Category:Paul Persecuting the Church (event)
Paul Persecuting the Church refers to an episode in the life of Paul of Tarsus and the early Church, as narrated in Acts of Apostles (8:1-3).
< Paul of Tarsus -- Stephen >
< Acts of Apostles -- Galatians -- 1 Corinthians >
Overview
Acts abruptly introduces Paul as an enemy of the Church, in sharp contrast with the example of the first martyr Stephen. Paul "approved" the killing of Stephen and harassed members of the early Jesus movement, serving "out of zeal" the Sadducean high priest. Paul in particular is described as a protagonist of the persecution against the church in Jerusalem that led the Hellenists to be "scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria." The brief narrative also includes a reference to the Burial of Stephen.
In several instances in his own letters Paul openly refers to his actions against the Church before his conversion.
Paul Persecuting the Church in ancient sources
Acts of Apostles
Acts 8:1-3 (NRSV) -- [1] And Saul approved of their killing him (i.e. Stephen). That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. [2] Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. [3] But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.
Cf. Acts 22:4 (NRSV) -- I persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison, 5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me...
Cf. Acts 26:9-11 (NRSV) -- [9] "Indeed, I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth. [10] And that is what I did in Jerusalem; with authority received from the chief priests, I not only locked up many of the saints in prison, but I also cast my vote against them when they were being condemned to death. [11] By punishing them often in all the synagogues I tried to force them to blaspheme; and since I was so furiously enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.
Letters of Paul
Cf. 1 Cor 15:9 (NRSV) -- I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called and apostle, because I persecuted the church of God
Cf. Galatians 1:13-14 (NRSV) -- [13] You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. 14 I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.
Eusebius
Historia ecclesiastica, book II 1,9 -- 9. During this time Paul was still persecuting the church, and entering the houses of believers was dragging men and women away and committing them to prison.
External links
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