Questioning Paul
Chapter 9
part 3
During my first pass through this material, I had hoped to somehow exonerate Paul by suggesting the confusion was between the Sinai desert and Mount Sinai, but not only is "opous – mount" presented before Sinai in the text, every lexicon at our disposal links the Sinai with Mount Sinai/Horeb, and thus with the place Yahowah dictated the Torah to Moseh. Moreover, Paul ends any doubt that he was speaking of Mount Sinai, not the Sinai Peninsula, again in the next verse.
That is not to say that there aren’t two Sinais. There are, and they are not coterminous. The Sinai Peninsula is a desert sandwiched between the two arms of the Red Sea. The Children of Yisra’el crossed this wilderness en route to Mount Sinai, which is on the other side of the Gulf of Aqaba in Arabia. Hagar, however, was never in one or on the other.
Mount Sinai, also known as Mount Horeb, was the place Yahowah introduced Himself to Moseh, and where He subsequently revealed the Torah to him. But Hagar wandered aimlessly toward Shur before Ishmael was born. Shur, we learn from Bare’syth / Genesis 16:7, 20:1, 25:18, and Shemowth / Exodus 15:22 was within walking distance of what is today’s southeastern border of Israel. That places Shur east of Egypt, east of the Sinai, and east of the Gulf of Aqaba crossing of the Red Sea. It was therefore in northwestern Arabia. Then after Ishmael was born, Hagar and her son were banished to the desert of Paran, which is similarly located.
Rather than associating the wilderness of Sin (a.k.a. the Sinai Peninsula) with Paul’s four references to Sina (three in Galatians and one in Acts), Strong’s Lexicon defines Sina as "a mountain or rather a mountainous region in the Arabian Peninsula made famous by the giving of Mosaic Law." They are mostly right, which makes Paul completely wrong.
The Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament says of Sina: "the mountain or mountain range in the peninsula of the same name, between Egypt and modern Arabia." Unaware that the "peninsula" was and remains part of Egypt today, they would be wrong on both accounts. The Mount Sinai Moseh visited before he entered Egypt, and again after he had left Egypt, was on the eastern side of the Red Sea crossing, and thus not in Egypt but instead on the Arabian Peninsula.
The Complete Word Study Dictionary also exacerbates Paul’s dilemma, saying that Sina refers to "the site of the burning bush." It is "the name of a peninsula and a mountain range." In that they go on to associate the location of Mount Sinai within the Sinai Peninsula, they would also be wrong, as there would have been no sea to cross and the Exodus would have stalled in Egypt.
The Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament cites Acts 7:38 which digs Paul into a still deeper hole. It reads: "They are the ones who became the called-out assembly in the desert with the messenger speaking to him in the Mount Sinai (Sina) and our fathers who welcomed the living words given to us."
But we really didn’t need the help of the scholastic tomes to hang Paul. He hung himself. As I mentioned, in the very next verse he acknowledges that the Sina he is associating Hagar’s covenant with is "Sinai mountain existing in Arabia." And that is the site upon which Yahowah dictated the Torah to Moseh.
So, let’s be clear. Paul has proposed two covenants and God has said there is one. Paul wrote that there was a covenant formed with Hagar, and God has said the opposite. Further, Paul has said that the covenant codified on Mount Sinai enslaves us while God has demonstrated that it liberates us. So, since there is an irreconcilable divide between Paul and Yahowah, one of the two must be wrong.
Moreover, consider the preposterous notion of using the Torah’s central story to advance a doctrine designed to destroy the credibility of that same Torah. And yet since the Torah is the only place that Abraham, Sarah, and the Covenant are known, that is exactly what Paul has done.
Now, since I am stating categorically, not allegorically, that Paul, the mother of the Christian Church, is lying, and that his thesis is in direct opposition to God, let’s consider God’s side of this story. He was opposed to establishing a covenant relationship with Hagar’s son: "Then Abraham said to God, ‘What about Ishmael? Could he exist in your presence?" (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 17:18) "God said, ‘Absolutely Not.’" (Bare’syth Genesis 17:19) There would be no covenant of any kind with "the son of the slave woman." Sorry Paul.
