Sunday 24 January 2016

Defense of Paul of Tarsus: Response to a Muslim 6

"41.

"Let their table be made a snare, and a trap and a stumblingblock, and a recompense unto them: let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway")
Rom. 11:9-10

Paul misstated Psalm 69:22-23

"Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake".
The Psalmist said nothing about a "stumblingblock," a "recompense," or "bowing down their back alway.""

This is nothing more than nitpicking the text, "that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap." is synonymous with a "a stumblingblock". This is a non-objection.

"42.

"And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob, For this is the covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins")
Rom. 11:26-27

Paul misquoted and misused Isaiah 59:20-21

"And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord....".
Isaiah 59:20 says "to Zion," not "out of" Zion.
Isaiah says the Redeemer shall come "unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob." It does not say the Deliverer "shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob." In other words, he will come to those who turned from transgression on their own volition. It does not say he will turn away ungodliness.
Moreover, "when I shall take away their sins" is not in Isaiah 59. Paul created that out of nothing.
Nowhere does Isaiah use the word "saved" or "salvation" as Paul uses it."

The subject of Isaiah 59:20 is addressed here in my response to Rabbi Eli Cohen: http://answering-judaism.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/response-to-rabbi-eli-cohen-on-blood.html

There is a historical application of salvation in Isaiah's day and a future salvation accomplished in Jesus Christ. Israel in Isaiah's day has idolatry and many of it's sins removed and Israel is restored, with Jesus doing the ultimate accomplishment in his day via his death on the cross, so the sins of those who have repented are paid in full.

"43.

"as he saith also in Hosea, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God")
Rom. 9:25-26

Paul misquoted and misused Hosea 2:23

"...and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God"

and

Hosea 1:10

"...and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God").
Hosea 1:10 is speaking only of Jews as Hosea 1:11 ("Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together") shows. It is not referring to Gentiles and does not justify spreading the word to Gentiles.
"and her beloved, which was not beloved" is not in Hosea. Paul created the words.
Hosea 2:23 says, "and they shall say, Thou art my God," which Paul conveniently left out of his quote since millions of Gentiles have clearly not made such a statement."

Do they have to make a verbatim statement? Through Jesus Christ, the Gentiles are brought into reconciliation with God and worship the God of Israel i.e. YHWH. Thus they proclaim him as God without having to utter the statement "Thou art my God". This is nothing more than nitpicking at minor details.

"44.

"But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? [that is, to bring Christ down from above] or, who shall descend into the deep? [that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead]. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach...."),
Rom. 10:6-8

Paul mutilated Deut. 30:12-14

"It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it? But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it".

The latter is only saying that his (Moses) commandments are easy to obtain. They are not far off but as close as one's heart or mouth. Deut. says nothing about "faith."
It refers to seeking "it" and doing "it," not seeking "him" or doing "him."
It does not even imply Christ or Jesus, let alone mention him.
Deut. is referring to Penitence and is not about believing on or bringing down Jesus from heaven or up from the dead.
Deut. is saying that God wills us to repent of sin and that you may know when you have sinned. You have only to look at his law which is very close by."

I would need to take a look at this particular objection in another article.

"45.

"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more")
Heb. 10:16-17

Paul misquoted and misapplied Jer. 31:33-34

"...but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts,...for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more".
The New Covenant referred to in Jer. 31:31 is not that of Jesus' New Testament but a reaffirmation with Israel of the importance of following the Old Law. Jer. 31:33 clearly states that God's law (my law) will be put in them.
Jer. says the law will be written in their hearts, not their minds and God's law will be put in their inward parts, not their hearts. "And in their minds will I write them" does not appear in Jer."

The subject of Jeremiah 31:31-34 I address in a video response I have done to Asher Meza: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k5y6gt-OOQ
Here are the texts:
"Hebrews 10:16 “This is the covenant I will make with them
    after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
    and I will write them on their minds.”[b]"
"Jeremiah 31:33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
    after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
    and write it on their hearts."

All that is being done here is nitpicking. The text is quoted in these two passages, both are valid.

Objection 46 is covered here: http://answering-judaism.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/defense-of-paul-of-tarsus-response-to_7.html

"47.

Heb. 12:20 is a misconstruction of Ex. 19:12-13"
Here are the texts:
"Hebrews 12:20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”"
"Exodus 19:12 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. 13 They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”"

The author of the book of Hebrews is paraphrasing what the text in Exodus 19:12 is actually saying. He is not misconstruing the text.

"48.

Heb. 4:3 is a perversion of Psalm 95:11."

If you actually read what Hebrews 4 says in context:
"4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.[a] 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

“So I declared on oath in my anger,
    ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”[b]
And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.”[c] 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”

6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
    do not harden your hearts.”[d]
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[e] just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

The author is making a point that only those who were obedient and are obedient will enter the Sabbath rest that God has prepared, the true Sabbath being in Jesus Christ. Not only is Christ the one who gives us rest, Entering into heaven is also our rest according to the chapter, which shows once we are in heaven, there is no need to strive any more because salvation is complete. Just to be clear I am not teaching works salvation, far from it.

"49.

"For even Christ pleased not himself: but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me"
Rom. 15:3

Paul misinterpreted Psalm 69:9.
The "me" referred to in Psalm 69:9 is David; he is speaking, not Jesus."
Psalm 69 I need to write on in another article. This issue needs thinking through.

"50.

"...I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?"
Heb. 1:5

Paul misinterpreted and misapplied 2 Sam. 7:14

"I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men".
In 2 Sam. 7:14 God is saying he will call Solomon, not Jesus, his son.
How could Jesus commit iniquity which Paul omitted. It must be referring to a mere mortal like Solomon.
Certainly God would not beat Jesus with a rod, cause stripes to be put on him, or threaten to chasten him with stripes."

The text is a reference to not only Solomon, but also to the Messiah descended from David, namely Jesus. The judgement of 2 Samuel 7:14 doesn't apply to Jesus because he himself did not sin. When Jesus was crucified and flogged, he was not guilty of sin, rather he was accused falsely of sin.

Answering Judaism.

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