An Illustrated Guide to the Apostle Paul: His Life, Ministry, and Missionary Journeys

By Alan S. Bandy

The life and ministry of the apostle Paul was a sprawling adventure covering thousands of miles on Roman roads and treacherous seas as he boldly proclaimed the gospel of Jesus to anyone who would listen, be they commoners or kings. His impact on the church and indeed on Western civilization is immeasurable.

From his birth in Tarsus to his rabbinic training in Jerusalem to his final imprisonment in Rome, An Illustrated Guide to the Apostle Paul brings his remarkable story to life. Drawing from the book of Acts, Paul's many letters, and historical and archaeological sources, this fully illustrated resource explores the social, cultural, political, and religious background of the first-century Roman world in which Paul lived and ministered. It sheds light on the places he visited and the people he met along the way. Most importantly, it helps us understand how and why Paul was used by God in such extraordinary ways.

Pastors, students, and anyone engaged in Bible study will find this an indispensable and inspiring resource.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
• Release date: Aug 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781493430246

Alan S. Bandy

Alan S. Bandy (MDiv, Mid-America Seminary; PhD, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) is professor of New Testament and Greek at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where he occupies the Robert Hamblin Chair of New Testament Exposition. He married his high school sweetheart, Necoe, in 1995. Together they have five children.

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© 2021 by Alan S. Bandy

Published by Baker Books

a division of Baker Publishing Group

PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.bakerbooks.com

Ebook edition created 2021

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4934-3024-6

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations labeled ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016

Scripture quotations labeled NIV are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Italics added to Scripture quotations reflect the author’s emphasis.

For my brother, JOEL S. BANDY, who passed away unexpectedly while I was writing this book. I miss him.

For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Phil. 1:21)

Contents

Cover    1

Half Title Page    2

Title Page    3

Copyright Page    4

Dedication    5

Acknowledgments    9

List of Abbreviations    11

Introduction    13

Part 1: Paul’s Upbringing, Conversion, and Early Ministry    15

1. Early Years in Tarsus and Jerusalem    17

2. Paul and the Damascus Road Experience    29

3. Paul’s Early Ministry in Jerusalem, Cilicia, and Syria    39

Part 2: Paul’s Ministry in Cyprus and Galatia: First Missionary Journey    51

4. From Antioch to Cyprus    53

5. Galatia    59

Part 3: Paul’s Ministry in Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia, and Asia Minor: Second and Third Missionary Journeys    71

6. The Jerusalem Council and the Start of Paul’s Second Missionary Journey    73

7. From Antioch to Alexandria Troas    81

8. Macedonia: Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea    89

9. Achaia (Greece): Athens and Corinth    103

10. Paul’s Third Missionary Journey: Ephesus to Miletus    117

Part 4: Paul in Prison: Caesarea to Rome    135

11. Arrested in Jerusalem and Imprisoned in Caesarea    137

12. Paul’s Final Years: Rome    155

Notes    179

Image Credits    189

About the Author    191

Back Ad    192

Back Cover    193

Acknowledgments

This book was born out of a decade of teaching a course on the life and letters of Paul at Oklahoma Baptist University. I am thankful to Heath Thomas for encouraging me in this project and giving me time to devote to writing. On multiple occasions over the last ten years, I have taken students on tours of ancient sites in Turkey, Greece, and Israel. These trips fleshed out the world of the New Testament for me in ways that added color, texture, smells, and sights, which placed this world on a mental map and made it alive and vibrant. I’d like to thank Levent Oral, president of Tutku Tours in Izmir, Turkey, for helping me arrange numerous trips to Turkey that enabled me literally to walk in the footsteps of Paul. I would also like to thank my friend Mark Wilson of the Asia Minor Research Center, who personally shared with me details about the roads and cities in Turkey and how they related to Paul’s ministry.

