Acts 21-28 Paul is a Messianic Jew and declares his views under oath

[LittleLambofJesus]

Oh, why then were they chased out, put in prison and even murdered out right. Would you go to church knowing you would get beaten? They did that to Paul.

bugkiller

Correctomundo! They indeed tried to kill the Apostle Paul because of his message of Grace and Christ crucified............

http://www.herealittletherealittle.net/index.cfm?page_name=Lazarus

Acts 23:14
who having come near to the chief priests and to the elders said, 'With an anathema we did anathematize ourselves -- to taste nothing till we have killed Paul;

2 Corin 11:
23 Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind, but I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death.
24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one

Revelation 14:11
And the smoke of the tormenting of Them is ascending into Ages to-Ages.

Acts 9:23,24
And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
Nave's Topical Index

Paul's Missionary Labors.
... His testimony enraged the Jews, who stirred up the deputy of the ... denied the
Lord"not malignantly but from weakness"as Paul had persecuted the disciples ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 33 pauls missionary labors.htm

Paul Appeals to Caesar
... of the conspiracies of the Jews to murder Paul, and he ... of the gospel to turn from
the Jews to proclaim ... who are true to God will be persecuted, their motives ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 40 paul appeals to.htm

Paul Before Festus and Agrippa.
... No; he was persecuted by his countrymen, for his ... king Agrippa, I am accused of the
Jews." The promise ... Paul, however, was not blamed for simply teaching the ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxviii paul before festus.htm

The Apostle Paul.
... in his new work as he had persecuted others, being ... were given up to the authorities;
but Paul was allowed to ... he called the chief men of the Jews together and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/wee ones bible stories/the apostle paul.htm

From Antioch to the Destruction of Jerusalem.
... In the cities of Pisidia Paul was persecuted and opposed. At Antioch he made a complete
break with the Jews and at Lystra they stoned him until they thought he ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xx from antioch to.htm

Paul's Narrow Escape from Death
... when the commander had given him permission, Paul stood on ... I persecuted and even
killed the followers of Jesus ... that I had letters to our fellow Jews in Damascus ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/pauls narrow escape from death.htm

Paul's Account of what He Saw and Heard on his Way to Damascus
... THE NEW TESTAMENT PAUL'S ACCOUNT OF WHAT HE SAW AND HEARD ... You know what I did in
the past among the Jews. You know how bitterly I persecuted the church of God ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/pauls account of what he.htm

Paul in Corinth.
... In the present case, Paul was assured, not that his ... on him to hurt him." He might
be persecuted, but he ... This promise did not fail, when the Jews laid hold of ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxi paul in corinth.htm

Endurance of the World's Censure.
... Paul speaks on the subject we may infer that it is ... graciously says, "Blessed are
they which are persecuted for righteousness ... the Son of God, by the Jews, as St. ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon x endurance of the.htm

Paul in Malta and Rome.
... The Jews answered, "We neither received letters out of Judea, concerning thee ... that
the priests and elders at Jerusalem, who persecuted Paul with implacable ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxix paul in malta.htm




.

 

[bugkiller]

Correctomundo! They indeed tried to kill the Apostle Paul because of his message of Grace and Christ crucified............

http://www.herealittletherealittle.net/index.cfm?page_name=Lazarus

Acts 23:14
who having come near to the chief priests and to the elders said, 'With an anathema we did anathematize ourselves -- to taste nothing till we have killed Paul;

2 Corin 11:
23 Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind, but I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death.
24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one

Revelation 14:11
And the smoke of the tormenting of Them is ascending into Ages to-Ages.

