The figure of Saul of Tarsus, later known as the Apostle Paul, is one of the most transformative in the New Testament. Before his conversion to Christianity, Saul was a zealous Pharisee, deeply committed to the traditions of his Jewish faith and vehemently opposed to the nascent Christian movement. His actions during this period are often characterized by a fervent bigotry against Christians, whom he perceived as a threat to the Jewish religious order.

Saul's bigotry is first introduced in the Book of Acts, where he is described as a young man who approved of the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Acts 7:58-8:1 states, "They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And Saul was there, giving approval to his death." This passage highlights Saul's early involvement in the persecution of Christians, marking him as a key figure in the opposition against the followers of Jesus.

His zeal for persecuting Christians is further illustrated in Acts 8:3 : "But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison." Saul's actions were not merely passive approval but active participation in the suppression of the Christian faith. His efforts were systematic and widespread, as he sought to eradicate what he viewed as a heretical sect.

Saul's bigotry was fueled by his strict adherence to Pharisaic Judaism, which saw the teachings of Jesus as blasphemous and a direct challenge to the Mosaic Law. In his own words, Saul later reflects on his past actions in Galatians 1:13-14 : "For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers."

The culmination of Saul's bigotry is perhaps most vividly depicted in his journey to Damascus, where he intended to arrest Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment. Acts 9:1-2 records, "Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem."

Saul's persecution of Christians was marked by a fervent desire to maintain religious purity and protect the Jewish faith from what he perceived as a dangerous deviation. His actions were driven by a deep-seated conviction that he was serving God by opposing the followers of Jesus. This period of Saul's life is a testament to the intensity of religious bigotry that can arise from a rigid adherence to tradition and a misunderstanding of divine revelation.

It is important to note that Saul's bigotry was not the end of his account. His dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, as recounted in Acts 9:3-6 , marked the beginning of a profound transformation. However, his early actions serve as a sobering reminder of the destructive power of religious intolerance and the capacity for redemption and change.Acts 22:3,4
I am truly a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as you all are this day.
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Acts 9:1-5
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
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Acts 26:9
I truly thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
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Galatians 1:13,14
For you have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
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Philippians 3:6
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
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The Folly and Danger of Being not Righteous Enough
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Fire! Fire! Fire!
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