Azahari Hassim
Some believe that the gospel of Paul is at odds with the teaching of Jesus. How is this argument articulated?
This is a complex and controversial topic that has been debated by scholars and theologians for centuries. There is no definitive answer, but some of the main arguments are:
Some believe that Paul’s gospel of grace and justification by faith contradicts Jesus’ gospel of the kingdom of God and obedience to the law. They claim that Paul distorted or ignored the teachings of Jesus, and introduced new doctrines that were not in line with the original message of Jesus and his Jewish followers.
Some believe that Paul’s gospel of Christ’s death and resurrection as the core of salvation history differs from Jesus’ gospel of God’s reign as the fulfillment of Israel’s hopes. They argue that Paul focused more on the person and work of Jesus, while Jesus focused more on the will and action of God.
Some believe that Paul’s gospel of inclusion of the Gentiles and freedom from the law opposes Jesus’ gospel of Israel’s restoration and observance of the law. They assert that Paul compromised or abandoned the Jewish identity and heritage of Jesus and his followers, and created a new religion that was detached from its Jewish roots.
These are some of the main ways that some people argue that the gospel of Paul is at odds with the teaching of Jesus. However, there are also many others who defend the harmony and continuity between Paul and Jesus, and who seek to reconcile their apparent differences by considering their historical, cultural, and theological contexts. Ultimately, this is a matter of interpretation and faith, and one that requires careful study and respectful dialogue.
Karen Armstrong:
“Paul’s teaching was quite different from that of Jesus. Whereas Jesus preached about the Kingdom of God, Paul’s gospel was about Jesus himself. Paul, therefore, can be seen as the second founder of Christianity.”
Christian Zionism is a belief among some Christians that the return of the Jewish people to the Holy Land and the establishment of the State of Israel is in accordance with biblical prophecy. This belief is often based on interpretations of the Bible that suggest a special role for the Jewish people in God’s plan and the importance of the land of Israel in biblical history.
Christian Zionists typically support the State of Israel and its policies, viewing Israel as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy and as a key ally in the Middle East. They often advocate for the protection of Israel and its right to exist as a Jewish state.
Christian Zionism has been a significant influence in shaping attitudes towards Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly in the United States. Critics of Christian Zionism argue that it can sometimes lead to uncritical support for Israeli government policies and contribute to tensions in the region.
Overall, Christian Zionism is a complex and multifaceted belief system that intersects religion, politics, and geopolitics in the context of the Middle East.
Jesus and Paul on Zionism: Exploring Apparent Contradictions
Does Jesus contradict Paul regarding Zionism?
Jesus says in Matthew 8, verses 11 to 12:
I tell you that many people from the east and the west (referring to Gentiles) will come and join Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven for a feast.
“But the citizens of the kingdom (referring to the Jewish nation) will be cast out into darkness, where there will be crying and grinding of teeth.”
Some believe many modern Christians support the Zionist ideology because of Paul’s statement in Romans 11 verse 28, which contradicts the statement of Jesus in Matthew 8 verse 12. How is this interpretation explained?
The interpretation that many modern Christians support Zionist ideology based on Paul’s statement in Romans 11 verse 28, despite the apparent contradiction with Jesus’ statement in Matthew 8 verse 12, is a viewpoint held by some proponents of Christian Zionism. Here is how this interpretation is explained:
In Romans 11 verse 28, Paul writes,
“As regards the gospel, they (the Jews) are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.”
Christian Zionists argue that this verse indicates that, despite the rejection of Jesus by some Jews, God’s covenantal love for the Jewish people and His promises to them are irrevocable.
They interpret this verse as a testament to the ongoing significance of the Jewish people in God’s plan and the fulfillment of His promises to Israel. Christian Zionists believe that the establishment of the modern state of Israel is a manifestation of God’s faithfulness to His covenant with the Jewish people.