Acts 9:23,24
And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
Nave's Topical Index

Paul's Missionary Labors.
... His testimony enraged the Jews, who stirred up the deputy of the ... denied the
Lord"not malignantly but from weakness"as Paul had persecuted the disciples ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 33 pauls missionary labors.htm

Paul Appeals to Caesar
... of the conspiracies of the Jews to murder Paul, and he ... of the gospel to turn from
the Jews to proclaim ... who are true to God will be persecuted, their motives ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 40 paul appeals to.htm

Paul Before Festus and Agrippa.
... No; he was persecuted by his countrymen, for his ... king Agrippa, I am accused of the
Jews." The promise ... Paul, however, was not blamed for simply teaching the ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxviii paul before festus.htm

The Apostle Paul.
... in his new work as he had persecuted others, being ... were given up to the authorities;
but Paul was allowed to ... he called the chief men of the Jews together and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/wee ones bible stories/the apostle paul.htm

From Antioch to the Destruction of Jerusalem.
... In the cities of Pisidia Paul was persecuted and opposed. At Antioch he made a complete
break with the Jews and at Lystra they stoned him until they thought he ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xx from antioch to.htm

Paul's Narrow Escape from Death
... when the commander had given him permission, Paul stood on ... I persecuted and even
killed the followers of Jesus ... that I had letters to our fellow Jews in Damascus ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/pauls narrow escape from death.htm

Paul's Account of what He Saw and Heard on his Way to Damascus
... THE NEW TESTAMENT PAUL'S ACCOUNT OF WHAT HE SAW AND HEARD ... You know what I did in
the past among the Jews. You know how bitterly I persecuted the church of God ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/pauls account of what he.htm

Paul in Corinth.
... In the present case, Paul was assured, not that his ... on him to hurt him." He might
be persecuted, but he ... This promise did not fail, when the Jews laid hold of ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxi paul in corinth.htm

Endurance of the World's Censure.
... Paul speaks on the subject we may infer that it is ... graciously says, "Blessed are
they which are persecuted for righteousness ... the Son of God, by the Jews, as St. ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon x endurance of the.htm

Paul in Malta and Rome.
... The Jews answered, "We neither received letters out of Judea, concerning thee ... that
the priests and elders at Jerusalem, who persecuted Paul with implacable ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxix paul in malta.htm
.

Wow!

bugkiller

 

[Berean777]

The Pharisical religious institution was charged by Jesus with the deaths of Abel right through to the death of the last Old Testament prophet Zechariah. Even though they had nothing to do with the death of Abel, yet Jesus is emphasising an important point, that is, the religious institution from its beginning was corrupt and unpleasant to him. The so called church was a dismal failure and Jesus separated himself from this religious institution. This institution was even symbolised as the beast that spoke like a dragon and who persecuted the 1st century church. So Paul and Peter had no intentions in reverting to their Jewish religious practices, rather they looked the part to infiltrate the religious congregations, so to pluck out their own people from the religious institution that God and Christ made desolate.

This abomination that maketh desolate was setup all over again by a future second lamb/Christ like man/beast religious institution that would encompass the globe and would pay homage to the image of the first beast that was slain in 70AD. This Christ like second man/beast religious enterprise comprising of many daughters of the first beast religious mother harlot great Babylon, has modelled its chief priesthood and hierarchy like the first beast and has mandated that all pay homage to that temple centred religious institution that today's patriarchal and papacy institutions represent, so the abomination that maketh setup is a Christ like institution built and modelled on the bygone Pharisical religious institution that had a chief priest that offered the sacrifice in the holy of Holies.

Today's religious institutions claim that they offer on behalf of their chief priest a sacrifice repeatedly within what they call the holy of Holies, in an earthly temple centred worship fashion as the old convent people's had practiced. Offcourse when the old Pharisical institution was made desolate, the chief priesthood would be forever changed and the holy of Holies went from and earthly institution, with the chief priest who ministered and interceded on behalf of the congregation to the heavenly Melchizedek chief priesthood that was sworn in by an oath and is permanent and non transferable to another, because Christ Jesus holds that office forever because he has indestructible life. Not only this, but the Holy of Holies moved to the heavenly tabernacle where Christ dwells and is ministering and interceding on our behaves as his body of believers.

So the scripture writes the following......

