His first six epistles are full of miracles, signs and wonders (Acts 19:12) and legal ceremonies (Acts 16:3,4), "because of the JEWS" (Acts 16:3). (cf. 1 Cor. 9:20-23; 10:32). Those epistles would be 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Galatians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and Romans.
BUT AFTER Israel is blinded and set aside, Acts 28, he no longer preaches or practices things that are Jewish. The Gospel is preached to the nations WITHOUT RACIAL PRIORITIES (Eph. 2:11-22; 3:6), WITHOUT MIRACLES, SIGNS, and WONDERS (1 Tim. 5:23, 2 Tim. 4:20; Phil 2:25-29) and WITHOUT LEGAL CEREMONIES (Phil. 3:8-14).
Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, Philemon, 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus would be those epistles AFTER Israel is set aside. So to say that Paul stayed within Jewry is only partly right. As long as Israel was operational and could have accepted Christ as Messiah, Paul went to the Jew first, as a minister of confirmation to the Jews concerning Jesus, the promised Messiah. (Acts 13:14-41; 18:5; 26:22, 28:23).
But he also had a ministry of revelation. The Apostle to the Gentiles, The dispensation of the grace of God, the Church the Body of Christ, the One New Man, the fellowship of the mystery (Eph. 3:9). All by direct revelations to him from the risen Christ, beginning in Acts 9.
unless you just believe him to be just a really good salesman...
Quick question:
For your ‘before and after,’ chronological order, of Paul’s epistles, are you going by the order they appear in the canon?
Placeholder to one of the better threads I’ve seen in a while. ;o)
Why would you say that I don't find Paul's efforts uninteresting? I find them utterly fascinating. Paul's efforts helped turn around a floundering Church. I do not understate his importance. I just do not find his teachings to be equal to that of the direct words of Jesus. They (as well as the words of the other Apostles) are nearly as important, but we must not confuse the Creator and the created.
But he also had a ministry of revelation. The Apostle to the Gentiles, The dispensation of the grace of God, the Church the Body of Christ, the One New Man, the fellowship of the mystery (Eph. 3:9). All by direct revelations to him from the risen Christ, beginning in Acts 9.
Three years of daily exposure to Christ is less than one vision? Why are you cheapening the ministry of the other Apostles?
unless you just believe him to be just a really good salesman...
I believe him to be a really great salesman, but with the best product in the world and instructed by the Owner Himself. However, so were the Twelve...