"In The Last Days" Acts 2:17

Kurt,

In your latest post (3/11/17, 8:53 AM) you say:

You do have a difficult time bringing yourself to even acknowledge or quote Peter's IN THE LAST DAYS reference. It's like you are trying to sell a car to me at top value while hiding the flood damage.

I’m sorry I disappointed you, I didn’t realize the phrase “in the last days” was important to you.

No, I don’t have a problem with the phrase – it just wasn’t important in the context in which I was speaking. I don’t have a problem with the phrase at all.

First, Peter is quoting Joel 2.28, and the phrase “in the last days” is not written in Joel. Here is Joel in several translations:

(ASV)  And it shall come to pass afterward,

(BBE)  And after that, it will come about,

(CEV)  Later, I will give my Spirit to everyone.

(Darby)  And it shall come to pass afterwards that

(ERV)  "After this, I will pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people.

(ESV)  “And it shall come to pass afterward,

(GNB)  "Afterward I will pour out my Spirit on everyone:

(GW)  "After this, I will pour my Spirit on everyone.

(MSG)  "And that's just the beginning: After that-- "I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people:

You get the idea.

Here is a quote from Barnes’ Notes on the Bible that has my thought on the phrase in fewer words that I could express it (emphasis is mine).

It shall come to pass - It shall happen, or shall occur.

In the last days - Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, after these things, or afterward. The expression the last days, however, occurs frequently in the Old Testament: Genesis 49:1, Jacob called his sons, that he might tell them what should happen to them in the last days, that is, in future times - Heb. in after times; Micah 4:1, "In the last days (Hebrew: in later times) the mountain of the Lord's house," etc.; Isaiah 2:2, "in the last days the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the tops of the mountains," etc. The expression then properly denoted "the future times" in general. But, as the coming of the Messiah was to the eye of a Jew the most important event in the coming ages - the great, glorious, and crowning scene in all the vast futurity, the phrase came to be regarded as properly expressive of that. It stood in opposition to the usual denomination of earlier times.

It was a phrase in contrast with the days of the patriarchs, the kings, the prophets, etc. The last days, or the closing period of the world, were the days of the Messiah. It does not appear from this, and it certainly is not implied in the expression, that they supposed the world would then come to an end. Their views were just the contrary. They anticipated a long and glorious time under the dominion of the Messiah, and to this expectation they were led by the promise that his kingdom should be forever; that of the increase of his government there should be no end, etc.

This expression was understood by the writers of the New Testament as referring undoubtedly to the times of the gospel. And hence they often used it as denoting that the time of the expected Messiah had come, but not to imply that the world was drawing near to an end: Hebrews 1:2, "God hath spoken in these last days by his Son"; 1 Peter 1:20, "Was manifested in these last times for you"; 2 Peter 3:3; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 John 2:18, "Little children, it is the last time," etc.; Jde 1:18. The expression the last day is applied by our Saviour to the resurrection and the day of judgment, John 6:39-40, John 6:44-45; John 11:24; John 12:48. Here the expression means simply "in those future times, when the Messiah shall have come."

From this, I hope, you can understand that I have no problem with the phrase! And you’ll be able to understand that I don’t think the phrase is indicating the immediate return of Christ, because it’s just 50+ days past his crucifixion and resurrection.

There is no place in the New Testament, that I know of, where anyone complained that Christ had not returned in their lifetime. They were, like we are, looking for his return, expecting his return, and keeping watch as Jesus told them to. But no one called him wrong, nor lamented that he’d not already returned. And since God had made Jesus both Lord and Christ, I’m not going to call him wrong! Not now, not ever!

Acts 2-7 Revisited

Kurt,

This is a ‘quick’ response to your last post …

In the first paragraph, you make this observation about my understanding of Acts 2-7:

“It is clear your presuppositions drive your research. You set out with an idea you want to believe and then pick and choose the verses that supports what you set out to prove and leave out the context, thus giving a very distorted view. There are more legitimate ways of dealing with issues, but your technique is not one of them, …”

I that’s interesting observation, because that is exactly what I thought you were doing! It seems to me that you have come to the conclusion that the main concern of the apostles was deciding when Jesus was returning, and you’ve made up your mind that Jesus was wrong (therefore not be the Son of God, and one that could not offer a sinless life in exchange for our sins), and then you search out the verses that you feel support that theory.

I’m not interested in finger pointing, but since we both had the same thought about the ‘other’ I felt it was worth mentioning.

I’m going to go over my position on Acts 2-7 one more time, just touching the highlights.

