The Missionary Journeys of Paul the Apostle - Term Paper Example

?The Missionary Journeys of Paul the Apostle Table of Contents Introduction 3 Paul’s Missionary Methods and Strategies 4 Paul’s Missionary Journeys 5First Journey (48-49 AD) 5 Third Journey (53-57 AD) 6 Historical Social and Religious Context of Paul’s Missionary Journey 7 Conclusion 8 Bibliography 9 10 Introduction Apostle Paul was born in ca. 5 AD in Tarsus of Cilicia in an Israelite family of Jewish ancestry. He was circumcised on the eighth day of his birth in compliance with the Hebrew law. After being selected as one of the apostles of Jesus, Paul made strong contributions to the significant growth and development of early churches, which were based on the preaching of Christ Himself. His conversion contributed considerably to the renaissance of Christ. Throughout his missionary journeys, he transformed religious beliefs and philosophy and founded churches all around the Mediterranean world. According to the Biblical background, it is viewed that there were three missionary journeys of Paul, approximately during 48-60 AD. Many Christian scholars believe that Paul walked on foot during his journeys through the city of Israel, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Greece and Italy. Paul’s missionary journeys cover northwest and the west of Jerusalem and the Mediterranean world of the Roman Empire1. The discussion henceforth reflects the strategies and methods used by Paul in his missionary journeys. Therefore, the discussion focuses on Paul’s three missionary journeys. Furthermore, the discussion also intends to present a brief understanding of the historical, religious and social contexts of his three journeys. Paul’s Missionary Methods and Strategies Paul practiced various strategies to spread the Christian faith to places he visited during his missionary journeys. According to Langston, Paul implemented a plan to evangelize the Roman world of Mediterranean, confirming three most significant centers for Judaism as Palestine, Alexandria and Babylon2. Therefore, it can be observed that moving towards the western region, Paul the Apostle strategically evangelized the then less populated areas. Furthermore, for the effective completion of the establishment of early churches, Paul relied on a few number of devotees, on whom he could bestow his complete faith to accomplish the job of evangelism. This group of devotees involved Luke, Timothy, Epaphroditus, Titus and Silas3. Paul the Apostle further established churches under the supervision of ‘older and abler men’, who could conserve the spiritual belief in Christ along with expanding it. Paul’s primary objectives were to create ‘indigenous’ churches with complete spiritual authority under his own ministry. Paul’s work always highlighted the spiritual bond of union in Jesus Christ. Being the ‘spiritual father’, Paul took the responsibility to supervise these churches, making periodic personal visits. The morality of Apostle Paul can be learnt from the various episodes of his missionary journeys. For instance, to accumulate the necessary finance required for his missionary journey, Paul employed himself during the day as a ‘tentmaker’, avoiding any assistance from his followers and devotees. In every city which Paul visited, he recognized a Jewish ‘synagogue’, which is the prayer house used for the Jews, to develop it as an early church. He also sought out particular Jews whom he identified as ‘God-fearing Gentiles’ who did not want to submit to the Jewish ritualistic requirements and bestowed on them the responsibility of following the rules of the church and spreading the teachings of Christ which He preached during His ministry all around the region4. Paul’s Missionary Journeys First Journey (48-49 AD) From March of 48 AD to September of 49 AD, Paul initiated his journey along the route of Antioch in Pisidia, Paphos and Salamis in Cyprus, Antioch in Syria, Perga in Asia Minor, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, and back to Lystra. His first missionary journey began in Antioch of Syria, where he had to spend a considerable time for the construction of church, at the request of his travel companion, Barnabas5. Second Journey (49-52 AD) Paul the Apostle’s second journey began in 49 AD and ended in 52 AD, when he travelled around 1,800 miles by land and 1,300 miles by sea. At the beginning of this journey, Paul, in the companionship of Barnabas, planned to revisit the churches which he had already founded during his first journey. It was during this journey that Barnabas wished to involve his cousin Mark in future journeys. However, Paul, after realizing that Mark was not determined enough, refused the proposal, which put his coordination with Barnabas to an end. Consequently, Barnabas took