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CHAP. XI.

ST. PAUL.

1. His History before his Conversion, and his general Character. II. The Time of his Conversion. III. Observations upon his Conversion, and the Circumstances of things at that time in Judea. IV. His age at the Time of his Conversion. V. When he was made an Apostle. VI. The History of his Travels, and preaching: particularly, from the Time of his Conversion and Apostleship, to his coming from Damascus to Jerusalem, the first time, after his Conversion. VII. From his coming first to Jerusalem to his being brought to Antioch by Barnabas. VIII. To his coming up to Jerusalem with the Contributions of the Christians at Antioch. IX. To his coming to the Council at Jerusalem about the year 49. X. To his coming to Jerusalem with Contributions of divers Gentile Churches, in tne year 58, when he was apprehended, and imprisoned. XI. To the End of his imprisonment at Rome. XII. To the time of his death.

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I. SAUL, called also PAUL, by which name he was generally called, after his preaching in gentile countries, and, particularly, among Greeks and Romans, a descendant of the patriarch Abraham, one of God's ancient chosen people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, was a native of Tarsus, then the chief city of Cilicia. He was also by birth a citizen of Rome. How he became entitled to that privilege, has been distinctly shown in another place. His father His father was a pharisee, and himself was of the same sect. He had a sister, whose son was a Christian, and a discreet person, who was of great service to his uncle Paul, when a prisoner at Jerusalem. His conduct cannot be thought of without admiration and gratitude. Some others of his relations are mentioned by him in his epistle to the Romans, who also were believers in Jesus, and several of them had been so before himself: which may be reckoned a proof of the virtue and piety of this family. Their names are Andronicus, and Junia, whom he calls "his kinsmen, auVEVELS μe. Rom. xvi. 7. By which he must mean something more than their being his countrymen. He speaks in the like manner of Herodian, ver. 11. and alo of Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, ver. 21. It may be reckoned very probable, that he was educated in Greek literature in his early life at Tarsus. It is certain, that he was for a while under the instructions of Gamaliel, at Jerusalem, a celebrated Jewish Rabbi, and that he made great proficiency in the study of the law, and the traditions, much esteemed by that people. He seems to have been a person of great natural

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a Acts xiii. 9. "Then Saul, who also is called Paul," Σαῦλος δε, ἡ και Παύλος. Id est, qui ex quo cum Romanis conversari cœpit, hoc nomine, a suo non abludente, cœpit a Romanis appellari. Sic qui Jesus Judzis, Græcis Jason; Hillel, Pollio:- apud Romanos Silas, Silvanus, ut notavit Hiercaymus. Grot. in Act. xiii. 9.

Hoc primum loco cœpit apostolus a Lucâ Paulus dici, quem ubique antea Saülum vocavit. Nec deinceps alio quam Pauli nomine usquam vocabit.— Alii igitur apostolum jam inde ab initio binominem fuisse putant, ut ex altero homine Judæus, ex altero Romanus civis esse intelligeretur. Alii cum religione nomen eum mutâsse putant, cum ex Pharisæo fieret Christianus.-Sunt demum qui a Sergio Paulo Proconsule ad Christum converso hoc cognomen adeptum esse putent.Ac facile mihi quidem persuadeo, primum a Proconsulis Romani familiâ ita vocari cœpisse. Bez. Annot. in Act. xiii. 9. See likewise Dr. Doddridge's Family Expositor, Vol. iii. p. 198. note or upon Acts xiii. 9.

Acts xxi. 39. xxii. 3.

Acts xvi. 37, 38. xxii. 25-29. xxiii. 27.

a See Vol. i. p. 125.

• Acts xxiii. 6. xxvi. 5. Philip. iii. 5. Acts xxiii. 16-22.

Cognatos suos,' id est ejusdem secum generis vocat, ut multi exponunt, quia Judæi erant, quemadmodum supra ix. 3, de Judæis in universum dixit,' qui sunt cognati mei secun

dum carnem ;' et sic eum loqui, ut Judæorum qui Romæ erant gratiam sibi conciliet. Verum, quia multi Romæ erant Judæi Christiani, et proinde hac generali ratione Paulo cognati; idcirco putant alii, cognatos hic dici magis proprie, ut qui fuerint Paulo contribules, id est, de tribu Benjamin, aut forte etiam propriore sanguinis vinculo conjuncti. Est in Rom. xvi. 7.