In Acts 2, 50+ days after the Passover and Jesus’s death and resurrection, when there were people in town from at least 13 countries, a once in a lifetime event occurred and the people from each of those countries heard the apostles speaking to them at 9 AM in their own language.

To explain why and how these folks could hear them speaking in their own language, Peter quoted from the prophet Joel. He didn’t quote Joel exactly and everything he quoted from Joel didn’t happen that day.

Peter’s Joel quote ends in v-21 and then Peter applies the verse he’d just quoted by saying:

Act 2:22-24 NET.  "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know — (23)  this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles.  (24)  But God raised him up, having released him from the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power.

That is clear enough for me – Peter was talking about Christ and his resurrection! And he continues with this same theme:

Act 2:32 NET.  This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it.

As a result of this fact Pete explains:

Act 2:33 NET.  So then, exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out what you both see and heAR.

Peter’s purpose was to explain what they had just seen and heard, Peter continues:

Act 2:36 NET.  Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ."

From those verses, it seems to me, and I’m just speaking for me, that the point of Peter’s Joel quote was to explain that God poured out his Holy Spirit after he’d declared Jesus both LORD and CHRIST. Just as a side note, because of what God did I don’t have the interest or fortitude to call Jesus an ignorant liar and deceiver of the apostles.

When the convicted crowd ask Peter what to do he said:

Act 2:38-39 CEV  Peter said, "Turn back to God! Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will be given the Holy Spirit.  (39)  This promise is for you and your children. It is for everyone our Lord God will choose, no matter where they live."

Act 2:40 CEV  Peter told them many other things as well. Then he said, "I beg you to save yourselves from what will happen to all these evil people."

Therefore, I’ll say it again, as I read Peter’s sermon the emphasis is on Jesus, his death, his resurrection, him being both Lord and Christ, and then his pouring out his Holy Spirit. He declared how God would give his Holy Spirit to everyone “no matter where they live.”

To repeat my previous blog, I don’t see any evidence in Acts 2-7 that the disciples were concerned with Jesus coming back immediately.

Glossing over the rest of the New Testament, the next generation of Christians didn’t feel cheated because Jesus didn’t come during their life time. Even Polycarp, probably the last Christian that knew one of the 12 disciples (Polycarp was a student of John) was burned at the stake, at age 86, because he would not deny Christ. There are people that will give their lives for a belief (ISIS being one) but I don’t know anyone that would give their life for a known lie. (e.g. Jesus didn’t tell the truth).

What I’m saying is, whatever Jesus said about things that would happen in ‘that generation’ it didn’t bother the early Christians that heard it. They understood it well enough to give their lives for Jesus who is both LORD and CHRIST and to call upon us to be ambassadors for Christ. They would not follow him knowing he was lying. Certainly, the next generation of Christians knew he didn’t return during the lifetime of the first generation. And they didn’t understand Jesus to be lying, and Christianity has been growing ever since Acts 2 and it keeps growing today.

Therefore, I don’t think it prudent, 2000 years later, to say “I’ve found Jesus to be a liar!” and therefore cannot be trusted.

I hope this is helpful in comprehending how I understand Acts 2-7. 

Acts 2 Believer's Main Concern

You asked the question:

“Do you still believe that the early Christians in Acts did not believe Jesus would return in their lifetimes?”

The answer to that question will take more than a text message will allow.

Our current discussions are centered on Acts 2-7, so I’ll take that time period for what I understand “the early Christians in Acts” refers to.

Acts 2 is 50+ days after Jesus’ crucifixion. There were people in town from all over the world as presented in the “Acts 2 and A Commune Church” map. They did not have any written New Testament books, they only had the verbal input from the disciples. At that time, Luke, the Gentile, was not a believer.

When Peter spoke in Acts 2, his main point was:

Act 2:32  This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it.

Act 2:36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.

After that speech, they wanted to know how to be saved!

The next major speech from this period is Stephen’s in Acts 7 and he concentrates on the law and history.

Act 7:51  "You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors did!

So, from the recorded speeches and events, I’d say no, they were not concerned about Jesus’ immediate return, they were more concerned about the meaning of his resurrection and how to be saved.

It would be 30+ years before Luke would write his Gospel and the Book of Acts.

Acts 2 and A Commune Church

This a quick treatise on the events of Acts 2-7 and specifically about the believers selling their property and having everything in common.

