Did the Apostle Paul Have A Dog?

[Pudgy]

Did the Apostle Paul Have A Dog?

The other day, I was thinking about the wonderful relationship humans and canines have, and the thought occurred to me that the Apostle Paul may have been very, very lonely, all those days and nights walking along dusty roads all over Asia, and wherever his travels led him, and I tried to visualize what he did from day to day, night to night ... where he ate, where he slept, all manner of personal hygiene, how he handled sickness, sunburn, cut feet, avoiding ruffians, bullys and highwaymen seeking to rob and kill him. Perhaps along the way he acquired a dog to go along with him, and watch over him as he slept along the side of the road, in the grass, and dirt, the rain and mud.

Then I started thinking about his ministry, how many Bible studies he might have had, and how he walked such great distances in such a short period of time, and I could not visualize hm making more than three speeches in any one town before moving on to the next town.

Perhaps someone smarter than me can "reconstruct" a possible log of his daily activities .... might even make a really good novel ... THE ADVENTURES OF PAUL!", if the extrapolations totally agreed with everything that was stated in the Bible about his travels and there were no contradictions.

I hope it would make sense under critical examination .... not something akin to "fighting WWII in three weeks" .... and if possible, somehow work into the plot that at least that Paul had for some time, the companionship of a dog.

[Melinda Mills]

Dogs were ceremonially unclean animals and not likely to have been pets in Jewish homes.  They were wild carnivorous animals.  Job a non-Jew had flocks of dogs, but none are mentioned among Jewish shepherds.

Look it it in the Insight Book.  

Paul was from Jewish background, so his customs would have been Jewish, although later he came to embrace all nations of men.  It would be unlikely that Paul would have been accompanied by something revolting to the Jews.  He had enough problems already and a dog accompanying him would not have helped. 

Interesting, but not particularly beneficial to pursue this.

[Pudgy]

Everything described about Paul was "unlikely".

EVERYTHING!

...but those things DID happen.

An analysis of times and distances and practical considerations could NOT hurt anyone that is not cemented into agenda driven thinking.

By trying to tell a coherent story, often glaring misconceptions can be corrected, as either a scenario holds up under examination and extrapolation .... or it does not.

...like a good detective that builds many scenarios, to see what makes the most sense.

[TrueTomHarley]

“What’s that you’re saying, Bowser? What? They’re beating up on Paul again?

Good job! Good boy! Okay, men, let’s grab a few centurions and go rescue him again!”

[Pudgy]

Yeah! What are yu waiting IV ?

[Pudgy]

6 minutes ago, Pudgy said:

Yeah! What are yu waiting IV ?

(Paul walks into a bar with four Centurions, hold up two fingers in a "V" shape, and says "Five Beers!".)

[Space Merchant]

21 hours ago, Melinda Mills said:

Dogs were ceremonially unclean animals and not likely to have been pets in Jewish homes.  They were wild carnivorous animals.  Job a non-Jew had flocks of dogs, but none are mentioned among Jewish shepherds.

Look it it in the Insight Book.  

Paul was from Jewish background, so his customs would have been Jewish, although later he came to embrace all nations of men.  It would be unlikely that Paul would have been accompanied by something revolting to the Jews.  He had enough problems already and a dog accompanying him would not have helped. 

Interesting, but not particularly beneficial to pursue this.

I seconded this.

That being said, if Paul did have a dog, or a number of dogs, the likelihood of him being attacked while preaching the gospel would be reduce.

[Anna]

I don't think @Pudgy point was whether Paul had a dog or not. His point was that with all that Paul went through, and in such a short period of time, could be agenda driven, just like if you liked the idea of him being accompanied by a dog, (since Pudgy is a dog) you may be able to insert that in there somewhere....and even go around the fact that to the Jews dogs were unclean....

It's like trying to envisage 8 million people or so trying to clean up the earth after Armageddon....

It is obvious that supernatural help will be necessary. Perhaps Paul had supernatural help?

[Melinda Mills]

Paul had holy spirit, which is also supernatural help. Jesus said he would leave the holy spirit to help us. Paul was appointed directly by Jesus to be an apostle to the Gentile nations.  (Acts 9:15-18) Jesus was with him all the time, and gave him whatever was necessary to accomplish his ministry.  Ananias was given supernatural power by Jesus to heal Paul after he was blinded by the light from heaven when Jesus was talking to him. It was necessary at that time for that help to be given. 

The church was still in its infancy and powerful works due to supernatural help were still in evidence.  (1 Corinthians 13:8-11), e.g. speaking in languages not learnt previously, nullifying effect of snake bite, etc., and healing and resurrection. Paul raised Eutychus from the dead (he was picked up dead) when he fell asleep while sitting in a window. (Acts 20:7-12).

He never credited his success to his high worldly education; rather he relied on the strength he was given by God and Jesus.  He said when he was weak he was powerful because that is when God's power was evident. 

Don't know anything about dog help.

[Pudgy]

I found a very rare picture of the apostle Paul entering into the city of Thessalonica during a festival, protected by his faithful dog which actually is an ancestor of myself, Pudgy.

[Patiently waiting for Truth]

Oh dear James. Keep taking the tablets. 

 

[Space Merchant]

@Pudgy The Dog must be a time traveler, if he has a vest, and an AK-47. Also I've seen this picture before, for it is in the Middle East whereas Thessalonica of Greece; Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea.

That being said, now if Paul found a means of Time Traveler and is laying low not to change anything, that in of itself is a different campfire tale.