EXPOSING PAUL

INTRODUCTION

As the author of 13 of the 27 books in the New Testament, Paul is arguably the most influential apostle in Christianity. Interestingly, Paul never met Jesus when the latter lived on earth. He also has a history of viciously persecuting the followers of Jesus. It was only after an alleged encounter with Jesus during a journey that Paul changed his ways and started proclaiming himself as an apostle of Jesus.

In this article, we will take a close look at Paul’s claims and teachings, and their implications.

1. PAUL’S ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS AND HIS CONVERSION

Three accounts exist of Paul’s alleged encounter with Jesus.

In Acts 9, we read that a light flashed around Paul, who then fell to the ground and was spoken to by “Jesus”, Paul’s companions stood speechless and heard a voice but saw nothing and Paul lost his sight for three days.

As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything (Acts 9:3-9)

In Acts 22, we read that a light flashed around Paul who then fell to the ground and was spoken to by “Jesus”, Paul’s companions saw a light but did not “understand” the voice that was speaking to Paul and Paul lost his sight.

“About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me. “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me” (Acts 22:6-11)

In Acts 26, things are a little different. We read that Paul says a light flashed around him and his companions, and all of them fell down, but only he heard a voice. He does not mention his loss of sight.

“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied'” (Acts 26:12-15)

In Acts 26, everyone saw the light and everyone fell down, whereas in Acts 9 and 22, Paul was the only one who fell down. Perhaps, this is a minor thing and can be be attributed to Paul misremembering the event or an error on the part of the author of Acts.

But there is another issue. In Acts 9 and 22 there is the detail of Paul losing his sight and being instructed to go to Damascus where he would be told what to do. This detail is omitted in the Acts 26 account. Instead, it has Paul saying he was appointed as a servant and witness on the spot during the encounter, thereby changing his story.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” the Lord replied. “Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:15-18)

That contradicts the account in Acts 9 and 22 where we read the blinded Paul travels to Damascus and meets a man named Ananias who heals his blindness and then informs Paul of his appointment as a “witness”.

In the Acts 26 account, Paul claimed that during his encounter, “Jesus” quoted a line from Greek mythological literature.

“…I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads’” (Acts 26:14)

That phrase “It is hard for you to kick against the goads” does not appear in the accounts of Acts 9 and 22. That phrase originates in a well known ancient Greek play about the pagan god Dionysus, called “The Bacchae”. In that play, the Greek god Dionysus says the phrase:

“Better to yield him prayer and sacrifice than kick against the pricks, since Dionyse Is god, and thou but mortal” — Dionysus, Bacchae.

What about the men who were with Paul during his alleged encounter?

The unnamed men who were accompanying Paul witnessed Paul’s experience (Acts 9,22,26) and helped him get to Damascus (Acts 9 and 22). They could have easily corroborated Paul’s claims. Curiously, they are not mentioned again after that incident. Paul could have presented those men as witnesses to give testimony in support of his claims, but does not do so for some reason! Thus, Paul merely testifies about himself.

Jesus said the following about testifyng about oneself:

“If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true” (John 5:31)

When Paul claims Jesus appeared to him, he is implying that after ascending to heaven, Jesus returned to make a secret appearance just for him. If we were to consider the accounts in Acts 9 and 22, Jesus also appeared to Ananias. But what does Jesus say about people who claim to have seen him?

“At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time. So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it” (Matthew 24:23-26)

2. PAUL WAS THE 13th APOSTLE

After Judas killed himself, there were 2 candidates who were shortlisted to be the replacement for Judas — Matthias and Barsabbas. Peter prayed and cast lots. The lot fell on Matthias, who then joined the disciples. This account appears in Acts 1:12-26. Note that the number of Apostles was fixed at 12. Peter did not enlist both Matthias and Barsabbas because there was no room for a 13th apostle.

Peter’s criteria for selecting an apostle was that candidates had to have been with them since the time Jesus was baptised.

“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it’, and, ‘May another take his place of leadership.’ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection” (Acts 1:20-22)

Peter was following what he heard from Jesus.

He said to them: “You also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning” (John 15:27).

Jesus said there are only 12 apostles.

“Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28)

Revelation says there are only 12 apostles.

“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God… The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Revelation 21:10, 14)

If Paul was indeed a true 13th apostle, then there would have been 13 thrones and 13 foundations with the names of the 13 apostles (the original 11 + Matthias + Paul). We have no reason to think Paul was among the 12, as Judas was replaced by Matthias long before Paul’s conversion. If it was even possible for there to be a 13th apostle, Peter would have selected both Matthias and Barsabbas instead of drawing lots to choose one of them.

3. PAUL CLAIMED HE WAS CHOSEN FROM BIRTH

Paul claimed he was commissioned by God.

“I became its servant by the commission God gave me to fully proclaim to you the word of God” (Colossians 1:24)

Paul claimed he was selected by God while he was still in his mothers womb.

