My heavenly patron: St. Paul of Thebes. Life of a Saint. Paul the Apostle life
Ap. Pavel, one of the greatest teachers of the Christian faith, who turned to Christ after other apostles hundred, was by origin a Jew from the colony of Ve-ni-a-mi-no-va (), and since he himself calls fa-ri-se-em (), then it follows that his family belongs to the strict faith of couples -tii fa-ri-se-ev. His Jewish name was Saul or Pa-vel, according to the el-li-ni-sti-che-skaya or la-ti-ni-zi-ro-van-noy form. Accurate data on the time of birth. Paul is not there. However, this time is near, but it determines the murder of the ar-hi-di-a-ko-on Ste-fa-na and after -before-your-neck, directly behind him, the persecution of Christianity in Jeru-sa-li-me: much-needed death ar-hi-di -a-ko-na Ste-fa-na after-be-va-la, in all likelihood, in 36 A.D. Sav-lu at the moment the murder of ar-hi-di-a-ko-na Ste-fa-na was 32-33 years old, and from now on the birth of the ap. Pav-la - approximately 3-4th year according to R. X. .
Ro-di-noy up. Paul was Tarsus, the main city of Ki-li-kia in Asia Minor, a large and trade center of the Asian provinces, one of the famous less places in the Greek region.
By inheritance from ro-di-te-ley ap. Pavel received the rank of Roman citizen (). Even as a young man, he was born from Saul's great-grandfather to Jerusalem to gain education. According to Jewish custom, school education for a boy is usually about three-to-ten -years old. It is reasonable to think that, following tradition, Saul at this age began his education in Jerusalem. Saul studied in the Jerusalem rabbinical academy, headed by the grandson of a famous rabbi -on Gil-le-la the even more well-known rabbi Ga-ma-li-il. He was close to the fa-ri-se-ev party, but kept himself free from too much one-sidedness, ego- and-sti-che-sko-go and the-ce-mer-no-go on-the-right-ness of this party. He was a free-thinking person, in-te-re-so-val-xia of the Greek li-te-ra-tu-roy, was through- you are ras-su-di-tel-nym and condescending in your judgments against those who are false to me -yam. Before this happens, his judgment in the si-ned-ri-on about the birth of Christ -an-stve. He was held in great esteem by his people. In the tal-mu-de he calls it “glory for-the-co-on.” Young Saul taught this great man for a number of years.
The presence of the future apo-sto-la in the Jerusalem aka-de-mia was of great significance for him, as in his mind both in moral and moral terms. At school they studied the law and pro-ro-ki very well; ka-ti-hi-zi-che-skaya form of education (in-pro-sy and from-ve-you) in rab-vi-ni-sti-che-chesh schools yes-la he had great art of using the Old Testament and gave him that sharp dialogue, which later having rendered him a great service for the development of the maintenance of Christian teaching. The scientific ob-ra-zo-va-n-i-m would-have-been-the-same-but-os-but-va-nie of that amazing-vi-tel-no-red-no-speech , which we see in later speeches and in the later times of the Ap. Pav-la.
Having exceptional abilities, a sharp and lively mind in conjunction with a strong will, the young Saul -shen-stve mastered the rab-vi-sti-che-wisdom. He himself subsequently said that Rabbi Ga-ma-li-i-la was carefully instructed in his father’s law.
The presence of the youth Saul in the rab-vi-ni-sti-che-skaya aka-de-mia of Ga-ma-li-i-la and in moral from-no-she-nii.
The impact of the school on the moral character of the young man Saul affected his own side. Later, he himself said that he tried to lead a life without reproach and rose in the legal righteousness of all of his peers, according to “the truth was that he was incompetent.”
The school, for mental and moral development, taught the young Saul and work. The Jews had the custom of combining the study of some kind of craft with their education; a custom that was based not only on the fact that the student would subsequently have the means to external life, but also is that labor fills one's time, affects one's life, and keeps one away from everything bad. She-go and stupid-no-go. The craft is a so-sto-i-lo in de-la-nii from coarse wool howl-lo-ka pa-la-tok. Subsequently, during his apostle service, Pavel restrained himself from engaging in this craft.
When ha-rak-te-ri-sti-ke ob-ra-zo-va-niya ap. Pav-la raises a question: did the Apo-table receive the Greek class of education? We can give a very definite answer to this. Firstly, you teach a sharp re-relationship between the Jews in general and the Greek philosophy to a large society, as evidenced by modern apostolic Jewish sources (Joseph Flavius) and Greek-Roman (Ta-cit, Stra-bon) and especially-ben-but-part-tiya fa-ri-se-ev-rev-ni-te-ley strictly Jewish about -light, we can say that ap. Pa-led si-ste-ma-ti-che-go school-but-go-go-go-ra-zo-va-niya didn’t drink. Secondly, the language is in the slalom ap. Pav-la is not, in its own sense, pure Greek, a school language, but a pro-vin-tsi-al language. On the other hand, the apo-sto-la’s method of extracting thoughts is not the method of school Greek ri-to-ri-ki, but close to the rabbi, not in content, but in form.
Based on the data indicated, we can safely conclude that ap. Pa-vel did not have a Greek system. However, this does not mean that ap. Pa-vel was not familiar with the class-si-che-skaya li-te-ra-tu-roy and philo-so-fi-ey; was an acquaintance and quite good. In favor of this they say not only his quotes from pagan and, moreover, few well-known poets, but namely from Ara -ta, ki-li-ki-tsa, next-va-tel-but, co-father-che-stven-ni-ka ap. Pav-la, and the Athenian poet Kle-an-fa (), from the Athenian ko-mi-ka po-eta Me-na-d-ra () and from Epi-me- no, not a critical poet (), but even more so are his deep thoughts about the existence and development of the pagan re-li- gy and philosophy ().
Saul, before his appearance in Jeru-sa-li-me, was in constant connection with Aka-de-mi-ey Ga- ma-li-i-la and Ieru-sa-li-mom. The ap himself speaks about this. Paul. “My life from my youth, which I sleep-cha-la spent among the na-ro-da of my-e-e-e-e-e-in Ieru-sa-li-me, I know -all Jews; they have known about me for a long time.” Moreover, the apostle in Ieru-sa-li-me has a married sister and a nephew.
From the aka-de-mia of Ga-ma-li-i-la, Saul came out with a fiery roar of his father’s traditions (), i.e., Judaism, in my opinion, as a fa-ri-se-stvo, it was an unshakable truth for him, for which he was ready to live your soul.
When Saul became familiar with Christianity and saw Christ the Savior in the flesh, it is only possible to bastards.
Let's start with the second question.
