HarperCollins Paul: A Biography

Enjoying this author very much

As much as I admire Wright's enthusiastic writing, he lost me as soon as he used the polemic work of Acts as part of his bias for Paul's historical record in the first few chapters, without even mentioning or suggesting any caveats. I haven't gotten that far yet, but I'm sure he uses the disputed Pauline epistles too. This work is highly theological, which is ok in itself, but is not biographical. Disappointing, especially from such a renowned New Testament and historical scholar .

This exploration of Paul's life is a well-paced, slow-burning romp, going forward step by painstaking step, anchored in scripture yet buoyed by Wright's characteristic verve and enthusiasm for a subject he has studied for decades. Saul/Paul here is as multi-faceted as one would hope and expect, altogether Jewish yet altogether transformed on the road to Damascus -- an experience Wright gently seems to strip of anything especially supernatural. Wright brings to us a suffering, yet persisting Paul, driven to his destiny in Rome, although Wright insists there may well have been a jaunt to Spain along the way.Readers who finish the race are rewarded with an explanation for why Christianity began to take root in Europe and elsewhere.

Makes you fall in love with Paul and with N.T Wright.. I never cared for Paul, ever …this book hit me like a runaway freight train .. it made me stop and try to understand Paul’s background.. watch Ken Johnson videos on Essenes and the Pharisees and Sadducee’s … it will help you appreciate that paul was in his mind defending God .. that was until he met the Messiah and then he was Saul no more..

NT Wright's "Paul" is a masterpiece on so many levels. Our home group is finding the book so helpful in further understanding Paul's letters and the life of Jesus in fulfilling the Jewish/Old Testament prophecy of the coming Messiah.