“But when God, the One having selected me from my mother’s womb and having called me by His grace, was pleased” (Galatians 1:15)

Compare Paul’s language in the above verse to this verse in Isaiah 49:

“Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb” ( Isaiah 49:1)

Or this verse in Jeremiah 1:

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5)

If Paul was really chosen from birth like Isaiah and Jeremiah, he would have been an important prophet – one who appeared AFTER Christ. In fact, he would have been the first prophet in Israel in nearly 400 years to write down divine revelation (the last being Malachi). Yet, Jesus never hinted of such a spectacular thing happening. Why would Jesus not reveal this important information to his followers? Why did he not tell his disciples to expect a new apostle in Paul?

4. PAUL WAS A SELF PROCLAIMED APOSTLE

Paul called himself an apostle.

“For this reason I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a faithful and TRUE teacher of the Gentiles” (1Timothy 2:7)

“Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?” (1Corinthians 9:1)

Paul begins most of his letters calling himself an apostle.

“Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1)

“Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes” (1 Corinthians 1:1)

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother” (2 Corinthians 1:1)

“Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead” (Galatians 1:1)

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God” (Ephesians 1:1)

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother” (Colossians 1:1)

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope” (1Timothy 1:1)

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus” (2Timothy 1:1)

“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness” (Titus 1:1)

In the entire New Testament, Paul is addressed as an apostle by only one person — Luke, who was Paul’s physician and the writer of Acts. Luke addresses Paul (along with Barnabas, a 14th apostle!) as an apostle in only 2 verses.

“But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this…” (Acts 14:14)

“The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles…” (Acts 14:4)

5. PAUL CLAIMED TO HAVE APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY

Paul repeatedly claimed to have God given authority as an apostle without presenting any objective proof of his authority.

“I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But our authority builds you up; it doesn’t tear you down. So I will not be ashamed of using my authority” (2Corinthians 10:8)

“For I want to use the authority the Lord has given me to strengthen you, not to tear you down” (1Corinthians 13:10)

“We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority” (1Thessalonians 2:6)

Paul claimed to have passed some unspecified test of apostolic authority.

“As you test yourselves, I hope you will recognize that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority” (2Corinthians 13:6)

Paul brands himself as one having all the marks of a true apostle.

“I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles” (2Corinthians 12:12)

The miracles of Paul as recorded in Acts are:

Healing a blind man (Acts 13:11)
Healing a lame man (Acts 14:10)
Casting out an evil spirit (Acts 16:18)
Raising a dead boy (Acts 20:10-11)
Surviving a snake bite (Acts 28:5)
Healing a sick man (Acts 28:8).
Items of clothing that had touched Paul had the ability to heal the sick and drive out evil spirits (Acts 19:11-12)

We can neither confirm nor deny the validity of these claims. But let us grant that he did in fact perform those miracles. Does that automatically make him a true apostle? Any Christian who knows the scripture would be familiar with the verse where Jesus rejects many miracle workers in the end.

“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23)

Deuteronomy 13:1-4 teaches us that God can give miraculous abilities to false prophets to use them to test His people over whether they love him with all their heart and soul. Paul’s miracles, even if real, do not prove his apostleship. Matthew 24:24 also touches on the concept of false prophets having the abilities to perform signs and miracles.

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24:24)

6. PAUL CLAIMED HE WAS THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES

Paul declared himself the apostle to the gentiles.

“I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry” (Romans 11:13)

“Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8)

“But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter” (Galatians 2:7)

However, Peter was the original apostle to the Gentiles. This is made clear in Acts 10, where Peter is given a vision that he interpreted as an instruction to preach to Gentiles.

“You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean” (Acts 10:28)

Peter later announces he was chosen to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles.

“After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: ‘Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe'” (Acts 15:7)

Paul claimed God commanded him to be a light to the gentiles and that he was to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.

“For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” (Acts 13:47)

Paul was applying to himself (and Barnabas) a prophecy in Isaiah 49:6.

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6)

7. PAUL WAS PREVENTED FROM PREACHING BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE SPIRIT OF JESUS AND sATAN

Paul was kept from preaching in Asia by the Holy Spirit.

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia (Acts 16:6)

Paul was prevented from entering a certain place by the Spirit of Jesus.

When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to (Acts 16:7)

It’s quite strange that Paul, who claimed to have been commissioned by God (Colossians 1:24), appointed by Jesus (Acts 26:16) and tasked with bringing salvation to the ends of the earth (Acts 13:47), was prevented by the “Holy Spirit” and “the Spirit of Jesus” from preaching the gospel — the very task he claimed he was appointed to perform.

“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you” (Luke 10:19)

Paul says he was blocked by Satan from preaching to the Thessalonians.

It is indeed strange that a true apostle would be thwarted by Satan. This is so because Jesus gave his apostles the power to “overcome the power of the enemy”, that is, Satan.

“…out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way” (1Thessalonians 2:17-18)

8. PAUL WAS REJECTED BY MANY

Paul was not always accepted as an apostle.

“If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you” (1Corinthians 9:2)

Paul was deserted.

