I have arranged the scriptural references in the
historical order in which the events described occurred or the epistle was
written. God has progressively revealed things to his people and it is of
crucial importance to understand that prior to God revealing new information,
nobody knew about it. We view these events with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight
so we must remember that the people involved only knew things as God revealed
them.
There is much debate about the actual year of the
Lord’s crucifixion. I am not qualified to enter into this debate but it seems
that the main contenders are the years from A.D.30 to A.D. 33. My use of A.D.
30 is only a best guess.
I am presently of the opinion that Galatians is one of
Paul’s earliest epistles, written around A.D. 49. Some bible commentators
(including Rev. Scofield) place this letter in the
same time frame as his letter to the Romans (around A.D.58). Why would Paul
marvel that the Galatians were ‘so soon removed from him’ if over a decade had
passed since he first visited them on his first missionary journey in A.D. 45?
“I
marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of
Christ unto another gospel:” (Gal 1:6 AV)
The great commission of Mark 16:15 states;
“And
he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark
It is clear by the context that the “them” the Lord
was speaking to were the eleven surviving, chosen representatives of his holy
nation of priests,
“Afterward
he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their
unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen
him after he was risen.” (Mark
The eleven were restored to twelve (Acts
The gospel that Peter and his little flock were
initially sent to preach to all the world, was the gospel that was inseparable
from prophecy: that after great tribulation, the Lord would return and restore
a kingdom like that of King David to Israel – i.e. the millennial kingdom. That
was their initial expectation.
“When
they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou
at this time restore again the kingdom to
Peter discerned that the first part of Joel’s prophecy
(Joel
“But
this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in
the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your
sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I
will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:” (Acts
2:16-18 AV)
If the first part had come to pass then it is
reasonable for Peter to have expected the rest also to come to pass – the signs
in the sun and moon which Jesus had connected with the great tribulation and
the “times of refreshing” - his Second Coming and Israel’s millennial kingdom
(Luke 21:25-27).
“And
I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and
fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon
into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:” (Acts 2:19-20
AV)
But only the Father knew the “times and seasons” (Acts
1:7 above). Although God’s wrath seemed
imminent, it came as a complete surprise to his people that the Father had
pre-planned a long grace period prior to his wrath. It took a while for it to
sink in – that salvation by believing the “preaching of the cross”, the mystery
of the gospel, had been God’s hidden plan (mystery) all along.
The distinction between Peter’s preaching according to
prophecy and Paul’s preaching according to the revelation of the mystery, can
be seen quite clearly by comparing Acts 3:21,
“Whom
the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God
hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts
with
Romans
“Now
to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which
was kept secret since the world began,” (Romans 16:25 AV)
The former had been spoken by the mouth of God’s holy
prophets “since the world began”. The latter was “kept secret since the world
began”. Please note that Peter, and any other apostles of the circumcision, who
believed the ongoing revelation given by the Lord to Paul, remained within the
household of God as the Jewish remnant according to the election of grace.
“Even
so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election
of grace.” (Romans 11:5 AV)
The gospel, or good news, of the finished work of
redemption that the Lord had accomplished at
“Then
Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the
Holy Ghost.” (Acts
This can be contrasted with the later gospel of the
uncircumcision preached by Paul, which was all about the hearing of faith and
not about doing anything.
“And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what
must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:30-31 AV)
“This
only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or
by the hearing of faith?” (Galatians 3:2 AV)
Though initially sent to preach their gospel to every
creature in the world, the twelve apostles of the circumcision were not to know
that IT WOULD BE REJECTED BY THE FIRST AND MOST ESSENTIAL NATION THAT IT WAS
OFFERED TO - God’s own holy nation Israel. They met with ferocious persecution
from unbelieving Israelites (spearheaded by one called Saul) and all but the
apostles were dispersed after Stephen's martyrdom.
“And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God,
and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with
a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.
And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was consenting unto his
death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which
was at
The twelve initially had no idea that the Lord had a
hidden plan to conclude all in unbelief and offer salvation to the whole human
race on the basis of faith in the extraordinary event that had already occurred
– that the Lord had already accomplished all that was necessary to save the
human race at
By Acts chapter 10, Peter’s preaching has greater
emphasis on the Lord’s name and on believing in him. Although Peter water
baptized the people who were saved on this occasion, they had already received
the Holy Ghost prior to their water baptism, so it was a mere formality. There
is also no mention of them repenting. They simply, genuinely believed (the
hearing of faith) what Peter had told them about the life, death and
resurrection of the Lord, and that was enough for them to receive the gift of
the Holy Ghost. This occasion also has great significance in that for the first
time the Holy Ghost was poured out on the Gentiles.
“To
him give all the prophets witness, that through his
name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter
yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came
with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the
Holy Ghost.” (Acts 10:43-45 AV)
God, with foreknowledge, knew the gospel of the
circumcision would be rejected by
“For
God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.”
(Rom
He recruited the point man of the Jewish opposition,
Saul, and stated that it would henceforth be his commission to go to the
Gentiles, to kings and to the Jews.
“And
the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street
which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called
Saul, of
To Saul, later Paul, was
revealed God’s hidden or mystery plan to offer salvation by grace through faith
in the Lord’s finished work of redemption at
Paul’s commission was to preach the Lord’s previously unrevealed gospel of grace to the whole world and the
twelve apostles of the circumcision only fully learned about this new
commission after it had been revealed to Paul.