"This may be argued from the place of his nativity, Tarsus, which was celebrated for polite literature, and from St. Paul's quotations of several Greek poets. Acts xvii. 28. 1 Cor. xv. 33. Tit. i. 12. Dr. Bentley begins his third sermon at Boyle's Lecture, which is the second upon Acts xvii. 27, 28, in this manner,' I have said enough in my last, to show the fitness ' and pertinence of the apostle's discourse--and that he did 'not talk at random, but was thoroughly acquainted with the 'several humours and opinions of his auditors. And, as "Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians," 'so it is manifest from this chapter alone, if nothing else had 'been now extant, that St. Paul was a great master in all the 'learning of the Greeks.'

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i Acts xxii. 3.

k Acts xxii. 3. xxvi. 5. Gal. i. 14.,

sectâ Pharisæum, excellenti magnoque ingenio præditum, literarum Judaïcarum imprimis peritum, nec Græcarum expertem. J. L. Moshen, de Reb. Christian, ante Constantin. sect. 1. n. sv. p. 80.

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abilities, of quick apprehension, strong passions, and firm resolution, and thereby qualified for signal service, as a teacher of such principles, as he should embrace, whatever they were. He appears likewise to have been always unblameable in his life, and strictly faithful to the dictates of his conscience, according to the knowledge, which he had. Of this all must be persuaded, who observe his appeals to the Jews, upon this head, when they were greatly offended with him; and from the undissembled satisfaction which he expresseth upon a serious recollection of his former and later conduct. For some while, after the first appearance of Christianity in the world, he was a bitter enemy, and furious opposer of all who made profession of it. Nevertheless he persisted not long in that course: but was in a very extraordinary manner converted to that faith himself, and ever after he was a steady friend, and zealous advocate for it, and very successful in defending and propagating it, diligently improving the gifts and qualifications extraordinarily vouchsafed him for that purpose. These things are recorded in those writings, which are in the highest esteem, and reckoned sacred among Christians, and indeed are well known to all the world.

II. I am desirous to do my best to settle the time of St. Paul's conversion.) If we can do that with some good degree of probability, we shall attain to a near knowledge of the time of St. Stephen's martyrdom: concerning both which events there have been very different opinions in former and later ages. Valesius, in his Annotations upon Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History, mentions divers opinions of ancient writers about the time of St. Stephen's death. As the passage may be acceptable to some, I have placed it below.

Among moderns, Cave thought that Stephen was stoned, and Paul converted in the year of our Lord's ascension, the year 33, or the beginning of the year following. Pearson supposeth that Stephen was stoned in 34, and Paul converted in 35, near the end of the year. Having been three years in Arabia, and at Damascus, he came to Jerusalem, near the end of 38; in which year, or the beginning of the following, he went to Tarsus; where, and in Syria, he was four years, that is, 39, 40, 41, 42. Which appears to me a long space of time. In 43, he came to

Antioch. And having spent a year there, he came to Jerusalem in 44. So Pearson.

Frederic Spanheim, who also has bestowed great pains in examining this point, placeth' the conversion of Paul in the year. 40, the last of Caius Caligula: and was inclined to defer it to the first of Claudius, the year 41. Him Witsius follows. And J. A. Fabricius declares his assent to the same opinion.

Lenfant and Beausobre, in their general preface to St. Paul's epistles, place his conversion in the year 36, and his first coming to Jerusalem after it in 39; which opinion I believe to be nearer the truth than any of the foregoing.

There is an event mentioned in the Acts, about which we may receive light from external history. I mean, "the rest of the churches throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria,' Acts ix. 31.

In the former part of this work it was shown to be very probable, that this rest of the churches of Christ was owing to the state of things in Judea, when Petronius, president of Syria, published the orders which he had received from Caius, to erect his staitite in the temple of Jerusalem, in the year of Christ 39, or 40. Which account was afterwards followed by Dr. Benson in his History of the first planting the christian religion. Dr. Doddridge' likewise declared his approbation of it.

a Acts xxiii. 1. xxvi. 4. 5.

