Background Information
In the years following Jesus’ crucifixion, his disciples and followers embarked upon one of the most important journeys in religious history: spreading Christianity across the world. In the 1st century AD, two of those disciples – Jesus’ brother James and devoted follower Paul of Tarsus – were widely credited with bringing the Christian faith to cities and nations across the Mediterranean.
In particular, Saint Paul has become renowned for his passionate evangelism of Roman cities like Corinth, Ephesus and Philippi, drawing tens of thousands to the new religion across the course of his missionary journeys. He was described in the New Testament as a ‘chosen vessel’ of God, and many Christians continue to regard him as one of the most important historical figures in the religion’s history.
Growing the Faith
The task of taking Christianity beyond the Jewish world and into the cities of the Roman Empire was immense. For centuries, Judaism had been the channel through which God had communicated his revelations to the world. Paul’s mission was to demonstrate that the ancient covenant with the Jews had since been superseded by a new one – between God and the entire world.
Paul set out on his mission with the conviction that Jesus was the Messiah, sent by God to bring salvation to the world, and it was his job to spread the news. He boldly addressed enormous crowds of both Jews and Gentiles, emphasising the greatness and mercy of God. Paul’s teachings were much simpler and more accessible than traditional Jewish theology, and he urged followers of all backgrounds to pledge their allegiance to the risen Christ.
Reaching Out
On his travels, Paul wrote many letters back to the churches he had established, summarising his teachings and instructing them on how to action them. These epistles, which account for more than half of the New Testament, provided a blueprint for all the early churches, enabling them to grow and develop. They also spread the message of Christianity to a wide audience, inspiring people of different cultures and languages to embrace the faith.
Paul was relentless in his mission, travelling hundreds of miles across the Mediterranean and confronting powerful government forces and long-standing religious attitudes. His success was evident in his writing and he was encouraged by many converts who had followed his teachings and pledged loyalty to the Christian cause.
Standing Firm
Though the mission and success of Paul is undeniable, it would be untrue to suggest that he and the early Christians were welcomed by their host cities with open arms. Paul continually faced considerable opposition, often at the hands of government forces, traditional synagogues and ancient pagan temples.
Roman cities in particular presented a strong challenge for the early evangelists. Besides being fiercely anti-Semitic, these cities often held fast to traditional idols of gods and goddesses, a religion that had already existed for centuries. To make matters worse, many of these cities had laws that banned such novel thinking, threatening Paul and his fellow missionaries with the possibility of severe punishment if they continued to preach the gospel.
Lasting Impact
Despite the fierce opposition, Paul and the other early evangelists made a lasting impression on their host cities – an impression that is still felt today. In many of the places Paul visited, churches can still be found and Paul’s epistles still quoted.
The true legacy of Saint Paul and his missionary journeys is that he not only took the message of Christianity to Roman cities, he spread it to the rest of the world. In doing so, he laid the foundations for a religion that would shape world history and influence billions of people.
Successful Strategies
In order to spread Christianity, the early evangelists relied heavily on the strategies they learnt from those closest to Jesus: use symbols, symbolism, language and storytelling to make the message more widely understandable and attractive to those unfamiliar with it.
For instance, when Paul encountered the ancient Greeks in Athens, he chose to begin his sermon with reference to the altar of ‘The Unknown God’. This allowed him to explain his God through a cultural lens that the Greeks would recognise and understand. Similarly, when Paul preached to the Galatians about Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, he used metaphors of vines and branches to illustrate his teachings.
Rising to the Challenge
The success of Paul’s missionary journeys cannot be overstated. Despite being met with ridicule, violence, and even death in some cases, Paul persevered in his mission with courage and dedication. He refused to let opposition stand in the way of his devotion to the faith, and his unwavering commitment has inspired countless Christians since.
Paul’s attainment was also remarkable for its presentation of a powerful, timeless message of faith and redemption, and his many epistles continue to be read and studied today. By successfully set out on a series of evangelistic journeys, Paul brought deep and lasting changes to every society he came into contact with, and changed the course of history for many generations yet to come.
Common Struggles
Beyond the obvious physical challenges of travelling distances across the ancient world, Paul also faced a daunting set of social and spiritual obstacles. Early Christian churches often found themselves persecuted and undermined by the power structures of their host cities. Paul knew that such opposition could only be challenged and defeated if the faith had popular backing, and so he resolved to win over converts in each city he visited.
Paul was often met with hostility and resistance as he set out to preach his theological message. In some instances, Paul was accused of heresy and blasphemy, while in other cases he was cast out of synagogues and banned from public gatherings. These challenges only strengthened Paul’s resolve to continue his mission and to reach out to those around him.
Bringing the Gospel
Paul’s mission was to bring the gospel to inhabitants of each city and nation he visited, and to help them to understand God’s unconditional love. As he set out on his journey, Paul found a way to simplify the idea of his faith, making it more easily digestible for people from different backgrounds.
He embraced the cultures he encountered, partly by using local symbols, practices, and words to expound the truth of God. He also interconnected existing religious ideals and philosophies, helping those he encountered to better understand the basis of his faith. Despite the challenges and risks, Paul spread the gospel with conviction and made a lasting impression on countless communities across the ancient world.