Tarsus is about 600 kilometers from Ieru-sa-li-ma. After finishing school, Saul, of course, spent most of his time in Tarsus, but on the major holidays - Passover and Pya-ti-de-syat-ni-tsu, ver-ro-yat-but, was in Ieru-sa-li-me. This is how most of the Jewish races did. The Lord Jesus Christ also came to Jerusalem for these holidays from Galilee. On the last Easter, having finished praising Christ the Savior, all
Yeru-sa-lim was in a state of excitement and especially-ben-but-si-ned-ri-on. If Saul was in Jerusalem at that time, he could not help but see the Lord. One-on-one, neither De-e-pi-sa-tel Lu-ka, nor the ap himself. Pavel in his words does not give any indication that Saul saw the Lord in the flesh. Nothing prevents us from making the same pre-position: due to certain circumstances, Passover will end shu-yu-sya crucified the Lord, Saul spent his time in Tarsus.
When Saul became familiar with Christianity, there are also no definite indications. We see Saul present at the be-e-niy stone-nya-mi ar-hi-di-a-ko-na Ste-fa-na and precisely the guard -I wear the clothes of the killers, which happened, most likely, in 36 AD. One has to think that Saul already knew a lot earlier and studied Christianity and, naturally, as a “fa-ri-sei” he became an op-po-possible the position of the new teaching, which, in his opinion, is Judaism.
Apparently, participation in the bloody race over Ar-hi-di-a-ko-n Stephan was not the first de- the breakdown of Saul's jealousy for his faith and hostility towards Christianity. With his zeal in the pursuit of Christianity, Saul stood out from among the others. Si-ned-ri-on, who has fulfilled the functions of not only the highest re-li-gi-oz-institution among the Jews, but also the admi-ni-strat-tiv-no-go, and the su-deb-no-go, for Saul’s jealousy, he authorized him to conduct a search and on the pre-following chri-sti-an. In his new position, Saul sounded like he was roaring in an unusual way: “Have you heard,” he writes -consequence to the Galat-Christians, - about my former way of life in Judaism, that I persecuted the Church so hard God and abandoned her, and succeeded in Judaism more than many of my peers in my family, being immoderately jealous. none of my father’s precepts” ().
All this suggests that Saul saw in Christianity only one danger to Judaism and for this reason, naturally, became and took up arms against him. De-e-pi-sa-tel Lu-ka about this time of life apo-sto-la notes that Saul “terrified the Church, entering the houses and, dragging men and women, from the same place."
Saul considered the demand for Christianity to be a duty of conscience and, moreover, a deed pleasing to God.
According to his own ini-tsi-a-ti-ve, he is from the first-priest, before-se-da-te-la si- ned-ri-o-na (having chief supervision over all si-na-go-ga-mi, both in Judea and outside it, and the right to na-la- to take corrective measures and to na-ru-shi-te-lei for-ko-na), full-power to arrest all the people sti-an.
Saul left his choice on the ancient Syrian city of Da-mas-ke, 300 from Jeru-sa-li-ma. kilo-meters. After the death of Christians, after the murder of Ar-hi-di-a-ko-na Ste-fa-na, jeru-sa The Lima Christians scattered across different cities. Yes, Mask was densely populated by Judas, and, therefore, you could expect to find a lot there Christian.
On the way to Da-mask, that extraordinary thing happened, the blessing of God, as a result of something that breathed wrath. vom Saul, Christ's lord, turned into His zealous servant, the most the proud fa-ri-say became a humble chris-ti-a-nin, the Jew Saul was reduced to dust, but the apostle Pavel rose up. De-e-pi-sa-tel Lu-ka knows that when Saul and his companions approached Da-mas Just as the goal of his journey was close, suddenly a light from heaven shone upon Saul. “He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? - He said: Who are you, Lord? The Lord said: I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. It’s hard for you to go against the face.” The sudden and too bright light had such an effect on Saul’s vision that he stopped seeing and the people who were with him should have -would you lead him by the hand? For three days Saul did not see, eat or drink. These three days were a painful birth for Saul, a time of transition from death to a new life; and the more decisive and energetic his character was, the more with great pains he was born. tion of Saul. One good Christian man, named Ananias, gave birth to Saul through holy baptism and gave him the spirit khov-noe and te-forest health.
According to probable calculations, Saul's conversion falls on 36 AD.
The conversion of Saul is one of the extraordinary events of the apostolic Church: it gave the Christian world a whether you teach and use the Evangelical teaching; on the other hand, - an unusually-ve-no-go or-ga-ni-for-the-ra and arranging of the church's life: all that -the current language of the Gre-co-Roman world is obliged to the apo-sto-lu of the holy light of Christ.
Turning directly to the personality of the apostle himself, we must recognize the sudden reversal ap. Pav-la is the most ve-li-chay-shim and most complex psycho-ho-lo-gi-che-skim act.
Despite the different use of outside-the-zap-ra-sche-niya ap. Pav-la, all of them can be reduced to two main ones: for some of them, Pav-la’s attitude is natural, psycho-ho-lo-gi-che -skoe phenomenon, for others - a miraculous phenomenon.
The first line of thought boils down to the fact that ap. Pa-vel was vi-zi-o-ner. Paul’s conversion appears “externally from his spiritual de-facto-ness.” Pavel is the mortal enemy of Christianity and wants to wipe it off the face of the earth. The man is deeply re-li-gi-ozy and at the same time direct and sincere, he cannot reconcile with the growth of -ro-div-she-go-xia of Christianity. For Paul, as a right-faithful Jew, this is equally from his nation, his faith and -du-shchih his cha-i-niy. However, following the Christians, Pavel could not help but pay attention to the purity of their lives, their greatness spirit, steadfastness in faith, devotion to the Fifth Christ. A spark of opinion crept into Pav-shu's soul in the rightness of his own thoughts. Is not Jesus, whom I persecute, the real Messiah? This is the question that began to torment Paul. Pa felt that he was going to hell. After the thunder of Jerusalem, Pa led the way to Da-mask. During the journey across the sultry desert, his strength begins to weaken, his soul is in turmoil: images for -much-chen-nykh to them Christian-sti-an, on-by-the-stone-nya-mi Ste-fa-on tormented him. What's in Da-mask? New scenes of wild races. Ra-di what? Pa-vel didn’t feel like it. The torment of the soul must have found a way out. The split-e-personality has begun. Ob-e-k-ti-vi-ruing his spiritual mood, Pa-vel, like a vi-zi-o-ner, revealed it in a sudden vi-de- Institute of Ras-fifth. Christ and we know that we are with Him. In this way, Paul’s vision of Christ appeared as a simple result of the layering of the living is-t about the status and properties of Paul’s spiritual personality.
