Over the past few months we have been focused on making a case for Christ by looking at the evidence from the Gospels, the book of Acts and outside sources as well. Skeptics will try to discount the New Testament on various levels but run into a wall because the evidence is so strong for the reliability of these books. So the next tactic they will often take is to attack the authorship of the books, especially concerning the Apostle Paul.
In my view there is more than enough evidence for the traditional and historical authorships of the New Testament, with the exception of the book of Hebrews whose authorship Biblical scholars are willing to say is unknown. Having said that, there are many scholars, who study the person of Paul and his writings, that will attribute this book to him along with the other thirteen books, or letters, he wrote. So who is the Apostle Paul and why is he important in making a case for Christ?
An Apologetic for The Apostle Paul:
One of the greatest attestation for the truths of the New Testament and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the drastic change in people like Paul. Something happened that caused him to give up everything and follow Jesus. That something was a personal encounter with the risen Christ!
Paul was a Pharisee of the highest education who studied under one of the greatest Rabbis of the day – Gamliel. Paul was greatly esteemed by the people and highly regarded by his peers. He had everything to gain yet threw it all away to follow Jesus and teach the Gospel. He not only threw away power, fame and fortune, he endured beatings, stoning, imprisonment and eventually died a martyr’s death. No one would willingly do this for a known lie, the only legitimate answer is that what he died for was true!
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. Romans 1:1-6 (NIV)
The Apostle Paul:
- Paul, also called Saul, was a Pharisee from Tarsus and a Roman citizen by birth (Acts 9:11; Philippians 3:5).
- He was present and gave his approval at the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr (Acts 8:1).
- He persecuted the Christian Church as a Pharisee and hunted them down to arrest them (Acts 9:1-2; Galatians 1:13).
- He was called to be an Apostle to the Gentiles after his experience with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus chasing down Christians (Acts 9:4-9; 26:12-18).
- He spent time in Arabia and received his teachings directly from Jesus before beginning his ministry (Galatians 1:11-17).
- He was supported by the other Apostles of Jesus (Acts 15; Galatians 1:18).
- He became the first Jewish missionary for the Gospel to the Gentile world.
- He planted Churches along with his companions and associates Barnabus, Timothy, Silas, Apollos, John-Mark, and the husband-wife team of Priscilla and Aquila.
- Paul’s Epistles are letters to the Churches and individuals emphasizing the message of the Gospel, the importance of taking it to the whole world and defending the faith against false teaching.
- Physician and historian Luke, in Acts chapters 13-28, chronicles Paul’s missionary trips and sets the blueprint for the time and background for each Church and Epistle.
Skeptics will try to discount Paul’s work and his epistles. However, there is ample evidence for the validity and authenticity of his work and Apostleship:
- Paul’s Epistles teach the New Covenant of Jesus as the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant.
- None of Paul’s Epistles run counter to the teachings of Jesus or His other Apostles and disciples such as Peter, John, James, Jude and Luke; not one of them ever rebuked Paul for his letters or teachings.
- The Apostles in Jerusalem accepted Paul teachings along with those they sent out to work with him. (Acts 13-15).
- Both Peter and Luke specifically supported Paul’s teachings (Acts 9, 13-28; 2 Peter 3:15-16).
- Paul’s humility as a servant of Jesus is seen through his teachings and his encouragement to “check it out for themselves in the Scriptures” (Acts 14:15-20).
- Paul rebukes people for trying to worship him or hold him in high esteem, instead he encourages them to following only Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:11-17).
- His own group – the Pharisees, hated Paul and this is evidence that he was doing something in support of Jesus and “The Way” (the early name for the Christian Church).
- The earliest Church traditions, records and teachings support Paul’s authorship of the Epistles attributed to him; it has only been in recent times that skepticism has risen in the “secular Universities” and this can be attributed to an underlying agenda in academia.
Apostolic Age:
Paul’s Life and His Letters
| Timeline (circa) | Apostolic Events and Paul’s life | Epistles written (date) |
| AD 33 | Christ’s Ascension and Pentecost
(Acts 1-2) |
NA |
| AD 35 | Paul’s Conversion
(Acts 9) |
NA |
| AD 37-38 | Paul in Tarsus and Antioch (Acts 9-13) | NA |
| AD 48-49 | First Missionary Journey to Cypress and Galatia (Acts 13-14) | Galatians (49) |
| AD 49 | Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1-35) | NA |
| AD 50-52 | Second Missionary Journey to Macedonia, Philippi, Thessalonica, Athens, Ephesus and Corinth (Acts 15:36-18:22) | 1 Thessalonians (51)
2 Thessalonians (51-52) |
| AD 53-57 | Third Missionary Journey to Ephesus, Macedonia, Philippi, Troas, and Jerusalem.
(Acts 18:23-21:16) Paul’s capture & trail in Jerusalem (57) |
1 Corinthians (54-55)
2 Corinthians (56) Romans (57) |
| AD 57-59 | Paul’s Caesarean Imprisonment
(Acts 21:17-26:32) |
NA |
| AD 60-65 | Paul’s imprisonment in Rome begins
Paul wrote many of his teaching and instructional letters for the Churches at this time—the young Churches and leaders were beginning to feel the pressure of persecution and heresies |
Ephesians (61)
Philippians (61) Colossians (61) Philemon (61) 1 Timothy (64) Titus (65) |
| AD 65-66 | Church history has Paul being released and preaching freely | NA |
| AD 67-68 | Final Days: Paul’s second imprisonment and martyrdom | 2 Timothy (67) |
| AD 70 | Jerusalem and Temple destroyed by Rome. Israel does not return again as a nation until the 1940’s | NA |
Join us next week as we further explore “A Case for Christ and the New Testament” by focusing on the New Testament Epistles.
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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.
Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.
Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.
Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
1 Peter 3:15