Reflections on Romans 1:5

Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for the obedience of faith among all nations for His name, ...
Romans 1:5, Modern English Version (MEV)
 
As has already been said, Paul was a Pharisee. In fact, Paul, in speaking of himself, claimed to be a Pharisee among Pharisees; strict, devoted and fanatical, as we’re familiar with from the Book of Acts. It could be true that familiarity breeds contempt, but I don’t think many of us truly realize the life-changing experience Paul had on the road to Damascus. To say it had a profound impact on him would be the least we could say. And it is here that we run into some difficulties. Bear with me on this because it is important to our understanding of what Paul is saying.
 
For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it, and progressed in Judaism above many of my equals in my own heritage, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who set me apart since I was in my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the nations, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me. But I went into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
 
After three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and stayed with him for fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie! Galatians 1:13-20, Modern English Version (MEV)
 
Then Ananias went his way and entered the house. Putting his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the way as you came, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. And he rose up and was baptized. When he had eaten, he was strengthened.
 
For several days Saul was with the disciples in Damascus. 20 Immediately he preached in the synagogues that the Christ is the Son of God. All who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this he who killed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and came here with that intent, to bring them bound to the chief priests?” Yet Saul increased all the more with power and confounded the Jews living in Damascus, proving that this One is the Christ.
 
After many days had passed, the Jews arranged to kill him. But their scheme was known by Saul. They watched the gates day and night to kill him. But the disciples took him by night, and lowered him in a basket through the wall.
 
When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples. But they all feared him, not believing he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and led him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had boldly preached in Damascus in the name of Jesus. So he stayed with them while coming in and going out of Jerusalem. And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists. But they tried to kill him. When the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus. Acts 9:17-30, Modern English Version (MEV)
 
As can be readily seen from the above Scripture references, the effort to establish an exact timeline of what happened to Paul after his Damascus Road experience is difficult, if not impossible. However, the key here isn’t so much on getting the exact timing correct as it is that his life took a drastic turn, and he appears to have had a wilderness experience much as Israel had after escaping their slavery in Egypt and as Jesus had after his baptism in the Jordan. This is something his Jewish readers would understand, and I think most of us, even if we haven’t experienced something as drastic in our lives, can appreciate it none the less. Paul is asking his Jewish readers to undertake a drastic change in their own lives, and he is perfectly capable of understanding what they are going through when doing so.