Renan simplifies Paul's sudden transformation, explaining it as a purely random circumstance. As Pav-la approached Da-mas-ku, a storm broke out in the Li-va-na mountains. A thunderclap, a flash of lightning, blinding Paul, threw him to the ground. Pav, besides that, probably had Pav's nervous condition. la. Pavel took the natural phenomenon as a revelation. It seemed to him that he was seeing and being with Christ, while it was nothing more or less than a subject tive state of the apo-sto-la. Is it possible with such an explanation of the out-of-the-sudden turn of the ap. Pav-la so-gla-sya? Na-ta-nu-tosti, about-ti-vo-re-chie-is-the-rich-che-fak-tam, na-industrial “psych-ho-logism” - that’s what before -all these theories come together, co-knowingly, but not wiping out the fingers of God in the matter of suddenly -ra-sche-niya ap. Pav-la. These theories are pro-ti-vo-re-chat, first of all, given to the world. The theories of the sudden revolution of Pav-la are considered to be a simple gal-lu-tsi-on-tsi-ey, moreover, a mass howl, since gal -lu-tsi-na-tions were verified and companions of Pavel. This is not how the co-existence is depicted in the historical memorials, which are essentially that-ri-che-kri-ti-ki must have the rightful meaning in re-solving the question about the reversal of the apo-sto-la . Three times about the conversion of Paul he speaks in the book of Acts - and in all these three places we find an indication , that the description of my co-existence was felt in a visible way, it was accessible to perception -I-tie external feelings.
Vi-zi-o-ner-stvo, or gal-lu-tsi-na-tion, as a false visual sensation of the birth of soulful races -structure, more-le-new brain. Let's face it, this is what the ap suffered from. Pavel, what does his companions have to do with the unusual phenomenon on the blue? We cannot allow the mass gal-lu-tsi-na-tion, i.e. ap. Pav-la and his companions, since the mass gal-lu-tsi-na-tions always have a corresponding preparedness ku, something was not there when we saw it on the way to Da-mask, since it was “suddenly” (), at mid-day time me, that is, when the sky was, as it would have been in the east, completely clear. What about the psycho-ho-lo-gi-che-explanation of the phenomenon, this “psych-ho-logism” from the beginning -la to the end na-du-man-ny. The idea that Saul, before going to Da-mask, began to waver in his allegiance to Judaism, dis- and-to-be in the tough-nesses that are associated with Christ-a-us, he began to have a “divided” personality , for-finished-she-e-sya “ob-ek-ti-vi-ro-va-ni-em” of “sub-ek-tiv-nyh” of his conditions - there are, failures -a pre-position, standing in complete agreement with the story. Is-to-Riya says this: “breathe threat and murder against the teachings of the State” (), “in excessive “they are furious” () - this is the disposition of the spirit in which Saul went to Da-mask. Are there any signs of a person here who needs to come to the right place? From the question of Saul, made to Christ the Savior: “Who are you, Lord?” - but one thing is certain: Saul did not think at all, as he expected, about Jesus Christ. So, the psychological explanation cannot stand the cries.
What's the explanation for Re-na-nom's sudden re-appearance? Pav-la is under the influence of a raging thunderstorm, then he must be recognized as not serious. From what sources did Renan draw that when Pavel and his companions approached Da-mask, a boom broke out? rya? By what means does this imply to us that an educated Jew, like Saul, took thunderous races for the voice of Christ the Spa-si-te-la to him? All this is the fruit of the do-su-zhey, devoid of all the os-no-va-niya, fan-ta-zia of the ro-ma-ni-sta of Re-na-na.
According to app. Pa-vel soon left Da-mas-ka for Ara-via, i.e., in the neighboring kingdom of Da-mas-ka-ara -bov. How long has the ap been there? Pa-vel in Arabia, it is not known exactly, but, apparently, about three years. The purpose of this departure to Arabia was not to preach about Christ, since neither the Apostle himself nor De -e-pi-sa-tel Lu-ka don’t say anything. The purpose of this journey to Arabia was different - to prepare oneself for the good-west-anything through for-mi-ro-va-nie of the new Christian-sti-an-sko-th world-view. The shaking that occurred with the apostle was extremely strong; he would need a calm environment, so that he could cope with the environment within himself -mom, in order to re-re-work the above-mentioned revelation. The appearance on the way to Da-mask gave a new direction to his entire inner life, alien to his previous views and perez-de-ni-yam. In such a situation, the natural way out is to move away from noisy life and find peace in the environment. In the is-key-tel-no-ob-sta-nov-ke pro-is-ho-di-lo for-mi-ro-va-nie no-in-go chri-sti-an-sko-go mi -ro-so-zer-tsa-niya apo-sto-la. There haven’t been any letters yet; the essence is only oral tradition, the storage of which apo-tables were - the-mo-vid- cy Gos-yes. But since ap. Pa-vel was recently the go-ni-te-lem of Christ and the mu-chi-te-lem of Christ-sti-an, then the path to the teaching is-ti-us of faith from the apostle The catch was still out of order, and the external environment was against it. There was only one way left - self-deepening and revelation from above. This is how the apostle received the teaching about the is-ti-nah and mysteries of Christianity. “The Evan-ge-lie, which I b-west-vo-val,” said the apostle, “is not a human being, for I too am “I received it and learned it not from a man, but through the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
From Arabia ap. Pavel again returned to Da-mask, but, in view of his bold appearance here with the teaching about Jesus Christ, he He aroused the hatred of the Jews towards himself and they decided to beat him. They rose up against him in place of Arefa, the king of Aravi, who placed guards at the the mouth of the city with the aim of grabbing the app. Pav-la. Friends are up. Pav-la, one-on-one, saved him by letting him down in a basket from the window of one of the houses, when we arrived in the city wall, and, in this way, he escaped from the evil-minded Jews.
From Da-mas-ka up. Pa-vel for the first time, according to his customs, went to Jerusalem, with the goal of seeing each other, as he says himself, with app. Pet-rom.
Ap. Pavel, having come to Jerusalem, met with natural disbelief: everyone was afraid of him, not believing that he was the -now a student of the Lord. Above-le-sting-lo-present in-ru-chi-te-lya in the sincerity of their actions and intentions. Ta-ko-go-ru-chi-te-la up. Pa-vel found in the face of the ap. Var-na-you, with whom, most likely, he was acquainted before. Ap. Var-na-va pol-zo-val-sya respect-same-ni-em among the Jerusalem Christians. He introduced Paul to the apostles, spoke in detail about his miraculous conversion, about his zealous -ve-da-nii of Christ in Da-mask. In the past, the end was over, and ap. Pa-vel entered into communication with apo-sto-la-mi.
