Saint Patrick: What should we know about him?
I’m hesitant to write about this man because so little in truth is known about him. Of all the things I’ve learned through the years about church history, having even taken several courses in it in Seminary, it is the fact that so much of it is not fully reliable information. But there are some things we do know about this man who set a great example for us all in certain areas. Therefore, I’m writing this article about him.
A lot of the history about “Saint Patrick” is uncertain. The challenge is to separate the truth from fiction. We know he lived in the A.D. 400s, but people are even uncertain about the exact date when he was born. Church tradition has certainly muddled the matter. The Roman Catholic Church has tried to claim him as one of their own, but it is doubtful that Patrick had ever even heard of the Catholic Church.
Apparently, Patrick was the first Christian missionary to the people of Ireland. He was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and had a deep desire to lead people to know Him as their Savior as he had. That’s probably the most important thing that can be said about him because in this matter he seems to have set a great example for all of us. Question: Do YOU have such a desire to lead people to Christ? If you do, have you put your thoughts into action? Shouldn’t we all be working diligently to lead others to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior? What a wonderful difference this can make in a person’s life for all eternity. Haven’t we all been commissioned to be personally active in getting the gospel message to people? Some of our Lord’s last words on this Earth to His disciples were about this—
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. [Emphasis added]
For more information about this commission, please see my article about it. I think most people will find it quite interesting and enlightening—
Commission: Which one is ours?
Even though most people don’t know this, the commission and commandments of God that we have today were all channeled to us from our Savior through the writings of the apostle Paul.
I Corinthians 14:37-38
37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I [Paul] write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. [Emphasis added]
It is this man, Paul, who provides the information we need for all our evangelistic endeavors and more. It is not Peter and the eleven, but Paul who is our apostle God has provided to direct us.
Romans 11:13
13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: [Emphasis added]
Yes, even our gospel message by which people can be saved comes to us today through the apostle Paul, not Peter or anyone else. Paul even speaks of this as HIS gospel.
Romans 16:25
25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to MY gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery [MUSTERION = secret], which was kept secret since the world began, [Emphasis added]
We are even told that the people of the world will someday be judged in accordance with this which is spoken of in Scripture as Paul’s gospel.
Romans 2:16
7 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to MY gospel. [Emphasis added]
For more information about this, please see my articles about it—
Gospel: Is OUR gospel in “the four gospels”?
Gospel: Where did Paul get the one he preached?
Gospel: Which one is ours today?
But we have so many people today who don’t even realize that the apostle Peter’s gospel was not the same as the apostle Paul’s. In fact, this is the reason Paul speaks of it as HIS gospel. But provided you’re reading this out of a correct version of the Bible, one can plainly see that Paul clearly points out that they were not the same. Paul even made a special trip to Antioch to point this out to Peter and other disciples of Christ. Even though our commission didn’t, Peter’s commission included water baptism and the entirety of the Mosaic Law. Again, for more information about these TWO gospels, please see my other articles about it that specifically address this.
Galatians 2:7
7 But contrariwise, when they [the other apostles] saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; [Emphasis added]
A fuller account of all this is given in Acts 15. Did Saint Patrick know these things? Probably not! But obviously he got some things right and led many people to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. So, we certainly do need to rejoice in that and give credit where credit is due.
Personally, I’m not convinced Patrick was a Roman Catholic. Romanism has tried to claim him, and I don’t blame them for that, but there’s not any real evidence that the Roman Catholic Church had anything at all to do with his ministry. But, again, he was apparently the first known Christian missionary to Ireland. It appears that he had a hand in leading thousands to know Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Patrick was born and raised in Great Britain. He was kidnapped by Irish pirates and taken to Ireland around the age of sixteen. He later returned to England, obtained an education in theology and later returned to Ireland to do missionary work.
The Roman Catholic Church has made March 17 the feast day for “Saint Patrick.” You’ll find that Lutherans, Anglicans, and Eastern Orthodox groups also observe this day for him. Even though St. Patrick’s Day is for some thought to be a holy day to commemorate Christianity’s arrival and work in Ireland, it also appears to be a celebration of Irish culture and heritage in general.
The Roman Catholic Church claims that “Saint Patrick” was a Roman Catholic and could not have been a “Protestant” since “The Reformation” did not begin until around a thousand years after him. Whatever the truth may be about all this, one of the best things that can be said about him is that he courageously took a stand against unbiblical religious traditions of his day, something we all should do. Again, there seems to be a lot of confusion and controversy about him. But if you’re a Bible-believing Christian who even has Irish ancestry, I see no problem in celebrating this man. Probably the best thing that can be said about him is that he was someone who had a love for our Savior and worked hard to serve and represent Him every way he could.
If you do want to be involved in Saint Patrick’s Day events, you are highly encouraged to read Romans 14:1-23, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, and 1 Corinthians 10:23-33. These passages inform us that we are to exercise our liberty in Christ without doing harm to other Christians. Scripture is clear about this—
Romans 14:7-23
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably [according to love – AGAPE]. Destroy [APOLLUMI = ruin] not him with thy meat [BROMA = food], for whom Christ died.
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. [Emphasis added]
This is quite a passage as to how it relates to our beliefs and the positive or negative effect we can have on others. We’re clearly not to flaunt the liberties we have in Christ before anyone but especially before “weaker” believers. We need to always be mindful of how our decisions will affect both believers and unbelievers. Our main goal in life is to lead unbelievers to put their faith in Christ for their salvation and to be helpful to fellow believers in their spiritual growth and development.
1 Corinthians 8:9-13
9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
Paul then goes on to explain the application of this principle to a situation there in Corinth concerning the consumption of meat that had been sacrificed to idols.
10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
Here we’re warned to always be aware of how the things we do may affect others. There are times when we’re to avoid doing even perfectly legitimate things for the sake of those around us.
12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend [SKANDALIZO = to be a snare or stumblingblock], I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. [Emphasis added]
Again, we’re to avoid doing anything that proves to be a spiritual snare or stumbling block to others. This is so important that the apostle Paul says even more about this later in that letter.
1 Corinthians 10:23-24 & 31-33
23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient [SUMPHERO = profitable or advantageous]: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth [EUPORIA = well-being or good].
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give none offence [PROSKOMMA = obstacle], neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. [Emphasis added]
Conclusion—
Like Christmas and Easter, many “Christian” holidays have incorporated and convey false beliefs. Such is equally true of Saint Patrick’s Day. Furthermore, they’ve all been to some degree secularized. For information about these other days, please see my articles about them on this website. Here are links to some of them—
Christmas: Have you received the greatest gift?
Christmas: What could be the best gift you could give?
Here are some articles that relate to the Easter celebration concerning the resurrection of Christ and of our resurrection that we’ve been promised—
Resurrection: Is there proof that Jesus Christ arose?
Resurrection: What will your resurrection body be like?
Resurrection & Resuscitation: What is the difference?
Again, like the other “religious” holidays, Saint Patrick’s Day has become highly secularized. There’s a lot of nonsense associated with all of them. They are typically what you make of them. With each of them there’s a need for discernment on our part. But how you engage in these holidays can be a distraction and even a hindrance to others in the area that counts most—spiritually. Therefore, we should approach all these holidays with caution. But all of them can provide wonderful opportunities for presenting truths people need to know. There are no biblical prohibitions against any of these holidays. But if we use our liberties to offend other Christians or be a hindrance to the salvation of others, we’ve surely misused our liberty. Therefore, this matter should always be given careful consideration.
Again, 1 Corinthians 10:31
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. [Emphasis added]
