The narrative of the sudden conversion of Saul, who had vigorously persecuted the followers of Jesus, presents this and every conversion as the result of the direct intervention in the history of the risen and exalted Jesus as the Lord of the church and as the Lord of the church’s mission, in which Saul is called to play a major role.

Second to the life of Jesus, Saul's conversion is the greatest event in the history of mankind.  Luke considers Saul's (who would be called Paul) conversion as a watershed event.