In Ieru-sa-li-me ap. Pa-vel stayed only fifteen days, from the apostles, except for Peter and Ia-ko-va, the brother of the Lord, no one didn't see. Since the presence of Christ in Jerusalem not long ago, and now His zeal for following -it was not without danger for life apo-sto-la, why were there up-to-a-hundred-precise bases, then he ve- ru-yu-schi-mi was pre-led to Ke-sa-ria, and then to his hometown of Tarsus and there he waited further along -ve-le-nyiy Gos-po-yes.
Meanwhile, the Christians, who raced after the go-non-niya on ar-hi-di-a-ko-na Ste-fa-na, brought the words in the Evangelical pro-po-ve-di to the island of Cyprus, to Phenicia and Antio-chia of Syria. Later, the word of God gave especially abundant shoots. Having heard about this, the Jerusalem Christians decided to send them to Antio-chia to strengthen the faith of Antio-chia -tsev ap. War-na-woo. Var-na-va attracted to the pro-ve-no-che-skaya de-ya-tel-no-sti up. Paul, for what special purpose, went to see him in Tarsus (Tars from An-tio-chia is located at a distance of about 150 km -scrap.) .
For a whole year, the apostles Pavel and Var-na-va worked on the organization of the An-Tio-Khi-Church, and their labors were not Is it wrong: the Church in Antio-chia has grown smart through you. In this first inter-language Christian community, ap. Pavel found a place for his activity, which he has now shown on a wide scale.
From Antio-hii ap. Pavel completed his second journey to Jerusalem. Leading up to this event, there was a famine, predicted in Antiochia by the prophet Agha. Ap. Pa-vel and Var-na-va were sent to Jerusalem with mercy for the poor Christians. This event took place in the year of the death of Herod Agrippa and, according to Josephus Flavius, it must have been from by the year 44 A.D. After a short stay in Jerusalem, Pavel and Var-na-va returned again - went to An-tio-khia and took with them the ple-my-ni-ka Var-na-vy Ioan-na Mark-ka
Priest N. Nikolsky, associate professor Moscow Spiritual Academy
Journal of the Moscow Patriarchy
No. 8 August-August, 1950
About the wonderful knowledge of St. Pi-sa-niya ap. Paul speaks of the fact that subsequently, in his words, the Apostle brings quotes from the Holy Scriptures. Writing from memory and often in one short ci-ta-te unites what is contained in different personalities - places, for example, ; and a number of others.
During the formation and spread of Christianity, many significant historical figures appeared who made a great contribution to the common cause. Among them we can single out the Apostle Paul, to whom many religious scholars have different attitudes.
Who is the Apostle Paul, what is he famous for?
One of the most outstanding preachers of Christianity was the Apostle Paul. He took part in writing the New Testament. For many years, the name of the Apostle Paul was a kind of banner in the struggle against paganism. Historians believe that his influence on Christian theology was most effective. The Holy Apostle Paul achieved great success in his missionary work. His Epistles became the basis for the writing of the New Testament. It is believed that Paul wrote approximately 14 books.
Where was the apostle Paul born?
According to existing sources, the saint was born in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) in the city of Tarsus in the 1st century AD. in a wealthy family. At birth, the future apostle received the name Saul. The Apostle Paul, whose biography has been carefully studied by researchers, was a Pharisee, and he was raised in the strict canons of the Jewish faith. The parents believed that their son would become a theologian teacher, so he was sent to Jerusalem to study.
It is important to note that the Apostle Paul had Roman citizenship, which gave a number of privileges, for example, a person could not be shackled until the court found him guilty. A Roman citizen was freed from various physical punishments, which were shameful, and from degrading capital punishment, such as crucifixion. Roman citizenship was also taken into account during the execution of the Apostle Paul.
Apostle Paul - life
It has already been said that Saul was born into a wealthy family, thanks to which his father and mother were able to give him a good education. The guy knew the Torah and knew how to interpret it. According to existing data, he was part of the local Sanhedrin - the highest religious institution that could conduct trials of people. At this point, Saul first encountered Christians, who were the ideological enemies of the Pharisees. The future apostle admitted that many believers, on his orders, ended up in prison and were killed. One of the most famous executions involving Saul was the stoning of St. Stephen.
Many people are interested in how Paul became an apostle, and there is a story connected with this reincarnation. Saul went to Damascus with the imprisoned Christians to receive punishment. On the way, he heard a voice that came from heaven, and addressed him by name and asked why he was persecuting him. According to legend, it was Jesus Christ who addressed Saul. After this, the man became blind for three days, and the Damascus Christian Ananias helped him regain his sight. This made Saul believe in the Lord and become a preacher.
The Apostle Paul, as an example of a missionary, is known for his dispute with one of the main helpers of Christ - the Apostle Peter, whom he accused of preaching insincerely, trying to arouse sympathy among the pagans and not incur the condemnation of his fellow believers. Many religious scholars claim that Paul considered himself more experienced due to the fact that he was well versed in the Torah and his sermons sounded more convincing. For this he was nicknamed “the apostle of the pagans.” It is worth noting that Peter did not argue with Paul and admitted that he was right, especially since he was familiar with the concept of hypocrisy.
How did the Apostle Paul die?
In those days, the pagans persecuted Christians, and especially preachers of the faith, and dealt with them cruelly. Through his activities, the Apostle Paul made a huge number of enemies among the Jews. He was first arrested and sent to Rome, but was released there. The story of how the Apostle Paul was executed begins with the fact that he converted two concubines of Emperor Nero to Christianity, who refused to engage in carnal pleasures with him. The ruler got angry and ordered the arrest of the apostle. By order of the emperor, Paul's head was cut off.
Where is the Apostle Paul buried?
On the site where the saint was executed and buried, a temple was built, which was called San Paolo Fuori le Mura. It is considered one of the most majestic church basilicas. On the feast day of Paul in 2009, the Pope announced that a scientific study had been carried out on the sarcophagus, which was located under the altar of the temple. Experiments have proven that the biblical Apostle Paul was buried in it. The Pope said that when all the research is completed, the sarcophagus will be available for worship by believers.
Apostle Paul - prayer
For his deeds, the saint, during his lifetime, received a gift from the Lord, giving him the opportunity to heal sick people. After his death, his prayer began to help, which, according to testimonies, has already healed a huge number of people from various diseases and even fatal ones. The Apostle Paul is mentioned in the Bible and his enormous power can strengthen a person’s faith and guide him on the righteous path. Sincere prayer will help protect yourself from demonic temptations. The clergy believe that any petition that comes from a pure heart will be heard by the saint.
