There is a Bible character we first meet by one name but who is better known by another. In Acts 7, we meet a young Jewish man named Saul who held the garments of those who stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Saul quickly became a zealous persecutor of the church and gained notoriety as Saul the Persecutor. But, on the road to Damascus, Saul had a miraculous encounter with Christ Jesus and became a Christian. We know Saul better as “the Apostle Paul.”
There is a popular belief that “Paul” was Saul’s conversion name, but there is nothing in Scripture to support that belief. There are many in the Book of Acts who are better known by other names, none of which are considered “conversion” names. In Acts 4, there is Joseph, who is better known to us as Barnabas. In Acts 9, a woman named Tabitha was also called Dorcas. Mark, best known as the author of the gospel that bears his name, was also called John. It is not until Acts 13 that we are told in passing that Saul was also called Paul, and from there on, he is referred to as Paul. Interestingly, in that same chapter, Paul, aka Saul, was traveling with Barnabas, aka Joseph, and John, aka Mark!
How did Saul come to be Paul? Saul was born a Roman citizen in the city of Tarsus, in the Roman province of Cilicia and may have been given two names at birth: the Jewish name, Saul, and the Roman name, Paul. He no doubt chose came to prefer the Roman name because the notoriety of the name Saul was a hindrance to him in his ministry; Jewish believers were afraid of him. We learn in his letter to the Corinthian church that in his gospel ministry, “To the Jews, I become as a Jew, in order to win Jews.” He goes on to say, in essence, to the Gentiles he became as a Gentile. Paul concluded, “I become all things to all men that I might win some.” Since Christ had called him to carry His name to the Gentiles, the name Paul would be more strategic.
Jesus was also given another name; no, not “Christ,” that is his title. After coming to this earth as a man, “he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.” That exalted name God the Father bestowed on Jesus is “Lord,” the covenantal name God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3. Jesus Christ is Lord!
