Where did Paul learn to be a tentmaker?

Response

The apostle Paul worked as a tentmaker and supported himself in Corinth during his second missionary journey. In Corinth, he met Priscilla and Aquila, who were also tentmakers. Acts 18:3-4 mentions that Paul stayed and worked with them, reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath to persuade Jews and Greeks..

It is uncertain where Paul learned the trade of tentmaking as the Bible does not specify. We do know that he studied under Rabbi Gamaliel in Tarsus as a young man, gaining expert knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. Acts 22:3 provides insight into his upbringing and education. Paul’s educational background allowed him to preach in synagogues during his travels (see Acts 17:2). Tarsus, his hometown, was known for producing goats’ hair cloth used in tentmaking, known as cilicium.

Traditionally, Jewish rabbis were skilled in a trade. Paul’s trade was tentmaking, which may have been a family business or a skill acquired during his schooling. Alternatively, he might have taken up tentmaking during his ministry or after his conversion on the road to Damascus (see Galatians 1:17).

Paul utilized his tentmaking skills

Paul worked as a tentmaker in certain situations to avoid burdening the churches he was nurturing and to prevent accusations of preaching for personal gain. In Ephesus, where he had spent two years, he told the elders, “I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions” (Acts 20:33-34).

Tentmaking was likely not a significant part of Paul’s overall life. His primary focus was always preaching the gospel of Christ “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”, (see 1 Corinthians 2:2). Being a tentmaker was probably only something he did occasionally, as a backup plan. Author E. Randolph Richards notes that, “as a traveler, Paul did not carry the supplies necessary to conduct a significant business as a tentmaker. . . . In the ancient Greco-Roman world, it took considerable time to establish the necessary relationships to conduct business in a city, both from city leaders and the appropriate guilds. Paul was able on occasion to enter into business, but only in situations such as Corinth, where he was actually assisting in an established business with an established shop, regular suppliers, owners with memberships in the appropriate trade guilds, and a regular clientele” (Paul and First-Century Letter Writing: Secretaries, Composition, and Collection, InterVarsity Press, 2004, p. 170).

The Bible provides broad, “big-picture” overviews of most events it discusses, including the ministries of major figures like Paul. For instance, the book of Acts does not mention Paul’s journey to Arabia before starting his ministry; we only learn about that episode when Paul references it in his letter to the Galatians. So

, although it is said that Paul worked as a tentmaker and occasionally served in that role, it is uncertain how or when he acquired the skill, or the extent of his involvement in tentmaking during his ministry.