Saint Paul, originally bearing the Hebrew name Saul, belonged to the tribe of Benjamin and was born in the Cilician city of Tarsus (in Asia Minor), which was then famous for its Greek academy and the education of its inhabitants. As a native of this city, descended from Jews, who came out of slavery to Roman citizens, Paul had the rights of a Roman citizen. In Tarsus, Paul received his first education and probably became acquainted with pagan culture there, for traces of acquaintance with pagan writers are clearly visible in his speeches and letters.
He received his subsequent education in Jerusalem, at the then famous rabbinical academy from the famous teacher Gamaliel, who was considered an expert in the Law and, despite belonging to the Pharisees, was a free-thinker and lover of Greek wisdom. Here, according to the custom among the Jews, young Saul learned the art of making tents, which later helped him earn money to live by his own labor.
Young Saul, apparently, was preparing for the position of rabbi (religious mentor), and therefore, immediately after completing his upbringing and education, he showed himself to be a strong zealot for the Pharisaic traditions and persecutors of the faith of Christ. Perhaps by appointment of the Sanhedrin, he witnessed the death of the first martyr Stephen, and then received the power to officially persecute Christians even outside Palestine in Damascus.
The Lord, who saw in him “a chosen vessel for Himself,” miraculously called him to apostolic service on the way to Damascus. While traveling, Saul was struck by a bright light that caused him to fall blind to the ground. A voice came from the light: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” To Saul’s question: “Who are you?” - The Lord answered: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” The Lord commanded Saul to go to Damascus, where he would be told what to do next. Saul's companions heard the voice of Christ, but did not see the light. Brought by the hand to Damascus, the blind Saul was taught faith and on the third day baptized by Ananias. At the moment of immersion in the water, Saul received his sight. From that time on, he became a zealous preacher of the previously persecuted teaching. He went to Arabia for a while, and then returned to Damascus again to preach about Christ.
The rage of the Jews, outraged by his conversion to Christ, forced him to flee to Jerusalem, where he joined the community of believers and met the apostles. Due to an attempt by the Hellenists to kill him, he went to his hometown of Tarsus. From here, around the year 43, he was called by Barnabas to Antioch to preach, and then traveled with him to Jerusalem, where he brought help to those in need.
Soon after returning from Jerusalem - at the command of the Holy Spirit - Saul, together with Barnabas, set off on his first apostolic journey, which lasted from 45 to 51 years. The apostles traversed the entire island of Cyprus, and from that time on, Saul, who converted the proconsul Sergius Paulus to the faith, was already called Paul. During this time of the missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas, Christian communities were founded in the cities of Asia Minor: Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. In the year 51, Saint Paul took part in the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem, where he ardently rebelled against the need for pagans who became Christians to observe the rites of the Mosaic Law.
Returning to Antioch, the Apostle Paul, accompanied by Silas, undertook his second apostolic journey. He first visited the churches he had previously founded in Asia Minor, and then moved to Macedonia, where he founded communities in Philippi, Thessaloniki and Beria. In Lystra, Saint Paul acquired his beloved disciple Timothy, and from Troas he continued his journey with the Evangelist Luke, who joined them. From Macedonia, Saint Paul moved to Greece, where he preached in Athens and Corinth, staying in the latter for a year and a half. From here he sent two messages to Thessalonians. The second journey lasted from 51 to 54. Then Saint Paul went to Jerusalem, visiting Ephesus and Caesarea along the way, and from Jerusalem he arrived in Antioch.
After a short stay in Antioch, the Apostle Paul undertook his third apostolic journey (56-58), visiting first, according to his custom, the previously founded churches of Asia Minor, and then stopped in Ephesus, where for two years he preached daily at the school of Tyrannus. From here he wrote his letter to the Galatians (regarding the strengthening of the Judaizing party there) and his first letter to the Corinthians (regarding the unrest that arose there and in response to the Corinthians' letter to him). The popular uprising raised by the silversmith Demetrius against Paul forced the apostle to leave Ephesus, and he went to Macedonia and then to Jerusalem.
In Jerusalem, due to a popular revolt against him, the Apostle Paul was taken into custody by the Roman authorities and found himself in captivity, first under the proconsul Felix, and then under the proconsul Festus, who replaced him. This happened in 59, and two years later the Apostle Paul, as a Roman citizen, at his request, was sent to Rome to be judged by Caesar. Having been shipwrecked near Fr. Malta, the apostle only reached Rome in the summer of 62, where he enjoyed great leniency from the Roman authorities and preached freely. From Rome, the Apostle Paul wrote his letters to the Philippians (with gratitude for the monetary allowance sent to him with Epaphroditus), to the Colossians, to the Ephesians and to Philemon, a resident of Colossae (regarding the slave Onesimus who fled from him). All three of these messages were written in 63 and sent with Tychicus. A letter to the Palestinian Jews was soon written from Rome.
The further fate of the Apostle Paul is not exactly known. Some believe that he remained in Rome and, by order of Nero, was martyred in 64. But there is reason to believe that after two years of imprisonment and defending his case before the Senate and the Emperor, the Apostle Paul was released and again traveled to the East. Indications of this can be found in his “pastoral letters” - to Timothy and Titus. Having spent a long time on the island of Crete, he left his disciple Titus there to ordain elders in all cities, which testifies to his ordination of Titus as bishop of the Cretan Church. Later in his letter to Titus, the Apostle Paul instructs him on how to carry out the duties of a bishop. From the same message it is clear that he intended to spend that winter in Nikopol, near his native Tarsus.
In the spring of 65, he visited the rest of the churches of Asia Minor and left the sick Trophimus in Miletus, because of whom there was an indignation against the apostle in Jerusalem, which led to his first imprisonment. It is unknown whether the Apostle Paul passed through Ephesus, since he said that the elders of Ephesus would no longer see his face, but he apparently at that time ordained Timothy as a bishop for Ephesus. Then the apostle passed through Troas and reached Macedonia. There he heard about the rise of false teachings in Ephesus and wrote his first letter to Timothy. After spending some time in Corinth and meeting the Apostle Peter on the way, Paul continued with him through Dalmatia and Italy, reached Rome, where he left the Apostle Peter, and in 66 he himself went further to the west, probably reaching Spain.
After returning to Rome, he was again imprisoned, where he remained until his death. There is a legend that after returning to Rome, he even preached at the court of Emperor Nero and converted his beloved concubine to faith in Christ. For this he was put on trial, and although by the grace of God he was delivered, in his own words, from the jaws of lions, that is, from being eaten by animals in the circus, he was nevertheless imprisoned.
