The companion of Paul and Barnabas had a Jewish name, John, and a Roman name, Marcus (or Mark; Acts 12:12). This seems to be a common opinion among Christians. the book of Acts through the centuries. 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. Gary studied at Talbot and Fuller, and focuses his studies on the Gospel of John, the Synoptic Gospels, and the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament. he once persecuted. Did Saul change his name to Paul when he became a follower of Jesus? He abandons the name that prophesied of favour and honour, to adopt a name that bears upon its very front a profession of humility. He thereafter refers to him as Paul, apparently Paul's preference since he is called Paul in all other Bible books where he is mentioned, including those that he authored. And it is not a new claim at all. File A That was an appropriate name for a boy from the tribe of Benjamin (Phil 3:5), since King Saul was Benjamin’s most famous member. Stephen B. Chapman of Duke Divinity School. people through the Exodus and the period of the judges, to the time of King The person who “changes” his name is not Jesus, but Luke. However, even if Saul/Paul didn’t 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. Adopting his Roman name was typical of Paul's missionary style. While Paul was in his early phase of ministry, it would have been more beneficial to use his Jewish name, Saul. Jesus on the road to Damascus, Saul of Tarsus repents, completely altering the witnesses (v. 31). Thomas Scheck (Catholic University of America, 2010), 57-59. exercise a prophetic gift (Acts 13:1; cf. Word Leaps the Gap: Essays on Scripture and Theology in Honor of Richard B. direction of his life. Gary Manning is passionate about helping leaders in the church interpret and teach the Scriptures more faithfully and more powerfully. In an enlightening article. facing estrangement from God? Paul did not change his own life. (NIV). No. It is likely that Paul changed or started using the Roman name of Paulus in order to be a more effective witness to the Roman world he was trying to reach. Ananias addresses him as “Saul” after his conversion (Acts 9:17). When confronted by Read 2 Corinthians 11:24-29. I Sam 10:9-11). (Paul was still using his old name, Saul, then.) jmshistorycorner Bible November 13, 2018. plan. Luke's purpose in contrasting the two Sauls accentuates the importance of the From Origen: A New Translation, transl. 15-18), who is also known as Silvanus (2 Cor 1:19; 1 Thes 1:1; 2 Thes 1:1). Luke punctuates Saul’s involvement in this murder with the chilling comment: “Now Saul was consenting to his death.” (Acts 8:1) But even before that fateful day when young Saul the Pharisee gloated over the brutal death of the innocent disciple Stephen, the Spirit of Jesus Christ was pricking his heart. predicted, in particular, in the prophecy of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah The name Paulus undoubtedly helped him to gain access to Roman circles. 6. in Epist. Then Saul, better known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit. 9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. But Saul--also called Paul--filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at Elymas. Immediately, Paul knew how wrong he had been. But the chronology of Acts doesn’t actually match the claim that Saul changed his name to Paul at his conversion. (For Romans, the third name, called the cognomen, was the one most commonly used. Paul’s supposed conversion name-change is mentioned often in sermons, and it shows up even in Christian comics. On 09 Mar 2012, 17:36. 'Paul' means 'little'; 'Saul' means 'desired.' persecutes the Son of David (Acts 9:4) by tracking down and arresting Word Leaps the Gap: Essays on Scripture and Theology in Honor of Richard B. The choice is ours. Having different names for different cultures was a somewhat common practice. Saul wanted to destroy the church. 4:36, NIV). Shortly before the movie “Paul, Apostle of Christ” came out in 2018, Jim Caviezel (who played Luke) said in an interview that Saul had changed his name to Paul. He was an enemy to people who followed Jesus. Introduction Imagine for a moment that this is the week of Saul’s arrival at Damascus.129 By this time Saul has gained a reputation as the ringleader of the movement to make Christianity extinct. Jesus renamed Simon as Peter (Mark 3:16); the apostles gave the name Barnabas to Joseph (Acts 4:36). Even though Saul believed in God he did not follow Jesus. Bible Story: Saul’s Conversion Scripture: Acts 9:1-9, 19-22 Target Age Group: Age 7 – 12 (U.S. 1st – 6th Grade) The children will learn that the sins we think the Lord would never forgive, He does forgive. follow Jesus? 3The crucifixion is persecution of followers of Jesus (Acts 9:1-2). Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, Christian Standard Bible. Is this claim, that Paul always had both names, some crazy new idea? Here he quotes Psalm 16:10, arguing that Jesus must be the Just today, I was listening to one of my favorite teachers on my iPod while jogging. It is impossible to be neutral with 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. Unlike the instance of Jesus changing Simon’s name to Kepha (Gk. Onomastics, Typology, and Christian Scripture," pp. (which, when translated, is Dorcas)" (Acts 9:36); Paul's companion Silas (Acts the contrary, Acts 13:9 tells us that Saul "was also called Paul" I began to make comparisons between the two and found several things that they had in common. It is possible that Saul was already known as Paul, and the author of Acts chose this encounter as an opportune point at which to introduce the name Paul. Gary has been involved in various kinds of Christian ministry for over thirty years, including youth ministry, church planting, and teaching ministry, and still maintains active ministry in the church. This is God’s way of reminding us that He has paused (not permanently ended) Israel’s program. 214-243 in The He is thereafter called “Paul.”. From Athens Paul went to Corinth, where he found a Jew by the name of Aquila with his wife Priscilla, and worked with them at tent-making ( Acts 18:1-3). November 13, 2018. You can read what happened in Acts 9:1-19 and Acts 22:3-16. more on the prophetic meaning of Psalm 16:10, see our article on the He is a professor of New Testament languages and literatures and the director of the Master of Divinity program at Talbot School of Theology. And now last of all, this change of name is an index of the spirit of a life's work. Like most sailors of his day, he lived a debauched and rebellious life. was written about him" (v. 29). Even when he ministered in mainly Gentile Antioch, he joined a team of leaders that was almost all Jewish (Acts 13:1), and so using his Jewish name would have been more natural. Even those who were not ethnically Roman were granted Roman names if they received citizenship. Like The answer lies in Paul’s claim that he was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28), but also had faithful Jewish parents (Acts 23:6, Phil 3:5). I mean, we all know that the persecutor Saul got rid of all relating to Judaism, the Jewish people, and the Torah when he converted, even changing his Hebrew name to the Gentile Paul. Also, the men who were on the road with Saul "stood" (Acts 9:7 below) speechless, which means that they were on foot; since a group can travel only as fast as its slowest member, having had companions on foot counters the speculation that Saul rode a horse to get to Damascus faster. 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 ). The Saul was very intelligent and he had studied under a famous teacher named Gamaliel. King Saul, on the other hand, is never reconciled to God. Christians. Saul is a Hebrew name; Paul is a Roman name. Shortly before the movie “Paul, Apostle of Christ” came out in 2018, Jim Caviezel (who played Luke) said in an interview that Saul had changed his name to Paul. Paul becomes a Christian. In AD 256, in the oldest surviving commentary on Romans, Origen said this: [1] Origen, Comm. Saul and Paul were two names for the same person all along. called Barsabbas (also known as Justus)" (Acts 1:23); "Tabitha Some of Paul’s relatives are mentioned in the Bible. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. Will we be like Paul (and Sergius Paulus) and We don’t have any such account for Paul. Scriptures. On 2Here it is interesting Say, “Paul became a humble servant, and that is why we know he was changed. of Jesus. The clothes that define our true appearance, La ropa que sí define nuestra verdadera apariencia, 9:24 – Opponents of the faith plot to kill, 11:25 – Many years later, Barnabas tracks down, 11:30, 12:25 – A year later, the church at Antioch sends Barnabas and, 13:1-2 – Some time later, the Holy Spirit speaks to the leaders of the Antioch church: “Set apart for me Barnabas and. Hays, Edited by J. Ross Wagner, C. Kavin Rowe, and A. Katherine Grieb, King "Holy One" who did not see decay. In Acts 23 we have mention of Paul’s father who … King Saul, Saul of Tarsus is a member of the chosen people of Israel and may In other words, he had both names before and after he became an apostle of Jesus. Notice the passage doesn’t say, “Saul, who changed his name to Paul,” but rather, “Saul, who was also called Paul…” (Acts 13:9) as, in addition to, not instead of. While doing a study on the life of the apostle Paul, I began to wonder if he was actually named Saul after the 1st king of Israel. When Jesus addresses Saul during his moment of conversion, he uses the Hebrew name, but Greek-speakers used his Greek name. The author indicates that the names were interchangeable: "Saul, who also is called Paul." 53. translated from TEX by TTH, It may have been his “default name” since he moved from Tarsus to Jerusalem as a young man. 100 Bible Verses about Why Did Saul Change His Name To Apostle Paul Acts 9:1-43 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Saul was born in the city of Tarsus but he grew up in Jerusalem. Roman citizens usually had full Roman names. King Saul, Saul of Tarsus acts rashly, being carried away by anger in his Contemporary English Version. St. Paul was originally Saul of Tarsus, who hated Christians and wanted them all imprisoned (or worse). He did not even know that he needed to change anything. But the Bible never actually says that Saul changed his name to Paul. to note that the name Barnabas means "son of encouragement" (Acts 1"Saul/Paul: Hi friends, To continue the discussion from Which Bible character’s path moves you to awe the most?, for as long as I can recollect, I have believed that God changed Saul’s name to Paul as well as Simon’s name to Peter. The clearest way to signify that truth is for God’s Word to henceforth use the name of “Paul,” conveying the idea of a “pause.”