The man Christians know as St. Paul was probably one of the world's greatest salesmen. It is hard to overstate what he accomplished for the spread and nurture of Christianity. A strict, practicing Jew of the first century AD, Paul helped men and women of different cultures to change radically how they thought and worshiped.
He had no fancy technology at his disposal. He drew upon his own deep spirituality, his training in the Scriptures, his intellectual gifts, his persuasive oratory, and his ability to demonstrate the power behind his ideas. Possessing all these virtues, Paul walked and sailed throughout the Mediterranean world, gathering converts and enemies, building congregations of the faithful, and changing the history of world forever.
Born in what is now southwest Turkey, Paul was originally named Saul, perhaps after the great king of Israel's early history. (Both Saul the king and Saul the Apostle were of the tribe of Benjamin.) According to the Bible, he received his religious training in Jerusalem under the famous Rabbi Gamaliel, who was head of the Jewish sect called Pharisees and was known for his moderation toward Christians. The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, Vol.ll(Nashville, Tennessee:Abingdon Press, 1962), p.351 . Gamaliel is revered by Jews even today as one of the greatest teachers of all time.