Mark and continued his journey towards Cyprus while Paul selected his travel companion Silas from Jerusalem church and continued his journey from Antioch towards the province of Phrygia and Galatia. During this journey, Paul and Silas met with their young travel companion Timothy and escorted him. According to the book of Acts6, they travelled opposite Mysia and were trying to travel into Bithynia. However, it is said that Jesus did not aid them with good fortune, and, therefore, while they were passing through Mysia, their journey came down into Troas7. Third Journey (53-57 AD) Paul the Apostles’ third journey is believed to have taken place during 53-57 AD. Paul initiated his third journey from Antioch, revisiting the churches in the provinces of Galatia and Phrygia. By the end of his third missionary journey, he returned to Ephesus and spent two years teaching and preaching within the city. In the summer of 54 AD, after arriving in Ephesus, Paul trained his followers for about three months. In the later period, he made his own lecture hall, where Paul continued his preaching about the religious and spiritual values of Christ’s teachings8. Historical Social and Religious Context of Paul’s Missionary Journey The historical, social as well as the religious context of the missionary journeys of Paul the Apostle can be observed as highly fluctuating, with rapid alterations and continuous conflicts taking place amid the various participants of the then socio-economic culture. For instance, from 48 AD to 58 AD, a battle between Rome and Caratacus took place. In response, in 49 AD, Paul wrote a letter to the Galatians and Romans following the ‘anti-Semitism’, which was then believed to be predominantly widespread throughout the Roman Empire. Again, during 49 AD, Jews were driven from Rome by the order of the Roman emperor Claudius, owing to their failure to obey the rules imposed by the then ruling body. The coincidences occurring during the preceding seven years further depict the social context of Jerusalem suffering from increasing poverty as a consequence of Jewish behaviour. In 57 AD, Paul again wrote to the church stating that support should be provided to the Jews in returning back to Rome. Consequently, a few Jewish families returned to Rome and resettled; they found themselves to be a minor community, which was quite different from their previous status9. Clashes of conflicting religious propagandas can also be observed during this period. For instance, in the early summer of 55 AD, Paul was arrested at Jerusalem Temple due to his protests concerning zealots, which was believed to be against the then Roman emperor10. Conclusion During his three missionary journeys, Paul the Apostle visited some of the significant cities in the Roman Empire, such as Athens, Corinth and Ephesus, where he and his companions preached gospel and founded churches. It should also be mentioned in this regard that during his three missionary journeys, the Roman dynasty was witnessing significant alterations in terms of its political, social and religious context, which has been further noted as the commencement of the ‘renaissance’11. Bibliography Andrew, S., and B. Kulikovsky. “The Historical Context of Paul’s Letters to the Galatians and Romans”. Biblical Hermeneutics. http://hermeneutics.kulikovskyonline.net/hermeneutics/galromhc.pdf (accessed September 12, 2012). Barker, Kenneth L. NIV Study Bible. Michigan: Zondervan Publishing Company, 1995. Gallatin, H. K. “Historical Contexts for the Earliest Christians: Part III, the Maiden Voyage”. Novell, Inc. http://users.sbuniv.edu/~hgallatin/ht3463aa06.html#arr (accessed September 12, 2012). Gracepoint Devotions. “Apostle Paul’s Missionary Journeys”. Devotional Quiet Times & Bible Commentary. http://www.gracepointdevotions.org/2011/03/04/apostle-pauls-missionary-journeys/ (accessed September 12, 2012). Harris, Stephen. The New Testament: A Student's Introduction. United States: McGraw-Hill Companies, Incorporated, 2011. Langston, Dan. “Journeys of Paul”. Southwestern Assemblies of God University Graduate School of Distance Education. http://www.dougandmarsha.com/essays-seminary/SAGU_05_Journeys%20of%20Paul.pdf (accessed September 12, 2012). Metzger, Bruce M., and Michael David Coogan. The Oxford Companion to the Bible (Oxford Companions). Oxford University Press, 1993. McManners, John. The Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity. Oxford University Press, 2001. Swatos, William H., and Peter Kivisto. Encyclopedia of Religion and Society, Volume 1. Rowman Altamira, 1998. “Timeline of Apostle Paul's Life and Missionary Journeys: From Birth to First Missionary Journey”. http://reasonedtruth.com/images/Bible%20time%20line/5%20timeline%20of%20apostle%20paul.pdf (accessed September 12, 2012). Read More