Galatians 1:23
23 But [de] they had [en] heard [akouo] only, [monon] That [hoti] he which
persecuted [dioko] us [hemas] in times past [pote] now [nun] preacheth [euaggelizo] the
faith [pistis] which [hos] once [pote] he destroyed. [portheo]KJV-Interlinear
23 but only, they kept hearing,
"He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried
to destroy." NASB
In Acts 26:26, it is made clear that Pauls
conversion to Christianity was not done in secret, but was pubic and widely
known.
And even in this early time, just after his faith
in Christ, his history and reputation had preceded him both in the good and in the
bad. And especially the change from bad
to good, was well known.
Had heard, ‘en akouo,’ means to keep on hearing, as
in hearing some news over and over, again and again. The gossip as it were, or news regarding Paul
and the things that affected the new Christian church, were consistent and
repeated with regard to Paul, his early attempts to destroy the church, and his
subsequent conversion.
The story of Paul, or Saul, and his trip on the
Damascus road and encounter with Jesus, were well known. Like wild fire, this news traveled fast.
And this also tells us that the news of Jesus, the
Cross, and the many other things related to those early Christian years,
traveled fast and spread fast, and not only locally in Jerusalem and Judea but
throughout the surrounding region.
By the time Paul entered some new geographical
area, the people there already knew of him.
In his earlier years, Paul was not well known, if
at all. These folks did not know Paul by
his face, but only by his reputation as a persecutor of Christians.
And remember that the persecutions of the
Christians did not really get started until after the Cross.
The cross occurred approximately between 30 and 33
A.D. Most historians put it at 32 A.D. Pauls
conversion did not occur until about 34-35 A.D., which is only a couple of
years following the Cross.
So his persecutions and reputation occurred rapidly
after the Cross, and just as rapidly, they changed after his conversion. News had already spread throughout the
region.
Pauls missionary journeys began in the mid 40’s
A.D. and his writings began in the late 40’s A.D. and continued until just
before his death in the late 60’s A.D.
He died in 68 A.D.
The faith described here, is not only the means of
salvation by faith, but includes his teaching of the entire realm of doctrine,
of which he wrote in his many writings, and of which we have in the New
Testament today.
So, in those early years following his conversion,
though most of that time is not documented, Paul taught scripture and the many
new principles of doctrine which are applicable to the New Testament
scriptures, and the fulfillment of the Old Testament scriptures.
And, he was known far and wide, for his involvement
in Christianity, even in those early years.
