Was the apostle Paul a Jew?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The apostle Paul, though ethnically and culturally Jewish, emphasizes that salvation comes through faith in Jesus rather than by adherence to the Mosaic law. As an ethnic, cultural, and religious Jew, Paul ardently shared the gospel with both Jews and Gentiles, striving for unity among believers regardless of background. He saw his Jewish identity not as a barrier but as a tool for connecting with different audiences to reflect and teach Christ. Paul's example teaches us that one's background, whether Jewish or Gentile, should not hinder sharing the gospel or living for Christ. Instead, recognizing our diverse backgrounds as intentional gifts from God can enhance our ability to know and serve Him, ultimately leading to salvation.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The apostle Paul is not mentioned in the Old Testament.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The apostle Paul was born to Jewish parents from the tribe of Benjamin, so Paul was ethnically a Jew (Romans 11:1). His parents were observant Jews who had him circumcised on the eighth day after his birth, so he was also raised Jewish culturally (Philippians 3:5).
• When Paul reached maturity, he became a disciple of one of the most honored Jewish rabbis of the first century, Rabbi Gamaliel, grandson of the famous Hillel (Acts 22:3). Paul became a Pharisee who acted under the authority of the chief priests (Acts 9:14).
• In his letter to the believers in Philippi, Paul said he was "circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee" (Philippians 3:5). Paul was not ashamed of his Jewishness nor did he try to hide it, even as he was called to share the gospel with Gentiles (Acts 9:15; 13:47; Romans 11:13–16). He also continued to observe some Jewish practices like returning to Jerusalem for the Feast of Weeks (Acts 20:16).
• Paul was, in every way, a Jew. He also knew that righteousness did not come from adherence to the Mosaic law (Galatians 3:10–14, 21–29). Paul understood that salvation could be found only in Jesus, the Jewish Messiah who made salvation available to the entire world. All who put their faith in Jesus—Jew or Gentile—are saved. To the Philippians Paul wrote, "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith" (Philippians 3:8–9).
• During the council of elders in Jerusalem which Paul attended, Peter stated, "But we [Jews] believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they [Gentiles] will" (Acts 15:11). While proud of his Jewish heritage, Paul knew it did not gain him any advantage in being saved.
• Even though Paul was a Jew, he wanted Jewish and Gentile believers to unite as one family in Christ. To the believers in Ephesus Paul wrote, "For he [Jesus] himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility… So then you [Gentiles] are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God" (Ephesians 2:14–16, 19).
• When explaining this unity between Jewish and Gentile believers to the Galatians, Paul described, "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise" (Galatians 3:27–29). Paul stated that every believer, regardless of background, was a fellow family member entitled to the same inheritance.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Although the apostle Paul was a Jew, he did not believe that being a Jew made him better or more worthy than any other person to receive salvation through Christ by faith. Paul was neither ashamed of nor prideful about his Jewishness. Rather, he spent his life sharing the gospel with both Jew and Gentile. To the Corinthians he explained, "To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law" (1 Corinthians 9:20–21). Paul did not allow his Jewishness to prevent him from sharing the gospel with Gentiles nor from experiencing freedom from Jewish law even when he chose to observe those laws out of deference to his fellow Jews. Paul desperately wanted people from all backgrounds to come to a saving faith.

We, too, must recognize our backgrounds as gifts from God. Acts 17:26 tells us that God specifically put us in the geographic location, culture, and time period we are in so each person would have the best chance of finding Him.

UNDERSTAND

• Paul was a Jew ethnically as he was born to Jewish parents.
• Paul was a Jew culturally as he was raised following the Mosaic law.
• Paul was a Jew religiously as he studied to be a Pharisee.

REFLECT

• How does your ethnicity, race, and culture impact your identity? How did it affect Paul's?
• How do you balance cultural heritage with the universality of salvation through faith in Christ?
• In what ways can Paul's example challenge your perceptions of identity and belonging within the context of your faith journey?

ENGAGE

• How can we celebrate the diversity of our heritage (ethnic, racial, and cultural) without dividing us?
• How does Paul's example of sharing the gospel with both Jews and Gentiles challenge the way you interact with people who are different than you?
• Discuss the significance of Paul's emphasis on unity among believers regardless of their backgrounds. How can this principle be applied in modern-day church communities?