They were living in a multilingual world. 1 Samuel 10:9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day. The change in the order of the names is significant, and the change in the names not less so. And though, no doubt, it was the custom for the Jews of that day, especially for those of them who lived in Gentile lands, to have, for convenience' sake, two names, one Jewish and one Gentile -- one for use amongst their brethren, and one for use amongst the heathen -- still we have no distinct intimation that the Apostle bore a Gentile name before this moment. Looking for advice repairing granite stair tiles. when he was a humble person. The name Saul is Hebrew whereas Paul is a Roman name. In Paul's encounter with Christ, he saw . Petros) as a way of signifying the special role he would play in the . Then we will focus on the two names, Saul and Paul, before assessing why the change happenedand why here in Acts. [1] William Branham thought that something similar happened to Paul when he encountered Jesus on the Damascus Road (Acts 9). Enter your email address to receive email notifications when new Bible Q&A articles are posted. No, we dont need to adopt new names, but we should accommodate ourselves to our audiences (and we mean here audiences as small as one person). called Paul; but that he acknowledged in himself that the name of Saul I have become all things to all, to save at least some. 10 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. Why Did God Choose the Apostle Paul? | David Limbaugh Since Pauls apostleship and message involve Gods transition from dealing with Israel (Jew) only to dealing with all nations (Gentiles), it is appropriate for Him to use a man who has both a Jewish nature and Roman (Gentile) nature. Is "calling on the name of the Lord" in Acts 9 literal or figurative? In the first fruits we may see the fields whitening to the harvest. King Saul lost his kingdom because of his rouge sacrifice. Answer One of the often-thought-of " name changes " in the Bible is that of Saul to Paul. (Prior to this time, he was always called Saul; after this, he is always called Paul.) Saint Paul the Apostle | Biography & Facts | Britannica Many mistakenly assume the Lord changed Sauls 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). For he had received letters from the chief Bible Q | Why did Paul change his name from Saul to Paul? Like Jews living in the Roman empire, Paul had two names. Interestingly, Paul never mentions the name Saul in his own epistles, consistently maintaining the name Paul, even when he writes of persecuting the Christians, of his conversion and of his early mission. He gives pain, it is true; but he only You can discuss this post and others in the Faithlife Today group. And as it is the very essence and heart of Christ's work, so, my brother, it is the condition of all work that benefits our fellows. non-Jews; Rom. Eisenman suggests the parallels a so strong that Paul and Josephus' Saulus may have been the same man, but this is unlikely because Paul probably went to Rome before 66 CE and there is nothing we know about Paul to suggest that he was in any way a disreputable person. that he may commend the grace of God. Saul - Paul: Some think that God changed Saul's name to Paul after his conversion, but this isn't true. The suggestion that Saul's name . Then Saul, who was also called Paul . That is, first Stack Exchange network consists of 182 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. To the weak I became weak to win over the weak. Why Did Jesus Appear to the Women Instead of the Disciples. All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! 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. 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). Answer (1 of 11): Paul was a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, and he was born into a wealthy family in Tarsus in Cilicia. The fact that he changes his name as soon as he throws himself into public and active life, is but gathering into one picturesque symbol his great principle; 'If any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature. Why the change from Saul to Paul? Did Jesus or G-d come in a vision to Ananias? We are a brand-new entity, the Church the Body of Christ. Instead of suggesting that Saul actually changed his name to Paul, Acts 13:9 merely tells us that Saul "also is called Paul." Why Saul Became Paul - Bible Hub tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a No explanation for the dual name is given, but both names are recorded in Scripture. riches of Christ; The significance of these two names must very much depends on whether there really was a name change from Saul to Paul, or whether Paul was given a Jewish name and a Greek or gentile name as a child - not an uncommon practice among the Jews. Frequently they took their liberators nomen, particularly if freed by their master or mistress; sometimes they took the name of the emperor at the time of their liberation. He was no longer the . 