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Philip. iii. 6. 1 Tim. i. 13. 2 Tim. i. 3.

Quo anno Stephanus martyrii coronam adeptus sit, non convenit inter omnes. Alii eodem anno, quo passus est Christus, lapidatum illum volunt. Ita diserte scribitur in Excerptis Chronologicis, quæ cum Eusebii Chronico edidit Scaliger pag. 68. Et hæc videtur fuisse Eusebii sententia, ut ex hoc loco apparet.Alii vero triennio post Christi mortem martyrium Stephani retulerunt.-Ita scribit in Chronico Georgius Syncellus. Multi etiam ulterius processerunt, et Stephanum anno ab ordinatione suâ septimo passum esse scripserunt. Inter quos est Euodius apud Nicephorum, et Hippolytus Thebanus, et auctor Chronici Alexandrini, qui anno Claudii primo martyrium Stephani adsignat. Vales. Annot. in Euseb. 1. 2. cap. i.

ad fidem Christi conversus, discipulus fit et Aposto

lus A. C. 33 exeunte, vel saltem ineunte proximo. Hist. Lit. T. I. in S. Paulo.

* Annal. Faulin. p. 1—4.

f in anno conversionis Pauli, quam non anteriorem esse Caii ultimo, audacter pronuntiamus. De Conversion. Paulin. Epochâ. num. xix. Opp. T. II. p. 321.

De Vità Pauli. Sect. ii. n. 22. ap. Miletem. Leyd. p. 34. Tantum noto in præsenti, me sequi eorum rationes, qui Paulum conversum esse existimant anno quarto sive ultimo Caii, an. 40, et capite truncatum A. C. 68, Neronis xiv. Fabr. Bib. Gr. T. III. p. 151.(f)

See Vol. i. sect. xii. p. 48-56. especially near the end of that section.

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See of that work B. I. ch. 9. sect. iii. at the end. •
Family Expositor, Vol. III. p. 147.

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When I formerly argued, that this rest of the churches was occasioned by the above mentioned order of the emperor Caius, I did not know that any one had assigned that as the occasion of it. But since, I have perceived, that S. Basnage had thought of it, and spoke to it very very well. well. I was led to my observations by reading Philo, and Josephus : from whom I formed argument, and overlooked the just mentioned ecclesiastical historian.

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I supposed, that Petronius published his order in the year 39, or 40. Basnage and Tillemont say, in the year 40. By whom I am not unwilling to be determined.

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It is allowed, that Petronius was sent governor into Syria by Caius in the third year of his reign, A. D. 39. And it is supposed by them, that Petronius came into the province about autumn in the year 39. And Josephus says, And Josephus says, that' Caius, greatly incensed against the Jews for, ⚫ not paying him the same respect that others did, sent Petronius governor into Syria, commanding him to set up his statue in the temple: and if the Jews opposed it, to march into the country with a numerous army, and effect it by force.'

Whenever Petronius published that order, whether in the year 39, or 40, I think it was the occasion of the tranquillity of the churches of Christ, spoken of by St. Luke. And I persuade myself, that most people will readily be of the same opinion,

We will now take a paragraph or two in the Acts, ch. ix. 26-31. " And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples.- -And he was with them, coming in, and going out, at Jerusalem. And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians. But they went about to slay him. Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cæsarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea, and Galilec, and Samaria, and were edified."

This rest, we may suppose, was not complete, or made extensive and universal, till the year 40 perhaps, not till near the middle of it. But when did Paul come to Jerusalem? Before this rest? or, not till after it was commenced? Basnage thinks that Paul came to Jerusalem in the year 40. Let us however make a few remarks.