From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. (Daniel 1211-12)

So it is apparent that the second lamb/Christ like beast that models itself after the first beast that went down in 70AD, establishes itself globally to be the church, in so doing God says that they will remove the daily sacrifice who is Christ Jesus from the institution, by establishing another chief priesthood in his place and by so doing, they then fall under the old covenant practice who have patriarchal and papacy chief priests ministering and interceding in the claimed earthly holy of Holies modelled after the first beast institution. This act is therefore in defiance to the Melchizedek chief priesthood who Christ is as our righteous King and chief priest, by removing him altogether.

So God's people will be given into his hands for a period of time until this corrupt religious institution is also exposed as a fraud, that plagarises the 1st century apostolic faith.

He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time. (Daniel 7:25)

The times and laws that he thinks to change is what God the Father established through the one and only chief Prieshood Melchizedek, who is his only begotten Son Christ Jesus, who is the foundation of the new covenant that replaced and made obsolete the old covenant.

So people who practice the old covenant practice are thereby doing it in defiance and rebelliousness to God the Father as this practice is the abomination that maketh desolate, meaning this house was declared desolate by Jesus and being part of it brings destruction and not salvation to those people.

 

[bugkiller]

The Pharisical religious institution was charged by Jesus with the deaths of Abel right through to the death of the last Old Testament prophet Zechariah. Even though they had nothing to do with the death of Abel, yet Jesus is emphasising an important point, that is, the religious institution from its beginning was corrupt and unpleasant to him. The so called church was a dismal failure and Jesus separated himself from this religious institution. This institution was even symbolised as the beast that spoke like a dragon and who persecuted the 1st century church. So Paul and Peter had no intentions in reverting to their Jewish religious practices, rather they looked the part to infiltrate the religious congregations, so to pluck out their own people from the religious institution that God and Christ made desolate.

This abomination that maketh desolate was setup all over again by a future second lamb/Christ like man/beast religious institution that would encompass the globe and would pay homage to the image of the first beast that was slain in 70AD. This Christ like second man/beast religious enterprise comprising of many daughters of the first beast religious mother harlot great Babylon, has modelled its chief priesthood and hierarchy like the first beast and has mandated that all pay homage to that temple centred religious institution that today's patriarchal and papacy institutions represent, so the abomination that maketh setup is a Christ like institution built and modelled on the bygone Pharisical religious institution that had a chief priest that offered the sacrifice in the holy of Holies.

Today's religious institutions claim that they offer on behalf of their chief priest a sacrifice repeatedly within what they call the holy of Holies, in an earthly temple centred worship fashion as the old convent people's had practiced. Offcourse when the old Pharisical institution was made desolate, the chief priesthood would be forever changed and the holy of Holies went from and earthly institution, with the chief priest who ministered and interceded on behalf of the congregation to the heavenly Melchizedek chief priesthood that was sworn in by an oath and is permanent and non transferable to another, because Christ Jesus holds that office forever because he has indestructible life. Not only this, but the Holy of Holies moved to the heavenly tabernacle where Christ dwells and is ministering and interceding on our behaves as his body of believers.

So the scripture writes the following......

From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. (Daniel 1211-12)

So it is apparent that the second lamb/Christ like beast that models itself after the first beast that went down in 70AD, establishes itself globally to be the church, in so doing God says that they will remove the daily sacrifice who is Christ Jesus from the institution, by establishing another chief priesthood in his place and by so doing, they then fall under the old covenant practice who have patriarchal and papacy chief priests ministering and interceding in the claimed earthly holy of Holies modelled after the first beast institution. This act is therefore in defiance to the Melchizedek chief priesthood who Christ is as our righteous King and chief priest, by removing him altogether.

So God's people will be given into his hands for a period of time until this corrupt religious institution is also exposed as a fraud, that plagarises the 1st century apostolic faith.

He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time. (Daniel 7:25)

The times and laws that he thinks to change is what God the Father established through the one and only chief Prieshood Melchizedek, who is his only begotten Son Christ Jesus, who is the foundation of the new covenant that replaced and made obsolete the old covenant.

So people who practice the old covenant practice are thereby doing it in defiance and rebelliousness to God the Father as this practice is the abomination that maketh desolate, meaning this house was declared desolate by Jesus and being part of it brings destruction and not salvation to those people.

