In two previous posts on this blog (Why an Apostle Paul? (Part 1) and (Why an Apostle Paul? (Part 2), I discussed the essential role that Paul played in correcting both the direction and theology of the Christian Church. The Church began as a wholly Jewish institution - composed of Torah observant Jews who believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah promised by the Hebrew Scriptures. Even so, following Christ's death and resurrection, his original disciples/apostles had largely failed to carry out his instructions regarding the Great Commission - to carry his message to the whole world (Gentiles included - see Matthew 28:16-20). Moreover, they had failed to fully comprehend that Christ had fulfilled Torah and the prophets and had freed them from any responsibility to pursue their own righteousness through Torah observance. Paul corrected both of these deficiencies!
Indeed, we are informed in the writings of the New Testament that Christ raised up Paul for this very reason! Paul had been a highly educated and Torah observant Jew who had enthusiastically persecuted Christ's followers. Then, suddenly, Paul experienced Divine intervention in a big way. Christ dramatically tapped him to correct the malaise and misunderstanding which had engulfed his followers since his ascension to heaven. In the book of Acts, we learn that Paul was suddenly struck blind on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians (9:1-9). Then, we read: "Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, 'Ananias.' And he said, 'Here I am, Lord.' And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.' But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.' But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.'" (9:10-15, ESV) Notice, that Jesus intended this man (Saul/Paul) to "carry my name before the Gentiles and kings" AND "the children of Israel."
Was Christ being forced to go to "Plan B"? Not at all - Christ was demonstrating that his and the Father's will would not be thwarted by human failures (to act or understand)! His disciples had failed to act on the Great Commission and had failed to understand just how completely he had fulfilled Torah and the Prophets. Notice that Christ's next act was to give Peter a special vision to make him understand that the way to him MUST be opened to the Gentiles (Acts 10-11). Christ used one of his original disciples/apostles to open the door for Paul to carry his message to the Gentiles. Then Paul and Barnabas began carrying the Good News (Gospel) about Christ to peoples outside of Judaea (Acts 13-14). This influx of Gentile Christians into the ekklesia set the stage for the Church to finally confront its continued attachment to Torah observance. Some Jewish Christians insisted that these new Gentile Christians be forced to become Torah observant Jews. This fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of what Christ had done for them, and what responsibilities the New Covenant required of them, led to the decision of the Council at Jerusalem that Gentiles would NOT be required to observe Torah (Acts 15).
Unfortunately, some of those Jewish Christians were not persuaded by the Jerusalem Council's decision and continued to insist that Gentile Christians observe the provisions of Torah (God's covenant with Israel). This is the situation that Paul was addressing in his epistle to the saints of Galatia. Unfortunately, some of the Gentile believers in Christ had been persuaded by this group of Jewish Christians to backslide and try to observe Torah. Paul wrote: "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ." (Galatians 1:6-7, ESV) After recounting some of his own personal history within the new faith, he went on to say: "We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose." (Galatians 2:15-21, ESV)
He continued: "O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:1-3, ESV) Paul then proceeded to remind the Galatians that Abraham was justified by his faith in God's promise to him. Paul continued: "For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, 'Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.' Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for 'The righteous shall live by faith.' But the law is not of faith, rather 'The one who does them shall live by them.'" (Galatians 3:10-12, ESV) In other words, Paul made very clear to the Galatians that their salvation was accomplished through Jesus Christ and his righteousness, NOT by their own attempts to observe Torah! Thus, through Paul, Christ had moved to put his Church on the track which he had intended from the very beginning.
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