Signficance of name change from Saul to Paul

1Sa 9:2 And he had a son, whose name [was] Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and [there was] not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward [he was] higher than any of the people.

Php 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

Php 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

Benjaminite

Both Sauls were of the tribe of Benjamin.

Goodly person - Hebrew of Hebrews

Both Sauls were from respectable families.

Higher than the people - a Pharisee

The Pharisees sought praise for their outward obedience to the law.

At war

Saul the king offered his own sacrifice not waiting for the prophet in order to zealously go to war. Saul the Pharisee in his own religious zeal did not wait for a word from God to wage war on the church. Power removed

King Saul lost his kingdom because of his rouge sacrifice. Pharisee Saul lost his power in Israel because of his murderous rampage in the name of God. Blind

King Saul could no longer discern God, even attempting to gain an audience through a medium. Pharisee Saul was struck blind.

Are these parallels accidental? When Pharisee Saul is renamed to Paul, the parallel with King Saul is broken, and Paul became like David. (Can you see the parallels?)

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Saul means 'desired'. In keeping with his new nature Paul means 'small or little'.

Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;