Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free by F.F. Bruce is everything you ever wanted to know about Paul, and maybe more! You will want to have your Bible nearby whether you are just reading it or using it as a resource. This book makes Acts come alive and could be used when studying any of Paul's epistles. It is a great resource for pastors and Bible students as a clear and chronological reading of Paul's life. It was the required text for one of my seminary classes but I have re-read many sections of it ever since.
One of the strongest aspects of the book is the author’s ability to present Paul as a real person instead of just a legendary Bible character. The author puts you right in Paul’s shoes in the challenges he faced. It takes you from the beginning of Paul's life (as Saul) and his fierce opposition to the new Christian faith (“the Way”) all the way to his imprisonments and death, with an emphasis on his theology and some of the situations that influenced his writing style.
Some of the topics are: The rise of Rome, the Jews under foreign rule, the history of the early church, political/theological battles between the Pharisee and the Sadducees, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, the afterlife, development of the early Christian theology, the Gentile problem, and the rapid expansion of the church.
Again…this is more of a resource book than a casual read. The valuable insight and background it gives turns the legendary apostle into a broken man, in a broken world, who needed Jesus just like we do. Paul is the ‘chief of sinners’ whose life and ministry can inspire us to trust Christ for grace, forgiveness, and to use any of us for His glory.
Dan Dather, Community Groups Pastor