This book would never have come about were it not for Brian Vos, my editor at Baker Books, who encouraged me every step of the way from initial writing to its final form. His kind nature, keen eye, and knowledge of the publishing world have made him an invaluable friend and editor throughout this process. I also want to express my gratitude to the staff of Starbucks and The Gathering Place in Shawnee, Oklahoma, who allowed me countless hours of writing in their shops while sipping coffee. Finally, I want to acknowledge Jonathan Wood and Angela Rowland, two students and friends, who proofread my original draft and offered helpful feedback to make this book better.

Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph. 3:20–21)

List of Abbreviations

Introduction

There are few other figures of early Christian history more influential and more compelling than the apostle Paul. He wrote thirteen letters that form a third of the New Testament. Paul was a pastor, missionary, and theologian who shaped Christianity by preaching, teaching, and explaining the message of Jesus. He established churches in cities throughout the Roman Empire, thereby spreading Christianity in a profound way. He was a man uniquely called by Jesus and totally devoted to him, to the point of suffering and dying for him.

The apostle Paul also bridged the Jewish and gentile divide. He navigated the uncomfortable multicultural terrain of the first century as he took the gospel and established churches composed of both Jews and gentiles who became brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul’s cross-cultural gospel ministry radically restructured people’s identity in the person of Christ instead of in ethnicity, social status, religious background, or gender (Gal. 3:28–29). Not everyone, however, welcomed Paul’s gospel, and he often endured open and violent hostility from both Jews and gentiles (Acts 13:45; 17:5–6; 18:12; 19:23–30). He faced beatings, riots, arrest, jail, and trials for preaching the message of Jesus crucified and raised from the dead (2 Cor. 11:23–28). Everything about Paul’s birth, upbringing, and early education uniquely fitted him for his ministry among both Jews and gentiles.

An Illustrated Guide to the Apostle Paul gives an in-depth look at Paul’s life and ministry by providing historical, cultural, and geographic background to all the people, places, and events related to him. Careful attention is given to dates for the purpose of accurately understanding the historical and cultural context of Paul’s life and ministry. Careful attention is also given to locations to provide a vivid picture of the world Paul inhabited. As this is an illustrated guide, I have sought to include many images and maps to help bring this world to life.

I also highlight the many people, associates, and friends in the Pauline circle. All too often, Paul is viewed as a lone ranger who primarily operated alone. Nothing could be further from the truth. Paul had a vast network, and he traveled and labored with dozens of people at a time. He mobilized people to go into other areas for evangelism and discipleship. Luke, Timothy, Epaphras, Titus, Phoebe, and many others were essential to Paul’s ministry. As a result, I have sought to shed light on these individuals and groups when relevant.

The goal of this book is to provide the main contours of Paul’s life, journeys, ministry, imprisonment, sufferings, and death in a vivid and engaging way. I strived to distill that information in a readable yet accurate way without getting too involved in complex details and debated issues. I hope this illustrated guide to the life of Paul prompts you to go deeper into your own study of his life and ministry.

fig016

A map of Roman provinces that shows the cities of Tarsus and Antioch.

Chapter 1

Early Years in Tarsus and Jerusalem

Paul, also known as Saul, was born in Tarsus (in modern-day Turkey) sometime around AD 5.1 The exact date is beyond knowing for certain, but AD 5 is derived from a few references to Paul’s age along with some good old-fashioned deduction. The first clue to Paul’s age is found in Philemon 1:9, where he refers to himself as an elderly man or elder (presbytēs). According to Jewish tradition, a man was considered to be an elder or elderly at the age of sixty.2 If Paul was in his late fifties or early sixties when he wrote Philemon sometime in the early AD 60s, then he would have been born within the first few years of the first century.3

When Saul is introduced at the trial of Stephen in Acts 7:58, Luke describes him as a young man (neaniou), which typically refers to an unmarried man between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-five. He was likely in his late twenties or early thirties. It is possible he was the prosecutor in the trial of Stephen, which could be why the ones stoning Stephen laid their outer clothes at Saul’s feet. According to Jewish tradition, a man needed to be thirty years old to gain authority as a religious leader, so it seems safe to conclude he was at least thirty or extremely close to it.4 Stephen’s martyrdom took place around AD 34 or 35, not too long after Jesus’s crucifixion on April 7, 33. Although we cannot arrive at a definitive birthday for Paul, we can safely conclude he was born within the first decade of the first century, making him a few years younger than Jesus.

