St. Paul's Life and Ministry

St. Paul's Life and Ministry

• St. Paul wrote more than half of the books of the New Testament.
• He was a great philosopher who explained the doctrines of incarnation, redemption, etc.
• He was the first apostle to preach to the Gentiles, earning him the title "Apostle of the Gentiles."
• The Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him and called him to the faith.

St. Paul's Background

• St. Paul was born in Tarsus, Turkey, which was a center of Greek culture.
• He also had Roman nationality.
• He was Jewish from the tribe of Benjamin, from the Pharisees, with a Jewish name "Saul" meaning "prayed for" and a Greek name "Paul" meaning "small."
• He was the disciple of Gamaliel, the greatest Jewish teacher of that time, and learned the Jewish law from him.

St. Paul's Conversion

• St. Paul initially persecuted Christians, thinking it was pleasing to God.
• He consented to the death of St. Stephen by guarding the clothes of the witnesses.
• The Lord appeared to him on his way to Damascus, asking "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
• He was blind for three days, then St. Ananias the disciple prayed for Saul, and he received his sight and was baptized.

St. Paul's Ministry

• St. Paul started his service by spending 3 years in seclusion in the desert of Arabia.
• He then returned to Damascus and started preaching.
• He went on 4 missionary trips.
• He wrote 14 Epistles of the New Testament.

St. Paul's Imprisonment and Epistles

• St. Paul was seized and taken to be persecuted in front of Caesar in Rome.
• While a prisoner, he was permitted to dwell for two years in a house with the soldier who guarded him.
• He continued preaching during that time and wrote Epistles to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.

The Epistle to the Philippians

• The Epistle to the Philippians is full of happiness and joy, with the word "joy" or "happiness" repeated around 16 times.
• The city of Philippi is in Europe.
• St. Paul wrote the Epistle to the Philippians to:
  • Thank them for their care and gifts.
  • Let them know that he was well.
  • Encourage them to rejoice in all circumstances.
  • Send them Epaphroditus who was feeling much better.

This quiz tests your knowledge about the life and ministry of St. Paul, including his background, nationality, and significant events in his life. Learn more about the Apostle of the Gentiles!