This episode will be released on a Friday, however most weeks Historic Witness Episodes will fall on Wednesdays making them Historic Witness Wednesday episodes.

Side note- In this episode I refer to Paul's blinding Damascus road encounter as a vision, however it was much more than a vision, it was in fact a real living encounter with the Risen Lord Jesus Christ. It was poor wording to use the term vision as it was actually a real life encounter. Paul was knocked off his feet and made to be blind for 3 days due to Christ Jesus encountering him literally on the road to Damascus. Encounter or Theophany would have been a cleaner better term to describe this event. Side note 2 - In the episode I mention Jesus personally changed Saul's name to Paul however that is not Biblically correct and when remembering that after the recording I made sure to put this correction in the description here. While it is a very common misconception that Jesus changed Saul's name to Paul (similar to how God changed Abram to Abraham, or Jesus changed Simon to Peter), the text shows a completely different reality.3 Key Facts About Paul's Name

• He always had both names: As a Roman citizen born in Tarsus, he had both a Hebrew name (Saul) and a Roman/Greek name (Paul).
• The shift happens later: Jesus calls him "Saul, Saul" during the Damascus road experience (Acts 9). The actual transition in the text doesn't happen until Acts 13:9, well after Jesus' ascension, during his first missionary journey.
• It was a cultural pivot: Acts 13:9 states, "Then Saul, who was also called Paul..." From that point forward, the author Luke uses "Paul" because the apostle is beginning his specific ministry to the Gentile (Greek-speaking) world, making his Roman name more practical.

Jesus did not formally change Saul's name to Paul. The transition from Saul to Paul is noted in Acts 13:9, where it states, "Then Saul, who was also called Paul..." This indicates that he had both names, a common practice for Jews in the Roman Empire, rather than a specific renaming by Jesus.

• Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19) marks a significant transformation in his life, but the name change itself is not attributed to Jesus directly(Bibliography for notes- BibleHub, Biblegateway, The Holy Bible, New International Version. (2011). Zondervan. (Original work published 1978).Historical/Cultural context on Roman-Jewish naming conventions: Harrill, J. A. (2012). Paul the Apostle: His life and legacy in their Roman context. Cambridge University Press.)

• Host WG opens with an encouragement to reflect on the gospel, then begins a Historic Witness Wednesday series with the life of the Apostle Paul. He traces Paul's Jewish upbringing and persecution of early Christians through his conversion, missionary work, letters, imprisonment, and martyrdom, drawing lessons about grace, perseverance, Scripture, and sharing the gospel.Key Topics

  • Paul's Background: Born a Roman citizen in Tarsus to a Benjamite Jewish family; educated in Jerusalem under Gamaliel.
  • Persecution to Conversion:Originally a zealous persecutor of early Christians who witnessed Stephen’s martyrdom, he was radically transformed by divine grace during an encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus.
  • Missionary Journeys: Commissioned as the Apostle to the Gentiles, he traveled extensively, planted local churches, and preached to diverse audiences, drawing varied responses ranging from hostility to the noble screening of Scripture modeled by the Bereans.
  • Letters & Legacy:His New Testament epistles remain foundational tools for Christian theology, personal sanctification, and humble evangelism.
  • Final Years: His ministry concluded following Roman imprisonments, subsequent missionary travels, a final arrest, and traditional martyrdom in Rome(c. AD 66–67)

WG's Quotes

• • "The gospel really is that important for all of us."
  • "Nobody can, nobody will ever stop the gospel."
  • "The true author is always God Almighty."