But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him
Acts 13:9 ESV
This is, to me, an intriguing verse. Saul was the young man who witnessed the stoning of Stephen and began to persecute the church. He encountered the Lord on the road to Damascus and began proclaiming Jesus as Lord. His history between then and this event is sparse, but we know that Barnabas had recruited him to join him in the work in Antioch (Acts 11:25-26). Then, along with Barnabas, he was set apart by the Holy Spirit to travel and proclaim Jesus (Acts 13:2).
They were doing that in the synagogues of Cyprus when the Roman proconsul summoned them. While there, they encountered a Jewish magician who tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. But his attempt backfired. He ended up blind for a while, and the proconsul believed.
From Saul to Paul
But something else significant happened here. There was a name change. Saul was a Jewish name that meant desired or asked for and was the name of Israel’s first king. It was a great name to have. Paul was a Latin name meaning little. How or when Paul received this name is unknown, but it was likely not complementary. However, it became the name he was known by throughout the rest of Acts and history.
While the name Paul (little) may have been an irritant to him before, it likely became a name that he bore proudly from here on out. He was little, but he was filled with the Holy Spirit. And none could stand against the Spirit that filled him. Like David taking on Goliath, Paul was fearless and never shied away from proclaiming the Lord Jesus, regardless of the cost or the opposition.
The name change from desired to little reflects Paul’s putting aside all he had valued (Phil. 3:7) and becoming an empty vessel God could fill and use (2 Cor. 12:9-10). I have to wonder, what could God do with me if I did the same?