The Covenant is singular and eternal. It was established with ‘Yitschaq as opposed to Ishmael: "Sarah, your wife, shall have a child, bearing your son, and you shall call his name: ‘Yitschaq.’ I will stand up and establish My Covenant Relationship with him—an eternal and everlasting family relationship with his offspring after him." (Bare’syth / Genesis 17:19) Yahowah’s Word and Paul’s letter are irreconcilable, as are those who pronounce their faith in Paul’s lies.
In direct opposition to Paul’s claim that "indeed from Mount Sinai into slavery," on Mount Sinai, and in His own hand, Yahowah wrote: "I am Yahowah your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 20:2)
The following passage obliterates the notion that Paul had poetic license to delete portions of the Towrah he did not like, or add his own commandments: "With all the words (debar – communications and statements) that relationally I instruct you with (sawah ‘eth – provide by way of direction to you), closely observe and carefully consider them (shamar – focus upon them). Do not add (yasap – make any increase or addition) to them and do not decrease or reduce (gara’ – subtract from) them." (Dabarym / Words / Deuteronomy 13:1)
As for Paul’s assertion that the Torah had a limited shelf life, Yahowah inspired Yasha’yah / Isaiah to write: "The grass dries up and the flower withers but the Word (dabar) of our God stands and is established (quwm – encourages, supports, raises up, and restores) forever (‘owlam – eternally)." (Yasha’yah / Salvation is from Yah / Isaiah 40:8)
Because of the unchanging nature of God, His Covenant Promise will be honored (which is to say it will be fulfilled even in our future): "Because I, Yahowah, have not changed, you, the children of Ya’aqob will not perish or be destroyed." (Mal’aky / Messenger / Malachi 3:6)
How is it that Christians believe Paul’s anti-Torah rhetoric when his statements are diametrically opposed to the Yahowsha’s? The diminished corporeal manifestation of Yahowah said: "You should not think or assume (me nomizomai – you not consider, expect, nor suppose at any time even the possibility of the commonly held or popularly established presumption, never accepting the prevailing precept or justification (negative particle, aorist active subjunctive verb)) that (hoti – namely) I actually came (erchomai – I in fact appeared then, now, or in the future (aorist active indicative)) to tear down, invalidate, put an end to, or discard (kataluo – to dissolve, destroy, disunite, subvert, overthrow, abrogate, weaken, dismantle, or abolish, releasing or dismissing any of the implications, force, influence, or validity of) the Towrah (ton nomon – that which has been assigned to nourish and provide an inheritance) or the Prophets (e tous prophetes – those who are inspired to speak and write based upon divine inspiration, making God’s thoughts and plans known even before they happen). I actually came not (ouk erchomai) to create a division, to dismiss, to invalidate, or to discard (kataluo – to tear down, to dissolve, to destroy, to disunite, to subvert, to overthrow, to abrogate, to weaken, to dismantle, or to abolish, dismissing any implication or its influence), but instead (alla – to the contrary, emphatically contrasting that to the certainty), to completely fulfill (pleroo – to proclaim and complete, conveying the true meaning and thinking, to liberally supply, carrying out, accomplishing, and rendering it totally and perfectly). (5:17)
Because (gar – for this reason then so that you understand) in deed and in truth (amen – truly and reliably), I say to you (lego sy), until (hoes – up to the point that) with absolute certainty (an) the heaven and the earth (o ouranos e ge – the universe and the surface of the planet) cease to exist (parerchomai – pass away, disappearing), not ever under any circumstance shall (ou me – there is no way whatsoever, not even so much as a possibility that) one aspect of the smallest letter (eis iota – shall a single Yowd, the first letter in Yahowah’s name and the smallest character in the Hebrew alphabet) nor (e) a single stroke of the pen (mia keraia – one of the smallest line distinguishing any aspect of any Hebrew letter) cease to be relevant (parerchomai – be averted or neglected, have any chance of being ignored or disregarded, being passed over or omitted, perishing) from (apo – being disassociated, separated, or severed from) the Towrah (tou nomou – that which has been assigned to nourish and provide an inheritance) until with absolute certainty (hoes an) everything (pas – every last aspect, all and the totality of it) might take place (ginomai – happens and occurs, becoming a reality). (5:18)
Therefore (oun – indeed and as a result), whoever may at any time (hos ean – if at any moment anyone introduces a contingency or condition whereby individuals) dismiss or attempt to do away with (luo – may seek to toss aside, invalidate, or abolish, tearing away or asunder) one of the (mian ton) smallest and least important of these (houtos ton elachistos) prescriptions and instructions which are enjoined (entole – rules, regulations, and authorized directions, precepts, and teachings), and (kai) he may instruct or indoctrinate (didasko – he might teach, delivering moralizing discourses while conceiving and instilling doctrine, expounding or explaining so as to enjoin) people (anthropos – humanity or mankind) in this manner (houto – thusly and likewise), he will actually be provided the name and will be judicially and legally summoned as (kaleo – he will be referred to and called by the proper name, literally and passively summoned, called to task and designated), Little and Lowly (elachistos – Paulos in Latin, meaning: small and inadequate, insignificant and insufficient, irrelevant and unimportant, immaterial and inconsequential (Paulos, the Latin name Sha’uwl adopted as his own means "elachistos – little and lowly)) by the kingdom of heaven (en te basileia ton ouranos – by, within, among, and with regard to the reign and royal authority of the heavens).