After a nine-month imprisonment, he was beheaded by the sword, as a Roman citizen, near Rome in 67 after R. X., in the 12th year of the reign of Nero.
The Apostle Paul wrote 14 epistles, representing a systematization of Christian teaching. These messages, thanks to his wide education and insight, are distinguished by great originality.
The Apostle Paul, like the Apostle Peter, worked hard in spreading the faith of Christ and is rightly revered along with him as a “pillar” of the Church of Christ and the supreme apostle. They both died as martyrs in Rome under Emperor Nero, and their memory is celebrated on the same day.
Paul, let’s dive into the life of this great saint. The Apostle Paul is one of the largest figures in world history and one of the main leaders of ancient Christians, he is also one of the authors of the books of Holy Scripture. Who he was and when Paul’s name day is celebrated according to the church calendar, let’s try to figure it out in more detail.
Adolf Hitler hated his name because he considered him responsible for the destruction of the Roman Empire. Famous scientists Nikolai Glubokovsky and Alfred Harnack pointed out that it was only thanks to his strong will that the Apostle Paul brought Christianity to the entire world. The physician and philosopher said that it was Saint Paul who developed the spirit that Jesus Christ laid down in the Gospel. And this is the honest truth.
life story
In Latin his name sounds like Paulus, in Hebrew - Shaul (Saul). He was born in the first century AD in (modern Turkey) in the city of Tarsus, where the influences of East and West intersected. Like his father, he was a true Pharisee and a Roman subject, brought up in the strict canons of the Jewish faith and trained in the craft of sewing tents. His family believed that he would become a theologian teacher, so they sent him to study in Jerusalem with the famous Rabbi Gamaliel. It should be noted right away that these were pious guardians of the ancient traditions of the Old Testament.
So, before we get down to the topic of “Paul: name day, angel’s day,” a little more very interesting and educational information about the life of this great saint.
Saint Stephen
So this same Gamaliel seriously warned the Sanhedrin that they should not dare to persecute the disciples of Christ. Among all the disciples, according to Paul himself, he was the most zealous for God's law, although at first, as a very young man, he witnessed the execution of the first Christian martyr, Saint Stephen. When they stoned him, Saul guarded the executioners' clothes. Then something stirred in his heart, because he saw how steadfastly this Christian endured all the torment for his faith.
One day Paul went to Damascus to once again deal with the new movement of the Nazarenes and followers of Christ, and on the way Christ spoke to him, asking him why he was persecuting him. From that moment on, Paul was replaced, and he himself became a preacher of Christ’s life.
Start
The first disciples of Christ were simple and uneducated people who accurately and reliably conveyed the Gospel to us. Paul was not one of the number; he was one of the seventy apostles who followed. A new man was needed, full of the power of God, fully armed with theological teachings.
Barnabas, the founder of the Jerusalem church, himself came for Saul to Tarsus so that he could begin his activities in Antioch. He also baptized the future saint.
Preaching
The Antiochians knew the story of his miraculous vision and expected something unimaginable from him, but a nondescript, bald, short man appeared before them. His unprepossessing appearance was interrupted by the fire in his eyes: being an apostle, he did not see the living Christ, but always felt him with his inner eye. While awaiting His second coming, Paul had a huge preaching plan to conquer the world.
He went to preach throughout the pagan land, was in Macedonia and Athens, where he founded the Corinthian Church. He also made it to Rome, where he eventually ended his life as a martyr. As a citizen of the Roman Empire, his head was cut off with a sword.
Apostle
Paul preached a lot throughout the earth. The Orthodox Church honors his name day on June 29. wrote 14 epistles, which represent a systematization of Christian teaching. Saul (Paul) carried faith in Salvation in unity with God, absolute trust in Him and union with Him. After all, this is the most important thing that the entire human race on earth should strive for. A weak and humble person alone cannot achieve unity with the God-man. In order for this to happen, God Himself must come and incarnate in man, then a bridge and a door to eternity will be formed. He who turns to Christ, hears the voice of silence and sees the face of the invisible, will be united with him with love and forever. This is exactly how the Apostle Paul felt this wisdom of the Spirit of God, strongly and deeply, through his heart and soul. The name day of this saint is truly a great holiday for any Christian.
“I am the least of the Apostles, and am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am; and His grace in me was not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:9-10) - this is how the great one characterizes himself “Apostle of Tongues” (the title under which the holy Apostle Paul entered the history of the Christian Church). Endowed by nature with rich mental abilities, he was raised and trained in strict Pharisaic rules and, in his own words, succeeded in Judaism more than many of his peers, for he was an immoderate zealot for his fatherly traditions (Galatians 1:14). When the Lord, who chose him from his mother’s womb, called him to Apostolic service, he devoted all his energy, all the strength of his great spirit to preaching the name of Christ among the pagans of the entire cultural world of that time, after he had endured many sorrows from his relatives who were blind and bitter against Christ. .
Apostle Paul. Miniature, 1125-1150. Byzantium
Studying the life and works of the Holy Apostle Paul according to the Book of Acts of the Holy Apostles, one truly cannot help but be amazed by the extraordinary indestructible energy of this great “Apostle of Languages.” It is difficult to imagine how a person who did not have a powerful body and strong physical strength (Gal. 4:13-14) could endure as many incredible difficulties and dangers as the Holy Apostle Paul had to endure for the glory of the name of Christ. And what is especially remarkable: as these difficulties and dangers multiplied, his fiery jealousy and energy not only did not diminish, but flared up even more and became tempered like steel. Forced to remember his exploits for the edification of the Corinthians, he writes about them like this:
“I was much more in labor, immensely in wounds, more in prisons and many times at the point of death. The Jews gave me five times forty stripes minus one; three times they beat me with sticks, once they stoned me, three times I suffered shipwreck, night and he spent the day in the depths of the sea; many times he traveled, in dangers on the rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from his fellow tribesmen, in dangers from the pagans, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the desert, in dangers at sea, in dangers. among false brethren, in labor and in weariness, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness" (2 Cor. 11:23-27).
Comparing himself with the other Apostles and humbly calling himself the “least” of them, Saint Paul could nevertheless declare with all justice: “but I have labored more than all of them: not I, however, but the grace of God which is with me” (1 Cor. .15:10).
