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  • Following Paul

    Following Paul

    🟦 Paul’s Method: Gleaning the Torah and the Prophets for New‑Covenant Doctrine

    Acts 26 provides a clear window into Paul’s interpretive method. Paul states that everything he preached came from:

    • Moses (Torah)
    • The Prophets
    • The rest of the Hebrew Scriptures

    He never appeals to Greek philosophy, pagan religion, or extra‑biblical traditions. His entire doctrinal framework is rooted in the first 39 books — but not in the Sinai covenant as a binding system.

    Paul extracts what is universal, moral, spiritual, and prophetic, and leaves behind what is covenantal, national, judicial, or temporary.

    This produces a consistent, traceable pattern.

    🟩 1. Paul Retains What Is Universal and Spiritual

    Habakkuk 2:4 — “The righteous shall live by faith.”

    Paul elevates this prophetic line as the governing principle of New‑Covenant righteousness.

    Moral principles

    Love, fidelity, honesty, sexual purity, justice, mercy — all affirmed and intensified in Paul’s letters.

    Prophetic promises

    Paul repeatedly cites the prophets to show that Gentile inclusion and Spirit‑empowered righteousness were foretold long before Christ.

    These elements are trans‑covenantal — they apply to all people in all eras.

    🟩 2. Paul Removes What Is Covenant‑Bound to Israel

    These elements belong to Israel’s national covenant and are never carried into the ekklēsia:

    Judicial penalties (stoning, executions)

    These are tied to Israel’s land jurisdiction. Paul never imports them into the assemblies.

    Dietary laws

    Explicitly set aside (Romans 14; 1 Timothy 4).

    Circumcision

    Not merely optional — forbidden for Gentiles (1 Corinthians 7; Galatians 5).

    Sacrificial system

    Fulfilled in Christ; never re‑established for Gentile believers.

    Righteousness by works (Deut 6:25)

    Paul replaces the Sinai formula with faith‑righteousness (Hab 2:4; Romans 1:17).

    These components are covenantal, not universal.

    🟩 3. Paul Builds Doctrine Only From the Hebrew Scriptures — Through a New‑Covenant Lens

    Paul’s gospel is:

    • rooted in Moses and the Prophets,
    • yet radically different from Sinai.

    He extracts:

    • the spiritual core,
    • the prophetic trajectory,
    • the universal moral truths.

    He discards:

    • the national,
    • the ceremonial,
    • the judicial,
    • the temporary elements of the Sinai covenant.

    This is why Paul can say he teaches “nothing except what Moses and the Prophets said” while simultaneously rejecting large portions of the Sinai system.

    🟩 4. The Result: A Purified, Spirit‑Driven Framework

    Paul distills the Hebrew Scriptures down to their universal, Spirit‑centered essence.

    By following Paul’s doctrines and practices, believers walk confidently in the revealed will of God for the nations.

    This is the jurisdictional shift: Scripture remains the source, but Sinai is not the covenant.

  • Doctrines & Practices

    We begin with:

    • Ephesians 5:2 “Walk in love…”
    • Matthew 22:37-39 “…love…God…love thy neighbour…”
    • Deuteronomy 6:5 “…love YHVH thy God…”
    • Leviticus 19:18 “…love thy neighbour as thyself…”

    Do we follow Torah, The Jewish Messiah or The Apostle Paul’s instructions?

    The Apostle Paul was “SENT” by The Jewish Messiah to preach and teach Gentiles, and Peter, John and James were sent to preach and teach Jews.

    🌿 1. Isaiah 49:6 Was Delegated Directly to Paul (Acts 13:47)

    Isaiah 49:6 says:

    “I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles…”

    Originally spoken to the Servant of YHWH — the Messiah.

    But in Acts 13:47, Paul quotes this verse and says:

    “For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, I have set you to be a light to the Gentiles…”

    Paul does not say:

    • “This was spoken to Messiah.”
    • “This was fulfilled already.”
    • “This is not for us.”

    He says:

    “The Lord has commanded us.”

    Meaning:

    • The Messiah’s Gentile‑mission mandate is delegated to Paul.
    • Paul is the appointed vessel for Gentile salvation.
    • Paul is the executor of Isaiah 49:6 in the post‑resurrection era.

    This is the clearest textual proof that Gentile doctrine and Gentile mission flow through Paul, not through Messiah’s earthly ministry.

    🌿 2. Messiah Was Sent ONLY to Israel During His Earthly Ministry

    He says this explicitly — multiple times.

    Matthew 15:24

    “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

    This is not metaphor. This is jurisdiction.

    Matthew 10:5–6

    When sending the Twelve:

    “Go not into the way of the Gentiles… But go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.”

    This is a geographical and covenantal restriction.

    Romans 15:8

    Paul confirms it:

    “Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.”

    His earthly ministry was:

    • to Israel
    • for Israel
    • within Israel’s covenant
    • confirming Israel’s promises

    He did not minister to Gentiles. He did not teach Gentile discipleship. He did not give Gentile doctrine. He did not establish Gentile practice.

    Therefore:

    Nothing Jesus said in His earthly ministry can be universalized as Gentile doctrine unless Paul reaffirms it.

    This is not disrespect — it is covenantal accuracy.

    🌿 3. Paul Is the Sole Authorized Doctrinal Transmitter for Gentiles (2 Tim 2:2)

    Paul says:

    2 Timothy 2:2

    “The things that you have heard from me, commit to faithful men who will teach others also.”