The setting is the Passover and 50 days later the Feast of Pentecost. The Passover was held once a year and Jews from all over the world came to celebrate and if their budgets permitted they would stay over 50 days for the Feast of Pentecost. Easton’s Bible Dictionary describes the city during this Passover:

The appearance of Jerusalem on the occasion of the Passover in the time of our Lord is thus fittingly described: “The city itself and the neighbourhood became more and more crowded as the feast approached, the narrow streets and dark arched bazaars showing the same throng of men of all nations as when Jesus had first visited Jerusalem as a boy. Even the temple offered a strange sight at this season, for in parts of the outer courts a wide space was covered with pens for sheep, goats, and cattle to be used for offerings. Sellers shouted the merits of their beasts, sheep bleated, oxen lowed. Sellers of doves also had a place set apart for them. Potters offered a choice from huge stacks of clay dishes and ovens for roasting and eating the Passover lamb. Booths for wine, oil, salt, and all else needed for sacrifices invited customers. Persons going to and from the city shortened their journey by crossing the temple grounds, often carrying burdens... Stalls to change foreign money into the shekel of the temple, which alone could be paid to the priests, were numerous, the whole confusion making the sanctuary like a noisy market” (Geikie's Life of Christ).

This year, the year Jesus was crucified, was special! Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover and everyone knew the chief priest was intent on putting him to death.

Joh 18:14 NET.  (Now it was Caiaphas who had advised the Jewish leaders that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people.)

Jesus’s crucifixion drew lots of attention and we can assume that people that would normally have gone home stayed for the Feast of Pentecost, just so see what might happen.

Acts 2.1 (TLB) Seven weeks had gone by since Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the Day of Pentecost had now arrived.

Acts 2.5 TLB Many godly Jews were in Jerusalem that day for the religious celebrations, having arrived from many nations. 

Regardless of the reason, they were in town, there were Jews there from all over the world:

Acts 2. 7-11 TLB “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “For these men are all from Galilee, ⁸ and yet we hear them speaking all the native languages of the lands where we were born! ⁹ Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, men from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia Minor, ¹⁰ Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the Cyrene language areas of Libya, visitors from Rome—both Jews and Jewish converts— ¹¹ Cretans, and Arabians. And we all hear these men telling in our own languages about the mighty miracles of God!”

Here’s a map showing how much of the civilized world was there that day:

Peter preached an inspiring message:

Acts 2.36 TLB “Therefore I clearly state to everyone in Israel that God has made this Jesus you crucified to be the Lord, the Messiah!”

Acts 2.41 TLB  And those who believed Peter were baptized—about three thousand in all!

Verse 41 comes at the end of Peter’s speech and then verse 42 says:

Acts 2.42 TLB   They joined with the other believers in regular attendance at the apostles’ teaching sessions and at the Communion services^[f] and prayer meetings.

⁴³ A deep sense of awe was on them all, and the apostles did many miracles

.

From the way the story unfolds, there are lots of Jews in town from all over the world and many of them became Christians. They have had a life changing experience and they wanted to stick around and be taught about what has happened to them.

As I understand the times, people from all over the world saved up to make a trip to Jerusalem at least once in their lifetime and now something has happened to them. They stick around for more, more of this life-changing joy, and in doing so they overextend their budgets. Therefore, those that had resources sold their possessions and belongings and shared as any had a need:

Act 2:44-47 ESV  And all who believed were together and had all things in common.  (45)  And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.  (46)  And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,  (47)  praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

One day Peter healed the lame beggar, got into trouble with the Sanhedrin, and the people prayed for more power – and the out of towners were still in Jerusalem.

Act 4:31-32 NLT  After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.  (32)  All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.

Act 4:33-37 NLT  The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great blessing was upon them all. 

(34)  There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them  (35)  and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.  (36)  For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means "Son of Encouragement"). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus.  (37)  He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.

Then Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit and died on the spot! They were not compelled to sell anything, as far as we know the Apostles never encouraged people to sell and share – it was all voluntary. Ananias and Sapphira wanted to seem generous when they were not.

Meanwhile, the teaching moved on:

Act 5:12 NLT  The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon's Colonnade.

Act 5:14 NLT  Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women.

During all of this, the people’s fears were realized and the Sadducee officials arrested the apostles and put them in jail but they didn’t stay there overnight. This gave Peter an opportunity to preach another of his powerful sermons. And, the movement continued:

Act 5:42 NLT  And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: "Jesus is the Messiah."

Now, in Chapter 6 is where the trouble starts, there are two classes of believers in this crowd.

Act 6:1 NLT  But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.

The Peoples New Testament commentary defines these people thusly:

"The Grecians" [Greek-speaking believers] were not Greeks, or Gentiles, but foreign Jews, who were born and brought up out of Palestine, and spoke the Greek language. This class of Jews was found in almost every city where Paul preached.