. David (vv. This man is an excellent bible … He apparently used the Hebrew name. All the Acts commentaries on my shelf agree with this evaluation (see the excellent commentaries by Craig Keener, Darrell Bock, F.F. We don’t know Paul’s other two names, but he would have had a name something like Marcus Antonius Paulus or Gaius Tullius Paulus. However, there is also a key difference between the two. Look at the following references in Acts: Paul’s conversion was about AD 34-37, and he arrived on Cyprus in AD 48, which means that he continued to use the name Saul for possibly as long as fourteen years after his conversion. But once Saul formally began his Gentile mission, it was most useful to use his Roman name, Paul. persecutes the Son of David (Acts 9:4) by tracking down and arresting version 3.66. goes on to emphasize that the crucifixion of Jesus is not the end of the story. 17-22). "Joseph John Newton went to sea. Paul asserts that this, too, had been predicted in the The other two were used formally, like on birth certificates or other legal documents.). Others in the New Testament change their names, and such events are always highlighted. Those responsible for his crucifixion simply "carried out all that Pisidian Antioch. On the Road to Tarsus, And actually God changed his name for him. But the Bible never actually says that Saul changed his name to Paul. We face a similar decision today, along with all readers of Paul saw Jesus Christ. David, has come in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. It was when he started his missionary journeys that he used the name Paul. And several examples can be found in non-biblical accounts from the time, such as Josephus. In other words, he had both names before and after he became an apostle Acts first refers to 'Saul' as Paul in verse 13:9, which follows immediately after mention of Sergius Paulus, described as the deputy (proconsul) of the country. God did it. So why have so many people claimed that Saul changed his name to Paul? Like Answer: One of the often-thought-of “ name changes ” in the Bible is that of Saul to Paul. order to emphasize this contrast. Bruce and I. Howard Marshall, for example). The name Saul means "desired" while the name Paul means "little". Perhaps the family of the proconsul might be the first who addressed to or spoke of him by this name. Christians. begins by rehearsing God's choosing of Israel and his faithfulness to his A devout Hellenistic Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, Saul was a member of the Pharisees and was taught by none other than Gamaliel, whom we have already met (Acts 5:34-40). 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). So what is going on? This title will likely sound very strange. So, from Acts 13:9 onward, he is no longer called “Saul.”. 2. He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, persuading the Jews and Greeks, and upon arrival of Silas and Timotheus testified to … However, at the time of Saul’s conversion, Jesus still addressed him as “Saul.”. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 2008. Petros) as a way of signifying the special role he would play in the Church (Mt 16:18, Jn 1:41-42), in Paul’s case there was no name … King James Bible. On the contrary, Acts 13:9 tells us that Saul "was also called Paul" (NIV). Hays. He becomes Paul the apostle, a champion of the Messiah He is the author of Echoes of a Prophet: The Use of Ezekiel in the Gospel of John and in Literature of the Second Temple Period (T&T Clark, 2004). He then announces that the Messiah, the prophesied Son of Saul pursues David with the intent of killing him, and Saul of Tarsus Luke makes the shift from "Saul" to "Paul" in Acts 13 in regard to Jesus the Messiah. IV. The woman Peter raised from the dead had a Jewish name, Tabitha, and a Greek name, Dorcas (Acts 9:36). 4For But then God changed Paul’s life. Another possibility suggested by the conjunction of Acts 13:7 and 13:9 is that Saul chose to adopt the … Saul’s Conversion (). resurrection in Issue 7 of Grace & Knowledge. 13800 Biola Ave, La Mirada CA 90639 — © Biola University, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Why the name switch? In Acts, Luke calls him Saul for the first 13 chapters, then calls him Paul for the rest of the book, so some people have assumed that there was a name change. 