Transformation Inquisition Saul Into Paul Of Tarsus Poem by Terence George Craddock (Spectral Images and Images Of Light)

What caused miraculous;
transformation inquisition
Saul into Paul of Tarsus?

Saul had previously hated persecuted;
Jews who converted to Christianity
with fanatical deadly holocaust passion?

Infamous Saul of Tarsus;
had one crazed goal
for all followers of Jesus.

To capture then bring to public trial execution;
all Christians he could lay his hands on.
Saul an elite member of the Sanhedrin even

instigated approved ancient equivalent;
of vigilante mob lynchings public stonings.
Saul actively present when first Christian

martyr Stephen was by an angry mob killed;
assumed responsibility of guarding clothes
of all who zealously to death stoned Stephen.

For is it not written?
'At this they covered their ears
and, yelling at the top of their voices,

they all rushed at him, (Stephen)
dragged him out of the city and began
to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses

laid their clothes at the feet
of a young man named Saul.
While they were stoning him, Stephen

prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.'
Then he fell on his knees
and cried out, 'Lord, do not hold this sin

against them.' When he had said this,
he fell asleep. (To death Stephen
was by the mob executed.) Acts 7: 57-60.

What did Saul think what then were his actions?
'Saul was there, giving approval to his death' Saul
for his part approved the mob murder of Stephen. Acts 8: 1.

Saul like a ravenous wolf after Stephen was martyred;
went door to door in Jerusalem finding Jews to arrest
who believed that Jesus was the Messiah prophesised.

Saul's mission was to seek out kill all followers;
of Jesus who Saul believed to be a false Messiah.
If this is true where is the Biblical evidence for this?

Saul dealt outrageously with the congregation;
invading one house after another dragging out
both men and women Saul put them in prison. Acts 8: 3.

After arresting putting these people in prison;
Saul learned about their Christian friends
in Damascus by getting letters from prisoners?

What fate then did Saul desire for Christ's followers?

'I persecuted to the death the people who followed
this Way. I arrested men and women and threw
them into prison. The High Priest and the whole Council

can prove that I am telling the truth. I received
from them letters written to fellow Jews in Damascus,
so I went there to arrest these people and bring

them back in chains to Jerusalem to be punished.' Acts 22: 4-5.

It is said a leopard cannot change its spots.
Saul like an ancient homeland security official
exercised power like a modern FBI or CIA agent?

Please examine the evidence of Saul's extensive power.
Saul was present and sanctioned Stephen's execution. Acts 7.57-8: 1.
Saul went door-to-door looking for Christian felons. Acts 8: 3.

Saul was issued Christians arrest warrants. Acts 22: 4-5.
Saul believed he was serving God (the President and Nation) :
by enforcing the law and carrying out the orders

of the Jewish Sanhedrin (the Supreme Court) . Acts 22: 3.
Saul obviously had studied the laws of the Sanhedrin;
and received extensive 'field training' for those duties.

The very name Saul struck terror into first converted Christians!

Consider Saul's impassioned testimony purposes?

'I too was convinced that I ought
to do all that was possible to oppose
the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

And that is just what I did in Jerusalem.
On the authority of the chief priests
I put many of the saints in prison,

and when they were put to death,
I cast my vote against them.
Many a time I went from one

synagogue to another to have them punished,
and I tried to force them to blaspheme.
In my obsession against them, I even went

to foreign cities to persecute them.' Acts 26: 9-11.

Saul like a Nazi fanatic executing final solution;
in his own private holocaust is zeal determined
to stamp out kill all followers of target perceived;

false messiah according to strict standards;
of Jewish Sanhedrin laws enforced ruthlessly.
Saul was said to be responsible for the deaths;

of 300 early followers of Jesus;
burned alive in their own homes
this fanatic cannot change spots.

Winston Churchill said 'A fanatic is one
who can't change his mind and won't
change the subject'. Yet Saul changes

becomes exemplified all he previously persecuted.

What miracle of transformation
what power on earth in heaven changes
Saul into amazing Apostle Paul?

Saul of Tarsus changed his name, became widely known,
as Apostle Paul, wrote about 25% of New Testament;
devoted next 32 years, witnessing Jesus as the Messiah.

Yes Apostle Paul was martyred;
for his faith in Jesus as Messiah
a man chosen personally by God;

Paul's written words;
are the testimony of a man
that violently persecuted;

as many early Christians
as he could arrest seize execute;
then became a Christian

due to a supernatural spiritual experience;
God assigns Saul a unique transformation Acts 22: 6-11
as Apostle Paul he will preach to gentiles.42


Copyright © Terence George Craddock