Paul’s Oft-Forgotten Missionary Journeys
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, February 25, 2025
In a culture that seems overwhelmed with Christian
knowledge, it surprises me how many times laymen in the church and Christian leaders
miss beautiful, intriguing pieces of Scripture. I guess I shouldn’t say
anything too harsh—I’ve missed brilliant little details too! So, I know
the feeling—so I say this graciously.
But today, I wanted to discuss a few little details that
scholars readily recognize, but can sometimes miss the greater significance.
This particular instance has to do with Paul’s journeys.
The apostle Paul, also called Saul (Acts 13:9), went on
several missionary trips—like most apostles did.[1]
Paul’s major missionary journeys are often in map form in the back of many
modern study Bibles. They tend to show Paul’s major journeys as outlines in the
book of Acts in great detail. Consider this detailed
map by ConformingToJesus.com.
Usually, there are three journeys listed and a fourth
if you count when he went to Rome (Acts 25-27). And also note how there is
great detail (drawn from Scripture like Acts 13-21) about where Paul went and how
he moved on. The meticulous detail is great.
However, its not what is here that is the problem. It what
is not here—the other journeys of Paul. Let’s take a look.
Paul’s First Oft-Forgotten Journey
Paul wrote in Galatian 1:
But when it pleased God, who
separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal
His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, 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 to Arabia, and returned again to
Damascus. (Galatian 1:15-17, NKJV)
In context of Paul preaching to the Gentiles after God saved
him, the first place he went was not Jerusalem. And that makes sense,
Jerusalem was the domain of Jews and Paul was not called to them. Peter
(Cephas) with James and John were called to preach to the circumcised/Jews (Galatians
2:7-9).
Instead, Paul went to Arabia. This was his first preaching journey. Thus, his first actual missionary journey. Now you might ask, why Arabia? Of all places—doesn’t that seem a bit odd? Not at all. In fact, it is quite intriguing when you think about the history of Abraham.
You need to understand that the promised line came through
Abraham and Sarah’s son Isaac and then Jacob, who is also called Israel, down
to Christ. The Jews, for all practical purposes, were essentially equated as
the descendants of Israel in Paul’s day.
The gentile nations were essentially all those who were not
Jews. If you recall, the elder half-brother Abraham (with Hagar) was
Ishmael. Ishmael is the father of the Arabian tribes and the language of Arabic
is a descendant language of Abraham through Ishmael and is in the same language
family as Hebrew and Aramaic.
So, Paul’s journey to Arabia is extremely brilliant—he went
to the descendants Abraham’s son Ishmael!
Talk about giving honor to
Abraham. Paul took the good news of Jesus Christ to Abraham’s eldest son’s progeny
first and foremost. This is an incredible gesture to the greatness of Abraham.
In fact, parts of the book of Galatians draw the comparison
of Hagar and Sarah. The reason for this is due Paul’s missionary journey to
Hagar’s very descendants—the Arabians! Consider what Paul writes here:
For it is written that Abraham had
two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was
born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, which
things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai
which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar — for this Hagar is Mount
Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage
with her children — but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the
mother of us all. (Galatians 4:22-26, NKJV)
First century Arabia extended from the Sinai Peninsula to regions eastward of Israel beyond Edom (think Jordan today), Moab, and Ammon—which are immediately to the east of Israel. Arabia was beyond this being farther east.
Ancient pottery near times of Paul, or a little before, Photo by Bodie Hodge
These easterly regions were given to Abraham’s other sons
with Keturah and these people became known as the People of the East
(Genesis 25:6, 29:1; Judges 6:3, 6:33, 7:12, 8:10; Job 1:3; Isaiah 11:14). Thus,
when preaching in Arabia which controlled these easterly lands, there is a good
possibility that Paul also reached some of the descendant of Abraham through
Keturah as well.
After going to Arabia, Paul then returned to Damascus. This
trip could have taken up to three years, though we simply do not know the
amount of time he spent in Arabia versus how much time he spent back in
Damascus. What we read is that after three years, then he went to visit those
in Jerusalem. Let’s take a closer a look.
Paul’s Second Oft-Forgotten Journey
Paul went to Jerusalem after 3 years of time between Arabia
and Damascus. Galatians 1 continues:
Then after three years I went up to
Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of
the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. (Now concerning the
things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.) Afterward I
went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was unknown by face to the
churches of Judea which were in Christ. But they were hearing only, “He
who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to
destroy.” And they glorified God in me. (Galatians 1:18-24, NKJV)
After going to Jerusalem, Paul spent 15 days there to see
Peter and he also saw James (Jesus’ half-brother). There is no reason to think
this was a missionary journey but rather brotherly fellowship and verification to
the apostles and church that it was true that Paul was saved and is now preaching
Jesus, whom he once persecuted.
After this, Paul’s second actual missionary journey
began. He went to Syria and Cilicia. Just for reference, Damascus, is in the
region Syria. Thus, Paul began preaching in the regions around Damascus, which
appears to be his “unofficial home base” as it were at the time.
Damascus is where Paul was saved (on the road there) and was
his jumping off point and return place so far (e.g., to Arabia and back, then
to Jerusalem and presumably back though Damascus to hit the regions of Syria).
As a point of note, coming from Jerusalem to the majority
of Syria takes you through Damascus which is near the front edge of
Syria in the Jerusalem direction. Logically, it makes sense to give the gospel
to gentiles in this region and country, they are near in proximity.