Regarding the apparent contradiction with Jesus’ statement in Matthew 8 verse 12, Christian Zionists argue that Jesus’ words were specific to a particular context and time. They contend that Jesus was addressing the religious leaders of His day who rejected Him, rather than making a sweeping statement about the entire Jewish people. They maintain that Paul’s teachings in Romans 11 provide a broader perspective on God’s enduring love for the Jewish people.
It is important to note that not all Christians interpret these verses in the same way, and there are varying theological perspectives on the relationship between Christianity and Zionism. These interpretations are subject to debate and can differ among individuals and Christian denominations.
PAUL
Michael A. Smith
Paul was bom into a Jewish family in Tarsus, where his parents were Roman citizens. He was a strict Pharisee, and even as a young man was outstanding in his orthodox beliefs and in his hatred of Christians. He was present at the stoning of Stephen, and was commissioned by the High Priest to arrest Christians at Damascus. Paul was converted through a vision of the risen Christ on his way to Damascus.
Temporarily blinded, he was befriended by a Christian called Ananias, and when cured he began to preach Christ in Damascus. However, attempts were made against his life, and he had to escape by being lowered down the city wall in a basket. After a spell in Arabia, Paul may have returned to Damascus, but later came to Jerusalem, where he was befriended by Barnabas and introduced to Peter. Further Jewish threats against his life forced him to flee again, and he returned to Tarsus.
There followed a period of roughly ten years about which little is known; but Paul must have been active in Christian work, for when the Gentile mission began to flourish at Antioch, Barnabas summoned him from Tarsus to join in the work. Paul visited Jerusalem again, taking famine-relief funds, and discussed the Gentile mission with Peter. Then Paul began the evangelistic work which made him the most outstanding Christian missionary of the first century.
He went with Barnabas and John Mark to Cyprus and Central Asia Minor, founding a number of churches. On his return he had a violent disagreement with Peter at Antioch about how far Gentiles had to accept Jewish customs when they became Christians. However, this question was settled soon after at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15).
Paul now set out again, this time with Silas, and they travelled through Asia Minor and crossed into Macedonia. Further successful missionary work followed, especially in Macedonia, Corinth and Ephesus. After another visit to Jerusalem, Paul left with Timothy for further evangelistic work, finally returning to Jerusalem with money collected for the poor Christians there.
On his arrival, Paul was seized by a Jewish mob and would have been lynched, but for the prompt intervention of the Roman garrison. He was kept in protective custody at Caesarea for two years by the Roman governor Felix, whose successor, Festus, suggested that Paul be tried at Jerusalem. But Paul refused to face such a biassed court and appealed to the Roman Emperor for justice. Paul was taken under escort to Rome, surviving a shipwreck at Malta on the way.
After two years in Rome (at which point the account in Acts ends) Paul was probably released and spent further time in missionary work before being martyred on a second visit to Rome during Nero’s persecution of AD 64. Paul’s surviving letters are found in the New Testament.
Galatians was probably written before the Council of Jerusalem. 1and 2 Thessalonians date from Paul’s first journey into Greece; Romans and 1 and 2 Corinthians come from his last spell in Greece before his arrest at Jerusalem. Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians and Philemon were probably written from Rome during Paul’s first imprisonment (although some scholars date them from an earlier imprisonment in Ephesus). 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus were probably written after Paul’s first stay in Rome.
Paul’s letters were highly valued during his lifetime, and were probably collected together soon after his death. In 1 Clement (written about AD 95) they are already accepted on an equal basis with other Scripture. They were certainly in their present collected form by the time of Marcion (about AD 140).
Paul’s theology was not well understood in the period immediately after his death. This was partly because the heretic Marcion rejected the Old Testament and much that was Jewish in the New Testament, and made great use of Paul’s writings to support his own ideas. As long as Marcion’s heresy was a threat, mainstream Christian teachers did not stress many of Paul’s distinctive doctrines, such as law and grace. Augustine was the first to give full weight to Paul’s theology.
ABRAHAMIC THEOLOGY 