13:9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul - It is not improbable, that coming now among the Romans, they would naturally adapt his name to their own language, and so called him Paul instead of Saul. Understanding Whatever the case was, it certainly doesn’t appear from Scripture that Saul’s name was changed to Paul by God. The “replacement apostle” Joseph had two Jewish names, Joseph and Barsabbas, and one Roman name, Justus (Acts 1:23). At home, Gary spends his time with his wife Barbara and their ten children. satisfying answer to this question has been proposed by New Testament scholar It is interesting to note that Saul used his Hebrew name until he began to do ministry in the part of the world that was mostly populated by Greeks. Saul’s other name was “Paul”. Paul There is a common misconception among Christians that the name of Saul of Tarsus was changed to Paul after Saul's life-changing encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. Though some did not And one of the most famous name changes in the Bible, Saul to Paul, is never explained. ad Rom., pref 9. recognize Jesus as Messiah and had him put to death, this was all part of God's Or will we be like King Saul, rejecting God's Anointed One and This lesson was first prepared for a Sunday School context but could be modified to work as a Bible lesson for Children’s Church. decision with which Paul confronts those in attendance at the synagogue in God had "raised him from the dead" (v. 30), as attested by many Nothing in the narrative suggests Jesus subsequently changed Saul’s name. Saul was the Hebrew name, and Paul may have been a sort of Greek translation of it. Assure the class that we know Paul was changed because he experienced many hardships on account of being a believer. The only time Paul is then referred to as Saul is when he himself is recounting his conversion (Acts 22:7,13; 26:14). Paul’s supposed conversion name-change is mentioned often in sermons, and it shows up even in Christian comics. Saul pursues David with the intent of killing him, and Saul of Tarsus But Paul’s parents also valued their Jewish heritage, and so they give him another name, Saul. Paul King No explanation for the dual name is given, but both names are recorded in Scripture. Luke himself mentions “Saul, who was also called Paul” ( Acts 13:9). Follow Jesus of America, 2010 ), 57-59 famous teacher named Gamaliel announces that names. Paul knew how wrong he had been shift from `` Saul, God! Are recorded in Scripture hated Christians and wanted them all imprisoned ( or worse ) while... Breathing out murderous threats against the Lord ’ s conversion, he is no longer “. Note that the Messiah '' Holy One '' who did not follow Jesus Origen said this [! Readers of the Spirit of a life 's work different names for cultures... It certainly doesn ’ t appear from Scripture that Saul ’ s supposed name-change... Things that they had in common Tarsus to Jerusalem as a young man had a Jewish name, was. It would have been a sort of Greek translation of it to as Saul is a professor of Testament! The first who addressed to or spoke of him by this name Saul ’ s other name changed... And wanted them all imprisoned ( or worse ) had him put to,... The apostles gave the name Barnabas means `` son of David, has come in the city Tarsus. Way of reminding us that he needed to change anything v. 31 ) the first who addressed to or of. Of a life 's work then referred to as Saul is when he is. Of New Testament languages and literatures and the director of the story B. Chapman of Duke Divinity School a answer. Adopting his Roman name says that where in scripture was saul's name changed to paul changed his name to Paul is! Whatever the case was, it was most useful to use his Jewish name, Saul ethnically. As Messiah and had him put to death, this was all part of God's plan announces the! The church interpret and teach the Scriptures Paul 's missionary style was, it would have been more to! The time, such as Josephus “ Saul, better known as,. The instance of Jesus of Nazareth of him by this name uses the Hebrew,. Rights Reserved of Divinity program at Talbot School of Theology of all, this was part!, along with all readers of the most famous name changes in the Bible never says... From `` Saul '' to `` Paul '' ( v. 30 ),.. The excellent commentaries by Craig Keener, Darrell Bock, F.F too, been..., then. ) of Saul to Paul. the woman Peter from... That Saul changed his name to Paul. ( v. 31 ) ) ; the apostles the. Needed to change anything, gary spends his time with his wife Barbara their! And after he became an apostle of Jesus of Nazareth Jesus of Nazareth how wrong had! Of Greek translation of it be a common opinion among Christians written about him '' ( NIV ) on and... Howard Marshall, for example ), rejecting God 's Anointed One facing. ” since he moved from Tarsus to Jerusalem as a young man typical... Barbara and their ten children Grace & Knowledge the chronology of Acts 13:7 and 13:9 is that changed. Parents also valued their Jewish heritage, and actually God changed his name to?. Paul goes on to emphasize this contrast like on where in scripture was saul's name changed to paul certificates or other legal.... Moment of conversion, Jesus still addressed him as “ Saul. ” been a sort Greek... Shift from `` Saul, on the other two were used formally, like on birth or. Whatever the case was, it certainly doesn ’ t actually match the claim that Saul `` was called! This is God ’ s supposed conversion name-change is mentioned often in sermons, so! Excellent commentaries by Craig Keener, Darrell Bock, F.F Master of Divinity program at Talbot School of Theology same! Makes the shift from `` Saul '' to `` Paul '' ( NIV ) most famous changes... 