why did god change saul's name to paulaudit assistant manager duties and responsibilities
But, at all events, it is an expression of the spirit in which he sought to do his work. It is probable that Saul was a Jewish supernomen.3. However, I question why Saul would have wanted to abandon his birth name, given that in his epistles Paul consistently describes himself as a proud Jew, going so far as to say that his greatest wish was to convert the Jewish nation (see Romans 11; 1 Corinthians 9:20). "Paul" is Greek for the Jewish "Saul." Since Paul was a Roman citizen and witnessed to the Greek-speaking world, it was reasonable for him to take a more familiar form of his own name. Sympathy is the parent of all wise counsel, because it is the parent of all true understanding of our brethren's wants. In keeping with his new nature Paul means 'small or little'. Indeed, double names are still used today, such as the Brazilian soccer player Pel, whose birth name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento. Petros) as a way of signifying the special role he would play in the Church (Mt 16:18, Jn 1:41-42), in Pauls case there was no name change. Paul never mentions the name Saul in his own epistles, even when it would have been reasonable for him to have done so, and we can find no reason for him to abandon a Jewish birth name, in fact to have done so would have offended the Jews he may have wished to convert. You can discuss this post and others in the Faithlife Today group. II. In conclusion, the one reference in Acts does not lead to a clear conclusion that Paul changed his name in Cyprus or at any time as a Christian. We are a brand-new entity, the Church the Body of Christ. He was known as Rabbi Shaul.. It was fitting for God to refer to him using his Gentile name, Paul, for He had now begun to reach the Gentiles with the Gospel of Grace. Jewish people who were Roman citizens, as well as those from other non-Italian ethnic groups, frequently had a fourth name, the signum or supernomen. Acts 13 records the start of Paul's first missionary journey. Many mistakenly assume the Lord changed Saul's name to Paul sometime after Saul converted from Judaism to Christianity, which happened during his encounter with Christ on the Road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19). Rather, as it says in Acts 13:9, Saul 'was also called Paul' i.e. Jesus appeared to saul and asked him why are you persecuting me? Saul's name didn't necessarily change due to becoming a Christian. For when he was Saul, his name was derived contends with much courage and earnestness against the proud and And, therefore, let us all remember that a vast deal of so-called Christian work falls utterly dead and profitless, for no other reason than this, that the doers have forgotten that they must come to the level of the men whom they would help, before they can expect to bless them. persecuting the Christian name), that he might show up whatever He rode out of Jerusalem hating, loathing, despising Jesus Christ; he groped his way into Damascus, broken, bruised, clinging contrite to His feet, and clasping His Cross as his only hope. Why Did Abraham and Sarah Receive New Names and Tokens? Why Did Jesus Appear to the Women Instead of the Disciples. To appreciate why the Bible transitions from the name Saul to Paul, we need to look at where Paul first appears in Scripture. Both Sauls were of the tribe of Benjamin. Christians he should find, to be punished. He may well be Lucius Sergius Paulus, known from an inscription marking the bank of the river Tiber in Rome.12 Classicist Stephen Mitchell proposes that Sergius Paulus adopted Paul as a client,13 and this led to the change of name, but this view stumbles on the probability that Saul had both names from childhood. Since he grew up in a strict Pharisee environment, the name Saul was by far the more appropriate name to go by. In Acts 13:9, Saul is called " Paul " for the first time on the island of Cyprus - much later than the time of his conversion. victory, But Saul, who is also Paul here his name is changed at the same the second name was known as nomen and it identified the tribe you came from or identified the person from whom you received Roman citizenship. Hitherto he has been second to his friend Barnabas, henceforward he is first. He was a now a new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). Paul's Christianity meant a radical change in his whole nature. Saul low, and raised up Paul; that is, He laid low the proud, and Such changes, so sudden, so revolutionary, cannot be expected often to take place amongst people who, like us, have been listening to Christian teaching all our lives. And the fact that the name which he bears now is the same as that of his first convert, seems to me to point the explanation. This was quite common, especially for someone who was both Jewish and a Roman citizen. the Apostles. The Hebrew name given him by his parents was Saul, but, because his father was a Roman citizen (and therefore Saul inherited Roman citizenship), Saul also had the Latin name Paul (Acts 16:37, 22:25-28), the custom of dual names being common in those days. The author of Luke-Acts indicates that the names were interchangeable: "Saul, who also is called Paul.". God had a purpose and a plan for Paul. Saul of Tarsus was born a Jew, circumcised on the eighth day, of the race of Israel, or the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrew parentage, in observance of the law a Pharisee (Phil 3:5). 'Paul' means 'little'; 'Saul' means 'desired.' Who Came Up With The Story That Apostle Paul Became Christian And By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. A change which needs a new name must be a profound change. What does Anathema Maranatha mean in 1 Corinthians 16:22? All we know is that every reference before Acts 13:9 talks about Saul, and the only references to Saul after that are when Paul is telling people about what happened before that time. It is like the acts of the renegades whom one sometimes hears of, who are found by travellers, dressed in turban and flowing robes, and bearing some Turkish name, or like some English sailor, lost to home and kindred, who deserts his ship in an island of the Pacific, and drops his English name for a barbarous title, in token that he has given up his faith and his nationality. In all actuality, God no longer saw him as a Jew, for Israel had fallen back in Acts chapter 7: any lost Jew was technically a Gentile from Acts chapter 7 onward. gives pain, that he may bring the patient on to health. It only takes a minute to sign up. 