“At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me” (2Timothy 4:16)

Paul was rejected by the Jews.

Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46)

Paul was deserted by everyone in the province of Biblical Asia.

“You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me” (2Timothy 1:15)

This is extremely significant because Asia was the location of the church of Ephesus. Why that matters will be discussed in the next section.

9. PAUL’S EPHESUS PROBLEM

As we saw, Paul was rejected by Asia. But his being rejected is not the problem. Paul could have shaken the dust of his sandals (Matthew 10:14). Paul’s problem is that the place that rejected him (Asia) is considered worthy enough to be featured in Revelation. In fact all the 7 churches mentioned in Revelation were located in Asia. Asia rejected Paul but NOT Christ.

Paul wrote to Ephesus in Asia.

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1)

Incredibly, in the book of Revelation, Ephesus is praised for testing and rejecting false apostles!

“I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false” (Revelation 2:2)

If Paul presented himself as an apostle to Ephesus and was rejected. And if Ephesus is commended in Revelation for rejecting false apostles, what does that make Paul?

If Paul were a true apostle, then the implication would be that the churches in Asia erred very greatly by rejecting Paul. Their very Christianity would have become invalidated. Instead, we see that none of the 7 churches in Asia were rebuked for rejecting Paul. They are rebuked for other shortcomings and sins but not for the error of deserting Paul!

If the churches in Revelation included places like Galatia, Colossae, Corinth etc (the places that Paul wrote to) it would have been a very strong proof of Paul’s apostleship. Instead the ONE church that Paul wrote to that also appears in Revelation is in a land that rejected Paul and is commended for rejecting false apostles.

10. PAUL’S EGO

WHO TO IMITATE

Paul set himself up as an example for his followers.

“I urge you then, be imitators of me” (1Corinthians 4:16).

“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1Corinthians 11:1)

“Join one another in following my example, brothers, and carefully observe those who walk according to the pattern we set for you” (Philippians 3:17)

However, Jesus is the example that Christians need to follow.

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (John 13:14-15)

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (John 13:34)

“Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did” (1John 2:6)

“…since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps” (2Peter 2:21)

FATHER PAUL

Paul claimed he became the father of his followers.

“Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel” (1Corinthians 4:15)

Jesus said don’t call any man “Father”

“Do not call anyone on earth ‘father’, for you have one Father, and he is in heaven” (Matthew 23:9)

OWING TO PAUL

Paul told Philemon he owed him himself.

“I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back–not to mention that you owe me your very self” (Philemon 1:19)

PAUL TAKING CREDIT

Paul told his followers that it’s because of his work that they belong to God.

“Isn’t it because of my work that you belong to the Lord?”
(1Corinthians 9:1)

This is wrong because Paul is saying it was his efforts that brought people to God. The Bible says God can be found by all people who seek him.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” (Psalm 145:18)

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8)

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13)

“If you seek him, he will be found by you” (1Chronicles 15:2)

11. PAUL’S BIZARRE SPIRITUAL CLAIMS

Paul thought he too had the Holy spirit.

“…I think that I too have the Spirit of God.” (1Corinthians 7:40)

Paul wasn’t even certain about having the holy spirit. How could someone who claimed to have been selected by God from his mother’s womb and received direct revelation from Jesus think he too has the holy spirit?

Paul claimed to have been spiritually crucified with Jesus and that Jesus dwells in him.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20)

Paul taught the strange idea of Jesus being “in” people.

“But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death” (Romans 8:10)

“My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19)

“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27)

Paul taught that he (and his followers) had the mind of Christ.

“But we have the mind of Christ…” (1Corinthians 2:16)

Paul made the bizarre claim he could be present in spirit while being absent in the body.

“For though absent in body, I am present in spirit, and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1Corinthians 5:3-5).

Paul claimed he ascended to the third heaven.

“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell” (2Corinthians 12:2-4)

Note that in the above passage, Paul is speaking about himself in third person.

Paul claimed to have received revelation about a “mystery”

“Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 3:2-5)

“I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people” (Colossians 1:25-26)

“Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God” (Romans 16:25-26)

In claiming he was given some mysterious knowledge that Jesus did not teach to his disciples, Paul implies that Jesus’ message in the gospel was incomplete. Paul wants us to believe that those mysteries were kept hidden until he was made an apostle.

12. PAUL’S CHARACTER

Paul called himself trustworthy.

“I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy” (1Corinthians 7:25)

Paul, for some reason, felt the need to keep insisting he does not lie.

“Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie” (Galatians 1:20)

“…for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying…” (1Timothy 2:7)

“The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I do not lie” (2Corinthians 11:31).

“I am speaking the truth in Christ, I am not lying” (Romans 9:1).

But elsewhere, he calls himself a crafty fellow who used trickery.

“Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!” (2Corinthians 12:16)

Paul said he becomes all things to all people for the purpose of converting them.

“To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1Corinthians 9:20-22)

He was a Pharisee when he interacted with Pharisees.

Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead” (Acts 23:6)

“If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee” (Phillipians 3:4-5)

He was a Roman when he interacted with the Romans.

As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?” …the commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”; “Yes, I am,” he answered. Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.””But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. (Acts 22:22-28)

Paul claimed he is not a people pleaser.

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10)

Yet elsewhere said he pleases people.

“…I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved” (1Corinthians 10:33)

Letting other men negatively influence your behaviour in matters of faith is a character flaw.

Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God. (John 12:42-43)

13. PAUL’S APPEAL TO THE CAESAR

Paul used his claim of Roman citizenship and appealed to Caesar to escape punishment.

So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.” (Acts 25:10-11)

Compare that to how the true apostles reacted to persecution:

They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name (Acts 5:40-41)

Paul’s appeal to Caesar proves he was a liar and a hypocrite. This is so because earlier in Acts 21, Paul proclaims that he is willing to die for the name of Jesus.

“I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13)

Paul’s appeal to Caesar contradicts his teachings in 1Corinthians 6, where he taught people to accept wrong and not go to the unrighteous for justice.

“If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people?… Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church?… Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? (1Corinthians 6:1,4,7)

Paul, instead of following his own teachings, appeals to the unrighteous and ungodly Caesar who was guilty of killing many.

14. PAUL’S GOSPEL

Paul says he received a gospel that was revealed to him by Jesus himself.

“I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12)

Paul referred to the gospel he allegedly received as “MY GOSPEL”.

“This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares” (Romans 2:16)

“Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ” (Romans 16:25)

“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel” (2Timothy 2:8)

Christians see the word ‘gospel’ in Paul’s writings and blindly assume that Paul was talking about the same Gospel that the apostles preached. But this is not the case. Jesus had already taught the Gospel to his disciples and had no reason to make a special appearance to Paul just to hand him the same Gospel that was already on earth in the hands of the apostles.

Paul claimed there was a gospel for the circumcised and another for the uncircumcised.

“But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter” (Galatians 2:7)

According to Mark’s account, there was just one gospel.

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

According to Matthew, after his resurrection Jesus instructed his disciples to teach all that he had commanded them.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you (Matthew 18:19-20)

The aforementioned verses indicate the gospel was completed and entrusted it to the disciples.

Paul had a gospel for the gentiles that he presented to the apostles (whom he refers to as “those esteemed as leaders”).

“I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain” (Galatians 2:2)

This raises the question – if Paul was preaching the same gospel as the disciples, why would Paul need to present the gospel he was preaching to the original disciples? Why did he feel the need to check if he was not “running in vain”? Paul goes on to claim the original apostles acknowledged him and his gospel but this has not been corroborated by any of the other disciples.

Paul speaks of other gospels to which many of his followers were turning to.

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel” (Galatians 1:6)

“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:8-9)

“For if someone comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you submit to it readily enough…” (2Corinthians 11:4)

This indicates there were multiple gospels being preached at that time. Paul does not tell us the contents of those gospels or why he thought they were contrary to the one he preached, but from his words we can gather that he perceived the other gospel (or gospels) as “competition” to his own.

It’s quite possible that there were others like Paul who developed their own “gospels” and preached them but they failed to gain traction and their “gospels” became lost.

It can also be speculated that Paul had in mind the true gospel that was being preached by men under the authority of the original apostles. The reason I say this is because Paul believed there was a gospel for the uncircumcised and another for the circumcised. Paul believed he had the responsibility of preaching the former. So it follows that he would have felt strongly about losing followers to those preaching the original Gospel — that he called the “Gospel for the circumcised”.

As we have seen in this section, Paul clearly had a different “gospel” with him. If there was only one gospel then it follows that Jesus would have revealed the same gospel to Paul (that is, assuming Jesus made an appearance to Paul). If that were the case, Paul’s writings would have contained the same concepts found in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. However, this is not the case. In fact, Paul omits the miracles, parables and the teachings of Jesus. Instead, Paul wrote about his own ideas and other mystical concepts not found in the Gospel recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Sometimes his words completely contradict the words of God, Jesus, the prophets and the other apostles (these details will appear later in this article).

15. PAUL AND THE OTHER APOSTLES

Paul did not meet the original disciples after becoming an apostle.

“But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus” (Galatians 1:15-17)

The original apostles were entrusted with the Gospel and were the foundations of the church. But, as we see in the aforementioned verse, Paul chose to operate separately from the original apostles.

The original disciples were afraid of Paul and were skeptical of his claims.

When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. (Acts 9:26)

Paul had the audacity to quarrel and find fault with Peter, an original disciple.

“When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong” (Galatians 2:11)

Paul accused Peter of changing his behavior because he was afraid of the “circumcision group” (the Jews).

“For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray”(Galatians 2:12-13)

Paul himself circumcised a follower of his before taking him on a journey for the reason that he was afraid of the same “circumcision group” living in the place he was travelling to.

Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived…Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek (Acts 16:1-3)

Paul claimed to work harder than the original disciples.

