Paul is, in all honesty, the most misunderstood person in the Bible. Christianity seems to be based solely upon the MISUNDERSTOOD writings of Paul, who was a Torah observant Jew attempting to convey complex Hebrew ideas to the Gentiles in their own language. Somehow, his writings were twisted into being anti-Torah; but nothing could be further from the truth because Paul was – for instance - seen being Torah observant 29 years after Y’shua’s death (Acts 21:23-24)! And, contrary to popular belief, he never suggested that Jesus came to bring a new religion that was to veer from YHWH’s Divine Instructions in Righteousness.
Paul’s extensive training under Rabbi Gamliel prepared him to serve the Jewish people as an itinerant rabbi and teacher, and he would also have learned the skills of a mohel to perform brit milah (the covenant of circumcision), because he performed the circumcision for Timothy so Timothy would be recognized and honored as shomer mitzvoth (observe the Commandments).
From the time Paul first began his ministry (circa 37 CE) until he was beheaded in 67 CE, it was his custom to attend synagogues wherever he traveled. Many came to know Y’shua and entered into the Kingdom of Heaven because of his boldness.
Yet many people accuse Paul of not being a Jew.
Someone who wrote to our website recently insisted that Paul was a Christian because he "believed in Jesus." Well, truth is, Paul never even heard of "Jesus." He was an Apostle of the Torah observant, seventh day Sabbath and feast-keeping, tallit-wearing Y’shua. He was never a "Christian." To insist he was a Christian is to suggest he ignored the commanded Mo'edim/Feasts and began to keep the man-made holidays of Christmas and Easter; and that he stopped keeping the Seventh Day Sabbath and resorted to eating unclean foods....
As a matter of fact, check out some of Paul’s passages:
Romans 1: 16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of Elohim for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Acts 21: 39 Paul answered, "I AM a Jew (PRESENT TENSE!), from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people." 40 Having received the commander's permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them IN ARAMAIC:
Acts 22: 1 "Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense." 2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said: 3 "I AM A JEW (PRESENT TENSE AGAIN!), born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for Elohim as any of you are today.
Romans 3: 1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of Elohim. 3 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify Elohim's faithfulness? 4 Not at all! Let Elohim be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."
Romans 3: 29 Is Elohim the Elohim of Jews only? Is he not the Elohim of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one Elohim, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the Torah by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we UPHOLD THE TORAH!
Does that sound like Paul was a Christian? If so, which of the 40,000 different denominations did he belong to?
In order to truly understand Paul, one must stop viewing the Bible and Paul's writing through the Greek mindset....
In the book of acts chapter 11 verse 26, that is the first time they mention that the Jewish believers Yeshua were called Christian. What is the Jewish word for the believers of that day. What was their descriptive name?It was not Christian. They were called that because they were Christ like and acted like Yeshua. The true beginning of the time they were called Christians was under the rule of Constantine, I believe.
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