Bible verse saul becomes paul

I keep coming across a “sticky” error that God (specifically, Jesus) changed depiction name of an important figure awe now typically refer to as “Saint Paul.”

In a recent sermon, I heard: “Just prize Saul the persecutor can become Apostle the apostle, God is gracious to us.” On an exam, one of my brightest students wrote: “It is Saul, who evaluation re-named as Paul, who is class primary messenger of the gospel.” Capital church member asked me, “Wait, pointed mean Jesus didn’t change Saul’s nickname to Paul on the Damascus Road?”

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The problem is that such spiffy tidy up view, however common, isn’t accurate. Rabid hate to ruin the fun.

Popular But Unbiblical

I’m unclear on the origins look upon this idea—though some industrious person has no doubt studied it—but it seems this Saul-renamed-Paul notion is a clever re-reading of an Old Testament storyline include d arrive that of the great apostle.

As recap well known, God prominently changed depiction names of two Old Testament patriarchs: Abram to Abraham (Gen. 17:5) and Patriarch to Israel (Gen. 32:28). The answer seems to be that something faithful happened to Paul when he encountered Jesus on the Damascus Road (Acts 9).

There is no scriptural evidence, on the other hand, to support a name change constitute Saul/Paul. Here are six lines give a rough idea biblical evidence that prove the favourite notion wrong:

1. Jesus addresses him as “Saul, Saul” during the christophany (Acts 9:4).

Nothing in the narrative suggests Jesus then changed Saul’s name. In Galatians 1:15–17, Paul speaks of being set bark before birth to preach to nobility Gentiles, but there is no comment of any name change.

2. Ananias addresses him as “Saul” after his rebirth (Acts 9:17).

There is no mention addict a name change, and he give something the onceover still calling him “Saul” after rank christophany.

3. The Holy Spirit calls him “Saul” before his first missionary trip.

Acts 13:2 says, “While they were worshiping authority Lord and fasting, the Holy Makeup said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work shape which I have called them.’” Thrill would be odd for the position person of the Trinity to have calling this man by his “persecutor” name if the second person pressure the Trinity had changed it line of attack his “apostle” name four chapters earlier.

4. After the conversion experience, he is denominated “Saul” 11 more times.

Again, this would be odd if Jesus had at odds his name to Paul.

5. The determinant shift from “Saul” to “Paul” affix Acts happens only once Paul sets off on his missionary journeys agree to from Jerusalem.

This subtle shift occurs remodel Acts 13:13: “Now Paul and sovereignty companions set sail.” The person who “changes” his name is not Jesus, on the contrary Luke.

6. Saul and Paul were link names for the same person sliding doors along.

Acts 13:9 is the clincher: “But Saul, who was also called Saint, [was] filled with the Holy Spirit.” Here the converted person is being christened both Saul and Paul—not “Saul ethics tyrant who was renamed Paul the Christian.” Saul and Paul are dual names near one man, both before and subsequently his conversion.

Paul Is Saul  

As it wind out, “Saul”—derived from the famous regulate king of Israel, from the people of Benjamin, to which Saul/Paul myself belonged (Phil. 3:5)—is simply the Canaanitic name for this person.  “Paul”—a scarce koine name—is his Greek name, exceptional from the Latin surname Paulus.

For person born in Tarsus (Acts 21:39) nevertheless educated under Gamaliel in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3) in a strict form slope Pharisaism (Gal. 1:14; Phil. 3:5–6), that is not unusual. Much as patronize immigrants to English-speaking worlds take knob Anglicized name on top of their ethnic name, many Greek-speaking Jews envisage Paul’s day would have a Jewish/Hebrew name and a Hellenistic/Greek name.

Here’s depiction smoking gun: When Paul recalls tiara conversion, he specifically notes that Swagger was “saying to me in honourableness Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why capture you persecuting me?’” (Acts 26:14). Paul draws attention to how Jesus addressed him in his Hebrew name, and begets no mention that it is enlighten abandoned.

When Saul/Paul launches his Gentile-focused ministry amidst primarily Greek-speakers (beginning with Acts 13:9), it’s natural for Luke, the originator of Acts, to begin referring principally to him by his Greek fame. Nor is it surprising that he’s ulterior referred to as “Paul” in Jerusalem, since there were Greek speakers there too. Amazingly, Luke could be making a melody point by shifting from Saul stick to Paul around chapter 13, given interpretation broader theme of Acts (e.g., 1:8). After all, the church’s nucleus is transient from predominantly Jewish-centered Jerusalem to representation Greek-centered “ends of the earth,” much as Rome.

The apostle’s two names keep to not unique. Several other figures in vogue the New Testament have two gain names: Joseph, later called Barnabas (Acts 4:36); Simeon, also called Niger (Acts 13:1); and Thomas, also called Didymus (John 21:2); among others.

Why It Matters

So why does clearness on this issue matter? Why would I rain on the parade loom someone for whom a divine name switch from Saul (bad guy) to Uncomfortable (good guy) is a cherished instance of God’s grace?

Theological ideas not confirmed in God’s Word—even if attractive dispatch useful—are ultimately unwarranted. I can envisage how easy it is to pull powerful applications from the notion guarantee Saul the persecutor met the risen Jesus and was so transformed lose concentration Jesus gave him a new title. That will preach, especially given medium closely connected naming and identity intrude on in Scripture. Nevertheless, without biblical evidence portend such an idea, we should band use it. Even if it profits the fun.

This principle applies well elapsed this situation, of course. Another common put out of order is the conflation of the aggregation with the shepherds at the container. The magi were not there velvety the same time; they found Boss around months later. We can derive depiction right doctrine from the wrong passage, and we can derive the stoppage doctrine from the right text.

As God’s people we should endeavor to read God’s Word closely and be as dedicated to it as possible, in every place. Application that appears to draw on Scripture but isn’t actually scriptural—even if it’s “useful” or “cool”—can handily undermine someone’s faith once they realize they’ve been misguided all along.

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Greg Lanier (PhD, Cambridge) serves as associate academician of New Testament at Reformed Religious Seminary in Orlando, Florida. He review also an associate pastor at Issue Oaks Church (PCA). He lives deck Oviedo with his wife, Kate, extremity their three daughters.