“For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward 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. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed” (1Corinthians 15:9-11)

Paul claimed to be equal to the original disciples.

“For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles” (2Corinthians 11:5)

“I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing” (2Corinthians 12:11)

Paul claimed to be better than other servants of Jesus.

“But whatever anyone dares to boast of – I am speaking as a fool – I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one – I am talking like a madman – with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death” (2Corinthians 11:21 – 23)

Paul made snide remarks about the original disciples.

“As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message” (Galatians 2:6)

Peter refers to Paul as a “brother”.

“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. (2Peter 3:14-16)

Paul claimed to have been chosen from birth to be an apostle and received direct revelation from Jesus himself. Yet, Peter did not acknowledge Paul as an apostle.

Peter also said Paul’s letters contain things hard to understand.

His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction” (2Peter 3:16)

Peter referring to Paul’s writings as LETTERS is rather unflattering considering Paul called his words the “Words of God” (as we will see in the next section).

Paul claimed James, Peter (Cephas) and John recognized him and that they “agreed” that Paul was to go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised (Jews).

James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. (Galatians 2:9)

Paul is making a claim that has not been corroborated by the other apostles so one can only take his word for it. But the reality is that Peter was chosen to preach to the Gentiles (Acts 15:7).

16. PAUL CLAIMED HIS WORDS WERE THE
COMMANDS AND WORDS OF GOD

Paul expected people to acknowledge his writings as commands from God.

“If any one thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord. If any one does not recognize this, he is not recognized” (1Corinthians 14:37:38)

Paul claimed his letters were the word of God.

“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers” (1Thessalonians 2:13)

Yet, Paul elsewhere said that he did not have a command from God, but gives judgment because of his own claim of his trustworthiness.

“I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy” (1Corinthians 7:25)

17. PAUL’S TEACHINGS

SUBMISSION TO AUTHORITIES

Paul taught people to submit to the authorities.

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience” (Romans 13:1-5)

Paul is saying to just obey the authorities because God established them but doesn’t lay out conditions under which they can be disobeyed. In other places in the Bible, righteous men disobeyed the authorities when they were made to cross a line, like being forced to worship idols. Romans 13 would have made sense if the government at that time was Bible based and Christian. But such a government would not arise until a few centuries later.

Paul had the oppressive Roman government in mind when he wrote that passage. This is backed up by the fact that Paul invoked his Roman citizenship and even appealed to Caesar to get out of trouble.

EARNING FROM THE GOSPEL

Paul taught that gospel preachers should earn their living from the Gospel.

“Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings? In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel” (1Corinthians 9:13-14)

Paul also cited a law from Deuteronomy to justify his teaching that preachers should be paid.

“Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? For it is written in the Law of Moses: ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.’ Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?” (1Corinthians 9:7-11)

Paul was citing a verse from Deuteronomy 25.

“Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain” (Deuteronomy 25:4)

Paul quotes the Law to justify reaping a “material harvest” for spiritual work, but then also claims the same body of Law was done away with (as we will see in a later section).

Jesus taught to serve without receiving payment.

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay” (Matthew 10:8)

Jesus instructed his disciples to live off charity. He did not instruct them to reap a “material harvest” for doing spiritual work.

“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. (Matthew 10:9-11)

DELIVERING A SINNER TO SATAN

Paul taught the strange doctrine of handing a certain sinners to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.

“you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1Corinthians 5:5)

That phrase appears nowhere else in the Bible.

FOODS OFFERED TO IDOLS

Paul taught that eating foods offered to idols was not an issue.

“So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do” (1Corinthians 8:4-8)

Paul downplays the severity of eating foods offered to idols. However, eating such foods are condemned in Revelation.

There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. (Revelation 2:14-15)

You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols (Revelation 2:20

Eating foods offered to idols is also condemned by James.

“Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.” (Acts 15:20)

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH NOT WORKS

Paul taught faith without works.

“For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Romans 3:28)

“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentilesknow that a person is not justified by the works of the law” (Galatians 2:16)

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

James disagrees.

“So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have deeds’.Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds” (James 2:17-18)

“As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone” (James 2:24)

DECLARING JESUS AS LORD

Paul taught that anyone who declares Jesus as Lord will be saved.

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9)

Jesus says otherwise.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21)

JESUS BECAME A CURSE

Paul said no one speaking by the spirit of God could say “Jesus be cursed”.

“Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus be cursed’, and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’, except by the Holy Spirit” (1Corinthians 12:3)

But then goes on to say Jesus became a curse when he was hung on the cross.

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13)

Paul was connecting Jesus to an Old Testament verse about hanging sinners worthy of death!

“If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is executed, and you hang his body on a tree, you must not leave the body on the tree overnight, but you must be sure to bury him that day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse” (Deuteronomy 21:22-23)

SIN DEBT NAILED TO THE CROSS

Paul taught that people’s debt of sin was nailed to the cross.

