Galatians 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
Galatians 1:14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

Saul was sold out for the Jewish religion. He made money at it, new the law backwards and forwards, kept the law, and went after anyone who he thought was committing blasphemy. In his opinion anyone who said that Jesus was the Christ was a blasphemer.

Here is what the priest did when Jesus told them He is the Son of God. Blasphemy if Jesus was not the Son of God.

Matthew 26:63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
Matthew 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Matthew 26:65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
Matthew 26:66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

Saul had every right to put to death any Israelite that committed blasphemy. In the book of Numbers we are told of a man that was put to death for picking up sticks on the Sabbath.

Numbers 15:32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
Numbers 15:33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
Numbers 15:34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
Numbers 15:35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
Numbers 15:36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.

Who gave the order for the man to be put to death? The LORD did.
What did the man do wrong? He worked on the Sabbath.
Have you ever picked up sticks on the Sabbath?
Why didn’t the LORD have you put to death?

I have been told many times that we are to do ALL the Bible. We can’t and we are not supposed to. Hebrews 1:1 tells us why.

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

God has dealt with man in many different ways at different times. Paul tells us to rightly divide the Word of truth. (see 2 Timothy 2:15) If you don’t, you might just believe that you must stone someone to death for picking up sticks on the Sabbath.

Keep studying,

Jack