1.3. Proselytizing of Jews… a Divine Order, or Taboo?

The Original Messianic Instruction to Paul

Christians and Messianics generally feel it their prime spiritual duty and obligation to proselytize and evangelize Jews.  In defense, they will claim that Messiah instructed Paul and the apostles to “go to the Jew first with the Good News of Salvation which is obtainable through faith in Him only”.

The Christian New Testament (NT) records how Paul primarily targeted Jewish congregations  on his evangelical missions.  The fact that these proselytizing missions normally ended in failure, with Paul and his company being attacked and ‘run out of town’, did not detract him from ever returning “to the Jew first” with the Message that he himself, at first,  so viciously persecuted..  History has  proven over the subsequent 2000 years, that the Jews would not accept his Message, while the ‘other nations’ would run with it, forming vast ‘Christian’ churches across much of the world.

Paul (originally Saul of Tarsus, a Roman citizen by birth and an educated Jewish scholar)  has no equal in the annals of Church history for his great influence on Christian theology which is so diametrically contrary to Judaism.  Yet, when interrogated by the Jewish leaders, Paul would always profess to be a staunch upholder of the Jewish Faith. The great confusion which this evangelist caused is normally accounted to his ‘advanced and deep reasoning’.

An in-depth analysis of the NT records though, will reveal that Paul not only acted contrary to his own claims, but also contrary to the orders given him by Messiah Himself, as well as against the directives of those very Prophetic guidelines which he would quote in his own defense.

It is often overlooked that Paul was not one of the 12 called apostles of Messiah.  In fact, the book of Acts is clear that the apostles were very dubious about receiving Paul amongst their leadership because of his former position of persecutor of Messiah’s disciples and the brutal stoning of Stephen.  He was also involved in heavy arguments with those who opposed his views and ideas (Acts (9:26-30).

Though we only have his own relays of his direct Calling – while he was on one of his persecution trips on the way to Damascus – we do have a NT record quoting Messiah’s direct confirmation of Paul’s Calling:

Acts 9:15  “This man (Paul) is My chosen instrument to bring My Name before pagans and pagan kings and before the people of Israel”

Bearing in mind that ‘the people of Israel’ by no stretch of Scriptural definition ever refers to Jews only,  we certainly do not have a Messianic Injunction here for Paul being so insistent on approaching “Jews first” rather than ‘pagans’, as Messiah’s directive so clearly specifies.  On the contrary, the above ruling pays note to ‘pagans’ firstly.  Enter here another popular misconception, that ‘pagans’ refer to non-Israelite nations only.  Fact is that in NT times the Land of Israel was inhabited mainly by Jews (Tribe of Judah).  The Jews of Messiah’s time despised even their fellow ‘Israelites’ from Samaria (the Northern part of the Land, original home of the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel – refer the NT discussion between Messiah and the Samaritan woman).  They also despised and regarded as ‘pagans’ their northern Israel tribal counterparts who refused to subject themselves to Judah’s ‘Scepter’ Rule (Gen. 49:10) – a rebellion for which the entire northern 10-Tribed part of ancient Israel was rejected and exiled by YHVH, the One True God of Israel.

NT references to Gentiles/pagans/other nations could therefore also refer to exiled 10-Israel, regarded as “the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel”, known to be living “across the Euphrates river” in NT times. In our study The One True Gospel, we conclude from the Scriptures and explicit statements by Messiah Himself i(f read in proper context), that Messiah’s Reconciliatory Atonement was for the main Purpose of bringing exiled and rejected 10-Israelites  back into Covenant with YHVH – hence the need for proclamation of His Name amongst the pagan assimilated exiles of 10-Israel who were dispersed amongst the nations.  It is evident that this distinction was not well-known amongst the overpowering Jewish element of the first Messianic congregations of that time.  Hence their preference for ‘preaching the Gospel to Jews first’ – a strategy which today, more than ever before,  requires urgent adaptation to its original Divine Intent, which is the Prophetic re-unification between 10-Israel and Judah.  This re-union is greatly hampered by the ‘Pauline’ inspired urge to proselytize Jews.  Divine Intent cannot be undone, and just as Paul’s ‘Jews firstly’ strategy was out of line with his Messianic Mandate, causing more damage than success, so, to this day, Messiah’s Reconciliation of the two estranged Houses of Israel is greatly hampered by the ongoing Messianic zeal to ‘save Jews’ for Messiah.

This Message may be totally controversial to you at first consideration.  Please acquaint yourself in this regard with the comprehensive Scripturally based studies on this Web Site before persisting in traditions which have been missing the mark ever since Paul persisted in his disregard for his true Messianic Mandate.  In this context please refer to miscellaneous studies at:

• The Great Return – a Prophetic Bible Revelation in process!
• The One True Gospel