Paul

Definition and Meaning

Paul was an apostle of the first-century early church. Before his conversion he was known by his Hebrew name, Saul. The word "apostle" translates the Greek apostolos, meaning "one who is sent." Although Paul was not one of the Twelve Disciples, he called himself "the apostle of the Gentiles" (Romans 11:13). Gentiles are people who are not Jewish.

Biblical and Historical Background

According to the Acts of the Apostles and his letters, Paul was a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, born in Tarsus of Cilicia (Philippians 3:5); he was a Pharisee trained under Gamaliel and a Roman citizen (Acts 22:3, 22:25–28). He at first persecuted the church, but Scripture records that he was converted after encountering the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).

He then traveled through Asia Minor and Greece, founding churches. His travels are commonly divided into three missionary journeys (Acts 13–21). Acts also records that he conferred with Peter and others at the Council of Jerusalem over whether Gentile believers had to be circumcised (Acts 15). Paul was arrested in Jerusalem and taken to Rome, where, according to tradition, he was martyred.

Thirteen books of the New Testament, from Romans through Philemon, have come down under Paul's name. Some scholars attribute several of these to other authors, but Korean churches generally accept all thirteen as Paul's writings.

In Korean Church Practice

The Pauline Epistles are among the texts most frequently addressed in preaching and Bible study in Korean churches. In particular, the doctrine of justification—that one is "justified by faith"—which came to prominence through Martin Luther and the Reformation, is treated as central to theology in many denominations. Korean churches often cite Paul's missionary journeys as a model for mission, and pilgrimage tours tracing his footsteps through Türkiye and Greece are commonly offered.

Some passages in the Pauline Epistles have also become points of contention between denominations. Denominations that practice women's ordination and those that do not interpret the passages concerning women in 1 Corinthians 14:34 and 1 Timothy 2:12 differently.