Saul-Paul, what's in a name?

 In Come Follow Me this week we are introduced to the man named Saul, who became the beloved apostle Paul. Many people believe that Jesus named Saul, "Paul," just as he renamed Simon, "Peter," but there is no scriptural evidence for this. Most likely Saul gave himself the name of Paul. The easiest explanation for Saul changing his name to Paul is that he wanted to fit in better with the gentiles to whom he was called as a missionary.  When my daughter served a mission in Taiwan, she was given a Chinese name that would be easy to understand and pronounce in Taiwan.  The same thing may have been happening here.  

There may have been a symbolic motivation as well.  Saul in Hebrew is writen as שָׁאוּל and means "Asked or prayed for".  Paul, on the other hand, is a Grecko/Roman name meaning "small."  It may be that Saul felt so humbled by his early persecution of the followers of Jesus, that he welcomed a more humble name. Maybe he felt like one of "the least of these, my brethren" (Matt 25: 40) instead of someone that was "asked for".  Or maybe it was a self depricating joke.  One historical source describe Paul as short and bald headed. (Onesiphorus: The Acts of Paul and Thecla). 

Often in the Old Testament, the name is the message.  Some of that continues in the New Testament,  so here are some of the other meanings of names from this week's reading, Acts 6-9

Stephen: a Greek name Στέφανος  that means crown or garland.  He is the one who sees Jesus enthroned next to God the Father.

Simon: This is a very common Hebrew name that means, "To hear" from the first word of the Shema.

Peter: of course, is Greek and mean "Rock" 

Philip: is Greek, "Φίλιππος" and means, "lover of horses." It is interesting that in the only story about him he goes and talks to the man in a charriot.

Judas (the own of the house where they took Saul to recover) is just the Greek form of Judah.

Tabitha/Dorcus: they mean Gazelle. One of the podcasters suggested that she lept from death into life like a gazelle leaping from the brush.  I think that is a stretch.

Ananias: a Hebrew name that means God is gracious. God was gracious in forgiving Saul and blessing him through Ananias.

It might be a stretch to see symbolic meanings for all these names, but it might not.