So many people from the Bible are known on a first name basis only. Why is this? Come to think of it, have you ever noticed anyone with a last name in the Bible? Did people in the Bible have last names?
No Surnames
They actually did not have surnames, or what the western world calls last names. Using a last name as we do now did not come until much later in history. Our last names help us to distinguish between the many others who may share the same first names. Those who lived back in the Bible days had different ways to do the same thing.
Careers, Hometowns, And Father’s Names Used For Last Names
Simon the tanner (Acts 10:6) was identified by what he did for a living. Another Simon in this same area could have been called Simon the fisherman or Simon the carpenter. Mathew the tax collector (Mathew 10:3) was also referred to in this way.
Sometimes a person’s hometown, or where they lived, was added to the first name. Jesus of Nazareth (John 18:5) and Mary Magdalene (Mathew 27:56) are both examples of this. In Mary’s case it is believed she was from Magdala, which was a town located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Other times the name of a person’s father would be used to help identify them. In the Old Testament we see this with Joshua son of Nun (Numbers 11:28). I suppose fathers could have kept things interesting with this method if they wanted to name a son after themselves. Instead of Joshua Jr. as we would say in our day and time, it would have been Joshua son of Joshua.
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