“Now
to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which
was kept secret since the world began,” (Rom 16:25 AV)
Paul was violently opposed and persecuted by most Jews
during his first missionary journey to
“Then
Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was
necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing
ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we
turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set
thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto
the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and
glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life
believed.” (Acts 13:46-48 AV)
At the council at
“And
when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and
brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the
Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which
knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he
did unto us;” (Acts 15:7-8 AV)
Peter was the apostle unto whom the Lord had given the
binding and loosing power on earth (in other words, the power to 'ring the
changes');
“And
I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon
this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Mat 16:18-19 AV)
By the time Paul wrote to the Galatians from Antioch
(also around A.D.49), Peter’s binding and loosing power had given heavenly
authorization to the sending of Paul and Barnabas to the Gentiles and the
restricting of the twelve to the Jews. This agreement was probably reached
during the latter stages of the council at
“But
contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed
unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought
effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was
mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James,
Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given
unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we
should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.” (Gal 2:7-9 AV)
Paul also tells us in his letter to the Galatians that
he did not receive his gospel 'of man' but that he received it “by the
revelation of Jesus Christ”. Paul did not receive his gospel from the Lord in
his earthly role as a “minister of the circumcision (Romans 15:8)”; neither did
he receive it from Peter, nor James nor John nor any of the twelve.
BECAUSE PAUL’S COMMISSION WAS REVEALED TO HIM BY THE
ASCENDED, GLORIFIED LORD JESUS CHRIST, THEN IT MUST, OF NECESSITY, SUPERSEDE
THE COMMISSION GIVEN TO THE APOSTLES OF THE CIRCUMCISION
The gospel of the twelve was embedded in the prophetic
context of God's dealings with Israel since the time of Abraham. After the Jews
rejected their Messiah and the Holy Spirit, the ascended and glorified Lord
sent Paul to the Gentiles with a new dispensation of God – the dispensation of
the grace of God.
“But
I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after
man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the
revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Gal 1:11-12 AV)
“For
this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard
of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:”
(Ephesians 3:1-2 AV)
Regarding the query which provoked this investigation,
it seems clear to me that by A.D. 56 or thereabouts, Paul had left off water
baptism. Although he was water baptised himself and also baptised a few others
in his early ministry, by the time of his first letter to the Corinthians it
had been fully revealed to him that the preaching of the cross is the power of
God.
“I
thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should
say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of
Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me
not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the
cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power
of God.” (1Cor 1:14-18 AV)
The Spirit is received by the hearing of faith alone.
“This
only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or
by the hearing of faith?” (Galatians 3:2 AV)
This is yet another indication that Paul’s commission
was not in accordance with the requirements of the great commission given to
the apostles of the circumcision. They were required to “believe and be
baptised”.
“He
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall
be damned.” (Mark 16:16 AV)
If there remains any doubt, Paul makes it quite clear
in his letter to the Romans that he is now the sole apostle of the Gentiles.
“For
I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I
magnify mine office:” (Rom 11:13 AV)
The period covered by Acts 8 to Acts 28 is the period
of the FALL
“I
say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather
through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to
jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the
diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?”
(Romans 11:11-12 AV)
Note the signs that “shall follow them that believe”
within the great commission given to the apostles of the circumcision. The
duration of the signs of the great commission is an indicator as to the
duration of the great commission itself.
“And
he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned. And these
signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils;
they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they
drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the
sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:15-18 AV)
These signs persisted for as long as the Lord
persisted with trying to persuade Israel through his apostle Paul – a Pharisee
and an expert in the Jewish scriptures trained by Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). You can
read of Paul healing the sick and being unaffected by the bite of a deadly
snake in Acts 28. Toward the end of the chapter he tries to persuade Israel for
the last time. Paul spoke “the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37).
It is in Acts 28:28 that the Lord finally ceased from trying to persuade
“Be
it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the
Gentiles, and that they will hear it.” (Acts 28:28 AV)
There is no further mention of the signs of Mark
16:17-18 in the epistles written by Paul during and after his first
imprisonment at Rome at the end of Acts 28. People got sick around Paul and he
did not lay hands on them and heal them.
“Yet
I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion
in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my
wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye
had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but
God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have
sorrow upon sorrow.” (Philippians 2:25-27 AV)
There are thousands of Christians today who are still
trying to carry out the great commission given by the Lord to the apostles of
the circumcision. BUT THE SIGNS OF THE GREAT COMMISSION DO NOT FOLLOW THEM.
They cannot see the very important changes that coincided with the fall and
diminishing of Israel.
THE FALL
THE FALL
“Now
if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the
riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?” (Romans 11:12 AV)
We are now in a new and unprophesied dispensation of
God – the dispensation of the grace of God, revealed by the Lord to Paul to
dispense among us Gentiles.
“But
I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after
man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by
the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:11-12 AV)
“For
this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have
heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:”
(Ephesians 3:1-2 AV)
“Unto me, who am less than the least of all
saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship
of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who
created all things by Jesus Christ:” (Ephesians 3:8-9 AV)
Peter has read all of Paul’s epistles written at the
time and does not raise any objection to Paul calling himself the apostle of
the Gentiles, even going so far as to class Paul’s epistles with “the other
scriptures”. He continues to love and respect Paul and writes in his second
epistle;
“And
account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved
brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are
some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable
wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” (2Pet
3:15-16 AV)