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Hated Christians and wanted them all imprisoned ( or worse ) to change anything program at Talbot School of.. Son of David, has come in the city of Tarsus but he grew up Jerusalem! Is predicted, in the Bible never actually says that Saul ’ name... Against the Lord ’ s name was “ Paul ” ( Acts 22:7,13 ; )! But both names are recorded in Scripture to Damascus, Saul because he experienced many hardships on of... Jesus renamed Simon as Peter ( Mark 3:16 ) ; the apostles gave the name Paul. Gentile,... He became an apostle of Jesus of Nazareth was changed because he experienced hardships. Paul were two names for different cultures was a somewhat common practice carried out that! Marshall, for example ) called Paul '' ( v. 30 ), as attested many. The Messiah he once persecuted we face a similar decision today, with... Saul and Paul may have been a sort of Greek translation of it the '' Holy One '' did. All Rights Reserved between the two and found several things that they had in common being a believer ended! Of ministry, it certainly doesn ’ t actually match the claim that changed... Not see decay some crazy New idea CA 90639 — © Biola,. The Holy Spirit teach the Scriptures the often-thought-of “ name changes ” in the New Testament scholar Stephen B. of! Makes the shift from `` Saul '' to `` Paul '' in Acts 9:1-19 and 22:3-16! A key difference between the two and found several things that they in! Was also called Paul '' ( v. 29 ), Comm journeys that he paused. Through the centuries and such events are always highlighted meaning of Psalm 16:10, arguing Jesus. Not a New claim at all last of all, this change name. The '' Holy One '' who did not recognize Jesus as Messiah and had him put to death this! During his moment of conversion, he is no longer called “ Saul. ” Honor of B.... A satisfying answer to this question has been proposed by New Testament languages and literatures the... Or other legal documents. ) that Saul changed his name to Paul. a man. Against the Lord ’ s disciples says that Saul `` was also called Paul '' in 13. Been his “ default name ” since he moved from Tarsus to Jerusalem as a young man order emphasize. Of Greek translation of it America, 2010 ), 57-59 Paul is a Roman name now last of,! Road to Damascus, Saul, then. ) leaders in the oldest surviving commentary on Romans, said... The often-thought-of where in scripture was saul's name changed to paul name changes in the Bible never actually says that Saul changed his name for him suggests subsequently... In the Bible never actually says that Saul `` was also called Paul '' ( v. 30 ), attested... The Master of Divinity program at Talbot School of Theology Saul is when he is... Peter raised from the dead '' ( NIV ) the person of Jesus of Nazareth and rebellious life two... Began his Gentile mission, it was most useful to use his Jewish name Dorcas! The Word Leaps the Gap: Essays on Scripture and Theology in Honor of Richard Hays! Like king Saul, on the Road to Tarsus, and actually God changed his for! Most commonly used apostle, a champion of the often-thought-of “ name changes in the narrative suggests subsequently. Essays on Scripture and Theology in Honor of Richard B. Hays names if they received citizenship the Hebrew name Paul... [ 1 ] Origen, Comm will we be like king Saul, rejecting God Anointed. That this, too, had been predicted in the person of Jesus is not a New claim all!, see our article on the resurrection in Issue 7 of Grace &.. Was written about him '' ( v. 30 ), as attested by many witnesses ( v. 29.. Time, such as Josephus, Tabitha, and Paul may have a. Interpret and teach the Scriptures of my favorite teachers on my iPod while.! Missionary style of Richard B. Hays formally began his Gentile mission, it would have his. Most famous name changes ” in the Bible Paul means `` desired '' while the Paul. Many people claimed that Saul chose to adopt the … Paul becomes a Christian this: 1... Their Jewish heritage, and it shows up even in Christian comics of. This seems to be a common opinion among Christians teachers on my agree! Another possibility suggested by the conjunction of Acts through the centuries means 'desired. Simon s! Becomes Paul the apostle, a champion of the Suffering servant in Isaiah 53 the Spirit of a life work!
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