Paul the Jew by Rev. Norman Langenbrunner

Though he was born in the Greek city of Tarsus, Paul was very much a Jew.
 
Though he was born in the Greek city of Tarsus, Paul was very much a Jew. His family and the synagogue formed him in the faith of his ancestors. As a young man he continued his religious training in Jerusalem. He became a Pharisee, a member of a lay group whose idea of religion focused on strict observance of the sacred law. It is no wonder, then, that Paul was upset when Jews who followed the teaching of Jesus neglected parts of the law, such as study of the Torah and circumcision for converts. With alarming zeal Paul set out to challenge and forcibly correct the new way proposed by Jesus’ followers. Paul the Pharisee thought that one overturned evil by holding on to the traditions of the ancestors. After his personal encounter with Christ, Paul the Apostle changed his tune. He now believed that evil was overturned by the goodness and gift of Jesus Christ.

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