Paul was not a Gentile, although he was a Roman citizen. He preached to the Gentiles, but he was not one—from his own mouth:
Philippians 3:5-7 (NASB)
“...circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee;as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”
I’ve wondered if the Apostle Paul could have been in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion. Also, Mary’s line could have been from the House of David AND Aaron. Elizabeth, Mary’s relative, was married to Zechariah who was OBVIOUSLY a priest. John the Baptist was a Levite.
Jews make a choice on purpose all the way back to the New Testament. The pharisees, priests, etc. assumed Jesus was from Nazareth and was a Galilean, never asking what city he was actually BORN in.
Paul was the first Gentile Apostle. :)