Excellent

bugkiller

 

[BobRyan]

The Pharisical religious institution was charged by Jesus with the deaths of Abel right through to the death of the last Old Testament prophet Zechariah.

The Jews crucified Christ.

Christ said in John 4 "SALVATION is OF the JEWS" --

The NEW COVENANT in the NT is NOT made "with gentiles" it is still with "The HOUSE of ISRAEL" in Heb 8:6-10 because all gentiles are grafted in - as Romans 11 states.

Hence Paul can give this testimony - as noted on "page 1".

Acts 21-28 gives a great view of how Paul declared his own practice "under oath" and before both Jews and gentiles starting with clarification of his teaching for his fellow Messianic Jews.

Acts 21
24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law

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

Acts 25
8 while he answered for himself, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.;

Acts 26
Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come; 23 that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles;

Acts 28
17 And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,... I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
...
23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening

 

[BobRyan]

notice then the "details" in Paul's clarification to his fellow Messianic Jews in Acts 21.

Acts 21
20 And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; 21 and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.

(Many on this board would be tempted to argue - "yeah... that is EXACTLY what Paul was doing!" - Paul goes out of his way to disprove it.



22 What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
23 Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law..

And those who want to just focus on one tiny verse in Acts 21 -- Acts 21:25 to the exclusion of the entire episode - find that there in that one tiny verse gentiles are not commanded to "Love God with all their heart" or to "love your neighbor as yourself" nor even "thou shalt not murder" ... none of that is in Acts 21:25. Since obviously Acts 21:25 is NOT the "tiny 1 verse Bible left for gentiles" - but rather shows the restrictions from OT food laws that need to be held up as reminders for Gentiles as new practice they might not be familiar with.

What we have quoted there is this restriction from Lev 17 and eating meat with blood in it.

Acts 21:25
25 But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication;
​

In the case of the two above - they are from Lev 19:18 and Deut 6:5 -- quoted by Christ, and Paul and james 2 in Lev 19 form -- but not in Acts 21:25 or in Acts 15... because those two are not trying to downsize/resize scripture at all - they allow for all of it.

 

[ToBeLoved]

Subscribing. Via this message. On cell

 

[Berean777]

The Jews crucified Christ.

Christ said in John 4 "SALVATION is OF the JEWS" --

The NEW COVENANT in the NT is NOT made "with gentiles" it is still with "The HOUSE of ISRAEL" in Heb 8:6-10 because all gentiles are grafted in - as Romans 11 states.

Hence Paul can give this testimony - as noted on "page 1".

Acts 21-28 gives a great view of how Paul declared his own practice "under oath" and before both Jews and gentiles starting with clarification of his teaching for his fellow Messianic Jews.

Acts 21
24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law

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

Acts 25
8 while he answered for himself, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.;

Acts 26
Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come; 23 that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles;

Acts 28
17 And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,... I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
...
23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening

We need to understand how Paul was persuading his fellow Jews, from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets concerning Jesus the Christ?

Two pertinent questions need to be addressed before addressing the above question......

What did the law represent to the Jews?
What did the prophets represent to the Jews?

Let us first consider what the law represented to the Jews.........

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)

Righteousness seems to be directly tied to the keeping of the law. So the question that would need to be answer as a follow up to this, is ...........

3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6They were using this question as a trap,in order to have a basis for accusing him. (John 8:3-6)

So righteousness seems to be directly tied to the keeping of the law and the keeping of the law requires a person to be sinless and pure in heart. So how did Jesus reply.......

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

Notice that the Pharisees of the law who tried to pin down Jesus in regards to the law of Moses, on the issue of adultery all dispersed because they could never claim to be sinless and if that is the case, then being seen to observe the law is not what entails in regards to the keeping of the law, if you know what I mean.

If you don't know what I mean, then let us go back to how Jesus addresses each of Moses's laws......

Murder

21“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:21-22)

Jesus always when correcting the Pharisees of the law on how the law should be kept, that is, in the heart, always started of saying that you have heard.....

