I too struggled to reconcile Jesus' teachings from the synoptic gospels with much of what Paul was inspired to write in his epistles. It all began to click for me, however, read I truly began to think about Acts 15 and how the book of Acts is a transitional book. I also began to realize that not all of the bible is written to us for doctrine. Until we see the difference between the prophetic program/dispensation (to/for the nation of Israel and revealed to The Twelve by Jesus in his "earthly" ministry) and the mystery program/dispensation (to/for the Body of Christ and revealed to Paul by the RISEN Jesus in his "heavenly" ministry), then we will continue to force fit these doctrines together which inevitably results in confusion.
Don't you find Peter's last recorded words in 2 Peter 4 regarding Paul's doctrine interesting? "As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."
Peter recognized that Paul had a unique ministry and message and it is to our own destruction when we "wrest" with it.
Here are some notable differences between the ministries of The Twelve and Paul:
The Twelve
Proclaimed repentance and water baptism for salvation (Acts 2.38)
Paul
Proclaimed “believe” alone for salvation (Romans 4.5-6; 1 Corinthians 15.1-4)
The Twelve
Proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 4.17; Acts 3.19)
Paul
Proclaimed the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20.24)
The Twelve
Saved and commissioned within Israel’s borders (Matthew 16.13, 16-17)
Paul
Saved and commissioned outside Israel’s borders (Acts 9.3)
The Twelve
Were taught in Christ’s earthly ministry
Paul
Was taught in Christ’s heavenly ministry (Galatians 1.1, 11-12)
The Twelve
Ministered to Jews only (Matthew 10.5; Galatians 2.7-9)
Paul
Ministered primarily to Gentiles (Romans 11.13; Galatians 2.7-9)
The risen, ascended, glorified Lord revealed a vast amount of new information to Paul. Paul referred to these revelations as “secrets.” God had revealed none of these things to the prophets. Jesus had not revealed these truths in His earthly ministry or to the Twelve. From Paul alone do we learn the truths of Christianity: about Christ’s work of our salvation, our sanctification, our rescue from a Christ-rejecting world, and our destiny.
Holding to Pauline truths has always been a hard-fought battle. Satan knows when these truths are taught and believed the Church is strong, He therefore constantly fights to keep them hidden and to keep believers occupied with tradition and false-teaching. At the end of his life, Paul wrote Timothy, “You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes” (
2 Timothy 1.15). This was a tragic statement. Paul had expended tremendous effort and had experienced great suffering in Asia. Paul’s declaration provides insight into how theology took the direction it did and what is wrong with the theology of Christendom. Many Church Fathers were fairly orthodox but they also held unscriptural views, especially in their abandonment of Paul.
Tragically, little has changed. Most churches spend the greatest portion of their time in the Gospels and Old Testament, rather than in Paul’s epistles. This was contrary to what Paul taught (
2 Corinthians 5.16). And when Paul is taught, his doctrines are mixed with Scriptures that pertain to Israel and vice-versa. The result is confusion and contradiction. Nothing is wrong with the Gospels. Nothing is wrong with the Old Testament. But we find nothing of the Church there. Only through studying Paul and his writings do we learn about God’s work, purpose, and destiny for the body of Christ, the Church.