in Jesus Christ: I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today (Acts 22:3b). As the supporter of the Sanhedrin’s decision, Saul/Paul was one of the key figures who carried out the punishment against the followers of Jesus Christ. The Sanhedrin would plot the plan to persecute the followers of Jesus Christ and Paul, as a member, would execute their plan by carrying it out. He was doing it with the best of his ability because more and more Jewish people were becoming followers of Jesus Christ in those days (Acts 2:41, 47; 4:4; 5:14; 6:1, 7; 9:31). Perhaps, he was doing all such things thinking he was doing the right thing for his people and God:

• • As a descendant of Abraham, he was trying to do a righteous act before God
  • As an Israelite, he was trying to fulfill the will of God in his life
  • As a Pharisee, he was helping to protect the Law of Moses that was given to their fathers
  • As a member of the Sanhedrin (if he were one), he was defending and protecting the God-given Law for the future generation of Israelites

Saul was so zealous for his community, nation, religious faith, and his God. He did not allow anything else to come in between him and his God or compromise his faith in God. He became like a religious extremist and forcefully persecuted anyone who stood against what he learned or what he believed. This could have one of the reasons he was very much aggressive towards the followers of Jesus Christ and persecuted them mercilessly (Galatians 1:13-14; Philippians 3:6). The so-called self-righteous followers of the God of Israel were doing a great mistake by persecuting the followers of Jesus Christ. Neither any of the members of the Sanhedrin nor Paul were correct in persecuting the followers of Jesus Christ for the sake of protecting the Law, because Jesus, who came to fulfill the Law (Matthew 5:17; Acts 13:39; Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:24), proved the Sanhedrin and Paul were wrong at that point in time. Saul/Paul was already on the radar of Jesus in order to use him His purpose (Acts 9:15; 22:14-15). The plots and plans of Sanhedrin to persecute the followers of Jesus Christ, which was executed and carried out by Saul/Paul, did not last long. In fact, everything came to a ‘full-stop and turn around’ situation when Jesus confronted Saul/Paul outside the city of Damascus while he was going to take the followers of Jesus Christ in Damascus as prisoners (Acts 9:1-2). Saul/Paul, a highly educated Israelite, a passionate Pharisee, a vibrant young man who would do anything for his people and for his God, the one who fearlessly persecuted the followers of Jesus Christ, did not know what to do at that moment. He was terrified, afraid, emptied, fallen down, blinded, he even need some urgent help to get up from where he fell down. With just one momentary appearance of Jesus to Saul/Paul, everything went upside down in Saul/Paul’s life. At the end of Jesus’ one-on-one (just Jesus and Paul alone) conversation with Paul in the middle of the heavenly bright light (Acts 9:3-5), his worldview changed, his perspective about God changed, his approach to the people changed, he began to view people and things with a different and meaningful approach. Ultimately, Jesus commissioned him for His ministry and communicated his ministry responsibilities through His servant Ananias (Acts 9:15-16)

• • Paul is His chosen instrument
  • Paul has to carry Jesus’ name …
    • before the Gentiles,
    • before their kings and
    • before the people of Israel
  • Paul must suffer for Jesus’ name

Soon Saul/Paul’s sight was restored, he was baptized, he was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he began to preach in the synagogues in Damascus that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 9:17-20). Later, Paul himself stated about Jesus’ command to him regarding his ministry responsibilities that he [Paul] will be His [Jesus’] witness to all people of what you have seen and heard, therefore, get up and be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His name (Acts 22:15-18):

• • Jesus appointed Paul to minister among the people Israel (Acts 22:17-18)
  • Jesus appointed Paul to minister among the non-Jews / Gentiles (Acts 22:21)
  • Jesus appointed Paul as a witness of what he has already seen of Him (Acts 22:15a)
  • Jesus appointed Paul as a witness of what Jesus will show and speak to him in the future (Acts 9:6, 16; 22:15b)

In a matter of time, Saul/Paul became a new person with a new beginning in his life. According to Acts 13:1ff, the Church at Antioch, by the command of the Holy Spirit, separated Barnabas and Paul for God’s purpose. They both and Mark (to help them) were sent to Cyprus and to various other places to preach the gospel of salvation. From Cyprus onwards Saul was also called as Paul (Acts 13:9). Since the moment he dedicated his life for ministry, he considered everyone equal before God. He testified that he preached the gospel of salvation to all people equally without any bias: First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds (Acts 26:20). Later, he stated that: In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26-28).