The peace, of which we are speaking, seems not to have commenced, nor the persecution to have ceased, when Paul arrived at Jerusalem from Damascus. For when he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus," and disputed with the Grecians, "they went about to slay him :" as we have seen in the paragraph just transcribed. And the brethren found it needful to_conduct him with care to Cæsarea, and send him thence to Tarsus. Moreover, Peter was at Jerusalem when Paul arrived there, and "he abode with him fifteen days," Gal. i. 18. But when the peace of the churches was established, Peter left Jerusalem, and visited the saints in the several parts of Judea: as we learn from the history immediately following, Acts ix. 31–43. Once more, it appears from the above cited paragraph, and the course of St. Luke's narration, that this rest of the churches in Judea did not begin until after Paul had been sent thence. And if it had commenced sooner, in all probability he would have been induced to stay longer there among the Jews, for whose conversion he was ardently concerned. St. Luke's words are, as above: "Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cæsarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified."

I apprehend it to be probable, then, that Paul came to Jerusalem, at this season, near the end of the year 39, or in the beginning of the year 40. We now proceed.

St. Paul says, Gal. i. 15-18. that "when it pleased God by his grace to reveal his Son in him, he went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter." For the time of Paul's conversion therefore we must look

• Ubi supra num. v.

d Ruine des Juifs. art. xviii. xix. Hist. des Emp. tom. I. Sed ex Josephi historiâ constat, illum in provinciam anno tertio Caii advenisse, circa autumnum. Noris. Cenot. Pisan. Diss. 2. p. 371. Conf. Usser. Ann. 39.

1 Γαϊος δε εν δείνῳ φέρων, εις τοσον δε ύπο Ιεδαίων περιώφθαι μόνων, πρεσβευτήν επί Συρίας εκπέμπει Πετρώνιον. κελεύων χειρι πολλη εισβάλλοντι εις την Ιεδαίαν, ει μεν έκοντες έσχωνται, ίσαν αυτον ανδριαντα εν τῷ ναῷ τε θες- ει δ' αγνωμοσύνῃ χρωντο, πολέμῳ κρατήσαντα τετο ποιειν. Antiq 1. 18. cap. ix. n. 2. al. cap. xi.

Ann. 40. num. xv.

back "three years." And if those three years are to be understood complete, and he came to Jerusalem in the year 40, he was converted not long after the beginning of the year 37, where it is placed by Basnage. If he came to Jerusalem before the end of the year 39, he might be converted near the end of the year 36.

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Let me add. Paul says, " after three years I went up to Jerusalem:" which may be well understood to mean somewhat more than three years. And then, though Paul should be supposed not to have returned to Jerusalem till the beginning of the year 40, he may have been converted before the end of the year 36.

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Shall we now look somewhat farther back, and inquire how long this might be after the death of Stephen? Lewis Capellus and Fr. Spanheim supposed that two years passed between the death of Stephen and Paul's conversion. And for certain there was some good space of time between Stephen's martyrdom, and Paul's journey to Damascus. This appears from St. Luke's history, who says, Acts vii. 58. " And they cast Stephen out of the city, and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul." It follows in ch. viii. 1-4. "And Saul was consenting unto his death. At that time there was a great persecution against the church, which was at Jerusalem. And they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.' As for Saul he made

havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prison." After which, at ver. 5-40. is an account of the preaching of those who were "scattered abroad," particularly, of Philip's going to the city Samaria, and preaching there with great success, and of the apostles, who were at Jerusalem, hearing of this, and sending to Samaria Peter and John: and then, how Philip taught and baptized the chamberlain of Candace, queen of Ethiopia. After which Philip preached in all the cities from Azotus, till he came to Cæsarea by the sea side. Still Saul was a persecutor. For it follows, ch. ix. 1, 2. "And Saul,. yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest: and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues; that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem." To all which might be added, that Paul's ill treatment of the disciples at Jerusalem was well known at Damascus, before he arrived there, as appears from Acts ix. 13.

Nevertheless I do not think that there is sufficient reason to protract this space so long as two years but would hope it might be reduced within the compass of a year, and perhaps to little more than half a year. So thought Basnage. Who therefore placeth the martyrdom of Stephen and the baptism of Paul in one and the same year.

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I am the more inclined to think that Paul's course of opposition against the believers did not exceed the space of a year, at the utmost: because it seems to have been confined to the city of Jerusalem, until he undertook to go to Damascus, and did not reach into the cities of Judea and Samaria. This will lead us to place the martyrdom of Stephen in the year 36, and not far from the beginning of it, or else near the end of the year 35.

