/christian/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

>How many Christians did St. Saul/Paul kill before his conversion, and how did he go about doing that?

Probably like less than 100

>What position was he in, and how would he have had the power to persecute Christians to death when Rome was in power, and not very interested in prosecuting Jewish blasphemy laws?

He was Herodian by birth and high in pharisees/temple circles by profesion.

Also, this pic is St. Peter. St. Paul, as roman citizen, was beheaded

>He was Herodian by birth and high in pharisees/temple circles by profesion.

How? Do you think he just searched out Christians and ratted them out to the Romans? Did the Romans grant the Jewish upper crust any powers in going after Christians? Was Saul ever on the Sanhedrin?

>Also, this pic is St. Peter. St. Paul, as roman citizen, was beheaded

Oops. Saved this pic for a comment about St Peter I didn't end up posting, but mixed them up when I posted this thread.

>>609763

Circa 30-50AD I doubt Romans cared about christians much at all, the population would've been too small, their influence non-existent, and they wouldn't understand what the big deal is about them, just another "jewish schismatic sect" etc.

It's the jews and pharisees who would be aware of the christians and be against them, on the grounds of heresy/apostasy etc.

>>609804

So you think he organized or incited mob violence against Christians and extra judicial executions by stoning that the Romans weren't aware of?

>>609584

I don't think Paul actually killed Christians, but he did imprison and torture them. Although he was present at the stoning of Stephen so I suppose he had some blood on his hands. But maybe Acts 22:4 does imply he killed them himself but I don't know, it's open for interpretation.

>>609809

slaves had basically no rights, they were private property, most christian converts were slaves, so powerful jews could persecute them with impunity.

>>609584

He was in the crowd that martyred Saint Stephen.

I remember reading it somewhere.

>>609763

>How? Do you think he just searched out Christians and ratted them out to the Romans? Did the Romans grant the Jewish upper crust any powers in going after Christians? Was Saul ever on the Sanhedrin?

Paul officially persecuted Christians on behalf of the Temple authorities. This is odd. Think about how hard it was for the Sanhedrin to kill Jesus Christ. Back and forth between the Roman Pontius Pilate and the Roman appointed “King” Herod Antipas the Tetrarch. Killing Christ was complicated and difficult.

And yet somehow we are to believe that Saul received certificates of authority in around the year AD 36 to go about capturing and killing Christians without trial…even as far away as Damascus? Ahem, this is the Roman Empire with laws and rules. A man can’t get permission from the priests of one city and then go and capture people in another city.

How did Saul/Paul get that power? The High Priest and the Jewish Sanhedrin in Jerusalem could not have authorized Saul to arrest Christians in Damascus. The High Priest and the Jewish Sanhedrin in Jerusalem had no power in Damascus, a city in the Roman Province of Syria. Jerusalem belonged to the Roman Province of Judea. Saul seems to have gained an authority entrusted to him by a civil power connected to the Temple. This means that Saul needed religious authority (Temple) and he needed Roman authority in Damascus (King Aretus IV of Damascus).

King Aretus IV of Damascus. King Aretus IV who ruled over Damascus during the period of Saul/Paul’s conversion was the father-in-law of Herod Antipas the Tetrarch (d. AD 39). You might remember how Saint John the Baptist was preaching against Herod Antipas for divorcing his wife in order to marry his brother’s wife Herodias. Well Saint John the Baptist was defending the honor of Herod Antipas’ first wife Phasaelis – the daughter of King Aretus IV. Small Herodian world!

Which one politician of this period had deep connections with the High Priesthood at the Temple in Jerusalem and political influence in Damascus? Who was the only man on earth who could arrange for Saul to act on behalf of the High Priest in the foreign city of Damascus? Oh that’s right, Herod Antipas the Tetrarch!

Why was Saul/Paul able to fulfill his desire to persecute Christians on behalf on the High Priest throughout the Roman Empire? Because his family was close to the family of Herod.

tl;dr: Paul as kinsmen of King Aretus of Syria easily get permission of Romans to persecute Christians

Thanks, guys. Very helpful.