To what was the apostle Paul referring when he said that he bore on his body “the brand marks of a slave of Jesus”?—Galatians 6:17.

 
▪ Paul’s words could have suggested a number of possible meanings in the minds of his first-century audience. For instance, a red-hot iron was used in ancient times to identify prisoners of war, robbers of temples, and fugitive slaves. When used on humans in this way, the brand mark was considered dishonorable.
 
However, brand marks were not always viewed negatively. Many ancient peoples used them to denote membership of a specific tribe or of a particular religion. According to the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, for example, “the Syrians consecrated themselves to the gods Hadad and Atargatis by signs branded on the wrist or neck . . . An ivy leaf was branded on the devotee of Dionysus.”
 
Many modern-day commentators assume that Paul was referring to scars received in different episodes of physical abuse during his Christian missionary activity. (2 Corinthians 11:23-27) Perhaps, though, Paul meant that his way of life—not any literal marks—identified him as a Christian.