GLORIOUS FIRST TREASURES ACADEMYSubject: Christian Religious Studies (CRS)
Class: Grade 5
Paul is one of the most famous and important figures in the New Testament. He wrote many letters (Epistles) in the Bible and traveled to different parts of the world to preach the Gospel. However, before he became a great apostle of Jesus Christ, he was known as Saul. To understand how he became a great servant of God, we must first look at his early life, his family background, and his education.
Saul was born in Tarsus, a very large and busy city in Cilicia, which is in modern-day Turkey. Even though he was born in a foreign, Greek-speaking city, his parents were devout Jews from the tribe of Benjamin. Because of this, Saul was raised to be a strict Hebrew who spoke both Hebrew and Greek.
In addition to his Jewish heritage, Saul possessed Roman citizenship by birth. In those days, the Roman Empire ruled over many countries, and being a Roman citizen was a major privilege. It meant Saul had special legal rights; for example, he could not be beaten or imprisoned without a fair trial. Having both a Jewish background and Roman citizenship helped Saul greatly in his future ministry.
Saul came from a comfortable family that valued education. When he was a teenager, he was sent to the holy city of Jerusalem to study. He became a student of a highly respected and famous Jewish teacher named Gamaliel.
Under Gamaliel’s guidance, Saul studied the Law of Moses and the writings of the Hebrew prophets. He excelled in his studies and became a Pharisee. Pharisees were a strict group of Jewish religious leaders who made sure people kept every single law of God perfectly.
Apart from studying the scriptures, Saul also learned a practical handcraft. According to Jewish custom, every boy was expected to learn a trade so they could support themselves. Saul trained as a tentmaker. He used goat hair and leather to sew tents, a skill that helped him earn his own money later in life during his missionary journeys.
As a young man, Saul was very brilliant, disciplined, and energetic. He loved God deeply and was extremely zealous (enthusiastic) about defending the Jewish religion.
However, Saul’s zeal for the Jewish law made him hate the early followers of Jesus Christ. He believed that the Christians were teaching false doctrines and turning people away from the laws of Moses. Out of a desire to protect his faith, Saul became a fierce enemy of the early Church. He went from house to house in Jerusalem, arresting Christian men and women and throwing them into prison. He was even present at the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, where he stood by to guard the coats of those who killed Stephen and approved of his death.