Resumen de San Pablo
- español
Pablo de Tarso (también llamado Saulo) es un personaje decisivo en los inicios del cristianismo, durante la época apostólica, por ser el primer teólogo que sintetiza la doctrina cristiana, difundiéndola desde Jerusalén y Asia Menor hasta Roma. Ciudadano romano, judío fariseo oriundo de la ciudad de Tarso en Cilicia, debió nacer entre los años 5 y 10 d.C. San Lucas en los Hechos de los Apóstoles lo presenta como perseguidor de los cristianos de Jerusalén, siendo testigo de la lapidación de Esteban (Hch 7, 57) hacia el año 33. Su repentina y radical conversión (metanoia) tiene lugar en el camino de Damasco al vivir la experiencia del encuentro con el Resucitado (Hch 9, 1-9; Hch 26, 12-18; 1 Cor 15, 8; Gál 1, 15-16). Tras ser bautizado por Ananías (Hch 9, 10-19) inicia la predicación que lo lleva a ser perseguido, viéndose obligado a huir de Damasco descolgado en un cesto. Partidario, por su educación griega, junto con Bernabé, de la tendencia cristiana helenista frente a la judía representada por Pedro y Santiago, fue considerado “Apóstol de los Gentiles” como consecuencia del concilio de Jerusalén, hacia el año 48, donde se aprueba la incorporación de los paganos, también denominados gentiles o prosélitos, al cristianismo eximiéndolos de la Ley judía (Hch 15). A través de viajes misioneros por el Mediterráneo oriental, funda numerosas comunidades cristianas en Asia Menor, a las que envía posteriormente diversas cartas apostólicas, que forman, junto a la enviada a Roma, el llamado “Corpus Paulino”, testimonios históricos que hacen de Pablo el principal protagonista y responsable de la introducción del mensaje evangélico en el mundo helenístico. Encarcelado al menos en dos ocasiones, la última en Jerusalén, es conducido a Roma; durante la travesía la embarcación naufraga en Malta, donde tiene lugar el episodio de la mordedura de la víbora a la que sobrevive. Llegado a Roma es decapitado durante la persecución de Nerón entre los años 63 y 67. Siguiendo esta sucinta biografía, el artículo recoge la progresiva iconografía de san Pablo, estructurándola temáticamente: su nombre, su fisonomía, caracterizada por su calvicie y barba; su condición de predicador en su gestualidad; su condición de filósofo y escritor, en su atuendo y en el libro o rollo que le distingue desde los inicios; como mártir, portando la espada, instrumento de su martirio con el que posteriormente se lo identifica; como ejemplo de conversión en su principal ciclo temático y finalmente en otros temas iconográficos, que además de anecdóticos, subrayan su consideración de apóstol de Cristo y su consecuente simbolismo eclesial.
- English
Paul of Tarsus (also called Saulo) is an important character at the beginnings of Christianity during the apostolic period because he was the first theologian that synthesized the Christian doctrine, which then spread from Jerusalem and Asia Minor to Rome. He was a Roman citizen and a Jewish Pharisee from the city of Tarsus in Cilicia, where he was born on the year 5-10 d.C. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles presents him as someone who persecuted the Christians of Jerusalem, and as someone who witnessed the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7, 57) towards the year 33. His sudden and radical conversion (metanoia) took place on the road to Damascus after experiencing an encounter with the risen Christ (Acts 9, 1-9; Acts 26, 12-18; 1 Cor 15, 8; Gal 1, 15-16). After being baptized by Ananias (Acts 9, 10-19), he began his preaching and was later on persecuted for it being forced to leave Damascus hidden in a basket. Because of his Greek education, together with Barnabas, he supported the Christian Hellenistic trend against the Jewish one represented by Peter and James. It is for that reason that he was called the Apostle of the Gentiles as a consequence of the Council of Jerusalem that met in the year 48, where the incorporation of the Pagans (proselytes) to Christianity was approved exempting them from the Jewish law (Acts 15). Through long missionary journeys across the Eastern Mediterranean, he founded numerous Christian communities in Asia Minor, to which he subsequently sent various apostolic letters that now form, together with that sent to Rome, the so-called Pauline Corpus, historical testimonies that make Paul the main protagonist and responsible for the introduction of the Gospel message in the Hellenistic world. Imprisoned at least in two occasions, the last one in Jerusalem, he was sent to Rome. During the journey to Rome, the boat shipwrecked on Malta, where the episode of the bite of the snake took place but he finally survived. Once back in Rome, he was beheaded during the persecution of Nero between the years 63 and 67. Following this brief biography, the article discusses the iconography of St. Paul by structuring it thematically: its name, its appearance, characterized by baldness and beard; its status as a preacher in his gestures;
his status as philosopher and writer, in his attire and in the book or scroll that identifies him from the beginning; a martyr, carrying the sword, instrument of his martyrdom with which he is subsequently connected; as an example of conversion in its main thematic cycle, and finally in other iconographic themes that, in addition to being anecdotal, underline his consideration as an apostle of Christ and his subsequent ecclesiastical symbolism.