This catch phrase that formed part of Jesus's intro.. Is meant to address his the law should have been kept and yet it wasn't kept the way it should have been. Notice as far as Jesus is concerned murder does not only involving killing of the body, but it also involves spiritual murder, when people use their tongues viciously against others in ways of inciting hatred and violance.

Let us carry on.......

Adultery

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’e 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Now it is becoming familiar, that the Pharisees were seen to be keeping the law and so to appear outwardly righteous in the sight of men, to be practicing righteousness is not what keeping the laws is about.

Now without going into all the examples that Jesus addressed, please read the laws that concern divorce, oaths, eye for an eye and love for your enemies.

I believe we have covered why Paul practiced Jewish religious rituals in order to be seen of his fellow Jews, in order to be granted an audience, so that he can persuade them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. In order to do so, he needed to infiltrate the temple and to gain their audience.

Paul had explained to them that the law and the keeping of the law involved more than ritualistic practices. It involved keeping them in one's heart, by not allowing evil thoughts to manifest. He highlighted how Jesus fulfilled the law, that the Pharisees couldn't because they misunderstood how the law should have been kept. Again I revert you to the catch phrase that Jesus used........

You have heard that it was said......

Notice that Jesus brought light to how the law was to be kept. Keeping the law is righteousness and righteousness is a sinless state of one's heart and has nothing to do with external practices that Paul was forced to follow in order to be granted audience by his fellow Jews.

Prophets represented instruction from God and Moses was told in Deuteronomy that another like him him, called the prophet would come to shine the light and to bring in everlasting righteousness and this man is Jesus of Nazereth and so the fullfillment of the law and prophets is through Jesus Christ.

for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10)

Paul didn't need to shave his head or observe any Jewish practice externally to observe the law, rather he was doing so to look the part and speak the part in order to gain the audience of those who attended the temple on the sabbath. In fact Paul was not even keeping the sabbath by going to the temple on the sabbath, rather he was going to a place where he knew he could access Torah observing Jews. His disguise was a Trojan horse to be and look the part, without risking being found and tossed out of the temple. If you recall he eventually was tossed out and this is further proof that Paul's intentions was never to observe Pharisical practices, for those practices as far as he was concerned were all a thing of the past. Paul would say all my education as a Pharisees is for the garbage bin. So Paul in essence when embracing Christ started all over again and had to relearn the new religious movement that Christ Jesus founded.

 

[Meowzltov]

Paul is a great example of a Messianic Jew.

Yes he is, but because of the misunderstandings surrounding him, I prefer to point people in the direction of James and the thousands of Jewish believers in Acts 21 who were all zealous for Torah.

 

[Berean777]

Acts 21
20 And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; 21 and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs

Were they not all zealous for the law before they believed in Jesus Christ?

Offcourse they were, they were just as zealous for the law, regardless of their conversion to Christ. So what does it all mean?

Obviously the author is trying to emphasise that those who started to believe in Jesus Christ were amongst the learnered of the Jewish society, that is Pharisee like. This is something to boast about, that is they managed to convert the learnered of the Jewish society, the cream of the crop so to speak.

Obviously another issue that had been brought up is a false charge to discredit Paul in front of these new converts by labelling him as an anti Jew.

 

[bugkiller]

We need to understand how Paul was persuading his fellow Jews, from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets concerning Jesus the Christ?

Two pertinent questions need to be addressed before addressing the above question......

What did the law represent to the Jews?
What did the prophets represent to the Jews?

Let us first consider what the law represented to the Jews.........

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)

Righteousness seems to be directly tied to the keeping of the law. So the question that would need to be answer as a follow up to this, is ...........

3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6They were using this question as a trap,in order to have a basis for accusing him. (John 8:3-6)

So righteousness seems to be directly tied to the keeping of the law and the keeping of the law requires a person to be sinless and pure in heart. So how did Jesus reply.......

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

Notice that the Pharisees of the law who tried to pin down Jesus in regards to the law of Moses, on the issue of adultery all dispersed because they could never claim to be sinless and if that is the case, then being seen to observe the law is not what entails in regards to the keeping of the law, if you know what I mean.

