Peter the Fisherman (d.c.67)
Peter was originally called Simon, but Jesus gave him the Aramaic name ‘Kepa’, meaning rock, translated into Greek as ‘Petros’ or Peter. Jesus’ statement to Peter that ‘upon this rock I will build my church’ is the basis of the papal claim for the supremacy of St Peter’s church in Rome. Peter, a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee, lived with his wife at Capernaum. He was the first to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah and became the leader of the first Christian community.
The disciples continued to preach and attract converts among the people of Israel. It is usual to call them Judaeo-Christians at this time, for they observed Jewish law while also being followers of Jesus. Except for the conversion by Peter of the centurion Cornelius in Caesarea, no member of the original group preached to Gentiles, even though they formed a large proportion of the population in Palestine. Peter becoming a bishop in Rome and being martyred during the persecutions by Nero (30; r.54-68) are strong traditions.
Paul of Tarsus (c.5-c.67)
Most of what is known about Paul comes from the Acts of the Apostles, his own letters, and early tradition. Born in Tarsus, he was Jew and a Roman citizen. His real name was Saul, but he changed it to Paul after his conversion to Christianity.
He was a tentmaker by trade and a zealous Pharisee. As a young man studying in Jerusalem around AD 34 he witnessed Stephen, the first Christian martyr, being stoned for blasphemy. He subsequently took part in the persecutions of the Christians, at that time known as the people of ‘The Way’.
On his way to Damascus to bring back some Christians for trial he was blinded by a sudden vision and was suddenly and miraculously converted. His sight was restored in Damascus by Ananias, a Judaeo-Christian. After some time spent in meditation he went to preach at Jerusalem, but, though supported by Barnabas (d.61), he was regarded with suspicion and returned to Tarsus where he remained for ten years until Barnabas sought him out and took him to Antioch. A year later they set out on their first missionary journey through Cyprus and many cities in Asia Minor.
When they returned to Antioch they were faced with the controversy concerning the observance of Jewish practices by gentile converts. Eventually a compromise was reached that reduced the requirements to a minimum. A second missionary journey was now begun. For part of the way he retraced his steps in Asia Minor but eventually crossed to Greece. From Thessalonica Jewish rancour drove him out, and in Athens he had little success, but in Corinth (c.51) he found a home for eighteen months before returning home to Antioch.
After again visiting the churches in Asia Minor he made Ephesus the focal point of his third journey. From there he wrote his First Epistle to the Corinthians. He then went to Macedonia and again to Corinth, whence his letter to the Romans was written to prepare them for a visit.
First, however, he returned to Jerusalem, where his old enemies roused the mob against him. Only the intervention of the commandant saved him but the Roman governor Felix (r.52-58) and his successor Festus (r.58-62) kept him imprisoned for two years until Paul, as a Roman citizen, exercised his right to appeal to Caesar. He eventually reached Rome and was held in custody for two years. Here the Bible narrative ends but there is a strong tradition that he, as with Peter, perished during the persecutions by Nero.
To the casual observer Paul’s acts were not impressive, but he was instrumental in transforming Christianity from a Jewish sectarian creed to a universal religion.
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