Things that Aren't in the Bible: Saul/Paul Edition

I have several categories of blogs that I established when I started Grown Up Bible. Some of those categories have received more attention than others. One of the neglected categories is “That’s NOT in the Bible?!” Over the Christmas holidays, I was inspired to return to that category, and brainstormed a whole series of editions of Things that Aren’t in the Bible that people would swear up and down are there. I have been in some pretty feisty arguments about these topics, in fact. I bet some of you have too. 

So from time to time this year, I will pop one of these in for fun. For no other reason than I am preaching from Romans the next two Sundays, I have decided to start with the Saul/Paul edition. Enjoy these reminders of biblical pitfalls, and in this case never occurring pratfalls.

Things that aren’t in the Bible:

·        Saul got knocked off his horse – I was listening to someone describe Saul’s reaction when he encountered Jesus on the Damascus road, and this person talked about Saul being so stunned that he fell of his horse. My eyebrow cocked up. “Uh,” I stuttered, “His horse? Saul never rode a horse. At least not that we know of.” The person absolutely insisted Saul did in fact ride a horse, and that the horse had been so startled by Jesus’ appearance that the horse had thrown Saul off his back.  “Where are you getting this?” I countered. “From the Bible. From Acts. Where Saul encounters Jesus on the road to Damascus.” So, we got out the Bible. And here is the applicable part of Acts 9 from Saul’s encounter with Jesus (9:3-8 specifically):

o   “During the journey, as he approached Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven encircled him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice asking him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you harassing me?’  Saul asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are harassing,’ came the reply. ‘Now get up and enter the city. You will be told what you must do.’ Those traveling with him stood there speechless; they heard the voice but saw no one. After they picked Saul up from the ground, he opened his eyes but he couldn’t see. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.”

No horse. In fact, you’d think if he had a horse, the people Saul was with would have put him on that horse to get him to Damascus. Easier to lead a sighted horse than a blind man across rough terrain. The person was stunned. He insisted he had seen Saul on a horse. Ah, there is the answer. He had seen Saul on a horse. Caravaggio and Lepicie painted Saul being thrown from his horse on that road. This is not the only time artists and authors take liberties with the biblical narrative (I’m looking at you, John Milton). Beware of what is actually biblical versus what is artistically rendered. They are not always the same.

·        Saul’s name changed to Paul at his conversion – Oh I have actually preached this one. This is one I would have sworn up and down was true. After all, it works so well with other name changes in the Bible. Abram becomes Abraham when God institutes the circumcision covenant. Jacob becomes Israel after wrestling with God. Simon becomes Peter when Jesus says he will build his church on that rock. Doesn’t it make sense that Saul, the complicit murderer of Christ followers, would get a new name at his conversion? Yes, that makes great sense! But that’s not what happens. I noticed this reality when I, you know, actually read Acts. Saul’s conversion happens in Acts 9. Then Acts 10 is all about Peter and Cornelius. Saul shows up again in Acts 11, but low and behold he is not Paul there, but still Saul. Same with Acts 12. Then, in Acts 13:9, we are given this seemingly inconsequential detail: “Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Saul, also known as Paul….” Clearly in that verse the big news is that Saul is empowered by the Holy Spirit, not that he has another name. Saul’s name change is no big deal. Saul becomes Paul as he spends more and more time in Gentile territory. Saul is his Jewish name, and Paul is the Greek equivalent. He switches over when he is in Gentile territory. No lightning bolt moment. No tie to conversion. Bummer. That would have been super cool. And it has seriously messed up a pretty good sermon for me.  Oh well, I will stick to Abraham and Sarah, Israel, and Peter I guess.

·        One of Paul’s apprentices was thrown to attack seals – Ok, I am pretty sure none of you think this is in the Bible. It is not. But I will tell you where it does show up, and that is in a non-canonical work called The Acts of Paul and Thecla. This was an enormously popular work primarily following the journey of a young woman named Thecla who heard Paul preaching and was converted to sharing Paul’s message. So converted, in fact, that she ditched a fiancé, which royally pissed off her mother, who then convinced an authority who had arrested Thecla that Thecla should be thrown to attack seals to meet her demise. I kid you not, attack seals. Fortunately for Thecla, she was protected by God from the rabid seals, and she survived this execution attempt. Y’all really should check out the non-canonical works. There are reasons they didn’t make it in the Bible, some good and some bad, but most of them are very entertaining reads. This one that tracks a woman who convincingly shares the word of Jesus is at the top of them, and not just for attack seals. Though honestly, that is reason enough to read it. 

And for a fun fact that actually IS in the Bible:

·        Paul’s preaching may have literally bored a man to death – This is just one of those crazy moments in Acts. Acts really has quite a few humorous moments. That could be a sermon series, really. Comedic Acts. Feel free to steal that one from me.  And for fun, just enjoy reading how windbag Paul killed a man by droning on and on. Thank God for the power of resurrection, right?!

o   On the first day of the week, as we gathered together for a meal, Paul was holding a discussion with them. Since he was leaving the next day, he continued talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we had gathered.  A young man named Eutychus was sitting in the window. He was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell from the third floor and died.  Paul went down, fell on him and embraced him, then said, “Don’t be alarmed. He’s alive!”  Then Paul went back upstairs and ate. He talked for a long time—right up until daybreak—then he left.  They took the young man away alive, and they were greatly comforted. (Acts 20:7-12)

Caravaggio painting courtesy of Wikimedia, and is part of the public domain.