PAUL
Tertullus called him a pestilent fellow and Agrippa thought him mad. The Jews sought to kill him and accused him of having turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6). Modern critics say he was out of God’s will and Peter said that he wrote things hard to be understood (II Peter 3:16). Even Paul himself seems to delight in distancing himself from the ministry of Peter and the twelve:
Galatians 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles;)
Just what was this gospel of the circumcision that was given to James, Cephas (Peter) and John? A glance at their epistles show us that it was a ministry to Jewish believers, confirming their faith even though the promises of Christ's return as King had not yet been fulfilled. There is nothing new in their message; rather it is an admonition to continue that which Christ taught them in the Gospels.
In John's epistles, no less than ten times, they are admonished to continue in Christ's teachings, which they have heard from the beginning. James confirms who they were writing to when he begins his epistle, James...to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad (James 1:1). He then admonishes them to Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord...behold the judge standeth at the door. In mockery, Josephus reports, the unbelieving Jews replied, "Tell us, what is the door of Jesus?" (i.e., by what door will He come when He returns?) To this James answered, "Why ask ye me concerning Jesus the Son of man? He sitteth at the right hand of power, and will come again on the clouds of heaven."
When James said that the Jews took him to the pinnacle of the Temple on Passover and pushed him headlong to the ground where he was stoned and beaten to death with a fuller's brush. His last words were, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. General Titus shortly afterwards destroyed the Temple and the Jews were dispersed throughout the world as James had predicted in James 5:1-6. Peter encourages this same group of Jews to gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:13). Study all you wish and you will find that there are no new revelations in the General Epistles. All were revealed earlier either in the Old Testament or in the Gospels.
In stark contrast we have Paul speaking of the abundance of the revelations (II Cor. 12:7) that were given to him concerning the blindness of Israel, the mystery of the Body of Christ, the doctrine of the Rapture of the Church and the many other revelations concerning the blessings on believers during this present age of grace. Paul's gospel of the uncircumcision is the ultimate blessing for us because apart from his epistles, we Gentiles would still be without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world (Eph. 2:12).
It was Paul that gave us the good news, But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:13). This ultimate revelation for us is given in what Paul calls, the mystery. It is something totally new, never having been revealed in the Old Testament or Gospels: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery... Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men...And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:3,5,9).
Now, for the first time in history, we Gentiles have access to God apart from Israel. We can come directly to God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ without the intercession of a Jewish Priest: Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:6,7).
We are now joint heirs, members of the Body of Christ and joint partakers of the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ Jesus:
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel (Eph. 3:6).
Paul and Paul alone is the revealer of this glorious gospel: If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery... Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:2-3; 7-9).
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8,9).
Tertullus called him a pestilent fellow and Agrippa thought him mad. The Jews sought to kill him and accused him of having turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6). Modern critics say he was out of God’s will and Peter said that he wrote things hard to be understood (II Peter 3:16). Even Paul himself seems to delight in distancing himself from the ministry of Peter and the twelve:
Galatians 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles;)
Just what was this gospel of the circumcision that was given to James, Cephas (Peter) and John? A glance at their epistles show us that it was a ministry to Jewish believers, confirming their faith even though the promises of Christ's return as King had not yet been fulfilled. There is nothing new in their message; rather it is an admonition to continue that which Christ taught them in the Gospels.
In John's epistles, no less than ten times, they are admonished to continue in Christ's teachings, which they have heard from the beginning. James confirms who they were writing to when he begins his epistle, James...to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad (James 1:1). He then admonishes them to Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord...behold the judge standeth at the door. In mockery, Josephus reports, the unbelieving Jews replied, "Tell us, what is the door of Jesus?" (i.e., by what door will He come when He returns?) To this James answered, "Why ask ye me concerning Jesus the Son of man? He sitteth at the right hand of power, and will come again on the clouds of heaven."
When James said that the Jews took him to the pinnacle of the Temple on Passover and pushed him headlong to the ground where he was stoned and beaten to death with a fuller's brush. His last words were, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. General Titus shortly afterwards destroyed the Temple and the Jews were dispersed throughout the world as James had predicted in James 5:1-6. Peter encourages this same group of Jews to gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:13). Study all you wish and you will find that there are no new revelations in the General Epistles. All were revealed earlier either in the Old Testament or in the Gospels.
In stark contrast we have Paul speaking of the abundance of the revelations (II Cor. 12:7) that were given to him concerning the blindness of Israel, the mystery of the Body of Christ, the doctrine of the Rapture of the Church and the many other revelations concerning the blessings on believers during this present age of grace. Paul's gospel of the uncircumcision is the ultimate blessing for us because apart from his epistles, we Gentiles would still be without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world (Eph. 2:12).
It was Paul that gave us the good news, But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:13). This ultimate revelation for us is given in what Paul calls, the mystery. It is something totally new, never having been revealed in the Old Testament or Gospels: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery... Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men...And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:3,5,9).
Now, for the first time in history, we Gentiles have access to God apart from Israel. We can come directly to God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ without the intercession of a Jewish Priest: Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:6,7).
We are now joint heirs, members of the Body of Christ and joint partakers of the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ Jesus:
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel (Eph. 3:6).
Paul and Paul alone is the revealer of this glorious gospel: If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery... Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:2-3; 7-9).
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8,9).