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Episode 557: Paul's Last Visit to Jerusalem Proves He Taught and Loved the Laws of God!

 

WHY WAS PAUL'S MINISTRY CONTROVERSIAL ?

When Paul journeyed to Jerusalem for his last visit and great witness to his own people why was it such a major event ? Paul had been turning the Roman Empire upside down. The world was now confronted with either worship of the true creator God or the superstitious, destructive occult world of idols. The Apostle Paul was the trans-formative agent in the world.

Acts 17:4-6 NKJV 4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas. 5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious,...set all the city in an uproar ...crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.

How was Paul's ministry turning the world upside down? If we are to understand the NT we must fully understand these questions. First, remember that Christianity was considered a sect within Judaism. Paul is turning vast numbers of people thru out the empire away from the various pagan gods. Idols and dark occult magic were being greatly abandoned. However it was also turning Judaism somewhat upside down as well. Prior to Paul, only a few gentiles left paganism to worship the true God of Israel of the OT. Paul and Peter's removal of circumcision as a major obstacle for membership changed everything. Note what happened to Paul in Jerusalem in his final visit and witness to his own nation:

Acts 21:40 NKJV 40 So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,

Acts 22:6-8 NKJV 6 "Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. 7...8 "So I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'

Acts 22:19 NKJV 19 "So I said, 'Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You.

This vast crowd listened to Paul carefully though held back by a small army of Roman soldiers until he touched on what was really scaring them- gentiles in large numbers among them.

Acts 22:21-22 NKJV 21 "Then He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.'" 22 And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!"

Some Jews felt they would soon be outnumbered in their own religion. It frightened and alarmed many of them. They also had a strong bias against gentiles. Paul's enemies said he was not just making an exception for adult circumcision only but also abolishing the laws of God. Many today say something similar. Paul went the extra mile to prove otherwise.

 

PAUL'S ACTIONS REVEAL THE TRUTH ABOUT THE LAW AND PAUL

Note what happened when he first arrived for the last visit to Jerusalem the headquarters of the Church of God. He even kept the Holy Day laws on the his travel to reach Jerusalem.

Acts 20:6 NKJV 6 But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them at Troas...

Acts 21:21-22 NKJV 21 "but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses...22 "What then? ...for they will hear that you have come.

The leader James told Paul that he was too famous or infamous to go unnoticed and almost all the church in Judea was of Jewish descent including James. What must they learn about Paul? That he also was zealous for the law correctly applied like them.

Acts 21:24 NKJV 24 "Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are NOTHING, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law.

ALL THE MISINFORMATION ABOUT PAUL IS NOTHING. They are lies! Paul conducted the purification activities linked to the Temple and the laws of the OT. So Paul's actions proved that he was never against the law. People today need to read this portion of the NT and appreciate this overwhelming truth. When Paul was on the side of those Jews afraid of Christianity when and where did he go to find Christians?

 

Acts 22:19 NKJV 19 "So I said, 'Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You.

Paul knew the Christians would be meeting when? On the Sabbath in the synagogues. The Seventh day Sabbath was never an issue- only circumcision. People today need to appreciate this fact. Paul was put on trial after his violent mob arrest and what did he firmly state?

Acts 24:14 NKJV 14 "But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.

These plain verses are often ignored by those who find other verses that are more complex or less direct to hold on to the doctrine that the laws we do not support are done away.

DOES THE BIBLE REALLY CONTRADICT ITSELF

Paul was given power to arrest people who are part of the cult within Judaism that the high priest and Sanhedrin deemed a threat. This was obviously a position of great power and authority Paul received. Paul is considering all this as trash compared to following Jesus Christ not God's Laws as trash. Did Paul Really Say God's Law Was To Him Trash, really?

Philippians 3:8-9 NKJV 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish,... that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

If we interpret these verses in Philippians as meaning Paul thought the Law was trash we have a huge problem and contradictions! This would contradict many of his other statements.

Romans 3:30-31 NKJV 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Romans 6:1-2 NKJV 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

Romans 7:12 NKJV 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

Paul is not contradicting himself. This is a case of tunnel vision. If the reader reviewed all scriptures on the topic it would be clear that Paul is referencing the topic of how one is saved. He is not rejecting the Law as given in the only Bible that was canonized in his day, the Old Testament. He is saying that being saved by works is trash, one is saved by faith in Jesus.

The Pharisees misunderstood the Law and administered it poorly with sometimes countervailing it meaning thru traditions. Note Mark 7:7. Deep down Paul prior to conversion was also frightened and feared that the disciples of Jesus were correct.

Acts 26:13-14 NKJV 13 "at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me...14 ... I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'

Paul heard the words of Stephen and heard of the many miracles and was fighting the truth. When he learned the truth he passed it on to us as a major author of the New Testament. All this must be comprehended to understand the New Testament.