A Jew from Tarsus

Paul was born into a devout Jewish family who ensured he would follow the requirements of the Torah (also known as the Pentateuch, which includes Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) and the traditions of his ancestors. Paul describes his Jewish heritage and pedigree in terms of being circumcised [on] the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee (Phil. 3:5). That he was circumcised on the eighth day clearly indicates his parents were practicing Jews who observed the Torah. It’s not clear whether Paul’s father was a Pharisee, but it’s entirely possible that’s what Paul meant when he said, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees (Acts 23:6). If his father was a Pharisee, then Paul’s family was possibly middle-class, but they would have chosen to live frugally and simply.5

fig018

A menorah from the lintel on the entrance to a synagogue in Estemoa, Israel (third to fourth century AD).

Paul’s Jewish heritage is also emphasized as being an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin, and as such, he was likely named after his family’s most famous ancestor—King Saul. What’s more, as a Hebrew of Hebrews, he grew up speaking Aramaic and reading Hebrew. Paul’s Jewish heritage is more than just an ethnic or religious affiliation; it is central to who he is as a person, how he lived, what he believed, and how he related to the world around him. These identity questions were even more pronounced for Diaspora Jews living outside the land of Israel and making their home in gentile communities. From his earliest years, Paul would have keenly felt the challenges of being a Jew in Tarsus.

fig019

Paul’s Jewish family members were also Roman citizens. We know this from Acts, where Paul states, I am a Jewish man from Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of an important city (Acts 21:39). Tarsus was the principal city of the Roman province of Cilicia, located a few miles inland from the Mediterranean coast along the Cydnus River. It is only mentioned in the Bible in connection with Paul (9:11, 30; 11:25; 21:39; 22:3). Although some have associated Tarsus with the Old Testament Tarshish (Gen. 10:4; Ps. 48:7; Isa. 23:1; Jon. 1:3), most scholars agree they are two different places.

Ancient Tarsus was a populous, prosperous, and important city in its own right.6 To the east it was flanked by the rugged, snowcapped Taurus Mountains, but the western portion of Cilicia was flat and very fertile, with lush vineyards and fields that grew a variety of grains and flax.7 Tarsus had a robust textile industry that produced fabric from flax, but it was better known for thick and sturdy goat-hair cloth, called cilicium, that was used for making tents and other items. Paul’s trade as a tentmaker was probably a family trade he practiced in Tarsus, and it continued to be a source of income during his travels (Acts 18:3).

How exactly did Paul’s family, being Jewish, come to live in Tarsus and gain Roman citizenship? According to one tradition, Paul’s ancestors were originally from the upper Galilean town of Gischala.8 One possibility is that his family voluntarily emigrated to Tarsus as part of a Jewish colony when the city was founded by the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes (reigned 175–164 BC).9 If so, Paul’s ancestors migrated to Tarsus as Jewish colonists about a hundred years prior to his birth. Another possibility is that Paul’s ancestors were carried away from Gischala as prisoners of war and enslaved during the Roman period around 63 BC.10

fig020a

Ancient street and marketplace of Tarsus.

fig020b

Fertile plains near Tarsus.

fig020c

Goats with black hair used for making fabric called cilicium.

Regardless of how Paul’s family arrived in Tarsus, they likely gained Roman citizenship due to events that occurred shortly after the assassination of Julius Caesar. Cassius and Brutus, two of the conspirators in Julius Caesar’s murder, fled Rome with an army and went into Asia Minor. To fund their war against Octavian Augustus and Mark Antony, Cassius imposed a heavy tax on Tarsus in the summer of 43 BC. This tax depleted all the city resources, and a significant portion of the population was subsequently sold into slavery. Due to Cassius’s oppressive tactics, the people of Tarsus sided with and supported Octavian Augustus. When Octavian defeated Cassius and Brutus at the Battle of Philippi (42 BC), he granted Tarsus status as a free city in appreciation for their support. Octavian also freed those who were sold into slavery and granted them Roman citizenship.11 Paul’s father or grandfather may have been freed and given Roman citizenship at that time. While there would have been several possible paths to citizenship for Paul’s family, this one seems to fit the history of Tarsus quite well.12

