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Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 15 general entries.
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 Paul of Tarsus
| Paul was born in Tarsus, but which modern-day country is this city in? | Paul of Tarsus
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Turkey. Tarsus is situated on the South coast of Turkey on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and is still a commercial centre today, as it was in Paul's day. The city became the capital of the Cilicia region when it was under Roman occupation, and was briefly renamed "Juliopolis" in honour of Julius Caesar.
| Paul often talks in his letters and in Acts of being a Roman Citizen - what is the likeliest reason for this? | Paul of Tarsus
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One of his ancestors was made a Roman citizen. There are few ways one could be made a Roman citizen in Paul's time:
(1) Carrying out a great service to the Roman Empire
(2) Being a male child born in wedlock to a married male Roman citizen
(3) Buying the right to citizenship (and paying a heavy price for it)
In Acts 22:22-29, Paul talked with a military commander in Jerusalem after a mob tried to attack him when he preached about Jesus -- Paul proclaimed his Roman citizenship, knowing that his life would be spared as the penalty for the murder of a Roman citizen was to be put to death. The military commander stated that his citizenship was bought at a "big price", but Paul responded that he was "born a citizen".
Although we cannot know for sure, we can say that, as records state that many of the citizens of Tarsus were granted citizenship between 80-40 BC, it is likely that one of Paul's direct ancestors, possibly even his father, had this honour bestowed upon him.
| Which religious order was Paul originally from and born into, his father being a prominent member of the same order? | Paul of Tarsus
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Pharisean. Paul was a Pharisee, or at least he was until he encountered God on the road to Damascus! He proclaimed in his letter to the Philippians 3:5 that "in regard to the law" he was "a Pharisee". Paul used his knowledge of the Pharisean and Sadducean orders to his advantage at different points in his life - for example in Acts 23:6 he stated that he was "on trial because of (his) hope in the resurrection of the dead", knowing full well that the Sadducees did not believe in bodily resurrection, nor in angels or spirits, but Pharisees did. As a result of his comment, the Pharisees fought on his side against the Sadducees, and a riot broke out in the Sanhedrin, forcing Paul to be carried out by the soldiers from the local barracks and kept there for the night rather than facing trial for his beliefs.
Benjamin. Paul states in Philippians 3:5 that he was "of the people of Israel, of the Tribe of Benjamin".
Benjamin was the last of Jacob's sons, and the second of his sons with his younger wife Rachel. Rachel died in childbirth on the way to Bethlehem and in her dying breath she named her son "Ben-oni", although Jacob changed this to Benjamin - probably a better idea as Ben-oni means "son of my trouble" but Benjamin means "son of my right hand" - a much more suitable name!
The rest of the tribes of Israel are Asher, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Issachar, Judah, Levi, Reuben, Simeon, Zebulun, Ephraim and Manasseh (who were the sons of Joseph given the status of independent tribes).
Rome. Although we cannot be fully certain that Paul was martyred in Rome, history generally teaches us that this was the case. Eusebius of Caesarea wrote (in the 4th Century) that Paul was martyred in Rome in around 64 AD. He was arrested by the Romans and held in Caesarea for approaching 2 years before he was eventually taken by boat towards Rome, only to be shipwrecked on Malta where he spent some time preaching to the citizens, who ultimately became believers in Christ.
| Under which Emperor of Rome does tradition state that Paul was martyred? | Paul of Tarsus
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Nero. Nero was Emperor of Rome between 54 and 68AD. It is generally reported that Nero persecuted Christians during his reign - for example, Tacitus and Suetonius, two of the prominent historians of the period, associate Nero with the torture and execution of Christians.
Caligula (also known as Gaius) was the 3rd Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and ruled from 37 AD until his untimely assassination in 41 AD. He was succeeded by Claudius (41-54), then Nero, Galba (68-69)and then Otho (69).
| What was Paul's name before he changed it to Paul (meaning 'humble')? | Paul of Tarsus
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Saul ("asked for"). Paul was known as Saul to the Jews, and was given this name from birth. Thomas, Philip and Simon are the names of 3 of Jesus's disciples.
| According to the Bible, which small island off the coast of Malta (formerly known as Cauda) did Paul pass by before he was shipwrecked? | Paul of Tarsus
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Gozo. Gozo is the second largest island in the Maltese archipelago at 26 square miles and contains acres of undulating countryside. As a result of Paul's presence in nearby Malta, there are several Roman Catholic churches dotted around the island.
Comino is also an island in the Maltese archipelago, although it is much smaller than its neighbour Gozo at just over a square mile in area.
Acts 27:16 describes the passage of the ship transporting Paul to Rome past Gozo - "As we passed the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure." This island is widely believed to have been Gozo according to several Biblical commentaries, including the 'Peoples' New Testament' and the 'Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary'.
| According to the Bible and subsequent Maltese traditions, which animal bit Paul as he gathered firewood upon his ship's arrival into Malta? | Paul of Tarsus
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Snake. According to Acts 28, the Maltese showed Paul "unusual kindness" and built a fire for him and his Roman captors. Verse 3 states that "Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand."
| After Paul was bitten, what does the Bible say happened to him? | Paul of Tarsus
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Nothing - he just shook the snake off and suffered no ill effects. According to Acts 28:5-6, Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The Maltese people expected him "to swell up or suddenly fall dead" but when he did not, "they changed their minds and said he was a god" - something which Paul would not have been very comfortable with seeing as he considered himself "less than the least of all God's people" (Ephesians 3:8).
