FEW if any of the characters in sacred history had a more varied career than he who is first presented to us as Saul, the zealous persecutor of the Christians, and again, when "born of the Spirit," as Paul the saintly student and exponent of the Christ-teaching. Saul, we read, was born of good Jewish parentage, in the city of Tarsus, province of Cilicia, Asia Minor. Tarsus being a leading trading-point, as a child and youth he doubtless watched with eagerness and was profoundly impressed by the activity of commercial life in this city, as is proven by his style of writing and the metaphors he employs. At an early age he became a pupil of Gamaliel, a learned doctor who was thoroughly versed in the Jewish law, and who was also very broad and liberal in his views; but while Saul absorbed his teacher's legal instruction, he failed to take on his liberality, for we find him later developed into a biased, narrow-minded, fanatical man.
Saul's zeal for the protection of the Jewish customs, rites, and ceremonies, of which he had a thorough knowledge, was the key which admitted him to the favor of the priests. He was studious and earnest in mastering the law, and he grew in popularity, influence, and prominence with the public. From the way in which he speaks of his vote (Acts xxvi, 10). he was probably a member of the Sanhedrim. To him the law was the temporal and eternal guide of his actions, and any rule of conduct set forth therein was justifiable in his mind. He was without doubt a sincere worshiper of God, living up to his highest understanding, and his cruelty and intolerance were actuated by the conviction that he was called to crush out this new doctrine, heresy, or religion, thereby saving his people from disobedience and suffering. He was fully convinced that all good was wrapped up in the law, regardless of its failure thus far to reform and uplift the Jews; hence he became a leader in waging war against the Christians.
It is sad that Saul could not have gleaned some spiritual light from the law, or extracted from the writings of Moses, that colossal man of antiquity, some of the great prophetic truths found in his statements; but the letter of the law filled his thoughts, and his heart was empty of love. Nor has two thousand years brought about much change in human nature in this respect, for today, as then, the creedal belief stands ready to denounce, malign, and belittle any class of people who do not subscribe to its doctrines. The fact that Saul was honest does not excuse his mistakes, nor can we pardon his cruelty because he was zealous for his cause. When the day arrived for his greatest campaign against the Christians, he equipped himself with letters of authority and endorsement from the high priest, marshalled together his assistants, and began to map out his plans of procedure. This done, he was ready to start on his journey to Damascus. Receiving the best wishes of the priests for his success, and stirred by enthusiasm from the people as he left, he started off with added determination to crush out not only the Christ-teaching, but to put to death its followers. He had witnessed the death of Stephen and been a party to it, and believed at the time that this strong measure would strike such terror to the hearts of Christians that they would cease their work through fear. Instead of that they had but scattered in different directions, and the truth was thus spreading more rapidly, a fact which added intensity to his eagerness to exterminate what he supposed a great evil.
