Jesus began his ministry in about 30 AD.
He was crucified in 33 AD.
Paul, as Saul, viciously persecuted Christians from 30 AD to 40 AD.
Paul had an encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus in about 40 AD and began his ministry.
Paul wrote his letters between 50 AD and 60 AD.
Paul was executed in 65 AD.
The four gospels were written between 70 and 100 AD.
Let that sink in.
Paul’s entire ministry occurred before the Gospels were written.
Paul wrote his letters between 50 AD and 60 AD. In addition, he mentored Luke. Indirectly, he was responsible for the gospel of Luke and of Acts. Together, these letters and books constitue just over half of the New Testament. This means that most of the New Testament was either written by or inspired by Paul before the Gospels were written.
Paul (Saul) was a passionate enemy of Christianity. He had never read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. He had obviously heard about Jesus and was familiar enough with the fledgling Christian faith to persecute them mercilessly.
Then, one day, out of the blue, he became an itenerant preacher and the first author of what would become the New Testament. He did this without having read the Gospels.
He never recanted his teaching about Jesus, and he was imprisoned and beheaded for it.
A few days after his resurrection, Jesus appeared to His supporters and the apostles. Six or seven years later, he appeared to Paul (Saul), arguably his greatest and most dangerous enemy. This was clearly a very special, “one off” event.
Paul’s conversion from persecutor of the Christian church to the second most important founder of the Christian church, after Jesus, occurred in a 3 day encounter on the road to Damascus. More importantly, it did not come from a study of the Gospels. Paul’s conversion came about as a direct, first person, revelation delivered by Jesus himself. Nothing quite like it had ever occurred before. Nothing like it has ever occurred since.
Of millions of people, Jesus chose Paul. Jesus chose his most virulent enemy to be his spokesperson…….to author most of the New Testament.
What was Jesus thinking?
I can only speculate; but, I think that Jesus saw Paul’s talent and his passion. I think that Jesus chose Paul to initiate the writing of the New Testament. Jesus orchestrated a catastrophic event in Paul’s life in order to “turn Paul’s head”,
The history of Paul’s ministry, in particular, the three days on the way to Damascus, is more than just another “Bible story”. It is one of the most compelling pieces of evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As such, it is one of the most compelling pieces of evidence supporting the truth of the entire Bible.
I can imagine no other experience that would lead to such a drastic change in Paul…….no experience short of a first person encounter with the resurrected Jesus Christ.
I, too, will someday have that experience.
So will you.
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Luke, relating a conversation between Jesus and Paul,
Acts 9: 1-5, ESV