People in Paul's Life

By Russell Taylor

The life and writings of Paul take up more of the New Testament than any other person apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. From the time we first see his name in Acts 7:58, when he was called Saul, he met many people. Some of them influenced his life while other were influenced through his ministry.

These studies look at some of these people in the hope that we can learn something from them that will help us in our daily walk with God.

They were originally broadcast as a series of thirteen short programmes for GBS (The Gospel Broadcasting System).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Russell Taylor
• Release date: Oct 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005360252

Russell Taylor

Russell Taylor was employed for many years in the engineering department of a large steelworks in North East Wales. Following the closure of a large part of the works in 1980 he worked in Local Government in Management Services and Housing Maintenance. After taking early retirement in 1996 he joined the staff of Emmaus Bible School UK where he was involved in their prison ministry. he has also been involved in a broadcasting ministry with GBS Radio but is now enjoying writing.He is married with one daughter and two grandchildren and is active as an Elder in an independent chapel in North Wales.

Book preview

PEOPLE IN PAUL’S LIFE

A look at some of the people who either influenced Paul or were influenced through his ministry.

Copyright © Russell Taylor

All rights reserved.

No portion of this publication may be reproduced, resold, or given away without written permission of the copyright holder.

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment.

Unless otherwise stated, scripture is taken from the New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All right reserved.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Gamaliel

Chapter 2: Stephen

Chapter 3: Ananias of Damascus

Chapter 4: Barnabas

Chapter 5: John Mark

Chapter 6: Silas

Chapter 7: Timothy

Chapter 8: Lydia

Chapter 9: The Philippian Jailer

Chapter 10: Aquila and Priscilla

Chapter 11: Titus

Chapter 12: Phoebe

Chapter 13: Onesimus

About the Author

Books by this Author

Scripture quotations from the HOLY BIBLE

NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society

Used by permission

Chapter 1: Gamalial

We begin our series on some of the people who feature in the life of Paul with a man who had possibly the biggest influence on him before his conversion.

Gamaliel was a man who had a huge influence on many people but is only mentioned once in connection with Paul’s life. We read about this in Acts 22:3. Paul had been arrested in the Temple at Jerusalem, but after being beaten, was allowed to speak to the crowd who witnessed the event. He tells them that he was brought up a devout Jew who was zealous for God, having been taught by Gamliel. He had been taught the details of the Law and the Jewish customs and to follow them to the letter.

If we turn back in our Bibles to Acts 5:34 we read that Gamaliel was a Pharisee, so he was a very religious person who followed the Law diligently. We also read that he was highly respected as a teacher of the law and all that the Pharisees believed. In fact, we read that he was, held in respect by all the people. So, as a result of this man’s teaching, and the fact that his father was a Pharisee, Paul became well versed in the Law (Philippians 3:5).

As well as being a teacher of the Law, Gamaliel was a member of the supreme Jewish Court of Justice in Jerusalem known as the Sanhedrin. He was present when Peter and John were on trial and became their ally by persuading the court to be lenient on the apostles. I suspect there was a reason for this. He probably didn’t want to see the court divided on such an important issue as this would have lost them a lot of credibility among the majority of the population and with the Roman authority.

However, before he spoke to the court, he asked that the apostles be taken outside. I believe he did this because he didn’t want them to think he supported them by speaking on their behalf. In fact, what he was saying was, do not oppose them, but don’t support them either. Although at first reading it might appear that Gamaliel was siding with the apostles, he wasn’t. We don’t read anywhere that he came to believe that Jesus was the Son of God and the promised Messiah, and that He had come to take the punishment for the sins of the people who included Gamaliel and include us today.

To support his leniency, he names two men who had previously tried to start a new sect or organization, which they did not approve of. The first of these was Theudas who claimed to be someone great and managed to attract a following of about four hundred men. The second man named was Judas of Galilee who also drew many people to his cause. In both cases, when they died, their followers were dispersed, and we hear nothing more about these sects.

Gamaliel knew that these men had been acting on their own ideas and that their actions were not of God. He tells the court that if these men had been called by God there would have been lasting results. In Acts 5:38 there is a small word that appears twice. It is the word, ‘if’. Gamaliel knew the power of God and that if these men (speaking of the apostles) were preaching something they had thought up themselves, there would be no lasting results and their organisation would soon come to an end and would no longer be a threat to their influence among the people. But if they were acting under the guidance of God, there was nothing the court could do to stop them, as they would be fighting God and that God could not be beaten.

By sending the apostles out of the courtroom he was showing the other members of the council that he was not taking sides with the apostles. If they had been allowed to remain, they (that is the apostles) would have been led to believe that he supported them. In other words, he wanted to be on both sides without either side knowing. He wanted to support the council but wanted to do what was right in God’s eyes. This is something that was condemned by Christ who said that you are either with Him or against Him (Matthew 12:30). We also read that you cannot faithfully support two masters; referring to man and God (Matthew 6:24).

Gamaliel can be likened to many people today who claim to be Christians but are very broadminded and tolerant of what goes on around them. This shows a lack of conviction concerning what God has revealed through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Gamaliel, as we have already said, was a respected teacher of the Law, but he only taught the Law as given through Moses, and the various traditions that had been added to the Law over the ages. These traditions, in the eyes of the Pharisees, were as important as, if not more important than the Law itself. This was wrong in God’s eyes as the Israelites had been told by Moses not to add to, or take anything from the Law, but to keep the Law as it had been given them. We read this in Deuteronomy 4:2 and 12:32. Why shouldn’t the people add to it? Because the writer of the book of Proverbs tells us that Every word of God is pure and Do not add to His words (Proverbs 30:6, 7). This means that if anything is added to it, or taken from it, it is no longer the pure word of God.

Gamaliel, like the majority of other Jews at the time, was still waiting for the Messiah to come, as the Jews did not accept that Jesus