St Paul as a Martyr

The lives and deaths of martyrs provide believers in today’s world with examples and
guidance on how to live their lives. The martyrs are referred to as the seed of the Church. This is
because their actions helped knit the Church together when they still lived and even long after
their death. The martyrs persevered and endured suffering. The Christian faith calls for a life of
endurance, and their actions are a good example of true Christian living. There are many saints in
the history of Christianity. This paper explores the life and death of Saint Paul and its
significance to the continuity of the Church today.
St Paul was born in Cilicia, modern-day Turkey, and was originally known as Saul of
Tarsus (Badiou 16). He was born in 4BCE and died c. 62-64 CE (Badiou 16). St Paul is a
significant figure and one of the leading Christian leaders of the first group of Christians. In the
history of Christianity, St Paul is ranked second after Jesus in order of relevance. However, he
was not as respected as his fellow Christian martrys Peter and James during his time. He had
distractors and enemies who made his life difficult. He was thus forced to struggle to establish a
sense of authority and prove his worth.
However, despite these challenges, he still managed to be a prominent figure in the
history of the most populous religion in the world today. He wrote letters to different churches.

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The letters have survived through many years to the modern-day. Paul made a huge contribution
in writing the New Testament (Badiou 26). In fact, his letters make up thirteen out of the twenty-
seven books in the New Testament. These letters have, over the years, had a lot of influence
among believers. St. Paul has also managed to secure his place as one of the greatest leaders of
his time and of all time. His life and contributions to the Christian faith make him the seed of the
Church (Renan 197). His name still lives on many years after he was killed.
However, St. Paul was not always a strong believer in the Christian faith. He used to
persecute Christians. He would travel from one synagogue to another, punishing and urging that
Jews who had accepted Jesus as their savior be punished. Light flogging and ostracism are some
of the methods used to punish believers. However, his life turned around after he encountered a
vision on his way to Damascus (Badiou 17). He changed the direction of his life and became a
preacher. He was specifically very interested in the Gentiles and was later known as the apostle
of the Gentiles. Paul served diligently until he met his untimely death. Although much of the
details on his death are unknown, tradition holds that he is a martyr of his faith (Gardner 53). He
was beheaded in Rome, and his death coincides with the executions of Christians that as taking
place in the Roman empire in 64 CE.
Early Christian martyrdom is characterized by several themes that are exemplified in the
lives of different martyrs. St. Paul demonstrated perseverance. He had a harder time as an apostle
compared to other apostles. This was partly linked to his past life as a persecutor of Christians.
However, he still remained strong and continued spreading the Gospel. St. Paul was a man of
faith (Badiou 81). Faith seems to be a constant aspect of martyrs lives. He had faith that he was
suffering for a cause. He remained faithful to his calling. Although he faced challenges, he still

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held on to his faith. He grew even more powerful following his death. His blood seemed to have
been planted the seeds of the Church that have been growing faith ever since.
St Paul drew his strength from a higher being. He believed that his life had a purpose, and
he lived through each day to accomplish his purpose on earth. St. Paul’s determination inspires
me a lot. I learn that contentment is important in life and that it is good to draw strength from
God. Pauls’ faith was also great. He never doubted that God was with him. He decided to serve
God faithfully and teach his word to all people, including the Gentiles. He turned his life from a
persecutor of Christians to a defender of the Gospel. The transformation is inspiring.
Overall, St. Paul died a martyr, and the blood that he shed during his death planted the
seeds of the Church. Many years later, St Paul is still influential in the Church. His books
continue to guide Christians even though they were directed to different churches that existed for
many generations that have passed. Paul was a dedicated apostle. He knew that the path he took
of preaching the Gospel would not be smooth, but he pushed through and created a name that has
continued to live long after his death. The life of St Paul is one that exemplifies the meaning of
martyrdom. He lived a life of contentment, and the secret is that he had faith in God and always
drew his strength from Him.

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Works Cited

Badiou, Alain. Saint Paul: The foundation of universalism. Stanford University Press, 2003.
Gardner, Percy. The Religious Experience of Saint Paul. Vol. 34. Williams & Norgate, 1913.
Renan, Ernest. Saint Paul. GW Carleton, 1879.