The life of the Apostle Paul changed 180 degrees after he encountered Jesus Christ, who appeared to him in light on the road to Damascus. Just as Moses' life changed from that of a fugitive and a wanderer to one who led Israel after he encountered the LORD God in the burning bush on Mount Horeb, Paul's life transformed from being a persecutor of believers in Christ to one who was persecuted for Christ.

It would not be an overstatement to say that one cannot properly understand Paul's epistles or the New Testament without knowing the life and theological thought of Paul, the author of 13 out of the 27 books in the New Testament. Of course, the Bible was written by the inspiration of God (2 Tim 3:16), but it is also undeniable that the author's understanding of God and Christ, as well as his life and thoughts, influenced the letters.

There is disagreement between conservative and critical theologians regarding the authenticity of Paul's epistles. Most conservative theologians accept the traditional 13 Pauline epistles without question, while critical theologians generally assert that only seven-Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Philemon-were actually written by Paul himself. Even so, it cannot be denied that the other six letters reflect Paul's thought and influence.