The Humanity of Paul

All Things In God’s Will

One of the most difficult things that all people need to learn - regardless as to whether they are Preachers or Disciples or even Apostles – is that God our Creator is ultimately in control of all things. He has a Plan, and He mandates that that Plan follow a certain course. As the Apostle Paul wrote:

(Romans 9:20-31 KJV) "Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? {21} Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? {22} What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: {23} And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, {24} Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? {25} As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. {26} And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. {27} Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: {28} For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. {29} And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. {30} What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. {31} But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness."

Though human will and human function is at work in the Plan of God, we must never forget that God Himself ultimately controls the Plan. This is an underlying truth of Scripture that, if it is ignored, all types of false doctrine can creep in. God is in control.

Some may have issues with this study. In fact, I may be vilified for daring to point out human error in the Apostle Paul's life. Yet the point of this study was not to put Paul down, nor to invoke alleged superiority in any human being, but to draw our attention back to the truth that all we are or ever hope to be, we only possess because of Christ Jesus our Savior. There are some who have taken CHRISTianity and, through Pauline idolatry, have converted the faith to PAULianity. Hyperdispensationalists and others who follow cultic thought have proffered Paul as "the only Apostle with whom we have to do". Bullingerism teaches the simplistic mantra that states, "All Scripture is 'for' us, but not 'to' us", then uses this mantra to void the clear teaching that:

(2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV) "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: {17} That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

Such foolishness! Do you not know, does not common sense dictate that Paul could not have been - at the moment he wrote this text under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit - speaking of only the Pauline epistles? Can you not see that the "Scriptures" for the early Church were, for the most part, the available Old Testament writings, for the New Testament epistles were not available by any means until several hundred years after their writing? Worship of a man, even a great man like Paul, leads to all types of aberrant thought. "All Scripture" has validity, is "for" us and "to" us, not because of whom God chose to write it, but because GOD HIMSELF moved the writer. The Pauline epistles have value not because Paul was anything, but because God in Christ chose him, then empowered him to write the Holy text. The Pauline epistles, like all that we hold Holy and Pure as the Word of God, have validity because God is in control. When we forget this, we pick and choose which Scripture we consider theopneustos, God Breathed. When we forget this we begin to propagate the cursed doctrine that an Apostle was the first Pope, and that Pope was infallible - without error - just as Jesus Christ our Lord is. God forbid! God is in control, and we must remember this, dearly Beloved!

God IS In Control

God’s control is evident in the fact that He determines HOW and WHEN we who are His Disciples are to carry out His orders. When Jesus Christ first came to the earth in human form, God Incarnate, God in the Flesh, He alone selected twelve Apostles to carry out His Will. God the Father and God the Son were ONE in their Will, totally in One Accord in all that they did. Jesus said:

(John 14:9-11 KJV) "Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? {10} Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. {11} Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake."

Jesus did NOT do things according to His stand alone Will, but did all things in One Accord with the Father:

(John 7:16-17 KJV) "Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. {17} If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."

Thus, when Jesus first came in the flesh and chose out twelve Apostles to do the Will of God, He did so with the intent of carrying out God’s Will in God’s proper time. At the beginning God's Plan dictated that Jesus Christ present Himself to the lost Sheep of Israel as their Messiah. Jesus, in one accord and in full agreement with the Trinity, chose out Apostles and sent them out to evangelize Israel only:

(Matthew 10:1 KJV) "And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, (mathetes, students. These were the original twelve students of doctrine) he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease."

(Matthew 10:2 KJV) "Now the names of the twelve apostles (apostolos, apostles. This was the highest rank given in the Church Age) are these; The first, Simon, (This was Peter’s given Jewish name) who is called Peter, (Christ named Simon CEPHAS, which is Aramaic for the Greek PETROS, or Peter. See John 1:42; 1 Corinthians 15:5; Galatians 2:9) and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;"

(Matthew 10:3 KJV) "Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;"

(Matthew 10:4 KJV) "Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him."

(Matthew 10:5 KJV) "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:"

(Matthew 10:6 KJV) "But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

(Matthew 10:7 KJV) "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (What does this mean? It meant that Messiah was on the earth in hypostatic union ready to do the Father’s Will – and every Jewish believer who heard these words would understand their import. The phrase “Kingdom of Heaven” is only found in the Book of Matthew)

The twelve disciples, called in our text mathetes, were set aside and designated as APOSTLES, apostolos, by our Lord Jesus Christ. These men did not earn nor deserve this designation, but, truthfully, when do we ever earn or deserve what God gives to us? We have all, at one time or another, betrayed God. We betrayed Him in the Garden, we betrayed Him prior to our salvation, and, regardless as to how holy you think you may be, we have each betrayed Him even after salvation. Even the original Apostles would betray our Lord Jesus: Judas Iscariot would betray Jesus with a kiss (Luke 22:47-48), and all the other Apostles would betray Jesus when He needed them most (Matthew 26:34,75; Mark 14:30, 72; Luke 22:61).

