Part 5 of 17 -

 

Paul’s Source

 

If we are to receive the Apostle Paul’s writings as God’s gospel to the Gentile “church, which is His body,” as they were intended for us, then we must look deeper into Paul’s message, within its context. Paul’s gospel message came to him not by having been taught it by any of the Jesus of Nazareth’s twelve disciples; rather, Paul received it as result of divine revelation coming directly from the ascended or celestial Christ (Act 9:3-4), for Paul to give to the Gentiles.

Gal 1:11-12 …I (Paul) certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. ¹² For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of (from) Jesus Christ.

What is overlooked by most all Christendom is that Paul received what we might call the Bible’s “ultimate and concluding” gospel revelation. Paul calls this message by these names; “the mystery,” and “my gospel.” “Mystery” here means “a secret that can only be divinely revealed.” Colossians 1:26-26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints (Paul, Barnabas, Silas, etc.): ²⁷ To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Paul received divine revelation of all that concerns Jesus Christ for “the body of Christ” directly from the ascended heavenly Christ. This includes information concerning the meaning and grace of the cross as the keystone of all that God has provided for mankind in Christ. (See The Blood of Christ & the Forgiveness of Sins Under the Grace Gospel)

Paul received this information progressively from the ascended Christ, coming by the many appearances of Christ to Paul. Jesus said this of Paul; Acts 26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Paul wrote, 2 Cor 12:1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 Cor 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh…

Paul’s received his pure grace gospel to “finalize” God’s the dispensations that define God’s relationships with man throughout the ages. Colossians 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil (Greek, pleroo, to complete, or to finalize) the word of God. The ascended Jesus made a special trip and intervention, directly from heaven, to save Paul on the road to Damascus , to give Paul this last gospel message as his ministry to the Gentiles. This message differed greatly from the message given to the 12 disciples of Jesus. The twelve had been sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel .

Compare the instructions Jesus gave His “twelve” disciples with Paul’s calling, noting also their messages and to whom their messages were to be given.

• Matthew 10:5-7 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: ⁶ But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel . ⁷ And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. We must consider Jesus’ words here above in the context of the day in which it was not lawful Jews to be with, eat with, or even speak with a Gentile.

·       Now note here God’s mission for Paul. Acts 9:15-16 But the Lord said… for he (Paul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles…  In contrast to Jesus’ instruction to the twelve, Paul's message was the mystery gospel … for the Gentiles (Eph 3:1-2). Normally, this was anathema for a Jew. Rom 11:13 I (Paul) speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles…

Since Paul’s source was Christ Himself, he admonishes the believers as follows. 1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me (Paul), even as I (Paul) also am of Christ. Paul followed the indwelling Christ of the mystery, and we also ought to live by the indwelling Christ. Martin Luther wrote: “Those who want to be first-class scholars in the school of Christ want to pick up the language of Paul.” Ultimately, open-minded students of the Bible will come to see that Paul is to “the grace of God” as Moses was to “the Law of God.” Paul was called to “lay the foundation” (1Cor 3:10); the message of the grace of Christ for the predominantly Gentile “body of Christ.”