    Notice:

    • Not “the things you heard from Jesus’ earthly ministry.”
    • Not “the things you heard from the Twelve.”
    • Not “the things you heard from Moses.”

    Paul says:

    “The things you heard from ME.”

    This is a chain of custody:

    Christ → Paul → Timothy → faithful men → the Gentile ekklesia

    Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles (Rom 11:13). Paul is the wise master builder (1 Cor 3:10). Paul received the mystery (Eph 3:1–9). Paul’s gospel will judge the world (Rom 2:16). Paul’s pattern is the pattern (1 Tim 1:16).

    Therefore:

    Paul is the sole doctrinal authority for Gentile believers.

    Not Peter. Not James. Not the Gospels. Not Torah. Not Jesus’ pre‑cross instructions to Israel.

    Only Paul.

    🎯 Putting It All Together

    Here is the airtight jurisdictional chain:

    1. Isaiah 49:6 → delegated to Paul (Acts 13:47)

    Paul is the Messiah’s appointed light to the Gentiles.

    2. Messiah’s earthly ministry → exclusively to Israel

    He taught Jews under Torah, not Gentiles under grace.

    3. Paul → sole doctrinal authority for Gentiles (II Tim 2:2)

    Gentile doctrine flows through Paul alone.

    Therefore:

    Gentiles must not build doctrine from Jesus’ earthly ministry. Gentiles must build doctrine from Paul, the apostle sent to them.

    This is not anti‑Jesus. This is honoring Jesus’ own jurisdictional design.

    SALVATION EXAMPLE

    🌿 1. JESUS’ SALVATION MESSAGE (PRE‑CROSS, TO ISRAEL)

    When the Messiah speaks about “eternal life” in the Gospels, He is speaking to:

    • Jews
    • under the Sinai covenant
    • before His death
    • before the New Covenant
    • before Gentile inclusion

    So His answer reflects Israel’s covenant terms, not the Gentile gospel.

    Matthew 19:16–17

    “If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

    Which commandments? The Torah commandments — because He is speaking to a Torah‑obligated Jew.

    Luke 10:25–28

    “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus: “What is written in the Law? … Do this and you will live.”

    Again — Torah, because the man is a Jew under Torah.

    Matthew 5:19

    “Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments…”

    Again — Torah commandments, spoken to Israel, not the nations.

    Romans 15:8 (Paul’s commentary)

    “Christ was a minister of the circumcision to confirm the promises made to the fathers.”

    Jesus’ earthly ministry = to Israel, confirming Israel’s covenant.

    So His salvation instructions reflect Israel’s covenantal obligations, not the Gentile gospel.

    🌿 2. PAUL’S SALVATION MESSAGE (POST‑CROSS, TO THE GENTILES)

    Paul’s message is radically different — because the covenant has changed and the audience has changed.

    Acts 16:30–31

    “What must I do to be saved?” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ…”

    No Torah. No commandments. No circumcision. No Sinai covenant.

    Acts 20:21

    “Repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

    Ephesians 2:8–9

    “For by grace you are saved through faith… not of works.”

    Galatians 2:16

    “A man is not justified by the works of the law.”

    Galatians 3:11

    “No one is justified by the law.”

    Romans 3:28

    “A man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.”

    Paul’s gospel is:

    Repent + Believe → Saved by Grace → Not by Torah

    This is the Gentile salvation formula, and it is the only one the apostles approved (Acts 15).

    🌿 **3. WHY THE DIFFERENCE?

    Because Jesus and Paul are operating in different jurisdictions.**

    Jesus’ earthly ministry

    • To Israel
    • Under Torah
    • Before the cross
    • Before the New Covenant
    • Before Gentile inclusion
    • Confirming the promises to the fathers

    Paul’s ministry

    • To the Gentiles
    • After the cross
    • Under the New Covenant
    • Apart from Torah
    • Revealing the mystery
    • Establishing the Gentile ekklēsia

    This is not contradiction — it is covenantal progression.

    🌿 4. The Apostles Themselves Settled This in Acts 15

    The Jerusalem Council ruled:

    • Gentiles are not to be circumcised
    • Gentiles are not to keep the Law of Moses
    • Gentiles receive four prohibitions, not Torah
    • Salvation is through grace, not Torah

    This is the official apostolic position.

    🌿 5. Paul Is the Doctrinal Authority for Gentiles (2 Tim 2:2)

    Paul says:

    “The things you have heard from ME, commit to faithful men…”

    Not:

    • the things Jesus said to Israel
    • the things Moses commanded
    • the things the Twelve taught before Acts 15

    Paul is the authorized transmitter of Gentile doctrine.

    🎯 Conclusion: Two Salvation Messages — Two Covenants — Two Audiences

    Jesus to Israel (pre‑cross):

    “Keep the commandments and live.” (Torah‑based covenant faithfulness)

    Paul to the Gentiles (post‑cross):

    “Repent and believe.” “By grace you are saved.” “Not by works of the law.”

    These are not competing messages — they are jurisdictionally distinct.

    Jesus spoke to Israel under Torah. Paul speaks to Gentiles under grace.

    And the apostles confirmed Paul’s gospel as the one binding on the nations.

    🌿 1. JESUS’ TEACHING: “Take No Thought for Your Life” (Matthew 6:25–34)

    Jesus says:

    • “Take no thought for your life…”
    • “Take no thought for what you shall eat…”
    • “Take no thought for what you shall drink…”
    • “Take no thought for what you shall wear…”
    • “Your heavenly Father knows you need these things…”
    • “Seek first the kingdom…”