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. 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. What is the difference between "receiving the Holy Spirit" (Acts 8:14-20; 19:1-7) and "being filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 9:17; 4:31)? did saul change his name to paul to start new so he could try forget about what he use to do? (Acts 13:9) The mountain-tops that lift themselves to the stars are barren, and few springs find their rise there. When God speaks to Saul, he uses his Hebrew name. If Saul had always had both names, there may have been theological reasons for the author of Acts to refer to him as Saul before the miracle that occurred in Cyprus and to call him Paul from that point forward. The King James Bible is truly a marvelous Book, without comparison, and worthy of our utmost trust! Why is it better to control a vertical/horizontal than diagonal? Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Again, pause is important to keep in mind, since Israels program is not permanently suspended. Paul's Greek name - - is a transliteration from Latin to Greek of the Latin word for "small" - paulus. Saul is a Hebrew name; Paul is a Roman name. Perhaps even there may he an allusion to his low stature, which may be pointed at in the sarcasm of his enemies that his letters were strong, though his bodily presence was 'weak.' international train travel in Europe for European citizens. What is the Dispensation of Grace? Augustine describes why Saul came to be called Paul in one of his Anti-Pelagian Writings: Accordingly Paul, who, although he was formerly called Saul, chose In Jewish circles he bore the name of Saul, but in the Gentile world he was commonly known by his Roman cognomen Paullus, Anglicized as Paul []. What happened to those saints raised from the dead in Matthew 27:52-53? But, at all events, it is an expression of the spirit in which he sought to do his work. contends with much courage and earnestness against the proud and In Acts of the Apostles the change of usage from Saul to Paul is so immediate and dramatic that one could almost expect the author to allude to Saul's decision to change his name if indeed this is what happened. Those two programs will never combine: we have no relation whatsoever to end-time prophecy. In Jerusalem, he is known as Paul, and this is in Lukes narrators voice, and Paul is in process of being taken into Roman custody (Acts 21:32, 37, 39, 40). Why did God change Sauls name to Paul? - Answers We could legitimately ask why this shift happens. And, my brother, there was no obligation on Paul's part to do Christian work which does not lie on you. 21:39), it would be natural in the court of the Roman governor to use his Roman cognomen. God is using him to reach the pagan world with the message of His grace, everything that a holy God has done for the sinner through Jesus Christs finished crosswork. Before Cyprus, the name Paul is never used, and after Cyprus it predominates heavily, except for accounts of the Damascus road experience. 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. Some etymology will now further explain the matter. Why did he change his name? In Acts 13:9, we read Saul who was also called Paul. So, it wasnt a name change, he was also known as Paul. He is a Roman by birth and citizenship(Acts 16:37-38; Acts 22:25-29). Finally, the audience in the text is worthy of attention, in light of Ramsays insight above based on 1 Corinthians 9:1923. Equivalent idiom for "When it rains in [a place], it drips in [another place]". is little; whence in a way interpreting his own name, he says, I am Sympathy is the only thing to which people will listen, sympathy is the only disposition correspondent to the message that we Christians are entrusted with. this new designation, for no other reason, as it seems to me, than Everywhere else he is referred to as Paul. 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 author of Luke-Acts indicates that the names were interchangeable: " Saul, who also is called Paul.". Did God change Saul's name to Paul? - BelieveTheSign His Hebrew name was Saul. The parallels are all excellent observations, and I think they are significant. Simply put, God did not change Sauls name. Here, Saul is on his first apostolic journey. He goes into much more detail on this subject in one of his Sermons on 1. What was the doctrine this miracle conveyed? I beseech you, then, learn your true life's task. Many believe this switch by St. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles represents his new mission to the Gentiles, who spoke Latin/Greek. Often asked: How Did Saul Became Paul The Apostle? 