The Apostle Paul

Jesus chose Paul, also known as Saul, to be his apostle to preach his teachings to the Gentiles. Paul's apostle story is written down in the book of Acts (Acts 9: 1 -18). His conversion was different from Jesus' first disciples. 

The first disciples had the privilege and opportunity to be with Jesus during his earthly ministry. They had the privilege of special training and teaching from Jesus. They spent some considerable time together for several years and perhaps developed a strong bond like family. 

In the case of Paul, he met Jesus for the first time on the road to Damascus. Jesus had already died a few years before. That meeting changed Paul's life forever. On that dusty road, Jesus confronted him, though not physically but in the spirit, because he had been persecuting his followers.  

Paul was the exact opposite of Jesus' first disciples. He had so much zeal in defending the Jewish faith. In Jerusalem, he searched from house -to-house and imprisoned men and women who were believers of Jesus. Paul also approved the killing of Stephen, also a believer. Later, he secured permission from the Jewish high priest to hunt down Jesus' followers who might have fled to Damascus. He vowed to bring them back to Jerusalem and throw them in prison. He got the approval and went straight to Damascus.

Paul hunted the followers because they professed that Jesus is the son of God and that he is the way to salvation. They also professed that he resurrected from the dead. Paul, on the other hand, had his strong belief in salvation based on his Jewish faith. He believed that Jesus' teachings was a flawed and dangerous belief that could destroy the Jewish faith.

Also, Paul knew that Jesus died from a scandalous death. A death reserved for low-life and criminals. He believed that Jesus scammed people away from the Jewish faith. He believed that the resurrected Jesus was a hoax and his accomplices continued to perpetrate the scam. He believed that it was his duty to suppress that wrong belief that had gone viral.

Everything changed for Paul when he met Jesus. If we look closely at his personal background, there was no way that he would switch faith. He was born and raised in the Jewish faith. He was a member of the Pharisee sect. His Jewish faith, discipline and zeal was unmatched and unquestionable. 

Obviously, Jesus was persuasive when he confronted Paul on that road. Jesus showed his divinity to convince Paul. Remember, he used that approach with his first disciples. That first meeting with Jesus changed Paul's exclusive idea about his Jewish faith and about Jesus. From then on, everything that Paul believed in and would profess was anchored on Jesus' divinity. 

We owe it to Paul for choosing to become a believer of Jesus and for spreading Jesus' teachings to the Gentiles. We're all given the freedom of choice by God and, perhaps, Paul made his choice when he had gone blind after meeting Jesus. 

He stayed in the Damascus for three days and spent the time thinking about what just happened to him. When Paul gained his sight back and was baptized in the Spirit by Ananias (Acts 9: 17-18), he started preaching Jesus' divinity. A complete turn around from the old Paul. 

If Paul had rejected Jesus on the road to Damascus, then Christianity would not have spread around the world including our country. Perhaps, it would have been practiced exclusively in the Middle East, nearby regions or among Jewish converts. But Jesus wanted his teaching of salvation to be inclusive, open to everyone and with no favorites.

To apply Paul's story to our own lives, Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, always confronts us with matters that are not good for our Christian life. We have our own roads to Damascus story although it is not as dramatic as Paul's story and oftentimes it is subtle.  It is our choice to answer and respond to his call. 

If we do respond to his call, he wants us to become like lighted lamps in this world so to speak. Furthermore, he wants us to become his apostles. He then entrust us with the mission to spread God's good news to everyone without prejudice. 

Remember, Jesus preached and practice inclusivity in worship and faith in God. He preached to both Jews and Gentiles. Jesus purposely chose Paul to be his apostle to Jewish non-believers also called Gentiles.

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to re-examine our lives including our faith. Though new disruptive realities have surfaced, Jesus' message of inclusive message of repentance, conversion, mission remains. Jesus calls on us to be apostles in spreading his message which is anchored in God's unconditional love, which we surely need in these trying times.

The word "apostle" came from the Greek word "apostolos" which means "person sent." The word disciples means follower. Jesus wants us, if we so desire, to level-up from being his disciples to being his apostles.