As part of Paul’s continued missionary journey, he then
ventured to Cilicia. No doubt, Paul spoke to his family and friends in Tarsus
which is in Cilicia. This is where Paul was from (Acts 22:3). Paul basically
took the gospel to his home region and preached the good news there.
Interestingly, when Paul goes on what most call his “First
Missionary Journey” as outlined in the book of Acts, you’ll see that Paul goes
through Syria and Cilicia. This is not the first time he has been there.
Looking carefully at Scripture in Acts 15 it says:
And he went through Syria and
Cilicia, strengthening the churches. (Acts 15:41, NKJV)
Paul wasn’t starting churches on this visit, but was
strengthening them! They already existed because Paul was likely involved in
helping get them started in the first place! And was now delivering a letter to
them (see the bulk of Acts 15). But this was Paul’s childhood home area and so
this is also significant as an early missionary journey.
It is sad, that these journeys are sometimes overlooked. I
think there is much theology that can be gained by an in-depth study of these
journeys.
Paul’s Possible, Projected Journey
According to the church fathers, Paul died in Rome by being
beheaded by Nero Caesar who had turned to a disposition of viscous hatred,
persecution, and vile tribulations on Christians. But in the course, Nero
killed himself in AD 68. He was the sixth Caesar of Rome. This was the same
Caesar that Paul appealed to and was the same Caesar who first acquitted him.
There were even Christians in Nero Caesar’s own household (Philippians 4:22).
Nevertheless, under Caesar, Paul was then placed under house
arrest for two years (Acts 28:30). People could come listen to him but he was
not permitted to journey out and about.
Between his first acquittal and his house arrest, what and
where did Paul go? Or did he go anywhere at all? We know Paul had plans to
visit and do a missionary journey to Spain. Paul wrote to the Romans and said
that he was planning on stopping to visit them on the way to Spain—of course
his projected journey took a wild turn, though he did still end up in Rome!
But now no longer having a place in
these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you,
whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my
journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company
for a while. But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For it
pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the
poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. It pleased them indeed, and they
are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual
things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things. Therefore,
when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by
way of you to Spain. Romans 15:23-28, NKJV
Did Paul make time to go to Spain? Commentators are mixed on
this. Some think he did and others think he didn’t. John Gill rightly asserts
about Paul’s plans to go to Spain:
“Which he had now meditated and
resolved upon, being a place, as before observed, where it is very likely the
Gospel as yet had not been preached, which made him desirous of going thither;
but whether he ever went thither, or not, is not certain; some think he never
performed the intended journey; others affirm he did, some time between his two
appearances before Nero.”[2]
Between Paul’s two appearances to Caesar, did he venture to
Spain? This is a great question. Paul had full intention to do it, so I
see no reason Scripturally why he wouldn’t have gone. And if he went, then he
would have returned to Rome. The Bible simply doesn’t give us details in the
same way we are not given the details of Paul’s missionary journey to Arabia—we
don’t know about the specific routes nor stops throughout that journey.
Curiously, a couple of church fathers have expressed an
opinion on this. Consider the work of William McBirnie, who wrote a detailed
book on the journeys of the apostles from both Scripture and church fathers
accounts. He writes:
“If he [Paul] was released after
his first trial he may well have gone there [Spain] and beyond. Why should he
have wanted to go to Spain? Because it was the westernmost portion of Europe
and there were colonies of Jews there. Some were slaves, imprisoned as
political prisoners by Herod Antipas. The Epistle of Clement and the Muratorian
Fragment both imply this possibility and assert that St. Paul visited Spain.
Eusebius mentions, as Sir William Ramsey also points out, a gap in the life of
St. Paul between A.D. 61 and 65. In this time he could have gone to Spain and
elsewhere as well.”[3]
The Epistle of Clement was attributed to Clement—Paul’s
friend who is mentioned in Philippians 4:3. This is an ancient document
preserved in the writings of church fathers. Although, something else is rather
significant here. Note there were prisoners of Herod Antipas—who is also known
as Herod the Tetrarch. Acts 13:1 says:
Now in the church that was at
Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was
called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the
tetrarch, and Saul. (Acts 13:1, NKJV)
A closer look reveals that Saul (also called Paul) was intimately
acquainted with churchmen at Antioch who had been brought up with Herod Antipas
(Herod the Tetrarch) and Saul/Paul himself! Note the connection between Paul
and Herod Antipas—they were in the same circles back when Paul/Saul was
ravaging churches. These political prisoners of Herod may well have been people
with which Paul was very familiar—potentially even people he arrested in his
former life. One can see why Paul wanted to minister to these people if they
really were connected to him and his strong desire to visit Spain for the Gospel.
Did Paul go to Spain? I don’t know and can’t be definitive about
it. Although, it is highly probable and early church father testimony to it.
Stepping back, what Scripture reveals is sufficient. Even
without all the details, we can learn an immense amounts over what looks like
minute pieces of information. I hope you have enjoyed learning about these
oft-forgotten missionary moves Paul took (or at least planned to take!).
[1]
See William McBirnie, The Search For The Twelve Apostles, Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois, 1973.
[2]
John Gill, Commentary Notes on Romans 15:24 as ascertained in Online Bible
by Larry Pierce, accessed February 21, 2025.
[3] See
William McBirnie, The Search For The Twelve Apostles, Tyndale House Publishers,
Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois, 1973, p. 281.