8:7); that Saul was very tall (1Sam. priests (burning as he was with zeal for the synagogue, and King Saul could no longer discern God, even attempting to gain an audience through a medium. old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Are these parallels accidental? Wheresoever there is a true faith, there is a new nature. Most biblical scholars point out that Saul had two names, one Hebrew and the other Latin, as the Catholic Encyclopedia explains. And the more grateful my remembrance of what He has enabled me to do, the more shall I wonder that I have been enabled, and the more profoundly shall I feel that it is not my strength but His that has won the victories. Rather, as it says in Acts 13:9, Saul 'was also called Paul' i.e. Posted By Bill Combs As you may remember, up until chapter 13 Paul is known in Acts by his other name, Saul. Josephus (Antiquities XX.9.4) talks of a Saulus, a disreputable member of the Herodian family, who used violence with the people and was very ready to plunder those that were weaker than himself. We must stoop if we would raise. Can I knock myself prone? Those are simply two versions of the same name: Saul the Hebrew version, Paul the Roman. He takes it, as I suppose, because it seemed to him such a blessed thing that at the very moment when he began to sow, God helped him to reap. 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. In him was fulfilled that In the Pauline letters, there is no indication that he ever bore any other name than Paul. On the other hand, it was also quite common, even in Palestine, for Jews to be known only by a Greek name. 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. The first convert 'bears in his hand a glass which showeth many more.' St. Paul featured to the right of Mary, holding a sword, in the "Second Coming" mosaic Did God Change Saul's Name to Paul? Why was Saul of Tarsus name changed to Paul? In Sermon LI of his Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament, Augustine also writes: But this Apostle, from Saul, becoming Paul, that is, from being proud, Saul of Tarsus first appears in Acts 7:58. A change which needs a new name must be a profound change. One of the most common misconceptions in the New Testament is that Saul, persecutor of the early Christian Church, changed his name to Paul after converting to Christianity. The truth is Saul and Paul were both the apostle's names well before his conversion to Christianity on the Damascus road. Why this change? What is the significance of The Parable of the Good Samaritan? the New Testament: Whence was Paul himself, who was first called Saul? when he was a persecutor, had been a name of pride? The change is commonly linked to Saul's conversion on the Damascus Road, when the Lord Jesus commissioned him to take the gospel to the Gentiles ( Acts 9:1-19 ). Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting and transformative Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more. As the Gospel Coalition notes, one interpretation of why Saul/Paul goes by two different names throughout Scripture is because the New Testament uses different languages. His Roman name (a Latinized version of Saul) was Paul. Despite popular belief, Saul did not become Paul on the road to Damascus. Saul is also leading Israels rebellion against Jesus little flock of believers in early Acts (Acts 8:1-4; Acts 22:1-5; Acts 26:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Galatians 1:13-14; 1 Timothy 1:13). This may be why Paul speaks so eloquently of Gods adoption of us as sons. The Pharisees sought praise for their outward obedience to the law. these words, when through his warfare, Paulus the Proconsul, his pride No doubt the Apostle, like the rest of us, had his times of indolence and languor, and his times of despondency when he seemed to have laboured in vain, and spent his strength for nought. became a provincial of the great King; he also for his former name Who changed Paul's name? '. Saul was Pauls Hebrew name, and many scholars believe that he was named after king saul because they were both from the tribe of Benjamin, Sauls Latin name, Paul is actually his cognomen Paulus and it means small and many scholars believed that he took up that name because according to 1 Corinthians 15:9, he wanted to be known as the least of all the apostles, or the smallest, which would signify his cognomen Paulus meaning small. What is the best way to visualise such data? [10] And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? I think Luke chooses to use Pauls other name after his conversion to allude to the complete rebirth that had occurred. Recall that at his conversion, Paul saw of vision of Jesus and was informed that he would be sent to the Gentiles. than any of the people. When Ananias came to restore his sight, he called him "Brother Saul". Another possibility (as suggested in a comment below) is that Paul chose Paul over Saul because he was, by and large, a preacher to gentiles (i.e. That is to say, Paul, a Roman and a Jew, is the perfect reflection of the Church the Body of Christ being made up of both believing Jews and believing Gentiles (Romans 9:24; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:6). 'Paul' means 'little'; 'Saul' means 'desired.' 