[Biggirl]

But still, for gentle correction, Paul was RAISED A JEW. He said it in his letters.

[ladyL]

See this is where the confusion comes in...You must go back in History to see why Paul still claims to be a Benjaminite.
At that time there were Asherites, Danites, Ephramites, etc who were all Israelites, all Hebrews but because of the HISTORY of the split in David's Kingdom of Israel in about 900 BC those left in Judea at the time of Jesus we all generically called Jews. Israel was no more...gone...kaput for over 700 years...so there was no more Israel. Jesus said “I CAME ONLY FOR THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.” God had a plan but it's been hidden by the teachings of the organized church and the church Fathers.