Until his encounter with the risen Lord, Paul believed that he, his people, his nation, his religious belief, his achievements, and everything that is related to him, his God, his people, and his nation are the only things which mattered to him and everything else is rubbish and meaningless. However, after he saw Jesus in his vision and his conversation with Him, and knowing Christ very personally, he said:

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me (Philippians 3:7-12)

Until the encounter with the risen Lord, Paul joined with the members of the Sanhedrin, other Jewish leaders, and the Jewish general public to persecute the followers of Jesus Christ but after knowing who Jesus was and is and will be, he was being persecuted more severely for the sake of his faith in Jesus Christ than most of us who read, study, and meditate on the Word of God or preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God, as he encouraged his readers, saying : In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12; also refer to Acts 14:22; ). Apostle Paul specifically stated some of the trials and troubles he went through during his life and ministry:

I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? (2 Corinthians 11:23-29)

Although, he went through a lots of trials, troubles, and struggles in his life for the sake of the gospel of Christ, he acknowledged Gos ’protection and provision in his life as well as in the life of everyone who was in the ministry. He stated that:

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you (2 Corinthians 4:8-12)

Apostle Paul’s spiritual conviction was beyond measure for he understood the depth of God’s love for him and everyone else who follows Him (Ephesians 3:17-19). Paul encouraged his readers saying:

31 … If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies …. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31-39)

In all the affirmative and opposing situations or agreeing and disagreeing situations that Apostle Paul went through, he could join prophet Habakkuk in glorifying God and serving Him wholeheartedly saying:

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

Let us closely look into the passage we chose for our meditation and understand about Paul’s personal spiritual growth in the Lord from the time of him opposing Christ (Acts 9:3-5) to the time he was testifying that he kept his faith in Christ Jesus until the end of his life (2 Timothy 4:6-8); and learn some of the spiritual lessons from Paul’s life that will help us grow spiritually to attain spiritual maturity in the Lord. Apostle Paul himself testified that:

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

Dear friends, as the faithful followers and devout disciples of Jesus Christ, it important for us to know from Paul’s life that (i) originally he was an enemy of Christ and His followers, but when Paul saw the risen Lord in a vision, he became a brother in Christ Jesus who in turn became a better brother than all of us (Acts 9:17), (ii) he was one of the most dangerous persecutors of the followers of Christ, but Christ’s visit to him humbled him and he was persecuted more than any of us (Acts 9:19-31; 2 Corinthians 4:8-12; 11:23-29), (iii) he was a sinner (he himself said that he was the worst sinner of all [1 Timothy 1:15]), but Christ’s visit made him to be a saint, perhaps one of the better saints than any of us (2 Timothy 4:6-8). Before the encounter with Jesus, Saul/Paul thought he is everything and he has everything for life but during the encounter with Jesus he realized that he lost everything he thought he had and he became like as worthless as a person who own nothing in his life because everything he thought he had could not save him at that particular time of need. Then, he had a new and humble beginning from the ground zero level with nothing of his own, yet with the help of Jesus, by then end of his life, we can say that he became one of the most successful ministers in Christian history. Apostle Paul had a humble beginning in the Lord but he had a rewarding ending as we read in the book of Job: Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be (Job 8:7). Let us pray to the Lord God who enabled a person like Saul/Paul to become one of the most successful ministers in Christian history to enable you and me to be successful in our Christian living as well as in the Christian ministry we are called to carry out.  May the Lord God Almighty bless us all! Amen!