Nov 7: Sergius Paulus

Proconsul

According to Acts 13, Sergius Paulus was an anthypatos, ”proconsul,” an administrative role synonymous with Governor at the time of Acts. When Rome was a Republic, the Proconsuls were formed and led their own armies to rule a particular area. But with the caesars came “Imperial” provinces, districts along Rome’s borders that needed legions for security and answered directly to the emperor. Provinces without legions, called Senatorial, were administered by Proconsuls like Sergius Paulus.

Without a legion to command and with little interest or support from the Italian peninsula, being a Proconsul was not the desired assignment for aristocratic Romans. But as the commander in chief of the regional auxilia and, at least formally, local numerii, Proconsuls were technically military commands, clinging like a shadow to their former status. The island of Cyprus would have been an especially bittersweet assignment, a Senatorial province surrounded by imperial provinces.

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Sergius Paulus stands out in Luke-Acts as one of a few named figures who can be traced easily in the historical record. Based on other evidence, his reign in Cyprus can be dated pretty reliably to 45-47 CE, placing his encounter with Psaul early in his missionary activity. Sergius’ name may have been omitted from the epistle to the Romans because he died in the ten years that elapsed from his conversion to the approximate time Psaul composed the letter.

Psaul does not have a habit of seeking out high-ranking officials, but he, Barnabas, and John Mark would be remiss not to visit the provincial capital while in Cyprus. When they reach Paphos, their first encounter is with a false prophet, Elymas, not the Proconsul. It is through Elymas that Sergius Paulus hears of the missionaries and asks to see them out of interest in the word of God.

Elymas, seeing his relationship with the power-broker in danger, inserts himself in a way that angers Psaul, who accuses him of “making crooked the straight paths of the Lord.” Saul points out that the Lord is against Elymas, and warns the magician to expect the same fate he suffered on the road to Damascus. Sure enough, Elymas stumbles off in search of someone to guide his (crooked) path, and Sergius Paulus is left in awe, believing in, pisteuō, the word of God he sought.