Understanding Paul

Who was Paul? What was the purpose given to Paul after he became a believer in Christ?

Let’s start first with who he was. Paul was a Pharisee, he crucified believers in Yeshua all the way up to the point when he saw Yeshua in a vision. Paul was known as Saul before this vision and we read that he was in attendance at the stoning of Stephen. This is our first introduction to this man.

Acts 7:58-59

and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Acts 8:3

As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

Acts 9:1-2

Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Paul absolutely hated everyone that followed Yeshua’s words over the pharisaical traditions. So, what would cause this man to completely turn his life around and change everything that he ever believed? Even more, why would this particular person be chosen to be the lead apostle for gentiles?

The first thing to address is the what would cause him to preach against the Pharisees. It is obvious that the visions he saw of Christ on the road to Demascus is the main reason he would now preach Christ is the son of God. But, does this mean he would have to completely throw out the entire Torah laws?

Now, why was he chosen? First we see that Barnabus was sent to find Paul and go to Antioch. Lets first check this certain part out.

Acts 11:19, 25-26

Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.

Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. 26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

It seems that Peter was given the vision of the unclean animals and was later told that the animals represented the gentiles because the apostles were only preaching to the Jews. This was a problem and not something that YHWH, the Father, wanted to happen. This is the whole reason Paul’s story is interrupted by Peter’s vision. If you look at it from this point of view it makes sense in a chronological order as well.

It is Acts chapter 13 when Saul is first called Paul and is continually referred to that way from there on.

Acts 13:13-14

Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga…But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. 15 And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, …

Notice that Paul rested in the Synagogue on the Sabbath and read the Law and the Prophets. I find this quite interesting considering the majority of church goers’ today claim Paul taught against the Law. Now, what is even more interesting about Paul is what he says in this same chapter. This too seems to contradict what the modern Church claims about the Savior and goes hand in hand with what Yeshua said about coming only for the lost sheep of Israel.

Acts 13: 23

From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus—

Acts 22:3

I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.

Galatians 1: 13-14

For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

You see, Paul was the best Torah and prophets scholar in the world. Sure, he was extremely passionate about the traditions of the Pharisees, but that was the only part of his teaching that needed to be given up. He knew the law of God better than anyone. To even be taught by Gamaliel one had to be a scholar. So, why would YHWH choose this legalistic Judaizer to preach to the gentiles if he had to contradict everything he knew? That doesn’t make any logical sense. He was chosen because he knew the word so well that he could teach it to others and plant churches throughout the gentile nations. In order to plant a church he had to teach a few elders well enough that they could be trusted to continue teaching new converts the word. This is why he had to send letters to people about falling away from what he had taught them. These people were allowing their friends and family to mock and ridicule them so much that they were reverting back to the pagan roots that they grew up learning. Paul taught them God’s ways. He taught them the torah. That is why we repeatedly see Paul, as well as the other prophets stopping in the synagogues and reading the Torah. That is also exactly what Yeshua meant when he said to do as the Pharisees say, but not as they do.

Matthew 23: 1-3

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do

It seems that this verse is regularly overlooked. Basically, the point of this entire blog is to simply state that Paul taught the word, as in the Torah. He preached it and set up churches throughout the Gentile nations to preach it as well. The Pharisee law was adding to God’s law, and that violated his law.

Deuteronomy 4:2

You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you

Unfortunately, the church today has done the complete opposite of Judaism in the first century. Today the church has taken away nearly all of the Word of God. We need to get our stuff together and really take a good look at the Word for ourselves and stop only listening to preachers, and authors. The Bible can stand alone without anyone telling us what we are supposed to believe. If we do this, we can get back to where the Father has always wanted us to be.