Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the Conversion of Saul

QUESTION: Resurrection of Jesus Christ -- What is the significance of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus?

ANSWER:

We know from multiple sources that Paul -- then known as Saul of Tarsus -- was an enemy of the early church and committed to persecuting and killing Christians. Paul himself claimed to have been converted after having personally encountered the resurrected Lord on the road to Damascus. We have six ancient sources in addition to Paul (Luke, Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Tertullian, Dionysius of Corinth, and Origen) which report that Paul was willing to suffer continuously and even pay the ultimate penalty for his beliefs. Such bears testimony to the sincerity of Paul’s conviction that he had encountered the risen Lord.

The significance of Paul’s conversion lies in his initial antagonistic view toward the early Christian movement. Paul was not a disciple of Jesus who was primed to see a vision of Him due to wishful thinking or grief after the execution. Saul was a most unlikely candidate for conversion. His mindset was to oppose the Christian movement that he believed was following a false messiah.