St. Paul the Apostle

Who he was

Paul was born in Tarsus in Asia Minor, trained as a Pharisee under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3; see 5:33-39), and was a Roman citizen. He persecuted Christians and approved of Stephen's martyrdom (Acts 7:58) until he met the risen Lord on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19). The Conversion of St. Paul is celebrated January 25.

Was Paul an apostle?

He was not one of the Twelve. But "apostle" means "one who is sent," and like the Twelve, Paul received his apostleship directly from Christ (Galatians 1:1, 17), while later apostles, beginning with Matthias, were called through the Church (Acts 1:15-26). Paul still submitted to the Church, receiving baptism (Acts 9:18; 22:16) and confirmation of his mission to the Gentiles (Galatians 2:7-9; Acts 13:3). He is the Apostle to the Gentiles (see Romans 11:13), though like Peter (Acts 15:7) he witnessed to Jews and Gentiles alike (Acts 9:15).

Paul's rebuke of Peter

Many Protestants say Paul's rebuke at Antioch disproves Peter's primacy. But the pope is infallible only when teaching definitively on faith and morals, and infallibility is not impeccability. At the Council of Jerusalem, Peter taught definitively that Gentile converts need not be circumcised (Acts 15:6-11; contrast Leviticus 12:1-3; see Exodus 12:44, 48). At Antioch Paul rebuked not Peter's teaching but his conduct in withdrawing from Gentile Christians for fear of the circumcision party (Galatians 2:11-13). Paul singled out Peter, not Barnabas (Acts 14:14), precisely because of Peter's primacy. And Paul calls him "Cephas," from Kepha, the rock on which Christ built his Church (Matthew 16:18-19).

Paul and the teachings of Jesus

Those who reject the historic Church must claim it went astray, as with "Great Apostasy" theories or dispensationalism, which dates from the 1800s and holds that most of Jesus' teaching applies to a future kingdom age, while Christians are saved by "faith alone" as they read Paul. But Jesus restored the kingdom of Israel in founding his Church (Matthew 16:18-19; Galatians 6:14-16), over which he reigns while remaining with his people (Matthew 28:20). The apostles expected a political kingdom (Acts 1:6), but at Pentecost understood Gabriel's promise that Jesus would receive David's throne (Luke 1:31-33). Peter proclaimed the kingdom begun with the Resurrection and Ascension (Acts 2:30-36), and James affirmed that the Gentiles are called into the restored house of David (Acts 15:13-18). Jesus' teachings apply to all nations (Matthew 28:18-20), so his teaching on good works (Matthew 5–7; 19:16-26) binds all Christians, and Paul agrees that we accept or reject salvation by our works (Romans 2:5-11).

Common questions

• Did Paul meet Jesus? Not during his ministry, but he truly encountered the risen Christ (Acts 9:1-9), who appointed him an apostle.
• Was his name changed? No. Saul was his Jewish name and Paul his Roman name, used among Gentiles.
• His mission: missionary journeys through Asia Minor, Greece and to Rome, founding communities and writing letters, preaching salvation in Christ's body, the Church, unity of Jews and Gentiles, and fidelity to the apostolic Church (1 Timothy 3:15). He consulted the leaders in Jerusalem and taught the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist and the Real Presence.
• His letters: thirteen, including Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians; the Church affirms their Pauline authorship. He may have used a scribe for some, and may have written Hebrews.
• Was he married? No. He was single for the kingdom (Matthew 19:10-12; see 1 Corinthians 7:7-8, 25-28, 32-38), yet like Jesus affirmed the goodness of marriage (1 Corinthians 7:38; Ephesians 5:21-33; see Matthew 19:1-9).
• How did he die? He was beheaded in Rome under Nero around A.D. 64-67, the less painful death allowed a Roman citizen, while Peter was crucified.

His importance

Paul was divinely commissioned, his teaching is preserved in Scripture and Tradition, and he spread the gospel and helped unify the early Church. His letters support the visible hierarchy Christ founded on the apostles, and his life shows Christ's power to redeem even his fiercest persecutor (Acts 9:3-5; see Ephesians 6:12).