And then (de – but by contrast), whosoever (hos an) might act upon it (poieomai – may engage through it, making the most of it, attempting to carry out its assigned tasks (aorist active subjunctive)), and (kai) teach it (didasko – try to provide and share its instructions, expounding upon it), this (houtos – these things) will properly be referred to and named (kaleo – it will be judiciously and appropriately called and designated) great and important (megas – astonishingly valuable, splendid and sensible, albeit surprisingly uncommon) among those who reign within the heavens (en te basileia ton ouranos – by and with regard to the kingdom and royal authority of the heavens)." (Mattanyah / Yahowah’s Gift / Matthew 5:19) The Ma’aseyah Yahowsha’s statement regarding the Towrah is the antithesis of Pauline Doctrine.
And yet God was not done. Yahowsha’ would conclude His Instruction on the Mount with this announcement regarding the connection between the Torah and life: "If (ei – introducing a condition which must occur or be met before the resulting event can be manifest), therefore (oun), you all (umeis) presently and actively being (ontes – currently existing and in the process of being (present active participle)) troublesome and morally corrupt (poneros – seriously flawed, evil and annoying, blind and diseased) have in the past been familiar with and have actually known how (oida – have perceived and have shown that you are genuinely aware of, having recognized how (perfect (a completed action in the past) active indicative)) to give (didomi – to provide) good and beneficial (agathos – moral, generous, and useful) gifts (doma – presents) to your children (tois umon teknon – to your descendants and offspring), how much more by contrast will (posos mallon) your Father (o umon pater), the One in the Heavens (o en tois ouranos), actually give (didomi – personally respond to reliably produce, grant, and bestow (future active indicative)) something good, moral, generous, and beneficial (agathos – that which is upright and worthy, capable and substantial, valuable and kind) to those asking Him (tois aiteo auton – actively responding to Him making a request of Him (present active participle))?
Anything (pas – everything), therefore (oun – then), whatever to the degree or extent (ean hosos – whenever and as far as) you might want or may enjoy (thelo – you might decide or presently desire, you may propose or be of the opinion or currently think something might be so, perhaps personally being fond of or taking pleasure in your will, your intent and your purpose (present active subjunctive)) as a result of (hina – that) men being human (oi anthropos – individuals representing mankind and humankind (nominative plural)) doing to you (poieo umin – actively attempting to perpetrate this against you, fashioning and assigning these things with regard to you, trying to make you do them (present active subjunctive dative)), also (kai) in this way (houto – likewise in this manner, thusly) you (umeis) should choose to actively do to them (poieomai autois – you may elect to perform and behave unto them (present active imperative)).
