Whenever the Bible remains silent on a subject, scholars and theologians love to fill in holes with theories. Here are a few possibilities why Paul went to Arabia.
1. Early church fathers believed Saul traveled there as a missionary, brining the Gospel to a group of desert dwellers. If so he probably went to a populated area of Mesopotamia, east of Damascus.
2. Some scholars propose that Saul fled to Arabia to protect himself from Jewish leaders who, having heard of his newfound faith, wanted to nip it in the bud.
3. Many believe that for close to three years Saul lived somewhere in the desert, cut-off from his former manner of life—in solitude, quietness, and obscurity. He might even have gone to the wilderness of Sinai. If he had ever been addicted to popularity, he lost the urge to pursue it during those years in the desert. If at one time he had become enamored with his own spiritual significance, that pride melted away in God’s presence.
Reference: Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit & Paul The Apostle
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