Paul was much deeper and stronger in Judaism than Peter was. Peter was a fisherman from Galilee, but Paul was a scholar in the Jewish religion. He was taught at the feet of Gamaliel, the great Jewish teacher (Acts 22:3). In Galatians 1 Paul told us that he “advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries in my race” (v. 14). Paul was greatly zealous for the Jewish religion with its traditions and ordinances. Despite Paul’s strong Jewish background, he was able to tell us in 1 Corinthians 12:13 that we were all baptized into one Body, “whether Jews or Greeks.” In Galatians 3:27-28 Paul told us that those who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ and “there cannot be Jew nor Greek.” In Colossians 3:10-11 Paul told us that the Jew and the Greek have no place in the new man. For you and me to say such a word might be easy. But for Paul to speak in such a way with his deep and strong Jewish education, shows the marvelous renewing in his mentality.
Even the Apostle Paul, however, made a great mistake due to the influence of Judaism. The leading ones in the church in Jerusalem with James taking the lead told Paul to observe “how many thousands there are among the Jews who have believed, and all are zealous for the law” (Acts 21:20). These Jews were believers in Christ, yet they all still kept the ordinances. The brothers in Jerusalem were concerned because these Jews had been instructed concerning Paul that he was “teaching all the Jews throughout the nations apostasy from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, nor to walk according to the customs” (v. 21). These Jews were typical believers in Christ, yet they still kept the ordinances, and they heard that Paul was breaking the ordinances. As a result of this, the brothers suggested that Paul participate in a Nazarite vow with four other men. They instructed Paul to do this so that all would know concerning Paul that “there is nothing to the things of which they have been instructed concerning you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the law” (v. 24). Paul was convinced by the brothers and entered into the temple to participate in the Nazarite vow.
Paul was surely clear that such a practice was of the out-of-date dispensation, which, according to the principle of his teaching in the New Testament ministry, especially in Romans and Galatians, should be repudiated in God’s New Testament economy. Yet Paul still went through with it. Paul went back to the temple, and the Lord would not allow it. When the seven days of the vow were about to be concluded, the Lord intervened in His sovereignty. He allowed Paul to be arrested by the Jews and imprisoned by the Romans. After that, in A.D. 70, the Lord sent the Roman army under Titus to completely destroy Jerusalem with the temple. This fulfilled the Lord’s prophecy in Matthew 24 when He said concerning the temple that “a stone shall by no means be left upon a stone which shall not be thrown down” (v. 2). Paul was clear when he came to Jerusalem, but the atmosphere and the environment there forced him to take the compromising proposal which would bring in a mixture that could devastate God’s New Testament economy concerning the church.
In the Apostle John’s writings, we cannot see any kind of defect. No one can deny that both Peter and Paul had failures with respect to the new man. With the Apostle John, however, we cannot see these kinds of mistakes. In the book of Revelation John told us that the Lord purchased by His blood “men out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (5:9). We should not forget that John was also Jewish, but this word indicates that his mind was greatly renewed. He confirmed that Christ died on the cross to redeem men from different tribes, tongues, peoples, and nations. Through John we also see that the churches are the golden lampstands (Rev. 1:11-12) and consummately these lampstands become the New Jerusalem. In the lampstands and in the New Jerusalem we can see no differences in peoples.
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