Civilization #25: Paul of Tarsus, Messiah of Rome

The author of Luke-Acts, later Christian communities, and critics of Paul shape the narrative that preserves his legacy.

Paul, a Pharisee tasked with suppressing the Jesus movement, becomes its most fervent missionary after a visionary encounter on the road to Damascus.

James the Just, identified as Jesus’ brother, leads the early Jerusalem community known as the Ebionites, a movement defined by voluntary poverty and ascetic discipline.

Jewish communities under Roman rule interpret their suffering through a set of beliefs that sustain resistance and communal solidarity.

Paul of Tarsus, a Hellenized Jew with Roman citizenship and classical education, becomes the central architect of the Christian story about Jesus.

Paul and James the Just, Jesus’ brother and leader of the Jerusalem community, clash over authority and the direction of the Jesus movement.

Paul addresses diaspora Jews and Gentiles who live inside the Roman system and face pressure to reconcile Jewish identity with imperial citizenship.

Paul positions himself as the apostle to the Gentiles, targeting diaspora Jews and non-Jews who want access to the Jesus movement without full ritual compliance.

Paul, his traveling co-workers, and emerging church leaders design a networked structure that turns a small movement into a durable institution.

Paul and his emerging church interpretive authorities reshape how belief, scripture, and authority function inside the new religion.

Paul, Roman soldiers, and imperial governors interact when a Jerusalem mob targets him, revealing how citizenship reshapes religious conflict under Rome.