This (houtos) then (gar – for this reason) actually and presently is (estin – exists as) the Torah (o nomos – becomes the means to being nourished by that which is bestowed to become heirs, existing as the precepts which were apportioned, established, and received as a means to prosper and to be approved, and prescriptions for an inheritance; from nemo – that which is provided, assigned, and distributed to heirs to nourish them (nominative)) and the Prophets (kai oi prophetes) ): Under the auspices of freewill, you all should choose at some point in time to enter, personally engaging by moving (eiserchomai – at a moment in time you ought to want to personally act by electing to go in, beginning the journey by choosing to experience (aorist active imperative)) through (dia – by way of and on account of) the narrow, specific, seldom-tread, and exacting door (tes stenos pule – the doorway with strict requirements which is highly restrictive, the passageway which is unpopular and seldom walked, an infrequently-trodden gateway whereby a stand will be taken to enable others to stand, to be firmly established, and to be upheld (note: stenos is based upon histemi which provides the concluding insights)) because (hoti – for the reason that namely) broad, man-made, and crafted to be wide open (platys – molded, malleable, plastic, and easily crafted and plied, a wide and artificial thoroughfare; from plasso – formed and molded by man, serving as the basis of plastic) is the door (pule – is the gate) and spacious (eurychoros – as encompassing as nations, widely regional, and broadly societal; sharing a base with eusebeia – especially religious, speaking of belief systems and their devout and pious practices) is the way (e hodos – is the path and journey, the popular way through life, the well traveled road and route, the common course of conduct) which misleads and separates (e apago – that takes away, leading through deception; from ago – directs, leads, and guides to apo – separation) into (eis) utter destruction (apoleia – needlessly squandering and ruining the valuable resource of one’s existence, causing it to perish; from apollumi – to be put entirely out of the way, to be rendered useless and to be abolished, coming to an end and ceasing to exist), and a great many (kai polys – the vast preponderance, an enormous number, and to a very great degree, serving as a superlative of great, many, much, and a large number) are those (eisin – are actually the ones (present active indicative)) who are influenced into moving while suffering the consequences of entering (oi eiserchomai – who as a result of being acted upon are affected by taking the first step toward and then going in, manipulated in the process of beginning a journey while experiencing the effect of going out (present middle passive participle nominative)) through it (dia autos – by way of it).
Certainly (tis – it is certain that), the specific doorway has strict requirements, it is narrow, seldom-tread, and it is an exacting passageway (e stenos pule – the doorway is highly restrictive, the passageway is unpopular and infrequently walked whereby a stand is taken to enable others to stand, to be firmly established, and to be upheld), and it completely goes against the crowd to the point of persecution (kai thlibomai – it is so totally unpopular the past act influences the future to the point of hardship and harassment, even to oppression and affliction (perfect passive participle nominative)), the one way (e e hodos – the specific journey through life, the singular route and the path) which leads, separating those guided (apago) unto (eis) life (zoe – vigorous and flourishing living, the fullness of a restored and active existence), but (kai) very few (oligos – an extremely small quantity over a very short time) are those (eisin o – exist the ones) finding it (heuriskomai autos – presently learning and actively discovering the location of it, themselves experiencing it)." (Mattanyah / Yah’s Gift / Matthew 7:11-14) Therefore, according to God, the Torah is the source of life, while man’s ways lead to death.
The Ma’aseyah’s final words to His Disciples echoed this same thought: "He said to them, ‘These are My words which I spoke to you while I was with you, because it is necessary to (inevitable and logical, beneficial and proper, as part of the plan to) completely fulfill (carry out fully, totally perform, accomplish, proclaim, giving true meaning to, realizing the prophetic promises of) everything that is written in Scripture in the Mosaic Towrah, the Prophets, and the Psalms about Me.’ Then He opened their minds so that they would be intelligent and have the capacity to understand the written Scriptures. He told them, ‘Because in this way it is written that the Implement of Yah must undergo and experience suffering and be enabled to arise from being separated the third day. And it should be announced publicly in Yahowah’s name, ‘Change your perspective, attitude and thinking to be forgiven and pardoned wandering from the path and missing your inheritance,’ to all nations, races, and places, commencing and leading from Yaruwshalaym. You are witnesses to this. And behold, I have prepared and sent you off as Apostles to convey the message of My Father’s announced and promised agreement upon you. But now, you remain in the city until which you are clothed in power and ability from above.’" (Luke 24:44-49) Yahowsha’ and the Torah are inseparable. One is simply the manifestation of the other.
In direct opposition to Paul, Dowd (who most know as David) wrote the following lyrics for a Song in which he proclaimed the value of the Torah: "Day unto day pours out answers, and night unto night reveals knowledge which leads to understanding. Nothing exists without the Word. Nothing exists when and where the spoken and written message of the voice which calls out is corrupted or negated, becoming unimportant to be heard." (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 19:2-3)
"Yahowah’s Towrah is wholly complete and entirely perfect, returning, restoring, and transforming the soul. Yahowah’s eternal witness and restoring testimony is trustworthy and reliable, making understanding and obtaining wisdom simple for the receptive." (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 19:7) Not only is this the antithesis of Pauline Doctrine, but more than that, if Christians compared this passage to Paul’s epistles, they would reject everything the man wrote.
