Where did you hear that? I thought I was the only one who had contemplated that. There is nothing new under the sun I guess.
I originally heard it from a Methodist preacher I knew.
John "Mark" went w/Paul & Barnabas on First Missionary Journey but went home after experiencing hardships & upon his return to join up, Paul refused to take him accounting for the split between Paul and Barnabas, the latter taking John "Mark" and continuing on but never mentioned again in NT.
Finally, as Paul (Saul) was a member of the Sanhedrin and Pharisee, he loathed Jesus and His followers so much that he had them arrested, bodily removed to be tried, jailed or even extreme cases killed for being believers.
I dunno that Paul was a ‘ruler’ was he?