And indeed, without the grace of God, an ordinary person would not be able to undertake such labors and accomplish so many feats. Just as courageous, direct and unshakable in his convictions Paul showed himself before kings and rulers, he was just as decisive and sincere in his relations with his fellow Apostles: so once he did not stop even before denouncing the Apostle Peter himself, when this great Apostle gave a reason for complaint in the pagan capital of Asia Minor, Antioch (Gal. 2:11-14). This fact is important, among other things, because it clearly speaks against the false teaching of the Roman Catholics that the holy Apostle Peter was appointed by the Lord - “prince over the other Apostles” and, as it were, the deputy of the Lord Himself (from which the popes allegedly bear the title "vicars of the Son of God"). Would the holy Apostle Paul, a former persecutor of the Church of Christ and later than others who came to the Apostolic ministry, dare to denounce the Deputy Lord Jesus Christ Himself in the Apostolic Face? This is absolutely incredible. Saint Paul denounced Saint Peter as equal to equal, as brother to brother.
The Holy Apostle Paul, who originally bore the Hebrew name Saul, belonged to the tribe of Benjamin and was born in the Cilician city of Tarsus, which was then famous for its Greek academy and the education of its inhabitants. As a native of this city or as descended from Jews who came out of slavery from Roman citizens, Paul had the rights of a Roman citizen. In Tarsus, Paul received his first education and, perhaps, became acquainted with pagan education, for traces of acquaintance with pagan writers are clearly visible in his speeches and epistles (Acts 17:28; 1 Cor. 15:33; Titus 1:12). He received his main and final education in Jerusalem at the then famous rabbinical academy at the feet of the famous teacher Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), who was considered the glory of the law and, despite belonging to the party of the Pharisees, was a free-thinking man (Acts 5:34). and lover of Greek wisdom. Here, according to the custom accepted among Jews, young Saul learned the art of making tents, which later helped him earn money to feed himself by his own labor (Acts 18:3; 2 Cor. 11:8; 2 Thess. 3:8).
Young Saul, apparently, was preparing for the position of rabbi, and therefore, immediately after completing his upbringing and education, he showed himself to be a strong zealot of the Pharisees' traditions and a persecutor of the faith of Christ: perhaps, by appointment of the Sanhedrin, he witnessed the death of the first martyr Stephen (Acts 7: 58; 8:1), and then received the power to officially persecute Christians even outside Palestine in Damascus (9:1-2). The Lord, who saw in him a vessel chosen for Himself, miraculously called him to Apostolic service on the way to Damascus.
Saul's Appeal to the Lord Jesus Christ
Having been baptized by Ananias, he became a zealous preacher of the previously persecuted teaching. He went to Arabia for a while, and then returned to Damascus again to preach about Christ. The rage of the Jews, outraged by his conversion to Christ, forced him to flee to Jerusalem (Acts 9:23 - in 38 AD), where he joined the community of believers. Due to an attempt by the Hellenists to kill him (9:29), he went to his hometown of Tarsus. From here, around the age of 43, he was called by Barnabas to Antioch to preach, traveling with him to Jerusalem with alms for the hungry (Acts 11:30). Soon after returning from Jerusalem, at the command of the Holy Spirit, Saul, together with Barnabas, set out on his first apostolic journey, which lasted from 45 to 51. The apostles went through the entire Fr. Cyprus, from which time Saul, after his conversion to the faith of the proconsul Sergius Paulus, was already called Paul, and then founded Christian communities in the Asia Minor cities of Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe.
In 51, Saint Paul took part in the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem, where he ardently rebelled against the need for pagan Christians to observe the ritual Mosaic Law. Returning to Antioch, Saint Paul, accompanied by Silas, undertook his second apostolic journey. First, he visited the churches he had already founded in Asia Minor, and then moved to Macedonia, where he founded communities in Philippi, Thessaloniki and Beria. In Lystra, Saint Paul acquired his favorite disciple Timothy, and from Troas he continued his journey with the Writer Luke, who joined them. From Macedonia, Saint Paul moved to Greece, where he preached in Athens and Corinth, staying in the latter 1? year. From here he sent two messages to Thessalonians. The second journey lasted from 51 to 54. In 55, Saint Paul went to Jerusalem, visiting Ephesus and Caesarea along the way, and from Jerusalem he arrived in Antioch (Acts 17 and 18 chapters).
After a short stay in Antioch, Saint Paul undertook the third Apostolic journey (56-58), visiting first of all, according to his custom, the previously founded churches of Asia Minor, and then founded his stay in Ephesus, where for two years he preached daily at the school of a certain Tyrannus. From here he wrote his letter to the Galatians, regarding the strengthening of the Judaizers' party there, and his first letter to the Corinthians, regarding the unrest that arose there and in response to the Corinthians' letter to him. The popular uprising stirred up against Paul by the silversmith Demetrius forced the Apostle to leave Ephesus, and he went to Macedonia (Acts 1:9). On the way, he received news from Titus about the state of the Corinthian church and about the favorable effect of his message, as a result of which he sent a second letter to the Corinthians with Titus from Macedonia. Soon he himself arrived in Corinth, from where he wrote a letter to the Romans, intending, after visiting Jerusalem, to go to Rome and further to the West. Having said goodbye to the Ephesian presbyters in Melita, he arrived in Jerusalem, where, as a result of the popular rebellion that arose against him, he was taken into custody by the Roman authorities and found himself in prison, first under the proconsul Felix, and then under the proconsul Festus who replaced him. This happened in 59, and in 61 Paul, as a Roman citizen, of his own free will, was sent to Rome to be judged by Caesar. Having been shipwrecked near Fr. Malta, the holy Apostle only reached Rome in the summer of 62, where he enjoyed great leniency from the Roman authorities and preached without restraint. This ends the story of his life, found in the book of the Acts of the Apostles (chapters 27 and 28). From Rome, Saint Paul wrote his epistles to the Philippians (with gratitude for the monetary allowance sent to him with Epaphroditus), to the Colossians, to the Ephesians and to Philemon, a resident of Colossae, regarding the slave Onesimus who had fled from him. All three of these messages were written in 63 and sent with Tychicus. A letter to the Palestinian Jews was also written from Rome in 64.
The further fate of Saint Apostle Paul is unknown exactly. Some believe that he remained in Rome and, by order of Nero, was martyred in 64. But there is reason to believe that after two years of imprisonment, Paul was given freedom, and he undertook the fourth apostolic journey, which is indicated by his so-called. "Pastoral Epistles" - to Timothy and Titus. After defending his case before the Senate and the Emperor, Saint Paul was released from bonds and again traveled to the East: after spending a long time on Fr. Crete and leaving his disciple Titus there for the ordination of presbyters in all the cities (Titus 1:5), which testifies to his appointment of Titus as bishop of the Cretan church, Saint Paul passed through Asia Minor, from where he wrote a letter to Titus, instructing him how perform the duties of a bishop. From the message it is clear that he intended to spend that winter of 64 in Nicopolis (Titus 3:12) near Tarsus. In the spring of 65, he visited the rest of the churches of Asia Minor and left the sick Trophimus in Miletus, because of whom there was an indignation against the Apostle in Jerusalem, which led to his first bonds (2 Tim. 4:20). It is unknown whether Saint Paul passed through Ephesus, since he said that the elders of Ephesus would no longer see his face (Acts 20:25), but he, apparently, at that time ordained Timothy as bishop for Ephesus. Next, the Apostle passed through Troas, where he left his phelonion and books with a certain Carpus (2 Tim. 4:13), and then went to Macedonia.