Regardless as to their fitness (which, we are never truly fit – what we receive, we receive by Grace), please note that Jesus chose the twelve. They were NOT chosen by casting of lot nor by democratic process. Though practically every local Church in America today makes or breaks their leadership by democratic process, you will find absolutely no validation of democracy in the Church in the Holy texts. The Apostles, early on in the Church Age, would misquote Scripture and select a replacement for Judas Iscariot called MATTHIAS (Acts 1:26). They would do this by casting lots and popular opinion, totally contrary to God’s pattern established when Jesus Christ walked this earth. God controls who is given Gifts, who holds which place in the Church. Man may delude himself into believing that he can democratically choose, but from the beginning God the Son chose the Apostles – and later God the Holy Spirit (after Jesus ascended to the Father) would choose who fulfilled what function in the Church:

(1 Corinthians 12:11-14 KJV) "But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. {12} For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. {13} For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. {14} For the body is not one member, but many."

So the Spirit of God would later choose and place members in the Body, the Church as He saw fit, but insofar as the Apostles were concerned our Lord Jesus, God Incarnate, chose whom He would choose.

Returning to our text in Matthew, we see that Jesus chose out twelve men to be His Apostles, high ranking messengers that were to go out from Him and carry His message. TWELVE is significant because there are TWELVE TRIBES in Israel, and Jesus - following the Father's Plan - wanted to bring the Good News of the Gospel to Israel first. The Gentiles were not to be evangelized yet, neither were the racially mixed Samaritans to be told the Gospel - not at this time. No, it was necessary that ISRAEL AND ISRAEL ALONE hear the Word that Messiah had come, and He was Jesus:

(Matthew 10:5 KJV) "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:"

(Matthew 10:6 KJV) "But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

Jesus was VERY specific in His orders to His Apostles. They were, at this time, to go to Israel only. They were NOT to go to the Gentiles, nor were they to go to the Samaritans (the mixed breed of Israel). They were specifically to go to Israel, and Israel alone. Why? Because MESSIAH WAS TO COME FIRST TO ISRAEL. As Isaiah (11:1) and the Apostle Paul wrote:

(Romans 15:12 KJV) "And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust."

Messiah, our Lord Jesus, MUST FIRST reveal Himself to Israel. Then, after He revealed Himself to Israel, only then could He reveal Himself to the Gentiles. This is why in the beginning Jesus ordered His Apostles to go to Israel only, but later:

(Matthew 28:19-20 KJV) "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: {20} Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

After His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus would order His Apostles to carry the message of the Gospel to “all Nations”, not just Israel. At the beginning the message was to go to Israel – later, in God’s own timing, the message was to go to “all nations”, not just Israel. Jesus further ratified this order before He ascended to the Father, prior to the Day of Pentecost, when He told His Apostles:

(Acts 1:8 KJV) "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Jesus told His Apostles that they were to be witnesses of Him, His messengers, to:

Jerusalem: capital city of Israel, and headquarters of the soon to be established Church

Judea : The greater part of Israel, the rest of Israel

Samaria: The “mixed breeds” of Israel, a people that existed to remind Israel of their compromises with the Gentiles.

Uttermost part of the Earth: All other nations, the Gentiles

Jesus’ marching orders to His Apostles at the beginning was “go to Israel only, avoid Samaria and the Gentiles”. Later, in God’s own timing, His orders would change. Now He would clearly tell His Apostles “take the message to Israel, yes, but also go to the Gentiles”. Did the Apostles do this, did they obey Jesus and follow His Will? No! They kept giving the message of salvation to the Jews, but did not carry the message toward the Gentiles. The Jewish Apostles were hanging around Jerusalem, preaching to the Jews, choosing deacons from among the Jews.

BUT THE APOSTLES DID NOT MOVE!

They did not go outward as Jesus ordered them to do. Do you know who was the first one to go and preach to the Gentiles? It was not one of the original Apostles, but instead was Philip, one of the original deacons chosen to wait on tables in Jerusalem. In fact, the headhunter Saul had more to do with the evangelization of the Gentiles, for he went specifically to persecute the Church in Jerusalem, and in so doing scattered the believers:

(Acts 8:1 KJV) "And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles."

