56 Jesus, Prophet of Islam
You have heard ... how that beyond measure 1 perse
cuted the Church of God and wasted it - and profited
in the Jews' religion above many of my equals in mine
own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the tra
ditions of my fathers. (Galatians 1: 13-15).And, as it is related in Acts 9: 41:Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter
against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high
priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the
synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether
they were men or women, he might bring them bound
unto [erusalem,It was on this journey to Damascus that Paul is said to have met
Jesus in a vision and becorne one of his followers as a result.
Not long before all these events took place, it is recorded that
Paul had desired to marry a woman called Popea, who was the
attractive but ambitious daughter of the high priest of the Jews.
She possessed haunting beauty and an intriguing mind. She liked
Paul, but she rejected his offers of marnage and went to Rome as
an actress. Starting on the stage, she climbed step by step until she
reached Nero's bed. Ultimately she married him and so became
the Empress of the Roman Empire. Paul therefore had good reason
to resent both the [ews and the Romans. Paul's conversion coin
cided with his being rejected by Popea. He must have been under
considerable emotional and mental strain at the time. Itis possible
that this crisis in his life had sorne bearing on this sudden change
from his being one of the greatest supporters of the Jewish Law to
one of its greatest enemies.
After his conversion, Paul stayed with the followers of Jesus
who were in Damascus and 'straight away, he preached Christ in
the synagogues, that he is the son of Cod.' (Acts 9: 20). As a result,
he began to taste the persecution in which he himself had so re
cently been involved. Ifhe actuaUy used the terrn 'son of God' to
describe Jesus, then it was probably this which helped to anger the
Jews. The idea of God having a child ascribed to Him was abhor
rent to them, since they firmly believed in the Unity of God.
Paul then left Damascus and, instead of seeking out the com
panyof theotherfollowers of Jesus, hewentinto theArabiandesert
http://www.islamicbulletin.com