The phrase "thorn in my flesh" comes from 2 Corinthians 12:7 where Paul stated that he was given "a messenger of Satan" to "torment" him and "keep (him) from becoming conceited". Although we cannot know what this "thorn" was, scholars have come up with possibilities including weak eyesight (which some say never fully recovered after he was blinded by God on the road to Damascus as a reminder of his previous sinful ways), being lame (possibly due to the numerous beatings he endured at the hands of his various captors) or Paul's pride (possibly because of his lengthy reference to boasting in 2 Corinthians 10-12).
| In Paul's letter to Philemon, whom does Paul say he is a prisoner with? | Paul of Tarsus
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Epaphras. Epaphras was, according to the Bible, a friend and colleague of Paul's in his ministry travels. According to the letter to the Colossians, Epaphras was the man who brought the gospel to the church in Colosse. It is also likely that Epaphras was from Colosse himself, as Paul said in Colossians 4:12 "Epaphras, who is one of you". Epaphras also ministered to the Gentiles in Laodicea and Hieropolis, and brought Paul favourable news of the church in Colosse when he visited him in prison in Rome.
Luke wrote Acts and the Gospel of Luke, and was a doctor according to Paul in Colossians 4:14. He spent much time with Paul and possibly acted as a scribe for Paul, who is rumoured to have had problems with his writing and/or sight. For example, on more than one occasion, Paul writes that certain pieces of text are "in his own hand", implying that the rest of the letter may not be and may be transcribed. One example of this is in Galatians 6:11 where Paul says "See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!" Although it is possible Paul wrote this to enhance the effect of the words he was writing, most scholars believe it is because his handwriting was affected by either his sight or problems with his hands, and therefore his letters were largely written by his various colleagues.
Timothy was a much younger man than Paul and according to 2 Timothy 1:5 he came from a strong line of faith, begun in his grandmother Lois and continuing through her daughter Eunice. Although Paul was initially skeptical about Timothy's giftings, he soon came to realise that he was a strong brother in Christ and came to see him as a "dear/true son" (for example, in both Biblical letters to Timothy, Paul uses this phrase). Timothy became a strong leader of the early church in his own right, and spent a lot of time in Ephesus after Paul had initially taken the gospel there.
Onesimus ("the useful one") is mentioned both in Colossians and Philemon as being another one of Paul's colleagues. He was also from Colosse and, in Paul's letter to Philemon, it is stated that although he was formerly useless to Philemon, after meeting with Paul while he was in prison in Rome, Onesimus became true to his name and became useful to his brothers in Christ.
| According to the Book of Acts, the people of Lystra believed that Paul was which Greek God in human form? | Paul of Tarsus
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Hermes (the messenger). In Acts 14:8-13, the Lycaonian people saw the healing of a man born lame at the instruction of Paul and declared that "The gods have come down to us in human form!" They called Barnabas Zeus and called Paul Hermes, as he was the chief speaker of the group. Hermes was the messenger God of the Olympians and was usually depicted with wings on his feet as he was regarded as the swiftest of the Olympians.
Zeus was the head of the Greek Gods and was father of Hermes and several of the other Olympian Gods. He was often depicted with a bolt of lightning, which, according to Greek mythology, was given to him by the Cyclops when he liberated them.
Apollo was the God of the Sun, Light, Music and Prophecy and was the twin brother of Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt. He was usually depicted carrying a lyre (a stringed instrument) and was one of Zeus's illegitimate children.
Prometheus was not an Olympian God, and was part of the race of Titans who were deposed from Mount Olympus by the Olympian Gods. Greek myths surrounding Prometheus include that he was the creator of humankind, but due to his disrespect for the Olympian Gods, Zeus banished him to the Caucasus mountains. There, he was rather gruesomely condemned to be chained to a rock and had an eagle tear at his liver all day long. Fortunately for him, Prometheus was eventually rescued by Heracles/Hercules who killed the eagle and released him from his bondage.
| When Paul and Barnabas disagreed about who to take with them in their missionary journey in Acts 15, whom did Paul decide to take with him to check on the churches they had already set up? | Paul of Tarsus
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Silas. According to Acts 15:36-41, Paul and Barnabas disagreed about whether they should take their colleague John (also known as Mark) with them. Paul thought they should leave him behind as he had deserted them before, but Barnabas was willing to forgive him and take him. In the end, it seemed their disagreement drove them apart as Paul went off with Silas to Syria and his home area of Cilicia to strengthen the churches there, while Barnabas took John Mark to Cyprus.
| What was the name of the Roman centurion who was put in charge of Paul when it was decided that he was to be put in a boat for Rome? This Roman shared his name with a Roman leader. | Paul of Tarsus
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Julius. In Acts 27, Paul is given over to Julius, a centurion of the Imperial Regiment whose task it is to take Paul back to Rome. According to Acts 27:3, Julius showed some kindness to Paul in allowing him to go ashore and see some of his friends when they landed in Sidon (modern day Lebanon).
| What was Paul's profession before he became a full-time missionary to the Gentiles? | Paul of Tarsus
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Tentmaker. According to Acts 18, Paul met with a Jew in Corinth named Aquila who had recently been evicted from Italy along with the rest of the Jews at the wish of Emperor Claudius. In verse 3, the writer of Acts states that "because he (Paul) was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them."
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