Paul's nativity and education (Acts 22:1 – 5, 26 – 30) - JSS3 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note

Paul was born at Tarsus in Cilicia about the year 2 B.C. He confirms himself in Acts 22:3 in the words:

I am a Jew, born of Tarsus of Cilicia but brought up here in Jerusalem as a student of Gamaliel. I received strict instruction in the law of our ancestors and was just as dedicated to God as all of you here today are.

It is not known for certain how Paul’s parents came to live in Tarsus. However, reliable record says that the family moved to Tarsus from Gischala in Galilee when it was captured by the Romans. His father was a Jew and a pharisee who had become a Roman cutizen by acquisition. He was of the natural, unmixed blood of the tribe of Benjamin. His birth, parentage and upbringing made him call himself a Hebrew of Hebrews.

 Paul inherited his Roman citizenship from his father as well as by birth as he told the Roman commander in Acts 22:8. His Roman name was Paul; but sometimes he was also called Saul of Tarsus (Acts 13:9). The appendage. ‘of Tarsus’ to his name had been made popular for two reasons. It is probable that Paul’s family may have formed one of the early colonies or part of a colony to have been settled by one of the Syrian kings in Hebrew history. A second possibility is that Paul’s family may after all have been one of the early ones that migrated to Tarsus, driven voluntarily by the pursuit of trade and merchandise, perhaps having been at the crossroads or melting pot of commercial activities in that part of Europe and Asia minor of its days.

 Paul had a large and influential family connection. The family had everything going for it. For example, his sister’s son in Jerusalem had no difficulty in seeing the Roman commander of the garrison to report a plot by the Jews to kill Paul (Acts 23:16-22). In Paul’s time, it was mandatory for all Jewish boys to learn a trade. He learnt craft of tent/clothmaking (Acts 20:34). He was brought up strictly in the Jewish religion and live all his life pursuing the cause which his ancestors stood for.

 This made Paul to have dual citizenship – Jewish and Roman.

Roman citizenship enabled one to enjoy certain privileges. These included no molestation and flogging when arrested, fair trial and the opportunity to appeal to the Emperor if the trial was not fair. When Paul realized on an occasion, that he was not getting fair trial, he used his Roman citizenship to appeal to Caesar.