Which statement best describes Paul of Tarsus?

• A. A Pharisee who became a missionary
• B. A tax collector who joined Jesus
• C. A Sadducee who opposed Peter
• D. A Roman centurion who believed

Answer: (A)

Paul of Tarsus embodies a shift from strict Jewish training to widespread gospel mission. He was raised within Pharisaic Judaism, educated and steeped in its traditions, which gave him a rigorous religious background. His life took a dramatic turn after his encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus, leading him to become a primary missionary who carried the faith beyond Jewish communities and into the Gentile world. That combination—Pharisee by training and missionary by calling—captures his defining identity and mission in early Christian history. He was not a tax collector, not a Sadducee who opposed Peter, and not a Roman centurion; those roles belong to other figures.