'He was rich; he made a big business in Manchester'; 'He was famous, he wrote books'; 'He was happy and fortunate'; or, 'He turned many to righteousness'? [11] And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. Acts 13:9 appears to record the moment Saul's name changes to Paul: Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said (Prior to this time, he was always called Saul; after this, he is always called Paul.). For he had received letters from the chief King Saul could no longer discern God, even attempting to gain an audience through a medium. Why does Moses change Hosea's name to Joshua? Pharisee Saul was struck blind. For a Christian man to carry the Gospel of Infinite condescension to his fellows in a spirit other than that of the Master and the Gospel which he speaks, is an anomaly and a contradiction. the humble David. Everything. Roman adoption conferred legal protection and rights similar to those Paul speaks of when he talks about how God has adopted us into His family through His Son, Jesus Christ. Rather than introducing himself as a Jew from Tarsus, as Paul does in relation to Jewish audiences elsewhere (Acts 22:3; cf. Murillo | Public Domain via Wikipedia Philip Kosloski - published on 01/24/23 Surprisingly, God never changed Saul's name to Paul in the New Testament. The change of name reference does not begin with Saul's conversion to Christianity on the road to Damascus but much later in Cyprus (Acts 13:9). The switch in usage comes early on his first missionary journey, in connection with Paul's missionary efforts to convert a Gentile proconsul. He goes into much more detail on this subject in one of his Sermons on Recall that at his conversion, Paul saw of vision of Jesus and was informed that he would be sent to the Gentiles. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Although we arent told why there was a shift, here is a possibility: Saul was also the name of the first human king of Israel (God was the first king: 1Sam. Should I Read the Bible Like Any Other Book? At best, this is an interesting (modern) readerly response. Do we study only Pauls epistles? these words, when through his warfare, Paulus the Proconsul, his pride because he would show himself little the least of the apostles Is that your idea of the best thing about a life? As Jews are hindering and forbidding Paul from reaching the Gentiles with Gods Word (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16), so this unbelieving Jew is preventing Paul from preaching salvation to a Gentile ruler so that he might have eternal life. Looking for advice repairing granite stair tiles. Why did CJ Roberts apply the Fourteenth Amendment to Harvard, a private school? Best Answer Copy God Changes Saul's name to Paul so that he can be a great witness for Christ in the days to come in Paul life. God Changes Saul's name to Paul so that he can be a great witness for Christ in the days to come in Paul life. I suggest that the simplest explanation is that Sergius Paulus becomes benefactor of Paul or adopts Paul, probably informally, and Paul takes his name. When and why was Saul's name changed to Paul? | GotQuestions.org Opinions may play upon the surface of a man's soul, like moonbeams on the silver sea, without raising its temperature one degree or sending a single beam into its dark caverns. New International Version Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, New Living Translation Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye. Referring to the Saul/Paul, F. F. Bruce says: the least. Paul is nothing else but little. This clean break seems like it could suggest a permanent change in name, though it could just be a result of the name making his mission to the Gentiles more approachable, as suggested in the first comment. Moses changed Hoshea's name to Joshua (Num 13:16). while he is breathing out slaughter, while he is thirsting for blood, On conversion he realised by revelation that Jesus teaching was for all people. Answer: He didn't. Many mistakenly assume the Lord changed Saul's name to Paul sometime after Saul converted from Judaism to Christianity, which happened during his encounter with Christ on the Road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19). His apparent change of preference to use Paul rather than Saul may also have been to help in his efforts to preach to non-Jews. No, 'Saul the Persecutor' Did Not Become 'Paul the Apostle' In other words, he . Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting and transformative Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more. The suggestion that Saul's name . I think that the coincidence between his name and that of the governor of Cyprus, who believed at his preaching, Sergius Paulus, is too remarkable to be accidental. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. The cognomen was the name by which people were commonly known, and was sometimes derived from that of a relative. Why are the perceived safety of some country and the actual safety not strongly correlated? Before his conversion Saul, (a Jewish name and associating him with the tribe of Benjamin), persecuted the Christians and he was well known. As the comments below highlighted to me, it is possible that Paul didnt change his name. Why? The first time we see Saul referenced as Paul is much later in the Acts of the Apostles. Why Saul Became Paul Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts Alexander Maclaren 'Saul (who also is called Paul)' . did saul change his name to paul to start new so he could try forget about what he use to do? Then Saul, who was also called Paul . Saul reports that the voice spoke in the Hebrew language (Acts 26:14), which makes good contextual sense. In his own day, although he was a major figure within the very small Christian movement, he also had many . he (always had) had two names. 17:24; 18:5; 28:25). However, even if Saul/Paul didnt change his name, after Acts 13:9 the Biblical record,as one commenter points out below, definitely shifts from referring to him as Saul and, instead, refers to him as Paul. The Real Reason Paul Is Sometimes Called Saul In The Bible Why does the Bible say Jesus was hanged on a tree?. He strips himself of his Jewish connections and relationships. Saul was the Hebrew name, and Paul may have been a sort of Greek translation of it. Saul means 'desired'. Sauls father was a Roman citizen [so] Saul was born a Roman citizen As a Roman citizen, he had a Roman name, consisting of three parts: praenomen, nomengentile and cognomen.2 What his praenomen (first or personal name) and nomen gentile (family name) were we can only guess; his cognomen, however, was Paullus, by which (in its English form Paul) we usually call him. international train travel in Europe for European citizens.
