Morning Devotions: Romans, Who is Paul?

With eight weeks of school left, I chose to present the sixteen chapters of the book of Romans to my Junior High Ladies devotions class. It has become one of the best word and topical studies I have done with the young ladies. I hope you take time for a deeper study of the book of Romans, but am confident that these short studies, presented at a very basic level of understanding, will be valuable to you. Mrs. Hagerty, June 8, 2016

Who is Paul? Romans 1:1

    The man we know as The Apostle Paul was born to a Jewish family who named him Saul, meaning “asked for” in Hebrew. His Hebrew name tells me that before he was born, he was prayed for. His family were citizens of the Empire of Rome yet devout Hebrews. They sent their son to Jerusalem for the very best education available.  He did not disappoint his parents. He tells us how he excelled in his studies. 

For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, … and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.  Galatians 1:13-14 nasu

    How is it that we come to call this man Paul instead of Saul? Often I am told that it was just his Roman name and that was normal for people of his day to have two names. Maybe so. But there is another possibility. The name Paul is a Latin name, the language of Rome. It means “least” or small. Why would a son who was asked for, who was well educated and had every advantage that money and heritage can provide have a name that means least?

    Read what he tells us about himself in the book of 1st Corinthians For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  But by the grace of God I am what I am, 1 Cor 15: 9-10

Read this in context, 1 Corinthians 15:3-11

 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

and in Ephesians: the gospel, of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ Ephesians 3:8 

Read the context in Ephesians 3:1-19.

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-- if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you; that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.  This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.
 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

    Saul, became “Paul” who is “the least”. Is that important? 

    People do not think the same way that the Almighty does. We like to be important, to be recognized for what we do and who we are. It isn’t that way in the kingdom of heaven. 

 Y’shua (Jesus) said "… the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great."  Luke 9:48 

   The Almighty does not forget the small things, people who do not seem important to those around them. Saul became Paul and felt no shame. We like to sing about how "little becomes much" in God’s hands. It is true. Make yourself unimportant to the world while you make the Almighty the most important thing to yourself and see what happens. 

Mrs. Hagerty
April  5, 2016