If you don't know what I mean, then let us go back to how Jesus addresses each of Moses's laws......

Murder

21“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:21-22)

Jesus always when correcting the Pharisees of the law on how the law should be kept, that is, in the heart, always started of saying that you have heard.....

This catch phrase that formed part of Jesus's intro.. Is meant to address his the law should have been kept and yet it wasn't kept the way it should have been. Notice as far as Jesus is concerned murder does not only involving killing of the body, but it also involves spiritual murder, when people use their tongues viciously against others in ways of inciting hatred and violance.

Let us carry on.......

Adultery

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’e 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Now it is becoming familiar, that the Pharisees were seen to be keeping the law and so to appear outwardly righteous in the sight of men, to be practicing righteousness is not what keeping the laws is about.

Now without going into all the examples that Jesus addressed, please read the laws that concern divorce, oaths, eye for an eye and love for your enemies.

I believe we have covered why Paul practiced Jewish religious rituals in order to be seen of his fellow Jews, in order to be granted an audience, so that he can persuade them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. In order to do so, he needed to infiltrate the temple and to gain their audience.

Paul had explained to them that the law and the keeping of the law involved more than ritualistic practices. It involved keeping them in one's heart, by not allowing evil thoughts to manifest. He highlighted how Jesus fulfilled the law, that the Pharisees couldn't because they misunderstood how the law should have been kept. Again I revert you to the catch phrase that Jesus used........

You have heard that it was said......

Notice that Jesus brought light to how the law was to be kept. Keeping the law is righteousness and righteousness is a sinless state of one's heart and has nothing to do with external practices that Paul was forced to follow in order to be granted audience by his fellow Jews.

Prophets represented instruction from God and Moses was told in Deuteronomy that another like him him, called the prophet would come to shine the light and to bring in everlasting righteousness and this man is Jesus of Nazereth and so the fullfillment of the law and prophets is through Jesus Christ.

for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10)

Paul didn't need to shave his head or observe any Jewish practice externally to observe the law, rather he was doing so to look the part and speak the part in order to gain the audience of those who attended the temple on the sabbath. In fact Paul was not even keeping the sabbath by going to the temple on the sabbath, rather he was going to a place where he knew he could access Torah observing Jews. His disguise was a Trojan horse to be and look the part, without risking being found and tossed out of the temple. If you recall he eventually was tossed out and this is further proof that Paul's intentions was never to observe Pharisical practices, for those practices as far as he was concerned were all a thing of the past. Paul would say all my education as a Pharisees is for the garbage bin. So Paul in essence when embracing Christ started all over again and had to relearn the new religious movement that Christ Jesus founded.

Well put together!!!!

bugkiller

 

[Berean777]

22 What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
23 Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law..

Paul was told to play the part, so that those railing accusations do not take away Paul's credibility amongst the learnered Jews who were converted to Christ. Paul was asked to pretend to be an observer for the time that this group of Jewish converts came, to see that Paul is pro Jewish. This is nothing more than church politics at play.

25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

Church politics friend church politics. So Paul was required to act the part and show that he was not like the Gentiles. This act would be hypocritical to all of Paul's epistles. In fact if Paul did it by faith, then he is a deceiver, but Paul did it to be who ever they wanted him to be in order that he gain audience and to repair his credibility that was in question. Politics poltics poltics nothing more and nothing less.

 

[Dkh587]

Paul was told to play the part, so that those railing accusations do not take away Paul's credibility amongst the learnered Jews who were converted to Christ. Paul was asked to pretend to be an observer for the time that this group of Jewish converts came, to see that Paul is pro Jewish. This is nothing more than church politics at play.

25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

Church politics friend church politics. So Paul was required to act the part and show that he was not like the Gentiles. This act would be hypocritical to all of Paul's epistles. In fact if Paul did it by faith, then he is a deceiver, but Paul did it to be who ever they wanted him to be in order that he gain audience and to repair his credibility that was in question. Politics poltics poltics nothing more and nothing less.

