answersLogoWhite

0

1 Corinthians 15:8 (King James Version)15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

This appearance 'out of due time' is referring to Jesus' appearance to Paul on the road to Damascus.

Acts 9:1-7 (King James Version)1And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

2And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

3And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

4And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

5And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

6And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

7And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

As far as we know Jesus did not appear to Paul, then called Saul, at any earlier time.

AnswerYes, Jesus did show Himself to Paul as mentioned in 1Corinthinians 15:5-8. Up to the time of writing this epistle (believed to be in 55AD) , Paul was the last person Jesus appeared to after the resurrection ,on the road to Damascus :-

1Co 15:5 and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.

1Co 15:6 Then He appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, of whom the most remain until now, but some also fell asleep [ie had since died].

1Co 15:7 Then He was seen by James, then by all the apostles;

1Co 15:8 and last of all, even as if to one born out of time, He was also seen by me.

1Co 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not sufficient to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God.

1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace which was toward me has not been without fruit, but I labored more abundantly than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

However, this does not mean that Jesus appeared to Paul just the one time on the road to Damascus: Jesus appeared to Paul again , and this experience was so vivid and memorable that he didn't know whether it was a vision or not. This was 14 years prior to writing 2Corinthinians (probably in 55 or 56 AD), so this would place the occurrence about 41-42 AD.

2Co 12:1 Really, to boast is not profitable to me, for I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2Co 12:2 I know a man in Christ fourteen years before--whether in the body, I do not know, or out of the body, I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third Heaven.

2Co 12:3 And I know such a man--whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows--

2Co 12:4 that he was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable words which a man is not permitted to speak.

2Co 12:5 On behalf of such a one I will boast. But I will not boast on my behalf, except in my weaknesses.

2Co 12:6 For if I desire to boast, I will not be foolish, for I speak the truth. But I spare, lest anyone reckons me to be beyond what he sees me or hears anything of me.

2Co 12:7 And by the superabundance of the revelations, that I not be made arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, that he might buffet me, that I not be made haughty.

2Co 12:8 Beyond this I entreated the Lord three times, that it depart from me.

2Co 12:9 And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness. Therefore, I will rather gladly boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may overshadow me.

As the 1st heaven is the realm of the clouds and the air, the 2nd that of the sky and stars, and the 3rd is spiritual, so Paul was caught up, or raptured, into this 3rd heaven, the very throne of God. However, he was given a "thorn in the flesh" to bring him down to size , (otherwise you can imagine him proudly,arrogantly, and conceitedly saying "You just talk about heaven, but I have actually been there!".)

The first time Jesus appeared to Paul was when he was converted on the road to Damascus (see Acts 9:1-22):-

Act 9:22 But Saul [Paul] increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

The Jews were not very happy about this. The very next verse says:-

Act 9:23 And after that many dayswere fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:

This verse does not follow on directly from verse 22: there is a time interval. The phrase 'many days' refers to an long indeterminate period, and not just a few days or even weeks; the Jews persecuted Paul zealously after just a few days, (sometimes immediately) and certainly not after 'many' days.

Paul tells us he was in Arabia during this period:-

Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

Gal 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

Gal 1:17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

Gal 1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

Gal 1:19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

Gal 1:20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

If you "return again", it means you have been somewhere twice. In other words, Paul went to Damascus twice not once.

In his comments on Acts 9:23, A.T. Robinson says in his 'Word Pictures of the New Testament' that:

Paul "states definitely that he went away from Damascus to Arabia and returned there before going back to Jerusalem and that the whole period was about "three years" which need not mean three full years, but at least portions of three. Most of the three years was probably spent in Arabia."

Some conjecture Paul was being taught in Arabia by Jesus Christ Himself for those three years, and that was what Paul was alluding to in 2Corinthinians 12, and why he was given a thorn in the flesh.

So, Jesus showed Himself to Paul at least twice and probably three times, but also to innumerable others including today as well.

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

What else can I help you with?