Christianity: Paul of Tarsus ✅ Flashcards
Quote - Paul’s teaching of unity?
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians)
How did Paul’s writings influence Martin Luther?
- During the Reformation he studied Paul’s letter to Galatians and the Romans.
- He formulated belief in justification by faith
Definition: Encyclicals
The Catholic papal authority
When was the first time Paul is mentioned in the Bible?
Standing by as Jews in Jerusalem stoned Stephen
Who was Stephen?
An early leader of the Christian Church
What was Paul originally called?
Saul
Outline how Paul’s letters contributed to the development of Christianity
• Hold principal beliefs of Christianity
Justification by faith, unity, agape, love, ect.
• Give insight into the endeavours of the first Christians (I.e. establishments of Christian communities, characteristics of Christ’s early church.)
•Laid the foundation for the reformation.
Definition: Using exact words
Verbatim
Saul had his conversion experience on the way to what city?
Damascus
Where does most of what we know about Paul come from?
The book of Acts and his letters in the New Testament
Quote - Paul’s impact, final statement quote
“The Apostle Paul’s impact on human history is unparalleled” (Gidney)
Definition: Diaspora
The dispersion of Jews caused by the exile into Babylon and other scatterings of the Jewish people throughout the ages. Now used as a common term for all Jews outside Israel.
Outline how Paul’s contributed to the expression of Christianity though sacred texts.
- Of the 27 books in the New Testament, at least 13 can be directly attributed to Paul and epistles
- Paul’s writings are seen by many Christian denominations as authoritative and directly inspired by God.
Outline how Paul’s contributed to the expression of Christianity though Practices.
Advocated for missionary life • Lived out “The Great Commission” • He never let anything get in the way of spreading the Christian message. • Continued to preach until martyrdom, • Paul never worked alone
Wedding ceremonies
• 1 Corinthians 13 is the basis for many readings at weddings - even non-Christian ones.
Paul’s writings laid the foundation of Christian rites
• Baptism (initiation into the Christian community of believers)
• Eucharist (memorial of Jesus’ breaking of bread)
Spirit, not letter of the law
• Justification by faith, not law.
• Inclusion of gentiles into Christianity
Paul spoke the languages of ______ and ______
Greek and Hebrew/Aramaic
Outline how Paul’s contributed to the expression of Christianity though principal beliefs.
Advocated for the inclusion of gentiles into the Christian church
Understanding the Messiah
• Paul introduced Jesus as a figure of universal salvation
Took a stand on doctrine
• Homosexuality
Quote - Text read at many weddings
“Love is patient, love is kind.” (1 Corinthians 13)
Summarise Saul’s conversion experience
On his way to Damascus to find and persecute more Christians, a bright light shone and God called out Saul’s name and told him to go to the city.
When he opened his eyes, he was blind. He stayed in the city for three days until a man named Ananias healed his eyes.
He was then baptised.
Outline how Paul’s contributed to the expression of Christianity though Ethical teachings.
Paul’s letters explain in practical terms how to:
• Master the unavoidable ordeals of life
• Understand and practice Christian ethical ideas
• Understand what constitutes the essence of Christian life
Quote - Paul’s teaching on the individualistic/personal aspect of faith
“You are not your own; you were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6)
List Paul’s four main theologies/teachings
- Justification by Faith
- Individualistic/personal focus of the Christian faith for believers
- Unity
- Agape (selfless love)
Quote - Paul maintaining principal beliefs
“[We] must give Paul a lost of credit for maintaining the theological consistency of Jesus’ message, while making it appealing to a new audience” (Greg Garrison)
Definition: Agape
Selfless love
Quote - Homosexuality
“Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error” (Romans 1:27)
Quote - Paul’s letters and the reformation
“This one firm rock [justification by faith] is the chief article of the whole Christian doctrine” (Martin Luther)
In what three ways did Paul contribute to the development of Christianity?
- Paul established churches throughout the Roman Empire
- Paul composed letters to the churches that laid the foundation for much belief/practices still used by Christians today
- Paul challenged the Pagan world
Quote - Impact of the people Paul impacted
“These courageous people have undeniably changed the face of Christianity” (King)
What are two verses that pertain to Paul’s teaching of agape?
“And now these three remain; faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13)
“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’” (Galatians 4)
Quote - Paul’s hardships while preaching
“Three times I was beaten with rods, once i was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked” (2 Corinthians 11)
Definition: The dispersion of Jews caused by the exile into Babylon and other scatterings of the Jewish people throughout the ages. Now used as a common term for all Jews outside Israel.
Diaspora
Quote - Paul’s impact on the world
“Modern evangelists have reached more people for Christ than did Paul. But none have had his enduring impact.” (Christian History: Wisdom of the Ages)
Name two theologians Paul had a direct impact on
- St Augustine of Hippo
- Martin Luther
Why was Paul’s bi-cultural heritage important.
It make him an ideal transitional figure for the spread of early Christianity to the Roman Empire
Where was Saul taking Christians to persecute them?
Jerusalem
Quote - The Great Commission
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28)
How did Paul’s missionary journeys chance the face of Christianity?
Paul’s missionary journeys changed the basic nature of the emerging Christian religion by liberating it from its traditional geographical roots and transforming it into a movement.
Outline how Paul established churches throughout the Roman empire and how this contributed to the development of Christianity
On Paul’s three missionary journeys, he established various churches. He is arguably the greatest missionary of the Christian Church.
He established Christian communities and left elders as caretakers for each one.
He was able to do this because he was a Jew and a Roman citizen.
Paul made the gospel message appealing to new
audiences in synagogues, public squared, prisons, private homes ect.
This made Christianity spread throughout the ancient world.
List the four ways Paul contributed to the expression of Christianity
- Principal Beliefs
- Sacred texts
- Practices
- Ethical teachings
Definition: The Catholic papal authority
Encyclicals
Definition: Verbatim
Using exact words
Definition: Selfless love
Agape
Quote - What are two verses that pertain to Paul’s teaching of Justification by faith?
“For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corintians 3)
“A person is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 2)
