Paul a Jew or a Gentile?

Question: Is Paul a Jew or Gentile. I thought he was a Gentile because he was from Tarsus; a Turkish province?

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Response: The literal answer is that Paul is neither a Jew or a Gentile. However, he'd be under the banner of a Jew more than anything else. Why I say this is below... Paul was an Israelite. Because God speaks to the world through His chosen people which are His priest, Paul had to be an Israelite (sometimes put under the banner of Jews). So there is an advantage to being a Jew or Israelite

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Romans 3

¹What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

²Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

³For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

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So we see God gave the Israelite the answers of God. Paul had to be a Jew (Israelite) to get the answers of God in order to teach. Furthermore...

Listen to Paul's prayer here

Romans 9

¹I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

²That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

³For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

⁴Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

⁵Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Paul says he wish he could be cut off from Christ if his brothers would be saved...his brothers in the flesh (not spirit) who are Israelite.

So this let's us get closer to the fact (if it is not a fact already) that Paul was an Israelite...

Romans 11

¹I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

Paul was an Israelite, originally named Saul after the first flesh king of Israel, King Saul. The Gentiles gave him the name Paul. However, Paul was a Benjamite; which are not Jews. Jews come from the son Judah, however, Benjamites and Jews lived together in Southern Israel and were clumped together under the banner Jew because Judah was the Kingdom.

This the last scriptural reference...

in Philippians chapter 3

³For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

⁴Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

⁵Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

⁶Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

Paul let's the people know he is a real deal Hebrew, he was circumcised on the 8th day, from the stock of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, he kept the law, nearly blameless, even was a Pharisee. So there we have it. Paul was no Gentile, he was just chosen among the priest of God to teach the Gentiles.

Peace and grace


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