Why did Paul need a supernatural vision in order to believe in Christianity?

## Background Paul is described as a highly educated Pharisee: > I am a Jew born in Tarsus in Cilicia but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today. - *Acts of the Apostles 22:3* More zealous than his peers, and his understanding of Judaism exceeded his peers: > I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. *Epistle to the Galatians 1:14* The story of his persecution of Christians and subsequent conversion experience is well known. ## Premises 1. Paul was a highly trained Jewish scholar 2. Paul was familiar with messianic prophecies 3. Paul knew about *some* of the claims of early Christians about Jesus (messiahship, resurrection, divinity, etc) Therefore Paul could have evaluated the claims of Christians for himself prior to his supernatural experience. ## Question According to Christians why did Paul, who claimed to have a high knowledge of the Hebrew bible, need a supernatural encounter to believe in Jesus? Wouldn't he have been familiar with the myriad of prophecies which only Jesus could have fulfilled?