Whether you admire him or find him controversial, there is no denying that Saint Paul is one of the most influential figures in human history. To many, he is the theological architect of Western Christianity; to others, he represents a dramatic shift away from the original teachings of Jesus. But who was Paul when we look at him strictly through the lens of history?
Originally known as Saul, this Jewish Pharisee wrote a substantial portion of the New Testament. Scholars generally agree that he authentically authored seven core letters—including Romans, Galatians, and 1 Corinthians—while the authorship of others attributed to him remains heavily debated. This distinction is critical because Paul’s letters give us something no other New Testament writing offers: a first-person, firsthand account.
Unlike the four Gospels, which were written anonymously decades later and attributed to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Paul wrote directly to the early churches he founded. Remarkably, he is the only New Testament writer who explicitly claims to have encountered Jesus—not during Jesus’s physical ministry, but through a direct spiritual experience. In fact, long before the Gospels were set to parchment, Paul’s letters were already circulating, making his writings our very earliest historical witness to the Jesus movement.
This creates a fascinating dynamic when we read Paul alongside the Book of Acts. Written by the author of Luke, Acts provides a vivid narrative of Paul’s travels, but it was written decades after Paul’s letters. When you compare Paul’s own words with Luke’s secondary account, historical discrepancies quickly emerge. Understanding these differences helps us move past centuries of church tradition and get closer to the real, historical Paul—his personality, his core convictions on salvation, and how his distinct vision shaped early Christian theology.
In this post, I want to strip away the later dogmas and center on what the historical Paul actually believed and taught. To help you dive deeper, I’ve compiled a curated index of articles, videos, and key scholar resources—including work by historians like Bart Ehrman, David Hulme, and James Tabor—to guide your own study.
Recommended Resources & Further Reading
- The Bart Ehrman Blog – Insights on early Christianity, textual criticism, and the historical Paul.
- James D. Tabor Website – Articles and research from retired professor of religious studies Dr. James Tabor.
- BibleProject: The Book of Acts (Paul’s Journeys) – An overview video covering Paul’s missionary journeys as depicted in the Book of Acts.
- The Real Story of Paul (Dr. David Hulme) – Dr. David Hulme, 1 hour Video – The Real Story of the Man Who Shaped Christianity | The Real Paul | Real History
- Why Paul’s Church Won (Centre Place) – A 2-hour lecture by John Hamer examining how Paul’s theology became dominant.
- The Historical Paul (Dr. James Tabor) – A discussion on what modern historians actually know about Paul’s life, beliefs, and personality.
- Centre Place Channel – Lectures by John Hamer covering academic perspectives on biblical studies, history, and theology.
- The Visions of Paul (ESOTERICA) – Dr. Justin Sledge explores the mysticism and visionary experiences reported by Paul.