Running head: PETER AND PAUL

Peter and Paul Name Professor Course Date

PETER AND PAUL

The Acts of apostles on which this movie is based on tells of the ministries of Peter and Paul post the era of Jesus on earth. Peter being a disciple was originally called into spreading the gospel while Paul formerly known as Saul, a prosecutor of prophets is transformed on his way to Damascus, which was along his trail of persecutions. Saul is transformed to Paul when he comes across Jesus on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christian congregation in the town. However, he does not recognize Jesus during this transformation and neither does his entourage. The temporary blind condition imposed on Saul may be taken to symbolize the spiritual deficiency of the society and Saul himself. To portray the persecution during this era, Stephen who was sent to Jerusalem to minister the gospel after just being appointed a deacon-, is charged with blasphemies, which are actually false charges. Stephenss situation is almost a carbon copy of what Jesus went through during His persecution. After the transformation, Paul takes upon the task of spreading the gospel in every corner of the world accessible to him. During the period that involved the replacement of Judas Iscariot in the disciples realm, Paul is a likely candidate together with Barnabas and Matthias who was actually chosen by the disciples. Paul meets Barnabas on his first visit of Jerusalem. Barnabas acts as an interpreter for Paul during his missionary work in the city and this becomes the start of a very formidable partnership between the two. After their acquaintance in Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas traveled together on missionary work which is considered Pauls first missionary journey. However, before the onset of Pauls second journey, the two are forced to part ways after a disagreement. Paul is against the inclusion of John Mark, Barnabas cousin, to the touring group because he allegedly abandoned them at Pamphylia (Jones, 2009). On the consecutive missionary journeys, Paul converted many gentiles into Christianity and also performed miracles like casting out demons and raising the dead Eutychus. Despite this being a big step in the spread of the gospel, the disciples did not accept the converts since Paul converted them without requiring them to consent to Jewish practices. For example, Paul did not ask the gentiles to be

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circumcised for the conversion to be complete. This brought up a great disagreement between the two parties, which is finally solved by Peters decision on Jerusalem council. Peter is seen as the leader after Jesus ascended to heaven and he assumed a leadership post in the church. This involved the setting up the criteria of becoming a disciple, became a necessity after Judas Iscariot. To underline the importance of Peter to the Christian church, he is the first to preach the first sermon the Christian church. During this sermon he interprets several scriptures including death and resurrection of Jesus prophesied in the Old Testament by David (Jones, 2009). During his missionary work, Peter defines the criteria of being a Christian and the promises that coming with living having accepted that Jesus died and rose from the dead to save them from sin and eternal persecution. Peter travels vastly defending the gospel while also converting gentiles and performing miracles for example, the curing of the crippled man. This progress did not come without opposition as the Sanhedrin decided to admonish both Peter and John against further preaching. These were words that were ignored as Peter could not be thwarted in his missionary journey (Jones, 2009). It is in Rome that both Peter and Paul were persecuted the reign of Nero. Paul arrived in Rome first and it is wise to argue that he is the one that actually set up the church in this city contrary to the general thought that it is Peter who did. Having been falsely charge with a different kind of blasphemy, Paul and Peter were martyred in Rome. Paul was beheaded and Peter was crucified upside down, this was meant to distinguish his crucifixion from that of Jesus.

PETER AND PAUL Reference Jones, R. C. (2009). Acts of the Apostles: Background and Commentary. Georgia: Zondervan Publishing House.