Other than Jesus, perhaps the most influential man to shape the course of Christianity that has ever lived. Had been educated in the strictest Jewish tradition and had studied under the famous rabbi Gamaliel in Jerusalem, Paul spoke Greek fluently and was familiar with Greek thought and literature. He could express the doctrines and teachings of Jesus, foreign to the Gentiles, in ways that the pagan mind could grasp. He was a Roman citizen, which gave him special freedom of movement, protection in his travels, and access to the higher levels of society. Catholic Christianity may be seen as a development of Jesus’ plans and Paul’s efforts. It was probably during the persecution of Nero that Paul was finally martyred.
[tags]BlogRodent, church-history, ChurchRodent, Gamaliel, history, Jesus, Nero, Paul-the-Apostle, martyr[/tags]
