From Saul to Paul
The Road to Apostleship
William Victor Blacoe follows Paul’s life from childhood to his execution in his sixth decade, placing it within the wider cultural, political, and religious context of his time—an era not unlike our own, marked by clashing cultures and religions and populated by passionate and volatile people. In that world, Saul of Tarsus, a Jewish boy and Roman citizen, grew into a mighty persecutor of Christians, only to be felled from his horse and struck temporarily blind by the power of the risen Christ. Transformed by this encounter into a fervent believer, he gave himself fully to spreading the “good news” of Jesus to all who would give him a hearing, despite being derided, whipped, and stoned for his message.
But why was this man so driven? What caused Saul, an unimposing figure with a tendency to illness, to take on the Roman form of his name and become a messenger whose words of a new life in Christ still impact the world today? Blacoe’s comprehensive and well-annotated biography illuminates this transformation and the reason for Paul’s dedication to his message of salvation. More than that, he brings to the fore how one shining example of faith in action can transcend time and place to inspire generations unknown.
Reviewed by
Kristine Morris
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