A Roman Citizen

More than once Paul laid claim to the fact that he was a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37–38; 22:25–28), even specifying that he was a citizen by birth (22:28). Parents were required to register a child within thirty days of birth to have legal acknowledgment of the child’s citizenship.13 While citizens could carry documentation to prove their citizenship, claims of citizenship were generally trusted since the penalty for impersonating a Roman citizen was death.14 Roman citizens enjoyed prestige and privilege far exceeding that of the general population of the empire. The basic rights of Roman citizenship were the right to make an appeal, the right to vote in an assembly, and the right to choose between having a local trial or being tried in Rome. Citizens were also protected from degrading forms of punishment.15

fig021

A cameo portrait of Octavian Augustus.

Emperor Augustus passed a law (i.e., lex Iulia de ui publica) that forbade any magistrate invested with the right of capital punishment (imperium) to kill, scourge, chain, or torture a Roman citizen if they made an appeal. A magistrate who disregarded the appeal and carried out a capital sentence was guilty of murder.16 Most importantly, Roman citizens were exempt from death by crucifixion, so citizens were executed by beheading.17 As a citizen, Paul had a measure of status in the Roman world that would not have been granted to noncitizens.

The fact that he has both the name Saul and the name Paul also points to his Roman citizenship, because Roman citizens used a three-name formula (tria nomina) consisting of the praenomen, nomen, and cognomen. The praenomen was like a first name. The nomen was the family surname. The cognomen was like a modern middle name. Paul’s parents gave him the very Jewish name Saul as his first name (praenomen). It is unclear why they would have given him the relatively rare Roman name Paul. One possibility is that Paul was not one of his formal legal names but was more like a nickname.18 Another suggestion is that he might have adopted the name Paul in honor of the governor of Cyprus, Lucius Sergius Paulus, who was one of his first named converts (Acts 13:8).19 However, since the name Paul (Paulus) means small or little in Latin, it was probably his middle name (cognomen), because that usually described a physical quality or character trait of the person (e.g., Cicero, which means chickpea, was so named because he had a chickpea-sized growth on his face).

fig022

A bronze diploma of a citizenship grant.

Tria Nomina (Three-Name Formula)

The change from Saul to Paul may simply mean he switched from one of his three legal Roman names to another (i.e., from first name to middle name). This name change probably was directly related to his missionary strategy for ministry among gentiles, because from Paphos he proceeded to Antioch in Pisidia, where Sergius Paulus had family (Acts 13:13–14).20 His transition from the name Saul to Paul highlights adaptability, adeptness, and fluency in the ways of Greco-Roman culture.

The reason Paul could so easily navigate the Greco-Roman world is because he was immersed in it from the beginning of his life. His parents would have begun teaching him Hebrew/Aramaic, Torah, and Jewish customs as soon as he could talk. Both Jewish and Greco-Roman children typically began more formal education at around six years of age.21 Paul likely received some primary school education in Tarsus. Growing up in Tarsus, he would have learned to read and write in Greek. Paul’s early immersion into Greco-Roman culture could explain how and why God uniquely called him to take the gospel to the gentiles. Jewish tradition maintains that a boy would begin to study the rabbinic interpretation of the Bible (i.e., Gemara or Talmud) at age fifteen.22 A father would teach his children until they began their study with the rabbis as teenagers.23 Thus, Paul probably didn’t leave Tarsus to study in Jerusalem until he was a teenager or a preteen. Paul spent his early childhood in Tarsus before moving to Jerusalem for study in his teen years sometime around AD 15–17.

A Pharisee of Pharisees

In Jerusalem, Paul became the student of one of the most revered rabbis of his day: Gamaliel the Elder (Acts 22:3). Gamaliel, Paul’s mentor, was one of the most famous rabbis in first-century Judaism.24 Gamaliel was a rabbi in the school or house of Hillel, and he was the