Paul : «Apôtre des Gentils» ou... «des Juifs d'abord, puis des Grecs»?

Abstract

On the basis of what Paul states in Gal 1,16, most exegetes think that he started evangelizing pagans just after his conversion. Nevertheless, a closer reading of his autobiographical plea tends to question this usual opinion. Indeed: (1) nothing indicates that during his three-year stay in Arabia and Damas Paul showed any interest for the pagans as such. On the contrary, (2) his silence on the content of his conversations with Peter and James during his first visit in Jerusalem seems to prove that he had not yet begun a mission among the Gentiles. Moreover, (3) when he alludes to his stay in Syria and Cilicia, he certifies that the churches of Judaea knew quite well about his missionary work and that «they glorified God because of him»: what would be strange if he had already converted pagans without taking the prescriptions of the Torah into account. Finally, (4) the way he expresses himself in Gal 2,1-10 clearly shows that, «fourteen years after», James, Peter and John didn’t know his Gospel yet. Consequently, it is only on the eve of the Jerusalem conference that Paul (and Barnabas) «proclaimed the Gospel among the Gentiles». This conclusion suggests that the Jerusalem conference occurred much earlier than currently stated.