by jimwalton » Wed Dec 09, 2020 11:05 am
Yes, it is a common misconception. The current version of the Wikipedia article is correct, not the comment some made trying to revoke it. S/Paul didn't change his name. Saul was his Hebrew name and Paul was his Roman name. But after this time (Acts 13.9), S/Paul was known exclusively in the Christian community as Paul, his Gentile name. As far as we can tell from the Acts text, S/Paul always carried both names. I know that for some Chinese students, for instance, they take on an American name for school and their friends (sometimes we can't pronounce their Chinese name anyway), but at home and among their Chinese friends, they are still known by their given name. It was no different for S/Paul. He probably always carried both names for use depending on which circle of friends he was with, but once his ministry began, he was known and called only by his Gentile name, Paul.
Yes, it is a common misconception. The current version of the Wikipedia article is correct, not the comment some made trying to revoke it. S/Paul didn't change his name. Saul was his Hebrew name and Paul was his Roman name. But after this time (Acts 13.9), S/Paul was known exclusively in the Christian community as Paul, his Gentile name. As far as we can tell from the Acts text, S/Paul always carried both names. I know that for some Chinese students, for instance, they take on an American name for school and their friends (sometimes we can't pronounce their Chinese name anyway), but at home and among their Chinese friends, they are still known by their given name. It was no different for S/Paul. He probably always carried both names for use depending on which circle of friends he was with, but once his ministry began, he was known and called only by his Gentile name, Paul.