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. Acts 13 records the start of Paul's first missionary journey. The Holy Ghost takes over Saul and speaks to Barjesus/Elymas through him: O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? Difference between machine language and machine code, maybe in the C64 community? Referring to the Saul/Paul, F. F. Bruce says: Rather, as it says in Acts 13:9, Saul was also called Paul i.e. But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him. At best, this is an interesting (modern) readerly response. He didnt. Why did he change his name? Referring to the Saul/Paul, F. F. Bruce says: He was born into an orthodox Jewish family, and as his father was a Roman citizen, he inherited this distinction, a rare one among eastern Jews. Rather than introducing himself as a Jew from Tarsus, as Paul does in relation to Jewish audiences elsewhere (Acts 22:3; cf. 4 parallel LED's connected on a breadboard, For a manual evaluation of a definite integral. In his own day, although he was a major figure within the very small Christian movement, he also had many . Since he grew up in a strict Pharisee environment, the name Saul was by far the more appropriate name to go by. We are a new creature, the one new man (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:15). It is the law for all Christian service; become like men if you will help them, -- 'To the weak as weak, all things to all men, that we might by all means save some.'. He says (page 242) that directly following the stoning of James, Josephus described Saulus and Costobarus leading a band of thugs in rioting in Jerusalem, which seems to have involved stealing the tithes of the Poorer Priests on behalf of the Rich High Priests. 'For as much as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise took part of the same'; and the mystery of incarnation came to pass, because when the Divine would help men, the only way by which the Infinite love could reach its end was that the Divine should become man; identifying Himself with those whom He would help, and stooping to the level of the humanity that He would lift. Both Augustine and Chrysostom suggest that he was given his new name when his ministry was appointed, much in the same way that the Lord gave Simon bar-Jonah his new name of Peter after his confession in faith that Jesus was the Christ and Son of the Living God [Matthew 16:17-18]. Before his conversion Saul, (a Jewish name and associating him with the tribe of Benjamin), persecuted the Christians and he was well known. If he was, as Renan calls him, 'an ugly little Jew,' the name has a double appropriateness. Examples include Aristobulus, Antigonus, Philo of Alexandria, who certainly appear to be from devout Jewish families. He went out proud, self-reliant, pluming himself upon his many prerogatives, his blue blood, his pure descent, his Rabbinical knowledge, his Pharisaical training, his external religious earnestness, his rigid morality; he rode into Damascus blind in the eyes, but seeing in the soul, and discerning that all these things were, as he says in his strong, vehement way, 'but dung' in comparison with his winning Christ. Why Did Abraham and Sarah Receive New Names and Tokens? However, when we read the New Testament we find that God never changes Sauls name to Paul. For what was the reason of his change of name, Israels prophetic program is only suspended for a time, a season, until God finishes forming the Church the Body of Christ. Where in the Bible did Peter say he could not be crucified like his Lord. So we may, from the change of the Apostle's name, gather this lesson, never out of date, that the only way to help people is to go down to their level. To become this Jesus radically changed him. Saul the king offered his own sacrifice not waiting for the prophet in order to zealously go to war. It is probable that Saul was a Jewish supernomen.3. Unlike the instance of Jesus changing Simons name to Kepha (Gk. It is highly likely that Paulus was Sauls cognomen. Hitherto the Apostle has been known by the former of these names, henceforward he is known exclusively by the latter. Ananias, Sauls first believing Jewish contact after the Damascus road experience, addresses him as , brother Saul (9:17; 22:13), probably in Aramaic. 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. Php 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the He strips himself of his Jewish connections and relationships. What are the pros and cons of allowing keywords to be abbreviated? Have you, my brother, that faith by which we receive into our spirits Christ's own Spirit, to be our life? arrogant, and such as plume themselves on their own works, in order Acts 13:9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Josephus has Saulus go to see Nero in 66 CE, to inform him of the situation in Palestine, and Eisenman sees a parallel in Acts, where Paul was sent to Nero in 60 CE, when he appealed against trial in Judea. To those outside the law I became like one outside the law. We are not an extension