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Indeed that is a very likely season, and much confirmed by the state of things in Judea about this time, as distinctly represented by us long ago, in the first part of this work, when we treated of affairs and persons, occasionally mentioned in the books of the New Testament. It was then shewn, that ' Pontius Pilate was removed from his government in Judea, before the passover of the year 36, probably, five or six months before that passover, in September or October, A. D. 35, about a year and half before the death of Tiberius. It was also shewn, that after the removal of Pilate, no governor, or procurator, with the right of the sword or the power of life and death, was sent into Judea, neither in the remaining part of the reign of Tiberius, nor in the reign of Caius. Which afforded the Jews an oportunity to be licentious, and to do many things, which otherwise they could not have done, and to be extremely troublesome to the disciples of Jesus.

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Thus then Paul was converted in 37, or possibly, before the end of the year 36. And Ste

phen was stoned in the beginning of the same year, or, at the soonest, near the end of the year 35.

III. Having distinctly considered these things, and produced such probable evidence as offers, I beg leave to mention several observations.

1. The persecution, which began at the death of Stephen, continued four years.

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The disciples of Jesus, as appears from the first chapters of the book of the Acts, were much harassed by the Jewish council from the beginning. But now, after Stephen was stoned, a more open and violent persecution came on, which lasted a good while. I am not able to assign a more likely time for the commencement of it, than the beginning of the year 36, or the latter part of the year 35, about which time Pilate was removed after his government had been for some good while very feeble among the Jews. The same persecution reached into the year of our Lord 40, the fourth and last year of the reign of Caius; when Petronius published the orders which he had received, to set up the emperor's statue in the temple at Jerusalem: which threw the Jewish people, throughout all that country, into a general consternation, and fully employed them about their own affairs.

It seems to me therefore, from this calculation, that the persecution lasted, at least, four years. To which might be added, that it must have begun about a year before Paul's conversion, after which he was three years in Arabia. And when he returned to Jerusalem, the persecution was not at an end: nor did the peace of the churches come on till after he had been sent away from Judea to Tarsus.

2. Notwithstanding the violence, and the length of this persecution, the church of Christ was not diminished, but increased during that period.

This may be argued from the description of the peace which succeeded it. Acts ix. 31, 32; "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified.

And it came to pass, as Peter passed through all quarters, he came to the saints which dwelt in Lydda." Now therefore there were churches in Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria. And I make no question, but most, or all of them, were planted during those troublesome times. For before that period we read not of any churches out of Jerusalem. And St. Paul speaking of some things after his conversion, and his return to Jerusalem, says, Gal. i. 22; "He was unknown by face to the churches of Judea, which were in Christ."

This increase of converts in those countries might be owing to several things: the patience and fortitude of the disciples: their discretion in avoiding needless offence, and in declining dangers: their zeal and intrepidity in asserting the resurrection of Jesus, and other articles of the doctrine of the gospel: the miraculous powers with which they were endowed, and their exerting them on all fit occasions.

It might be also, in part, owing to the circumstances of things. For a while, as it seems, this persecution was confined to Jerusalem, and did not extend to other parts of Judea. So says St. Luke, Acts viii. 1; " At that time was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem." Paul's injuries were confined there, till he went to Damascus. He speaks not of any thing done by him against the disciples of Jesus any where else. Acts xxvi. 10, 11; "Which thing I also did in Jerusalem.and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. Whereupon as I went to Damascus."

The persecution became more extensive afterwards. As may be gathered from those words of St. Luke, just cited: "then had the churches rest throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria." Wherein it is implied, that the believers in those countries had been disturbed : though, perhaps, the persecution was not there so violent as in Jerusalem and near it.

But so long as Paul continued in his course of opposition, the persecution either was confined to Jerusalem, or was not very violent in many other parts, if in any. This may be evidently concluded from Acts viii. 1, "And they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea, and Samaria, except the apostles." Many of the disciples, therefore, who left Jerusalem, found shelter in Judea, and Samaria. This was soon after the death of Stephen, and before Paul went to Damascus. Yea it is added, ver. 4, 5, "Therefore they