by Diana Howard

Created on: July 20, 2008   Last Updated: January 29, 2009

One of the best kept secrets of Christianity and Judaism is that both Jews and Gentiles were joined as one entity at the Cross. This startling, and often unpopular idea was presented by the Apostle Paul, otherwise known as Saul of Tarsus, a Jew among Jews, a Pharasee who was taught by the famous Jewish teacher, Gamaliel. When some Jews wanted to fight against the apostle's evangelism, Gamaliel warned them to leave them alone and if the movement were not from God, it would not succeed. However, if they continued to fight they may find themselves fighting God. They took his advice.

Saul or Paul as he is now called was once the chief persecutor of Christians, that is until his conversion on the road to Damascus. He heard the voice of Christ, speaking to Him from heaven asking "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Paul replied, "Who are you, Lord?" "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied, "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what to do. (Acts 9)

The men who were with him, Scripture tells us, were speechless for they had heard the sound, but saw no one. When Paul got to his feet, he found that He had been blinded. He obeyed the voice. True to His word, the Lord, by His Spirit sent a man to Paul to restore his vision, while at the same time, he gave Saul avision of just such a man coming to do that very thing. Through Ananias, a frightened by faithful Gentile, Paul received his sight, the Holy Spirit, and a began his mission to the Gentile nations. Later in His Ministry, Paul writes to the Ephesians in 3:2-6;

2 "Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then , you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. (this referring to Old Testament Prophets) This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body and sharers together in the promise in Jesus Christ."

How could this Jew of Jews, a Pharasee, and avid persecutor of the church make such a statement? Because God himself had promised to Abraham that "all" nations would be blessed by his "seed". That seed was Christ who although born of the Holy Spirit, held human lineage to Abraham's son Isaac and through King David. Once

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