of the nation Israel. It applies all round. And now glorying in this 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. Indeed, double names are still used today, such as the Brazilian soccer player Pel, whose birth name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento. You remember the old story of the heroic missionary whose heart burned to carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ amongst captives, and as there was no other way of reaching them, let himself be sold for a slave, and put out his hands to have the manacles fastened upon them. Pharisee Saul lost his power in Israel because of his murderous rampage in the name of God. He is a young man, someone who is influential in the stoning of Gods prophet Stephen. The hinge in Cyprus prompts somegoing back to Jerome (Vir. the least. Paul is nothing else but little. Did Peter and Paul preach the same Gospel? He abandons the name that prophesied of favour and honour, to adopt a name that bears upon its very front a profession of humility. This knowledge allowed Paul to engage effectively with both Jewish and Gentile audiences, explaining how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies. Just goes to show us how supernatural the Bible is, how it stresses the most amazing doctrines by using something so common as a persons name. Then, again, we may take this change of name as being expressive of a life's work. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. For the most part of his ministry, and in all of his epistles, Paul is not known by his Jewish name (Saul) but rather by his Gentile name (Paul). Unlike the instance of Jesus changing Simon's name to Kepha (Gk. Pharisee; Php 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching Myth Busted: Paul Never Actually Changed His Name From Saul 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. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. For instance, why does Croatia feel so safe? Saul reports that the voice spoke in the Hebrew language (Acts 26:14), which makes good contextual sense. The Church Fathers emphasize the aspect of humility in Paul's choice of his new name. St Paul is the foremost apostle to the Gentiles. Hitherto he has been second to his friend Barnabas, henceforward he is first. grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable Saul of Tarsus first appears in Acts 7:58. 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. I think that there are lessons to be derived from the substitution of one of these names for the other which may well occupy us for a few moments. Given that Paul was, according to Acts, born a Roman citizen, it is highly likely that he had a Roman name (Paulus) from birth. Until further notice, this website will not be receiving further updates. 9:2) and he also became a very bad king (1Sam. A persons name said something about them, maybe a characteristic of the person, or who a significant ancestor was. Jesus Christ gave the Apostle whom He called to Himself in the early days, a new name, in order to prophesy the change which, by the discipline of sorrow and the communication of the grace of God, should pass over Simon Barjona, making him into a Peter, a 'Man of Rock.' Saul is also leading Israel's rebellion against Jesus' little flock of believers in early Acts (Acts 8:1-4; Acts 22:1-5; Acts 26:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Galatians 1:13-14; 1 Timothy 1:13). Learn the spirit in which it must be done; the spirit of lowly self-abasement. And that is the sort of Christianity that satisfies a great many of you -- a Christianity of opinion, a Christianity of surface creed, a Christianity which at the best slightly modifies some of our outward actions, but leaves the whole inner man unchanged. Signficance of name change from Saul to Paul, The Dead Sea Scrolls and the First Christians, Starting the Prompt Design Site: A New Home in our Stack Exchange Neighborhood, Statement from SO: June 5, 2023 Moderator Action. God changed the names of Abram and Sarai to Abraham and Sarah (Gen 17:5, 15); He also changed Jacob's name to Israel (Gen 32:28). Has our Christianity revolutionised our nature in any such fashion? One of the most common. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. When and why was Saul's name changed to Paul? In Galatians 1:15-17, Paul speaks of being set apart before birth to preach to the Gentiles, but there is no mention of any name change. 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). a humble name; to be called Paul, that is, the least. raised up the humble. This was quite common, especially for someone who was both Jewish and a Roman citizen. What would you, a professing Christian, like to have for an epitaph on your grave? In order to set out on his mission for Jesus specifically to the Gentiles, a change of name would help him as the new man that he had become according to the intellectual miracle that he received from Jesus.

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