compromised the purity of the covenant people, which a zealous Pharisee could not permit. Thus the two main reasons (no doubt there were others) Paul wanted to eliminate the fledgling church were (1) its preaching of a crucified, cursed Messiah and (2) its embrace of Gentiles in a way that polluted Israel. Paul had precedent both for his concern and for his conviction that God would want the problem remedied with violence, if necessary. Israel had a history of holy heroes whose zeal for God motivated