no. Tom's right. Martyrs are always given the instrument of their
execution as an attribute and the story has always been that Paul was
beheaded. It raises an interesting question though insofar as contemporary
pagan historians refer to beheading as a form of execution particularly
dreaded by upper class Romans who readily committed suicide to avoid it.
Jo Ann
-----Original Message-----
From: Rev. David G. Peters <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Friday, August 20, 1999 2:19 AM
Subject: Re: Unknown apostle
>Thomas Izbicki wrote:
>
>> Usually Paul is depicted with a sword, because - as a citizen (to the
best
>> of my memory) - that was the form of execution to be employed.
>>
>> Tom Izbicki
>
>I have always been under the impression that St. Paul is traditionally
>represented carrying a sword because of his authorship of so many epistles
of
>the New Testament - "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"
(Eph
>6:17).
>
>Rev. David G. Peters
>PhD Candidate in Historical Theology
>Marquette University, Milwaukee
> - and -
>Pastor
>Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, (WELS)
>2908 S. Colony Ave.
>Union Grove, WI 53182-9564
>414 / 878-4156
>e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
>
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