Bible Study: The Apostle Paul

“Next to the work of Christ himself, the conversion of Saul was probably the most important event in the history of Christianity, for it not only removed an active enemy of the gospel, but it also transformed him into one of its chief propagators.
—Merrill C. Tenney

Ultimate Family Man

Paul’s conversion was the supreme catalyst that moved the fledgling Church beyond its small beginnings as a sect within Judaism. Under the Apostle Paul's influence, the Church exploded into the vast Gentile population of the Roman Empire. Today, I’d like to discuss Paul as the Ultimate Family Man. We’ll discover that he left a monumental impression not only on the Church, but on the whole of Western civilization.

Paul’s thirteen New Testament epistles reveal his call as an apostle (Rom 15:16) but also his ardent pastor’s heart. Certainly, Paul possessed superior gifts as a theologian. However, Paul’s letters also reveal that his theology arose from a deep pastoral concern for the churches that he (or his converts) had founded. Not content to pioneer merely for the sake of winning souls, it’s apparent that Paul’s objective as a pastor was threefold:

• To win the Gentiles to Christ. (Rom 15:18)

• To make them one body in Christ. (Rom 12:4)

• To bind them together as members of the family of God (Gal 6:10)

Paul as Father

Given his unmarried state, it’s poignant that Paul preferred the metaphor of “family” to express his pastoral goal of promoting unity in the Church.
In fact, Paul considered himself...

• A “father” to the churches he began in Corinth
(1 Cor 4:14), Philippi (Phil 2:2), and Thessalonica
(1 Thess 2:11).

• He also spoke of Onesimus, Timothy, and Titus as his “children” (Philem 10:1 Cor 4:17; Tit 1:4).

• Furthermore, Paul’s letters to his converts are full of passionate expressions of parental love and concern. (Examples: 2 Cor 2:4; Phil 4:1; 1 Thess 2:8; Philem 16;
2 Tim 1:2.)

• Paul also prayed with great intensity for his “offspring”
in the Lord (1 Thess 3:10).

• Conversely, Paul avoided a parental tone when addressing the churches he did not found, including
those at Rome and Colossae.

Paul as Mother

Surprisingly, Scripture reveals several motherly qualities which also contributed to Paul’s pastoral identity. For instance, Paul compares his concern for the Thessalonians to the care of a nursing mother
(1 Thess 2:7-8). Other maternal imagery found in Paul’s letters includes gentleness, tenderness, labor, and breast milk (Gal 4:19-20; 1 Cor 3:1-3) Clearly, Paul considered production of spiritual offspring to be his ultimate pastoral activity.

Paul as Family Member

For the sake of the Gospel, and like Jesus Christ before him (Mk 3:31-35) Paul advanced his relationship to the family of faith ahead of all blood ties. Paul’s views toward singleness and marriage found in 1 Corinthians 7 challenged the believers at Corinth to adopt the same priorities.

Despite his charism (gift) of celibacy, Paul was a gregarious individual who enjoyed plenty of “family” relationships. For instance, Paul never operated alone, but instead preferred to surround himself with a group of colleagues who could share his pastoral burdens. The Book of Acts documents over one hundred associates allied with Paul during those years of his ministry. Also, church leaders like Barnabas, Luke, Silas and Timothy accompanied Paul on his missionary journeys. It’s interesting to note that in Romans 16:1-15, Paul affectionately greets over twenty-seven brothers and sisters by name.

Every Member a Minister

Paul encouraged every member of the Church family
to share the burden of pastoral care (Gal 6:1-2; 1 Thess 5:11). For instance, comparing the Church to a body, the Colossians were to “teach and admonish one another in all wisdom” (Col 3:16 NIV). Paul taught his followers that all believers were equipped for service (Eph 4:12), and all were abundantly gifted to engage in the work of the ministry
(Eph 4:15-16).

Paul Teaches His Sons

Paul wrote his famous Pastoral Epistles to his spiritual “sons” Timothy and Titus toward the end of
his career. Written later in the first century when the Gentile Church was consolidating, the content of these letters approach a formulated Christian creed. The epistles also concern heresies and the proper response to false teachers.

Conclusion

The universal Church owes an enormous debt of gratitude to the Apostle Paul and his writings. Next to Jesus Christ, Paul is without question, the most influential figure in the New Testament. His dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, and his call to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles altered the course of Western history. A brilliant theologian, apostle, and evangelist, Saul of Tarsus also proved to be the Ultimate Family Man. With his singularity of focus, and under the influence of the Holy Spirit, Paul conceived, nurtured, and established a host of first-century Gentile church families across the vast continent of Europe.

Related

1. The Gospel of Luke: Jesus as the Son of Man

Q. Did you know that "Dr. Luke" was a beloved friend and traveling companion of Paul?

2. In the Footsteps of Paul in Turkey

"After Israel, Turkey has more Biblical sites than any other country. For this reason, Turkey is rightly called 'the Other Holy Land...' The three major apostles—Peter, Paul and John—either ministered or lived in Turkey." Discover how you can explore the culture, archaeology and monuments of 'the Other Holy Land' with the Biblical Archaeology Society.

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Photos: 1 & 2 Lawrence OP, 3 lucianvenutian (Flickr)

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