Page 461 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

PAULICIANS

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 such impetuous convictions as he entertained” (Young).
Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and (Acts 7:58; 9:1-31; 11:22-30; 13:1—28:31; Ro. 1:1; 1
probably Hebrews. Co. 1:1; 16:21; 2 Co. 1:1; 10:1; Ga. 1:1; 5:2; Ep. 1:1;
“The Apostle of the Gentiles, whose original name 3:1; Ph. 1:1; Col. 1:1, 23; 4:18; 1 Th. 1:1; 2:18: 2 Th.
was Saul. He was of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of 1:1; 3:17; 1 Ti. 1:1; 2 Ti. 1:1 Tit. 1:1; Phile. 1, 9,19; 1
the Hebrews (Ph. 3:5), born in Tarsus (Ac. 9:11; 22:3), Pe. 3:15).
the chief city of Cilicia, in Asia Minor. He was brought PAULICIANS. An example of the conflict between the
up a Pharisee, and educated at Jerusalem, at the feet of Bible and apostate churchianity in the first millennium
Gamaliel (Ac. 22:3), a celebrated Rabbi. He was involved the Paulicians. This occurred in the eastern or
acquainted with several of the ancient Greek poets, Grecian part of the empire.
whom he occasionally quotes (Ac. 17:28; Tit. 1:12). In roughly A.D. 660, a young Armenian named
Like all Jews, he was brought up to a trade, which, in Constantine Sylvanus received a gift of the Four
his case, was that of a tent maker (Ac. 18:1-3). His Gospels and the fourteen Epistles of Paul. Constantine,
residence at Jerusalem augmented his natural regard for we are told, prized these new treasures and made
Judaism, and led him, while yet a young man, to bear these Scriptures the rule of his faith. It is probable that
his testimony against Christianity, by consenting to the the name “Paulicians” was derived from the love
martyrdom of Stephen and by watching over the clothes Constantine and his fellow Christians had for the
of those who stoned him (Ac. 7:58). Apostle Paul and for apostolic doctrine. Regardless of
the exact origin of their name, it is a fact of history,
“Soon the great landmarks of his life began to acknowledged by their enemies, that the Paulicians
appear. Foremost of all was his conversion, A.D. 38, attempted to found their Christianity strictly upon the
which became the main root of his after life (Ac. 9). Bible. Constantines New Testament later included the
Then his evangelistic labours at Antioch, A.D. 42 (Ac. Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of James and Jude,
11:22-30); his missionary journey in the eastern part of and the Three Epistles of John (George Faber, The
Asia Minor, in which he first assumed the character of History of the Ancient Vallenses and Albigenses, 1838,
an apostle to the Gentiles (Ac. 13-14); his visit to pp. 50, 51). Orchard tells us that the Paulician
Jerusalem, A.D. 50, to settle the question of the relation churches “were formed as much upon the plan and
model of the apostolic churches as it was in their
of the Gentiles to the law of Moses (Ac. 15); his second power to bring them” (History of Baptists, p. 132).
missionary journey when he introduced the gospel into Armitage testifies, “As best they could, they were trying
Europe, with his visit to Philippi, Athens, and Corinth to get at the Bible, and to follow its light” (p. 239). For
(Ac. 15:39—18:22). Then comes his third great this they were hated by those who had thrown off
missionary journey which was chiefly marked by a long biblical restraint. Persecutions were soon poured out
stay at Ephesus, and interesting in connection with the upon these Bible believers. “The Paulicians were
writing of his four leading Epistles (Ac. 19-20). Then sentenced to be capitally punished, and THEIR BOOKS,
followed his visit to Jerusalem, A.D. 58, and his WHEREVER FOUND, TO BE COMMITTED TO THE
apprehension there, with his long confinement at FLAMES, and further, that if any person was found to
Caesarea, and his eventual imprisonment at Rome, A.D. have secreted them, he was to be put to death, and his
goods confiscated” (Orchard, p. 134). Constantine was
61, whence he wrote most of his other epistles (Ac. stoned to death in 690 for his love for the Word of
21-28). Of his later history we know nothing. God. The man who oversaw the stoning of Constantine
“As to his temperament and character, Paul is himself was named Simeon. He was later converted, became
the best painter. His humility induced him to abandon the leader of this people in the place of Constantine,
the grand title of ‘Saul,’ and assume the humble one of and “finally submitted himself to the flames rather
‘Paul,’ i.e., the ‘little one,’ appropriate, perhaps, from his than abandon the faith which, by a sacrifice of all his
bodily size, but adopted, no doubt, from that humility worldly goods and prospects, he had embraced” (Faber,
which makes him count himself to be ‘less than the least p. 60). Another leader of the Paulicians, Sergius, was
cut into two pieces with an ax. In those days an entire
of all saints, and not worthy to be called an apostle.’ His group of Paulicians was burned to death in one
speeches and epistles convey to us the truest impression enormous funeral-pile (Faber, p. 47). The persecutions
of him. In these we perceive the warmth and ardor of began during the life of Constantine and continued
his nature, his affectionate disposition, the tenderness of through the centuries following. They began in the
his sense of honor, the courtesy and personal dignity of Grecian empire under the authority of the emperors
his bearing, and his perfect frankness. We see also the and empresses, but as the persecuted Paulicians were
rare combination of subtlety, tenacity, and versatility scattered to Italy and other parts of Europe, they came
existing in his intellect, with a practical wisdom to the attention of the papacy, as well.The persecutions
generally associated with a cooler temperament than which were poured out upon the Paulicians beginning
his, and a forbearance and tolerance seldom united with in the 7th century caused them to be scattered
throughout Europe, everywhere carrying with them the

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 461