The Hebrews [Hebrew-speaking believers] were Jews of Palestine. They held themselves superior to the foreign Jews, and something of this spirit showed itself in the church.

It seems safe to assume that at least some of the Greek-speaking believers are holdovers from all over the world as per the map from Acts 2.

The seven men are selected as per the apostles' instructions and Stephen’s miracles, signs, and debating skills got him arrested and stoned. His sermon before the High Priest is the best New Testament summary of Old Testament history that I know about.

We can safely assume that the Apostle Paul was watching all of this action (Acts 2-7) and he gave his approval of Stephen’s death:

Act 8:1 NLT  Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.

It also seems safe to assume that the Passover Jews straggled back home after the Feast of Pentecost but some could have remained until Chapter 8. Regardless of those assumptions, the increase in Jerusalem believers stopped with the stoning of Stephen.

After Chapter 7 there are no Greek-speaking Jews complaining about the Hebrew-speaking Jews, they are all gone. And with that, the need for local believers to share their possessions and belongings with the out-of-town believers vanishes.

A church is started in Samaria by Phillip:

Act 8:5-8 NLT  Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.  (6)  Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.  (7)  Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.  (8)  So there was great joy in that city.

From here the church spread even to Ethiopia and I can’t find any mention of everyone having everything in common in any of the new churches.

The people closest to Jesus and his teachings did not understand the Luke 12:33 and the Luke 14:33 verses to force the believers to be without possessions. Paul asked the Corinthian believers to give of their possessions as the Lord had blessed them and to do it with a cheerful heart.

2Co 9:7 NET.  Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion because God loves a cheerful giver.

1Co 16:2 NET.  On the first day of the week, each of you should set aside some income and save it to the extent that God has blessed you, so that a collection will not have to be made when I come.

I can’t believe that Peter, James, John, or Jude, (people that knew Jesus and that were close to him) understood the Luke passages as encouraging or expecting believers to sell everything they had, rather they understood them in terms of perspective – put Christ first, above things, in your perspective, hold possessions with and open hand, God is free to give and take away. They taught perspective, not destitution. 

The perspective idea is shown in Peter's comment to Ananias, "The property was yours, the money was yours..."

The events of Acts 2 - Acts 7 took place in a matter of months, and Paul's actions against the church scattered everyone so the need to share and the practice of caring for out-of-towners in Jerusalem ended. No other church in the New Testament had the problem like the believers in Jerusalem had.

That’s the way it seems to me. And that’s how I see the church leaders for last 2,000+ years understanding these verses.

Paul and Jesus

  

Kurt,

During our last conversation without Paul, over lunch, you mentioned that the apostle Paul never saw Jesus, his conversion was a ‘near death hallucination’ and therefore his writings could not be true or reliable. That is a problem for me.

Since we did not live in the first century we must rely on those that did for our knowledge. We rely on the writings of eyewitnesses that wrote during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses. When other eyewitnesses accept an event as true then we too must accept their accounts as true. To keep from getting it wrong, I’ll quote some New Testament verses to make my point.

Luke wrote in the introduction to his Gospel:

Luk 1:1-4 NET.  Now many have undertaken to compile an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,  (2)  like the accounts passed on to us by those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning.  (3)  So it seemed good to me as well, because I have followed all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,  (4)  so that you may know for certain the things you were taught.

And he followed this with the introduction to Acts:

Act 1:1-5 NET.  I wrote the former account, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach  (2)  until the day he was taken up to heaven, after he had given orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.  (3)  To the same apostles also, after his suffering, he presented himself alive with many convincing proofs. He was seen by them over a forty-day period and spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God.  (4)  While he was with them, he declared, "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait there for what my Father promised, which you heard about from me.  (5)  For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

Then in chapter 6 Luke reports the account of Stephen and how Saul (Paul) was guarding the coats of the Stephen stoners and how he went on the persecute the church.

Act 7:58 NET.  When they had driven him out of the city, they began to stone him, and the witnesses laid their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Act 8:1 NET.  And Saul agreed completely with killing him.   Now on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.

Act 8:3 NET.  But Saul was trying to destroy the church; entering one house after another, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

Act 8:4 NET.  Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word.

Paul agreed that he persecuted the church:

1Co 15:9 NET.  For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Gal 1:13 NET.  For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I was savagely persecuting the church of God and trying to destroy it.

Php 3:6 NET.  In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless.

1Ti 1:12-14 NET.  I am grateful to the one who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me faithful in putting me into ministry,  (13)  even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief,  (14)  and our Lord's grace was abundant, bringing faith and love in Christ Jesus.

