The Heart Of Paul’s Theology: Paul And His TheologyExemplo

Paul’s Gentile Background: 1 Corinthians 9:21

In the first place, we should note that throughout his life, Paul lived not only in Jewish Palestine, but at different times in his life he lived in the Gentile world as well. According to Acts 21:39, Paul came from the Gentile city of Tarsus in Cilicia. In Acts 22:3 we read that he had been brought up in Jerusalem. But Acts 9:30 and 11:25 indicate that Paul again lived in Tarsus as an adult.

In addition to this, Paul’s contact with the Gentile world was enhanced by the fact that he enjoyed full Roman citizenship. In fact, according to Acts 22:28 he hadn’t purchased his citizenship but had been born into it. On several occasions in the book of Acts, we read that Paul actively asserted his rights as a Roman citizen in order to promote the gospel and to defend himself. 

Beyond this, Paul’s letters to Gentile churches even demonstrate his willingness to observe Gentile customs for the sake of the Christian gospel. In 1 Corinthians 9:21 he made a remarkable declaration, 

To those not having the law I became like one not having the law … so as to win those not having the law (1 Corinthians 9:21). 

Paul knew Gentile culture so well that he was able to walk the fine line of adapting his behavior to Gentile customs while still obeying Christ’s law.

Finally, Paul also showed himself to be knowledgeable of sophisticated pagan literature. In passages like Acts 17:28 and Titus 1:12 Paul actually referred to and even quoted pagan philosophers. He was well educated in the philosophies and religions of the Greco-Roman world.

Now, we have to ask ourselves, what effects did Paul’s awareness of Gentile culture have on him? How did Paul’s exposure to Gentile culture influence him? First of all, we should be clear that Paul’s awareness of Gentile culture did not — as some have said — lead Paul to alter Christianity to make it acceptable to Gentiles. He remained distinctly Jewish in his basic orientation. Yet, Paul’s contact with the Gentile world affected him in at least two ways. On the one hand, it equipped him to minister to Gentiles outside the church. Better than many, he knew the values and beliefs of Gentiles and was well prepared to bring the gospel to them in effective ways. This is why we read in Romans 11:13 that Paul called himself “the apostle to the Gentiles.”