“…having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14)

That verse is interpreted to mean the crucifixion of Jesus wiped out the debt people owed as a result of their sins. But this is refuted by the fact that everyone is repaid according to their deeds. This is a recurring theme throughout the Bible.

“For according to a man’s deeds He repays him; according to a man’s ways He brings consequences” (Job 34:11)

“For You will repay each man according to his deeds” (Psalm 62:12)

“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve” (Jeremiah 17:10)

“Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?” (Proverbs 24:12)

OLD SELVES CRUCIFIED WITH JESUS

Paul taught that the old selves of believers were crucified with Jesus.

“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6)

Paul teaches that people’s old selves were crucified with Jesus. This concept does not appear in the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

OMITTING THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT

Paul omitted the greatest commandment when talking about what fulfills the Law.

“For all the Law is fulfilled in one word, even this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:14)

Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love the Lord and your neighbour.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40)

In his summary of the commandments, Paul omitted the commandments pertaining to God and idol worship.

“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘You shall not covet.’ and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Romans 13:8:9)

18. PAUL AND THE LAW

NOT BEING SUBJECT TO THE LAW

Paul claimed he was not subject to the law.

“To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law” (1Corinthians 9:20)

TEACHING AGAINST THE LAW OF MOSES

Paul taught against the Law of the Moses.

…some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” (Acts 21:27-28)

James confirms this.

“They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs” (Acts 21:20-21)

Other apostles knew that Jewish believers were zealous for the Law.

“When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law” (Acts 21:20)

END OF THE LAW

Paul claimed he destroyed the Law.

““But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.” (Galatians 2:17-18)

Paul taught that Jesus ended the Law.

“He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations” (Ephesians 2:14-15)

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4)

Jesus said the exact opposite.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17)

THE LAW WAS VALID ONLY UNTIL JESUS CAME

Paul taught that the Law was the guardian only until Jesus came.

“The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian” (Galatians 3:24-25)

Jesus said otherwise.

“For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished” (Matthew 5:18)

The Psalms also.

“…and all His commandments are trustworthy. They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity” (Psalms 111:7-8)

“All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal” (Psalms 119:160)

NO LONGER UNDER THE LAW

Paul taught that people are no longer under the Law.

“For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14)

“But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code” (Romans 7:6)

“Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ.” (Romans 7:4)

Jesus taught that a person’s rank in the kingdom of heaven is determined by how well he keeps the Law.

“Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19)

NO LAW. NO SIN

Paul taught that if there is no Law, there is no sin.

“… the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression” (Romans 4:15)

Paul taught that before the Law was given, people sinned but it was not counted as a sin.

“To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law.” (Romans 5:13)

This is patently wrong because plenty of things were counted as sin before the Law was given — the murder of Abel, the wickedness of the generation of Noah, the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah. Paul is implying God punished them even though they did not break any specific Law.

WORKS OF THE LAW DOES NOT JUSTIFY OR MAKE ONE RIGHTEOUS

Paul taught that no one will be justified by works of the Law.

“…because by the works of the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16)

“But that no one is justified by the Law in the sight of God is evident…” (Galatians 3:11)

Paul also taught that righteousness cannot be gained through the Law.

“…no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law“ (Romans 3:20)

“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Colossians 2:21)

The Old Testament disagrees.

“He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live”, declares the Sovereign LORD. (Ezekiel 18:9)

“Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord” (Psalm 119:1)

“And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness” (Deuteronomy 6:25)

Even in the new testament, those who kept the Laws were regarded as righteous.

[Zechariah and Elizabeth] were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly (Luke 1:5-6)

ATTEMPTING TO BE JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW

Paul taught that attempting to be justified by the Law means a fall from grace.

“… you who attempt to be justified by the Law; you have fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:4)

THE SPIRIT AND THE LAW

Paul taught that people who are led by the spirit are not under the Law.

“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Galatians 5:18)

The Old Testament says in Ezekiel 36:27 that having the Spirit moves people to follow the Law.

“And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36:27)

THE LAW IS FOR THE LAWLESS

Paul taught that the Law is only for the lawless.

“Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately. We realize that law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for killers of father or mother, for murderers” (1Timothy 1:9)

While the Law prescribes punishments for the wicked, in general, the Law is described as a good thing, as we will see shortly.

THE LAW AND LIFE

Paul taught

For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. (Galatians 3:21)

The Old Testament equates the Law with life

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; […] This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)

I gave them My statutes and informed them of My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live. (Ezekiel 20:11)

So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the Lord (Leviticus 18:5)

Keep my commandments and live (Proverbs 7:2)

HARSH STATEMENTS ABOUT THE LAW

Paul taught that people who kept the Law were under a curse.

“For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law’”(Galatians 3:10)

In Deuteronomy, whether or not someone received blessings or curses depended on whether they obeyed or disobeyed the Law.

“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse — the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known” (Deuteronomy 11:26-28)

Paul taught that people were held in custody under the Law until the faith was revealed.

“Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed” (Galatians 3:23)

Paul called the Law “a ministry that brought death”.

“Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was…” (2 Corinthians 3:7)

Paul said people were under the curse of the Law.

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13)

NOTE: Elsewhere, Paul says that the Law is “good” (1Timothy 1:8) and “holy” in (Romans 7:12).

The Law being something that held people under “custody” or something that brought about curses or a “ministry of death” are purely Pauline concepts. None of the other writers of the Bible echo Paul’s sentiments about the Law, let alone speak of the Law in the manner Paul did. Instead we read in many places in the Old Testament that the Law is a wonderful thing.

“They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb” (Psalm 19:10)

“The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold” (Psalm 119:72)

“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7)

“You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments” (Nehemiah 9:13)

“Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the peoples, who will hear of all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people” (Deuteronomy 4:6)

As we have seen in this section, Paul’s teachings about the Law contradicts everything that was previously said about it — by God, His prophets and Jesus. The Old Testament tells us over and over that keeping the Law was not only associated with being righteous, God required it of the Israelites. In the Gospels, Jesus affirmed the Law and taught that it would remain until heaven and earth pass away. Paul is the only figure in the Bible who taught against the Law.

19. PAUL MISQUOTED AND DISTORTED THE OLD TESTAMENT

We read earlier that Paul claimed to be an apostle appointed by God and Jesus. He also claimed he was a Jew and that he had the credentials of being “thoroughly trained” by a certain renowned Jewish teacher.

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors” (Acts 22:3)

Someone like that would have been extremely familiar with the Old Testament scriptures. Yet, on many occasions, Paul misquoted and distorted Old Testament scriptures.

EPHESIANS 4:8 vs PSALM 68:18

Paul writes:

“This is why it says: ‘When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people’” (Ephesians 4:8)

That is a distortion of Psalm 68:18:

“When you ascended on high, you took many captives; you received gifts from people, even from the rebellious— that you, Lord God, might dwell there” (Psalm 68:18)

ROMANS 10:6-8 vs DEUTERONOMY 30:12-14

Paul writes.

“But the righteousness that is by faith says: ‘Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down) or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart’, that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim” (Romans 10:6-8)

That is a distortion of Deuteronomy 30:12-14.

“It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it” (Deuteronomy 30:12-14)

Paul inserts his own meanings into the verse (by making it about Christ) and concludes by saying that the “Word” is the message concerning “faith”. In contrast, the original says the “Word” is something to be obeyed – the commandments of the Law. We know that because the Deuteronomy 30 verses just prior to the ones we cited say:

“If you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. The Offer of Life or Death. Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach” (Deuteronomy 30:10-11)

And then it continues “It is not up in heaven…” (verses 12 – 14)

ROMANS 11:26 vs ISAIAH 59:20-21

Paul writes:

“And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob’”. (Roman 11:26)

That is a distortion of Isaiah 59:20-21.

“The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the LORD” (Isaiah 59:20-21)

1CORINTHIANS 2:9 vs ISAIAH 64

Paul writes:

“However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived‘ — the things God has prepared for those who love him” (1Corinthians 2:9)

That verse does not exist anywhere in the Old Testament. The closest match is a verse from Isaiah 64 which has similar phrasing but an entirely different meaning!

“From ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him” (Isaiah 64:4)

Paul is talking about things God has prepared for those who love Him. Isaiah is talking about God who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. Perhaps, Paul was merely borrowing the phrasing in Isaiah 64 to make a point.

ROMANS 9:33 vs ISAIAH 8:14 & ISAIAH 28:16

Paul writes:

“As it is written, Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed” (Romans 9:33)

That is a MIX UP of Isaiah 28:16 and Isaiah 8:14.

“And He will be a sanctuary–but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare” (Isaiah 8:14)

“So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken” (Isaiah 28:16)

Paul mixes up the stone of stumbling (from Isaiah 8:14) with the precious cornerstone (from Isaiah 28:16). In Isaiah, “the one who believes will never be shaken” applies to the ‘precious cornerstone’. But in Paul’s writings, it applies to the ‘stone of stumbling’.

ROMANS 11:8 vs DEUTERONOMY 29:4

Paul writes:

“as it is written: ‘God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day’” (Roman 11:8)

That is a distortion of Deuteronomy 29:4.

“But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear” (Deuteronomy 29:4)

GALATIANS 3:13 vs DEUTERONOMY 21:22-23

Paul writes:

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13)

Paul has cherry picked a part of Deuteronomy 21:22-23. The reality is that passage is specifically about people who are guilty of sins worthy of death. The full passage reads as follows.

“If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is executed, and you hang his body on a tree, you must not leave the body on the tree overnight, but you must be sure to bury him that day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse” (Deuteronomy 21:22-23)

Since Jesus never committed a sin worthy of death, that passage simply cannot be applied to Jesus. But Paul does it anyway by selectively quoting a part of the passage to support his doctrine that Christ became a “curse”.

In the next section, we will provide a case study that illustrates Paul’s tendency to cherry pick verses in order to push a false doctrine.