Even so, the Apostles stayed in Jerusalem, and kept focusing their evangelization efforts toward the Jews. This was totally contrary to the orders that Jesus gave His Apostles. The FIRST ONE to evangelize in Samaria was Philip the deacon/ evangelist:

(Acts 8:5 KJV) "Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them."

Further, Philip went to the Ethiopian Eunuch, and, led by the Spirit of God, led Him to Christ:

(Acts 8:26-29 KJV) "And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. {27} And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, {28} Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. {29} Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot."

The Apostles were not obeying Jesus in carrying the Gospel message to Samaria and the Gentiles, but Philip was. God’s Will was going to be done. The Church clustered at Jerusalem God so that Saul, in persecuting it, scattered it, thus carrying the Gospel message outward. God’s Will was going to be done. In fact, the Apostles didn’t begin to actively and purposely witness to the Gentiles until God led Peter to Cornelius, a Gentile, and led Cornelius to accept Christ as Savior:

(Acts 10:34-35 KJV) "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: {35} But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."

Yet still, EVEN STILL the work would be half hearted. God’s Will would nonetheless reign supreme. Jesus’ command would be fulfilled. Just as God allowed Saul, commissioned by the Jewish Ruling Council of the Sanhedrin, to persecute and scatter the Church at Jerusalem; Just as this scattering would cause the Gospel message to be carried outward to Samaria and the other Gentile Nations; even so now God would raise up a thirteenth Apostle to take the message to the Gentiles.

Our Lord has a sense of humor. What better man to make an Apostle, than the one who persecuted the Church in Jerusalem in the first place? That thirteenth Apostle would be Paul:

(1 Corinthians 15:3-10 KJV) "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins (huper + Genitive Plural harmartia, as a substitute for our sins ) according to the scriptures; {4} And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: {5} And that he was seen of Cephas, (Peter’s Aramaic name) then of the twelve: (this included Judas, who later killed himself) {6} After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. {7} After that, he was seen of James; (Matthew 13:55-56, the half brother of Jesus, the leader of the Church at Jerusalem) then of all the apostles. (refers to the original eleven minus Judas Iscariot but plus James) {8} And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. {9} For I am the least of the apostles, (refers to Paul, the thirteenth Apostle) that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (note that Paul, then Saul, persecuted the Church of God. The Church was formed BEFORE Paul was saved, and Saul persecuted this Church under direction of the Jewish ruling counsel, the Sanhedrin) {10} But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

Of all the Apostles, only Paul would fully understand the Gentile mind. Only Paul would carry the message of salvation by faith in Christ to the Gentiles. Peter, James, and the other Apostles, still focused on Israel, would preach Christ AND circumcision to the Gentiles. In fact, Paul would later get up in Peter’s face over this heresy, the teaching that the Gentiles must be circumcised to be saved :

(Galatians 2:11-16 KJV) "But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. {12} For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. {13} And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. {14} But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? {15} We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, {16} Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

Paul was brought to Christ for one reason and one reason only: to fill the gap that the other Apostles, because of their disobedience, had not filled. Paul was saved, converted from Saul of Tarsus to Paul of God by Jesus on the Damascus Road. He was, not because of his own abilities but because of the choosing of Christ, called to be an Apostle to carry the Gospel message to the Gentiles. After his conversion Paul would go to Jerusalem and meet with Peter and James, the Lord’s half brother:

(Galatians 1:18-19 KJV) "Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. {19} But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother."

Paul would get to know and be good friends with both Peter and James (the Lord’s half brother). Later in his ministry, Paul would meet with the other Apostles, and they would all AGREE that he had been called for one purpose (see the Jerusalem conference, Acts 15): that Paul would be the Apostle to evangelize the Gentiles, whereas the other Apostles would focus their ministries toward the Jews:

(Galatians 2:9-10 KJV) "And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. {10} Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do."

This was God’s Will, this was God’s Calling. The original eleven Apostles (plus James, the half brother of Jesus) were to go to the Gentiles, but they failed to follow orders. So God raised up Paul, and sent him to the Gentiles. What better choice could have been made? Paul had alienated the Church in Jerusalem when he was Saul, and he betrayed the Sanhedrin (so they believed) by turning to Christianity. Paul had NO MINISTRY in Jerusalem, NO FRUIT, NO REASON to go there within God’s Will.

But Paul, just as the other Apostles, was human. He decided that he needed to go to Jerusalem, even though he was given four warnings to stay away. And, once he got to Jerusalem, he did something he should not have done: he vowed a vow in the Temple in order to be more “acceptable” to the Jews.