But Dowd / David wasn’t finished affirming what Paul attempted to belittle. "Yahowah’s directions for living are right, causing the heart to rejoice. Yahowah’s terms and conditions are morally pure, shining a light toward understanding." (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 19:8) Dowd didn’t find the Torah to be an unbearable burden as Paul has alleged.
If this is right (and it is), the basis of Paul’s manifesto is wrong. This speaks of God’s purpose, which is to form a relationship with us, and of His promise, which is to make such a thing possible and enduring. Both of which require Him to make us acceptable. So in a way, this is a summation of the Towrah: "Revering and respecting Yahowah is cleansing and restoring, sustaining and establishing forever. The just means to resolve disputes of Yahowah are trustworthy and reliable, enduring and dependable. They are wholly vindicating, making the recipient to be righteous and innocent." (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 19:9) So much for Paul’s notion that God’s Towrah never justifies and always enslaves.
"Moreover, your co-worker is admonished and enlightened, being taught by them. And in carefully observing them there is a great benefit and reward." (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 19:11) This was and remains the purpose of the Torah. It’s our Maker’s Operating Manual, telling us through words and pictures how to get the most out of this life and make it to the next. Those who carefully observe what our Heavenly Father had to say will be rewarded, because they will become His children and inherit the universe.
The most debilitating sin became Sha’uwl’s Achilles heel. "Also, keep your co-worker away from arrogance, not letting this rule over me, then I will be completely prepared and blameless, ready for action, upright, and lacking nothing, and I will be considered innocent, distanced from the great transgression of rebellion." (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 19:13)
If God is right, Paul was wrong. Observing the Torah is the source of wisdom, renewal, joy, enlightenment, being eternally established in Yahowah’s presence, justification, and innocence, in addition to providing a great reward. All we need be wary of is being arrogant, and thus self-reliant or self-assured, because the key to our redemption is our attitude toward God. If we are self-directed, then we are not in a position to rely upon Yahowah’s provision. In this light it is especially worth noting that Dowd / David listed "rebellion" as "the great transgression," something Paul should have considered before he spoke so defiantly against God.
Dowd’s closing line is particularly noteworthy. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable and pleasing in your presence, Yahowah, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 19:14) The best way to accomplish this is to observe the Torah—the very thing Paul told his believers not to do.
Therefore, since Paul’s message and Yahowah’s are diametrically opposed, there is but one informed and rational conclusion: Paul lied. He was a false prophet. While the issue of whether or not Yahowah can be trusted is life and death to all of us, and is easily answered, it is irrelevant to Paul, because he claimed to speak for the God he contradicted.
This is the end of the line for Sha’uwl’s credibility. He has proven beyond any doubt that he was not trustworthy, that he was not speaking for God, that his epistle was not inspired and thus is not Scripture, and that he was a complete fraud.
Had Paul not repeatedly made the arrogant claim that he was speaking for God as his authorized apostle to the world, had Paul not claimed that he could not lie, had he not said that his preaching saved those who believed him, or that they were his children, and that they should follow his example, then Paul’s errant statements would have been no different than thousands of other misguided religious advocates. But he made these claims, and as a result, Paul’s lifeless deceptions were placed in the heart of the book canonized by the faith he conceived. The consequence of his arrogance has been catastrophic.
Now that there is a rational comparison, it should be noted that Yahowah used precisely fulfilled prophecy, brilliantly conceived imagery, a masterfully designed plan, and a consistent, multi-faceted, intertwined message, along with the creation of the universe and the conception of life, to prove beyond any doubt that His Word could be trusted. But Paul could neither write intelligently nor credibly recount his own personal history. This contest has not been David versus Goliath; it has been a speck of dust against the Creator of the Universe. So why is it then that nearly two billion Christians believe Paul over Yahowah?
There is no question that Christians have been deceived, or that they are wrong, but the question remains: are they in this horrid position because they are ignorant or because they are irrational, are they apathetic or delusional? Has Paul’s faith corrupted their attitude, perspective and thinking to the point that truth no longer matters?
Whatever the cause, their condition cannot be resolved until they are willing to change their attitude, their perspective, and their thinking to reflect that of the Torah—to view our existence and means to salvation from the vantage point of God’s Word. But to do so, Christians will have to drain their religious swamp of Paul’s delusions; otherwise the seeds of truth will not take root or grow.