There he heard about the rise of false teachings in Ephesus and wrote his first letter to Timothy. Having spent some time in Corinth (2 Tim. 4:20) and meeting the Apostle Peter on the way, Paul continued with him through Dalmatia (2 Tim. 4:10) and Italy, reached Rome, where he left the Apostle Peter, and he himself in 66 he went further west to Spain, as had long been assumed (Rom. 15:24) and as tradition claims. There, or upon returning to Rome, he was again placed in bonds (“second bonds”), in which he remained until his death. There is a legend that upon returning to Rome, he even preached at the court of Emperor Nero and converted his beloved concubine to faith in Christ. For this he was put on trial, and although by the grace of God he was delivered, in his own words, from the jaws of lions, that is, from being eaten by beasts in the circus (2 Tim. 4:16-17), however, he was imprisoned. From these second bonds, he wrote a second letter to Timothy in Ephesus, inviting him to Rome, in anticipation of his imminent death, for a last meeting. Tradition does not say whether Timothy managed to catch his teacher alive, but it does say that the Apostle himself did not wait long for his martyr’s crown. After nine months' imprisonment, he was beheaded by the sword as a Roman citizen, near Rome. This was in 67 A.D. in the 12th year of the reign of Nero.
Apostle Paul
Taking a general look at the life of the Holy Apostle Paul, it is clear that it is sharply divided into two halves. Before his conversion to Christ, Saint Paul, then Saul, was a strict Pharisee, a fulfiller of the law of Moses and the traditions of his fathers, who thought to be justified by the works of the law and by zeal for the faith of the fathers, reaching the point of fanaticism. Upon his conversion, he became an Apostle of Christ, completely devoted to the work of the gospel gospel, happy with his calling, but aware of his own powerlessness in the performance of this high ministry and attributing all his deeds and merits to the grace of God. Saint Paul presents the very act of his conversion to Christ as exclusively the action of God’s grace. The entire life of the Apostle before his conversion, according to his deep conviction, was an error, a sin, and led him not to justification, but to condemnation, and only the grace of God rescued him from this destructive error. From that time on, Saint Paul strives only to be worthy of this grace of God and not to deviate from his calling. Therefore, there is no and cannot be any talk of any merit; it is all God’s work. Being a complete reflection of the life of the Apostle, the entire teaching of St. Paul, revealed in his epistles, pursues precisely this basic idea: “a person is justified by faith, regardless of the works of the law” (Rom. 3:28). But from this it is impossible to draw the conclusion that the Holy Apostle Paul denies any significance in the matter of salvation of a person’s personal efforts - good works (see, for example, Gal.6:4 or Eph.2:10 or 1 Tim.2:10 and many others) . By “works of the law” in his epistles we do not mean “good works” in general, but the ritual works of the Law of Moses.
We must firmly know and remember that the Apostle Paul, during his preaching work, had to endure a stubborn struggle with the opposition of Jews and Judaizing Christians. Many of the Jews, even after accepting Christianity, held the view that for Christians it is also necessary to carefully fulfill all the ritual requirements of the Mosaic Law. They deluded themselves with the proud thought that Christ came to earth to save only the Jews, and therefore pagans who want to be saved must first become Jews, that is, accept circumcision and become accustomed to fulfilling the entire Mosaic Law. This error so greatly hindered the spread of Christianity among the pagans that the Apostles had to convene a council in Jerusalem in 51, which abolished the obligation of the ritual decrees of the Law of Moses for Christians. But even after this council, many Judaizing Christians continued to stubbornly adhere to their former view and subsequently completely separated from the Church, forming their own heretical society. These heretics, personally opposing the holy Apostle Paul, brought confusion into church life, taking advantage of the absence of the holy Apostle Paul in one church or another. Therefore, Saint Paul in his epistles was forced to constantly emphasize that Christ is the Savior of all mankind, both Jews and pagans, and that a person is saved not by performing the ritual works of the law, but only by faith in Christ. Unfortunately, this idea of the Holy Apostle Paul was distorted by Luther and his Protestant followers in the sense that the Holy Apostle Paul denies the importance of all good deeds for salvation. If this were so, then St. Paul would not have said in 1 Corinthians in chapter XIII that if “I have all knowledge and all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but do not have love, then I am nothing,” for love manifests itself in good deeds.
Averky Taushev, archbishop
Biblical references
1. “and prospered in Judaism more than many of my peers, being an immoderate zealot of my fatherly traditions.”
2. “You know that, although I preached the gospel to you the first time in the weakness of the flesh, you did not despise my temptation in my flesh and did not abhor it, but received me as an Angel of God, as Christ Jesus.”
3. “When Peter came to Antioch, I personally opposed him, because he was subject to reproach. For, before the arrival of some from James, he ate with the pagans; and when they came, he began to hide and withdraw, fearing the circumcision. Together with The other Jews were also hypocrites about him, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not acting directly according to the truth of the Gospel, I said to Peter in front of everyone: if you, being a Jew, live like a pagan, and not like a pagan. Jewish, then why do you force the pagans to live like Jews?”
4. “For in Him we live and move and have our being, just as some of your poets said: “We are His generation.”
5. “Do not be deceived: bad communities corrupt good morals.”
6. Of these themselves, one poet said: “The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy bellies.”
7. I am a Judean, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, raised in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, carefully instructed in the law of my fathers, zealous for God, like all of you today.
8. Standing up in the Sanhedrin, a certain Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, ordered the Apostles to be brought out for a short time.
9. and, due to the same craft, he stayed with them and worked; for their trade was making tents.
10. I caused expenses to other churches, receiving from them maintenance for serving you; and, being with you, although he suffered from lack, he did not bother anyone.
11. They ate no one’s bread for free, but labored and labored night and day, so as not to burden any of you.
12. And, taking him out of the city, they began to stone him. The witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of the young man named Saul.
13. Saul approved of his murder. In those days there was a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem; and everyone, except the Apostles, was scattered to different places in Judea and Samaria.
