I chose to write this week’s blog post for a couple of reasons. First, I am a procrastinator and it was the last week of this series of posts. Second, it was about Saul’s name change to Paul, a story that I am familiar with, so I thought it would be fairly easy to write about. I thought I would write about Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus and how his name was changed to Paul following his conversion, signifying that he was a new creation in Christ and marking the beginning of his incredible ministry.
But as I dug into scripture, that’s not the story I found at all. Saul did have a life-changing encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus and was transformed from a Christian persecuting pharisee to one of the most influential leaders of the early church. However, his name wasn’t changed as a result of his conversion. He continued to go by the name Saul even AFTER his conversion. I’m not sure if I was ever actually taught that his name was changed to Paul as a result of his conversion or if I just assumed that was the case, but either way, that’s what I have always believed. Maybe you did too. It seems to be a pretty common misconception.
So when did Saul become Paul? Well, as it turns out, Saul had a dual name at birth. He was a Jew but also a Roman citizen. Saul was his Hebrew name, and Paul was his Greco-Roman name. It was common for the Jews of that time to have both a Hebrew and a Latin or Greek name. In Acts 13:9 Luke refers to him as “Saul, who is also called Paul”. He was raised in the Jewish culture, so it made sense for him to use his Hebrew name, Saul, for most of his life. After his conversion, he remained among the Jewish people so he continued to go by Saul.
But Saul felt called to take the gospel beyond the Jewish communities, so he began a ministry to the Gentiles. It wasn’t until he was embarking upon his first missionary journey that he began to use his Greek name, Paul. In doing so, he was able to minister more effectively to the gentile communities. Had he used his Hebrew name, the people he was sharing the gospel with may not have been as receptive. This approach to ministry was pretty typical for Paul. In 1 Corinthians, he talks about his ministry strategy of becoming “all things to all people”.
Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law… To those not having the law I became like one not having the law... To the weak I became weak… I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Paul knew it was important to meet people where they were. He sought to find common ground with everyone, putting them at ease, and approaching them in a language and style they could relate to. His message stayed the same, but his approach and delivery is what differed.
This name exchange was an intentional shift for Paul in order to be well received among the gentiles. He didn’t want anything, including his name, to be a hindrance to anyone receiving the gospel message. I don’t think it is a coincidence that the meaning of the name Paul is “humble, small”. This was definitely an act of humility for Paul. Paul was actually very proud of his Jewish heritage, referring to himself as a “Hebrew of Hebrews” in Philippians 3:5, so to no longer go by the name that would tie him to his Jewish heritage, was no small thing. God honored this act of humility, making Paul’s ministry fruitful, using him to spread the gospel more than any other Apostle and to unify and encourage the church. What a legacy!
I think we can all take a cue from Paul and take a look at what in our lives might be hindering us from sharing the gospel effectively. What do we need to exchange in order for God to work in and through us more effectively? Let’s “throw off everything that hinders….fixing our eyes on Jesus” as Paul wrote in Hebrews 12:1-2, and see what incredible things God does.
Sarah Mercado is a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a follower of Christ, a wife, and
mother of two. She is a small business owner, and a founding contributor of Church That Matters. When
she is not working, she can be found spending time with her family and friends, cooking, reading, or
listening to a podcast.
Photo by Dewang Gupta on Unsplash