A little while ago there was an episode of ‘Biography” on A&E that featured the lovable and cuddly Genghis Khan. Much of what I know about him I have gathered from a Star Trek episode called “The Savage Curtain” which featured him doing battle against Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock and Abraham Lincoln…i know, not one of the show’s finest hours.
What was interesting in the A&E episode I watched is that there was nothing from any personal writings or journals that that Genghis Khan had kept. We know virtually nothing about him from his own hand. All our knowledge of him comes from outside sources and there is no original source material. Historians are left to piece together who he was from what he did and what others said about him.
This is not the same with the apostle Paul. Much of what he we know about him came from his own hand. His letters are what give us the greatest insight into who he was, what he believed and what he did. Essentially, he gives us his own biography…and we need to pay attention to what he said about himself.
The end of the first chapter of Galatians continues to give us insight into the evolving character of Paul once he had his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus.
Galatians 1:18-24 continue his story…” Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)
21 Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23 But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God in me.”
When last we left Paul, he had gone into the region of Arabia for a total of three years to work on figuring out what had happened. How to reconcile what had happened when he encountered Jesus with his entire life before? He was not looking for confirmation from anyone but rather was seeking to know Jesus better during this time. He did not immediately touch base with those more advanced in faith that he to see what they thought about what happened.
After this three year period, Paul then ventured into Jerusalem and met with Peter for about two weeks. What those conversations must have been like! Paul asking all sorts of questions about what Jesus was really like. Peter asking about what happened during those three years in Arabia.
I do find it interesting that when Paul says he came to see Peter, the word ‘see’ is often associated with being a tourist. Paul had not been commanded to come to Jerusalem by anyone but rather he was there to see what was going on with Peter and the church. He was not looking for any sort of affirmation of what had happened and was not there for any sort of apostolic conference.
But here is the point that I find most fascinating…after this three years in Arabia and his 2 weeks of gospel tourism with Peter, Paul ventures forth to Syria and Cilicia and other regions to preach the gospel and probably to plant churches as well. He was still ministering somewhat independently of the other apostles.
The churches inn Judea…no doubt firmly rooted in Christ by this point had no doubt heard great and fearful things about Paul the great and fearful persecutor. They had never seen him face to face (maybe general descriptions of what he looked like had circulated) but mainly they knew him by his reputation…that he would do any and all things to stamp out the church.
But at some point they begin hearing different things about this monster Paul. The one who had gone to such great lengths to destroy the church was now fervently teaching and preaching that which he had been so fervently against.
John Le Carre the great spy novelist would refer to Paul as a mole.
Perhaps some thought he was. No one could change his mind so quickly and clearly if he wasn’t up to something. How hard would it have been for some of them to trust Paul based on everything that had heard about him?
But trust they did. His word and actions must have convinced them (probably with some prodding from The Holy Spirit as well) that he was a genuine believer.
The result? They gave God glory for what He had done, not only in their own lives, but also in the life of Paul…to take someone who was so hateful against the things of God and completely turn him around. That can’t be done by man but only by God. And therefore He is the One who received all the glory and honor for what had happened in Paul’s life.
A great sinner, one of the greatest (Paul would say that he was indeed the greatest sinner) had been shown who Jesus truly was. The same is true for us on our pilgrimages with Christ. He had revealed His Son in us…we change, we follow, and we give glory to God.
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