Luke records Paul’s conversion and some following events in Acts 9, I’ve copied it here so I don’t get any details wrong:

Act 9:1-25 NLT  Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord's followers. So he went to the high priest.  (2)  He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. 

(3)  As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him.  (4)  He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting Me?"  (5)  "Who are You, lord?" Saul asked. And the voice replied, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!  (6)  Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."  (7)  The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone's voice but saw no one!  (8)  Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus.  (9)  He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. 

(10)  Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord!" he replied.  (11)  The Lord said, "Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to Me right now.  (12)  I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again."  (13)  "But Lord," exclaimed Ananias, "I've heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem!  (14)  And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon Your name."  (15)  But the Lord said, "Go, for Saul is My chosen instrument to take My message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.  (16)  And I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake." 

(17)  So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."  (18)  Instantly something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 

(19)  Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days.  (20)  And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is indeed the Son of God!" 

(21)  All who heard him were amazed. "Isn't this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus' followers in Jerusalem?" they asked. "And didn't he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?"  (22)  Saul's preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn't refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. 

(23)  After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him.  (24)  They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot.  (25)  So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.

First, after Jesus, it’s Ananias that believes Paul was converted on the road to Damascus. Paul was a highly successful young Jewish scholar on his first ‘road trip’ and before reaching Damascus he did a 180 in his character. We can’t assume he did it to enhance his career. Something dramatic must happen to cause a man to do what Paul did.

He tells his story this way:

Gal 1:11-24 ERV  Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that the Good News message I told you was not made up by anyone.  (12)  I did not get my message from any other human. The Good News is not something I learned from other people. Jesus Christ himself gave it to me. He showed me the Good News that I should tell people.

 (13)  You have heard about my past life in the Jewish religion. I persecuted the church of God very much. I tried to destroy his people.  (14)  I was becoming a leader in the Jewish religion. I did better than most other Jews my own age. I tried harder than anyone else to follow the traditions we got from our ancestors.  (15)  But God had special plans for me even before I was born. So he chose me through his grace.  

(16)  It pleased him to let me see and know his Son so that I could tell the Good News about him to the non-Jewish people. I immediately prepared to do this work without asking for advice or help from anyone.  (17)  I did not go to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was. But, without waiting, I went away to Arabia. Later, I went back to the city of Damascus.  

(18)  Three years later I went to Jerusalem to meet Peter. I stayed with him 15 days.  (19)  I met no other apostles—only James, the brother of the Lord.  (20)  God knows there is nothing untrue in any of this.  (21)  Later, I went to the areas of Syria and Cilicia.  (22)  No one in any of Christ's churches in Judea had ever met me before.  (23)  They had only heard this about me: "This man was persecuting us. But now he is telling people about the same faith that he once tried to destroy."  (24)  These believers praised God because of me.

Barnabas was the first Jerusalem believer to accept Paul’s conversion experience followed by Peter and James:

Act 9:26-30 NLT  When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!  (27)  Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. 

(28)  So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.  (29)  He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him.  (30)  When the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.

The main point here is the people on the ground saw a 180 change in Paul’s life and they had the opportunity to disclaim what he said – but they believed him and God used him, this seems to me to be proof that his story is real.

From here on I’ll not quote the rest of the New Testament (most of which Paul wrote) but only hit some high points of people that believed Paul’s account of his conversion and proved their beliefs with their lives.

Luke – he dedicated his life to traveling with and helping Paul.

Barnabas – was the first Jerusalem apostle to accept Paul’s conversion and traveled with him on his first missionary journey. Paul’s conversion was real to Barnabas.

Timothy – as a young boy he saw him stoned and later spent his live under Paul’s teaching and continued after his death.

Aristarchus – a Macedonian, traveled with Paul and Luke on their eventful ship ride to Rome.

There are at least 35 people in the New Testament that believed Paul’s conversion experience, they were all contemporizes and instead of doubting him they dedicated their lives to the Good News that Paul proclaimed. They are detailed here: http://www.christianshepherd.org/meditations/doctrinal_meditations/companions_of_paul.pdf

Without belaboring this point further, I want to go on record saying because of the acceptance of Paul’s conversion by his contemporizes in the book of Acts, his conversion is credible to me. Also, I want to state, for the record, that I don’t see any conflict in Jesus’s teachings and Paul’s teaching.

Since Paul is Jesus’s pick to carry his Good News to the Gentiles I cannot assume, nor understand how they can be teaching different doctrine. If there is any gap between what they teach and my understanding, then it’s my understanding that is faulty – not Jesus’ plan.