20. PAUL CHERRY PICKS VERSES TO PUSH A FALSE DOCTRINE

In Romans 3:9-18, Paul taught the strange doctrine that all humans are under the “power of sin”, i.e., that all humans are sinful.

“For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin” (Romans 3:9)

He then attempts to “prove” the charge by stringing together snippets from SIX different places from the Old Testament.

As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.”

“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”

“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

“Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.”

“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

(Romans 3:10-18)

Upon closer inspection of the above passage, we see that those verses have been cherry picked from various chapters in Psalms and Isaiah and arranged to create the narrative that all humans are sinful. What Paul leaves out is the fact that those very chapters he cited from also contain verses proving that all men are NOT evil and that righteous (or innocent and upright) people exist! This will be looked at in detail below..

Romans 3, Verses 10 – 12: As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
– Quoted from Psalm 14:1-3 and Ecclesiastes 7:20

Psalm 14 goes on to say – “God is with the generation of the righteous.” (Psalm 14:5).

Ecclesiastes 7 goes on to say – “In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness.” (Ecclesiastes 7:15)

Romans 3, Verse 13a: “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.”
– Quoted from Psalm 5:9

Psalm 5 goes on to say – “For you, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favour you will surround him as with a shield.” (Psalm 5:12).

Romans 3, Verse 13b: “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
– Quoted from Psalm 140:3

Psalm 140 goes on to say – “Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.” (Psalm 140:13).

Romans 3, Verse 14: “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
– Quoted from Psalm 10:7

Psalm 10 goes on to say – “He sits in the lurking places of the villages; in the secret places he murders the innocent.” (Psalm 10:8)

Romans 3, Verse 15 – 17: “Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.”
– Quoted from Isaiah 59:7-8

Isaiah 59 ACTUALLY says – “Their feet rush into sin; they are swift to shed innocent blood.” (Isaiah 59:7-8)

Isaiah 57 says earlier that righteous men exist – “The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil” (Isaiah 57:1)

Romans 3, Verse 18: “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
– Quoted from Psalm 36:1

Psalm 36 goes on to say – “Oh, continue your loving-kindness to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright in heart.” (Psalm 36:10).

Thus, every Old Testament chapter that Paul selectively quotes in Romans 3 to “prove” man is inherently sinful goes on to say that righteous men do exist. Paul’s teachings are refuted by the very chapters he quotes from!

Paul was either incredibly ignorant of Old Testament scripture or was deliberately misquoting them to teach his ideas.

Paul’s teaching that all men are under the power of sin, are refuted by the simple fact that the Bible affirms the existence of righteous people.

Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. (Genesis 6:9)

Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)

In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. (Job 1:1)

“Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds” (Isaiah 3:10)

“The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them” (Proverbs 20:7)

[Zechariah and Elizabeth] were righteous in the sight of God (Luke 1:5)

“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17)

Paul’s teaching that all men are under the power of sin, is also refuted by the simple fact that the Bible explicitly declares righteousness can be achieved by following the Law of God.

“He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live”, declares the Sovereign Lord. (Ezekiel 18:9)

“Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord” (Psalm 119:1)

“And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness” (Deuteronomy 6:25)

CONCLUSION

As we have seen in this study, there are simply too many red flags in Paul’s character, claims and teachings to regard him as a true apostle. The problems with Paul are not because of a few ambiguous statements of his that can be interpreted one way or another, or reconciled in some other way. Rather, the problems with Paul span over a wide range of issues:

His varying testimonies of his alleged encounter with Jesus.
His grand claims of being chosen by God.
His unverified and unverifiable claim that Jesus made him an apostle.
His claims of being the apostle for the gentiles.
His rejection by those who did not reject Christ.
His ego.
His two-facedness.
His mystical claims.
His hypocrisies.
His contradictions.
His preaching of a gospel that he called his own.
His claim that his words were the Word of God.
His hostility towards Peter and the other apostles.
His claim that he was better than the original apostles.
His teaching that all authorities must be submitted to.
His casual approach to eating food offered to idols.
His contradiction of the earlier books of the Bible on matters such as the Law and other concepts related to salvation.
His statements about the Law being a “ministry of death” etc.
His distortion of the Old Testament scriptures.
and everything else discussed in this article.

Given all the above, it would be reasonable to rule out Paul as a true apostle. That leaves us with the question : who exactly was Paul?

Perhaps, Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus was genuine in that it was a supernatural event but he mistook it as a sign that he was chosen as a new apostle.

There’s also a chance that it was not intended to transform him into an aposle, but was simply a warning to get him to cease his hostilities towards the church. If this speculation is correct, then Paul’s experience could be compared to that of Balaam, who was also stopped in his tracks and given a warning by an angel (See Numbers 22:21-39).

Another possibility is that Paul was used as an instrument to TEST the fledgeling church of his time, much like the false prophet written of in Deuteronomy 13:1-4 or the wolves in sheep’s clothing Jesus warned about.

“Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:15-16)

God knows best.