Paul pretended to be an observer? Do you know how false and hypocritical and wicked "faking a vow" is? That would mean Paul lied about obeying and teaching God commandments. How is that even remotely not sin? And how do you even come to the conclusion that Paul faked a vow?

If Paul really was pretending, which I don't believe that he was, then he is a false prophet and a wolf in sheep's clothing.

 

[Berean777]

Paul pretended to be an observer? Do you know how false and hypocritical and wicked "faking a vow" is? That would mean Paul lied about obeying and teaching God commandments. How is that even remotely not sin? And how do you even come to the conclusion that Paul faked a vow?

If Paul really was pretending, which I don't believe that he was, then he is a false prophet and a wolf in sheep's clothing.

The vow is not counted, because it is a practice under the old covenant. Since Paul fell under the new covenant he is not under any obligation and in this regard he can fake it withoit it being a sin.

Jews under the Torah do this all the time with their communion with Christian Zionists. The mindset is they can lie to a gentile but not a Jew.

Paul lied to Torah observers because he was a new testament observer, who was freed by Christ from his Pharisical obligations. If he observed Torah practices by faith, then he liedto Jesus Christ. Notice the continuation to verse 25 shows Paul being found out to be an infiltrator and the reason he gave with open hands was to say that he was blinded ob the road to Damascus by Jesus who he is commissioned by. So he openly declares allegiance to Jesus and that is why he did what he did as far as making a false oath.

 

[Dkh587]

The vow is not counted, because it is a practice under the old covenant. Since Paul fell under the new covenant he is not under any obligation and in this regard he can fake it withoit it being a sin.

Jews under the Torah do this all the time with their communion with Christian Zionists. The mindset is they can lie to a gentile but not a Jew.

Paul lied to Torah observers because he was a new testament observer, who was freed by Christ from his Pharisical obligations. If he observed Torah practices by faith, then he liedto Jesus Christ. Notice the continuation to verse 25 shows Paul being found out to be an infiltrator and the reason he gave with open hands was to say that he was blinded ob the road to Damascus by Jesus who he is commissioned by. So he openly declares allegiance to Jesus and that is why he did what he did as far as making a false oath.

If you believe that Paul was a liar and a deceiver, i don't believe we'll get very far in this discussion.

 

[Berean777]

Obviously this was not the first time that Paul had pretended to fit in as a Jew and to preach against the Jewish customs. Even in this instant he was caught faking an oath in order to infiltrate. The true motive of Paul is testified by the Jews who had witnessed an occurance and reoccurance of him preaching Christ. The very act of preaching Christ after he made the oath goes against the very oath that he stay loyal to the ground rules of the establishment. Obviously Paul had no intention to be loyal to the establishment.

Paul Seized in the Temple

27And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, 28Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all menevery where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. 29(For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

Now we see Paul's plead to why he broke the oath and his true intentions in the following versus in context..

1“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.”

2When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.

Then Paul said: 3“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. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

6“About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’

8“ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.

“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.

10“ ‘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.’11My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.

12“A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.

14“Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’

17“When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance 18and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’

19“ ‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20And when the blood of your martyra Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’

21“Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles

 

[ToBeLoved]

We need to understand how Paul was persuading his fellow Jews, from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets concerning Jesus the Christ?

Two pertinent questions need to be addressed before addressing the above question......

What did the law represent to the Jews?
What did the prophets represent to the Jews?

Let us first consider what the law represented to the Jews.........

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)

Righteousness seems to be directly tied to the keeping of the law. So the question that would need to be answer as a follow up to this, is ...........

3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6They were using this question as a trap,in order to have a basis for accusing him. (John 8:3-6)

So righteousness seems to be directly tied to the keeping of the law and the keeping of the law requires a person to be sinless and pure in heart. So how did Jesus reply.......

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

Notice that the Pharisees of the law who tried to pin down Jesus in regards to the law of Moses, on the issue of adultery all dispersed because they could never claim to be sinless and if that is the case, then being seen to observe the law is not what entails in regards to the keeping of the law, if you know what I mean.

