Why Did Paul the pharisee Claim That The Real Apostles Disobeyed Our Risen Saviour's Explicit Instructions?
After His Resurrection, our Savior met with His real Apostles & gave them certain instructions. This is found in the following passages…
Matthew 28:16-20
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee into a mountain where YAHUSHA had appointed them… And YAHUSHA came unto them saying, All power is given unto Me in Heaven & in Earth. Go ye therefore & teach all nations, baptizing them… Teaching them to observe whatsoever things I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway even unto the end of the world...
Mark 16:14-16
He said unto them, Go ye into all the world & preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth & is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned.
YAHUSHA’s instructions to His real Apostles that they should go into all the world, preaching the gospel, & baptizing is generally known as the Great Commission.
Now let us review pharisee Paul’s claims from Galatians chapter 2…
Galatians 2:6-9
…for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: 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 & Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
Overlooking pharisee Paul’s arrogant dismissal of our Savior’s actual Apostles(who will be seated on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel according to YAHUSHA in Matthew 19:28), pharisee Paul is claiming that:
1. James & the Apostles saw that the “Gospel of the Uncircumcision” was committed to Paul.
2. James & the Apostles decided that Paul & Barnabas should go into all the world to preach to the gentiles; while James & the Apostles would focus on circumcised Jews!!
In regards to Paul’s first claim that James & the Apostles saw that the “Gospel of the Uncircumcision” was committed to Paul, let’s review what Acts 15 says about the exchange.
Acts 15:1-8
And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren & said, “Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.” When therefore Paul & Barnabas had no small dissension & disputation with them, they determined that Paul & Barnabas & certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem unto the Apostles & elders about this question… and when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up & said unto them, Men & brethren, ye know how that a good while ago Elohim made choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel & believe. And Elohim which knoweth the hearts bare them witness, giving them the Ruach HaKodesh, even as He did unto us…
After Peter spoke, Paul & Barnabas related “what miracles & wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.” Then James answered…
Acts 15:13
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, “Men & brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon hath declared how Elohim at the first did visit the Gentiles…”
Paul did relate his experience of preaching to the Gentiles in Acts 15. Yet according to Acts 15, Peter is credited as being the first Apostle to the Gentiles. Gentiles (Cornelius & his family) first received the Ruach Elohim, or Holy Spirit, after hearing from Peter in Acts 10. Similarly in Acts chapter 8, the Samaritans received the Ruach Elohim (or Holy Spirit) after Apostles Peter & John prayed for them, & laid their hands on them. Of course, while the true Apostles Peter & John were ministering to the Samaritans in Acts chapter 8, Paul the pharisee was still wickedly persecuting YAHUSHA’s followers(Acts 9:1-2).
There is nothing in Acts 15 or anywhere else in the New Testament indicating that James & the Apostles recognized or acknowledged that the “gospel of the uncircumcision” had been committed solely to Paul. So Paul’s uncorroborated claim about that simply is not correct or true.
Paul’s 2nd claim of Galatians 2:6-9, that Paul and Barnabas should go & preach to the heathen while the Apostles focus on the circumcised Jews is also contradicted by Acts 15. Nothing of the sort is documented by Acts 15. No confirmation or corroboration of Paul’s claim of Galatians 2:6-9 can be found anywhere else in the New Testament Scriptures. What Paul is really asking us to believe is that the real Apostles all abandoned & disobeyed the Great Commission from our Risen Saviour once they heard Paul talking about his exploits in preaching to the gentiles!
It is seen in Matthew 28:16-20 that Adonai YAHUSHA basically informed His disciples that all power in Heaven & Earth belonged to Him. He then instructed them to go into the whole world to preach the Good News, & baptize those who believe the Truth of the Good News. Given their shared experiences with Adonai YAHUSHA, we can be confident that it would be impossible for anyone to persuade the Apostles to disobey this prime directive from our Risen Savior, even under the pain of death!!
In contrast, Paul claims in Galatians 2:6-9 that as soon as James & the Apostles heard about Paul’s preaching to the gentiles, they immediately concluded that Paul & Barnabas should go into all the world to preach to the gentiles. Paul also claims that James & the Apostles decided they would just focus on the circumcised Jews! Thus, it required only a less than minimal effort from Paul to convince the actual Twelve Apostles to abandon the last instructions they received from our Risen Savior!
For the Apostles to conclude & agree that they should only focus on circumcised jews, they would have to all agree to disobey the explicit instructions of our Risen & Sinless Savior!! Do you believe that all the Apostles would disobey Him so casually after having been witness to our Saviour’s entire ministry including His Resurrection & Ascension, & after having received His specific instructions of Matthew 28:16-20? In reality, most of YAHUSHA’s Twelve Apostles did go all over the world to spread the Good News(see Apostolic travels below).
Paul essentially repeats his claim of exclusive apostleship to the Gentiles in the following passage….
Rom 11:13
For I speak to you Gentiles inasmuch as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office…
In countless sermons, Paul has been referred to as the Apostle to the Gentiles, based primarily on Paul’s uncorroborated claims. In reality all of the Twelve Apostles were to be Apostles to the gentiles, according to YAHUSHA’s instructions of Matthew 28:16-20. Paul the pharisee, on the other hand, wasn’t even qualified to be one of YAHUSHA’s twelve Apostles!
According to Matthew 28:16-20, Paul’s claims of being the exclusive Apostle to Gentiles simply can not be correct or true! Matthew 28:16-20 & Mark 16:14-16 indicate that basically all the Twelve Apostles were to be Apostles to the Gentiles. Is there a single passage in the New Testament that corroborates Paul’s claim that all the Apostles rejected their Divine Commission after hearing Paul speak? No, there isn’t. Aren’t Paul’s false claims of Galatians 2:6-9 perfect examples of the dishonesty he repeatedly admitted to in 2 Co 12:16 & Romans 3:7?
Apostolic Travels
Peter: martyred in Rome after having evangelized in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Betania, & Asia
Andrew: marytred in Greece after evangelizing in Georgia/Bulgaria area, next to the Black Sea, near Turkey
Bartholomew: martyred in Armenia after he evangelized in India & gave the Gospel of Matthew to India
James, son of Alphaeus: stoned to death in Jerusalem while preaching there
James, son of Zebedee: Apostle John’s brother. Was killed while preaching in Judea
John, son of Zebedee: wrote the Gospel of John, exiled to isle of Patmos, & died in Ephesus.
Matthew: wrote Gospel of Matthew, evangelized in Iran
Phillip: evangelized in Turkey, & martyred there in Hierapolis
Simon the Zealot: bishop of Jerusalem after James, died in Jerusalem
Thaddaeus: missionary to Iraq, Syria, Turkey, & Iran
Thomas: evangelized in Iran, Afghanistan, & India. Martyred in India
Matthias: Preached in Jerusalem, & was buried there
Source for "Apostolic Travels": https://www.quora.com/Where-did-each-of-the-apostles-travel-after-Christs-ascension
Passages Referenced in Above Text
Romans 3:7
For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my LIE unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
2 Corinthians 12:16
But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with GUILE.