If you don't know what I mean, then let us go back to how Jesus addresses each of Moses's laws......

Murder

21“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:21-22)

Jesus always when correcting the Pharisees of the law on how the law should be kept, that is, in the heart, always started of saying that you have heard.....

This catch phrase that formed part of Jesus's intro.. Is meant to address his the law should have been kept and yet it wasn't kept the way it should have been. Notice as far as Jesus is concerned murder does not only involving killing of the body, but it also involves spiritual murder, when people use their tongues viciously against others in ways of inciting hatred and violance.

Let us carry on.......

Adultery

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’e 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Now it is becoming familiar, that the Pharisees were seen to be keeping the law and so to appear outwardly righteous in the sight of men, to be practicing righteousness is not what keeping the laws is about.

Now without going into all the examples that Jesus addressed, please read the laws that concern divorce, oaths, eye for an eye and love for your enemies.

I believe we have covered why Paul practiced Jewish religious rituals in order to be seen of his fellow Jews, in order to be granted an audience, so that he can persuade them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. In order to do so, he needed to infiltrate the temple and to gain their audience.

Paul had explained to them that the law and the keeping of the law involved more than ritualistic practices. It involved keeping them in one's heart, by not allowing evil thoughts to manifest. He highlighted how Jesus fulfilled the law, that the Pharisees couldn't because they misunderstood how the law should have been kept. Again I revert you to the catch phrase that Jesus used........

You have heard that it was said......

Notice that Jesus brought light to how the law was to be kept. Keeping the law is righteousness and righteousness is a sinless state of one's heart and has nothing to do with external practices that Paul was forced to follow in order to be granted audience by his fellow Jews.

Prophets represented instruction from God and Moses was told in Deuteronomy that another like him him, called the prophet would come to shine the light and to bring in everlasting righteousness and this man is Jesus of Nazereth and so the fullfillment of the law and prophets is through Jesus Christ.

for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10)

Paul didn't need to shave his head or observe any Jewish practice externally to observe the law, rather he was doing so to look the part and speak the part in order to gain the audience of those who attended the temple on the sabbath. In fact Paul was not even keeping the sabbath by going to the temple on the sabbath, rather he was going to a place where he knew he could access Torah observing Jews. His disguise was a Trojan horse to be and look the part, without risking being found and tossed out of the temple. If you recall he eventually was tossed out and this is further proof that Paul's intentions was never to observe Pharisical practices, for those practices as far as he was concerned were all a thing of the past. Paul would say all my education as a Pharisees is for the garbage bin. So Paul in essence when embracing Christ started all over again and had to relearn the new religious movement that Christ Jesus founded.

Great points!!!

I would just like to add another thought. I also think Paul needed to demonstrate to the Pharisee's that he indeed does know the law and practiced all of the law before coming to Christ.

I believe that if he had not been a Hebrew and had not lived himself in observance of the law before Christ I don't think he would have even made it inside the temple much less gotten an audience with the Pharisee's.

That's what I think.

 

[Berean777]

Great points!!!

I would just like to add another thought. I also think Paul needed to demonstrate to the Pharisee's that he indeed does know the law and practiced all of the law before coming to Christ.

I believe that if he had not been a Hebrew and had not lived himself in observance of the law before Christ I don't think he would have even made it inside the temple much less gotten an audience with the Pharisee's.

That's what I think.

Hear! Hear!

That was his defense when he got caught in the act (Acts 22).

 

[BobRyan]

Obviously this was not the first time that Paul had pretended to fit in

non-Christian Jews were often found arguing that "Paul is a liar -- just pretending".

How "odd' that some Christians would join that chorus.

Paul is testifying under oath in a court of law in the majority of those quotes given --- choose another option besides "Paul is a liar" please.

 

[Berean777]

non-Christian Jews were often found arguing that "Paul is a liar -- just pretending".

How "odd' that some Christians would join that chorus.

Paul is testifying under oath in a court of law in the majority of those quotes given --- choose another option besides "Paul is a liar" please.

Show those versus that clearly have Paul making an oath.