Paul’s claim to be a Hebrew, and a consummate one at that, confirms that there is a religious significance to this identification, which precedes and is separate from the Israelite national identification, and is important enough for Paul to brag about.
“Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.” ( II Corinthians 11:22) “of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a [superstrict] Pharisee.” (Philippians 3:5-6)
The home New Testament Church was led by ultra-religious James the brother of Jesus in Jerusalem. I’m one of six daughters of a total of nine children and let me tell you the competition for recognition was intense. James must have grown up constantly attempting, and failing, to prove his worth against his perfect older brother Jesus. A perfectionist habit that stuck. It stands to reason that Paul was never made welcome at James’ home church.
Paul’s base was in Gentile Asia, but even Paul’s Gentile churches rejected him when at the end of his ministry he pushedfor the Gentiles to identify themselves with Jews. Consider what Paul was asking them to do at this point in history! To share the Jews’ political status as hated enemies and enslaved losers of the 70 AD war. It was the equivalent of establishing a home-mosque in New York City right after 9-11.
With this in mind, re-read Paul’s exhortation to Ephesian Gentile believers.
“For this cause I The Jew Paul, the prisoner of the Jewish rival to Caesar YHVH’s Messiah for you Gentiles…by revelation he made known unto me the mystery…which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:” (Ephesians 3:1-6)
Paul had before established in his earlier letters that Jews and non-Jews alike are saved by faith, not works of the law, so he is not referring to salvation.
An heir is granted power and authority to govern. This is the mystery that Paul is revealing, and why he is praying that they would be strengthened with might to pick up and carry this heavy burden.
And in this light, this was the purpose for writing the letter to his fellow, but mainly ignorant, Hebrews.
I am aware how sharply this contrasts with the orthodox Christian analysis of the letter to the Hebrews. “With its myriad references to Hebrew customs and the Old Testament, the book was likely sent to a Jewish Christian community.”
This is illogical for starters. The Messianic Jews did not need to be educated on the holy scriptures. It was the influx of scripturally illiterate Gentile believers who did.
This assumption also betrays ignorance that the identity of Hebrew / international followers of Eber encompasses, but is not synonymous with, the children of Israel.
I strongly suspect that Paul struggled with recognizing his and his fellow Israelites’ priority identity as Hebrews. Like Jesus‘, Paul’s pervasive quoting of Old Testament writings to prove his New Testament assertions proves to me, at least, that this superlatively knowledgeable Jewish lawyer spent most of his one-on-one tutorial with the Word reframing his understanding of the Old Testament presentations and prophecies.
Having a problem digesting this? Then you can grasp what a massive “backward” paradigm shift this was to the Messianic Jews. Think of this situation like the conflict between American Federalists claiming higher authority to annul any laws made by one of the States comprising the “United” States. We know how that turned out.
What led to the outbreak of the bloodiest conflict in the history of North America? A common explanation is that the Civil War was fought over the moral [emphasis added] issue of slavery. In fact, it was the economics of slavery and political control of that system that was central to the conflict. A key issue was states’ rights. The Southern states wanted to assert their authority over the federal government so they could abolish federal laws they didn’t support. Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation sharpened the focus of the American Civil War from a political power struggle with compromises possible to a scorched earth, winner take all.
Likewise, Paul’s proclamation that, like the African slaves in the American nation, the Gentiles were entitled to full rights in the Hebrew nation inflamed the existing conflict with the Messianic Jews. And understandably so. They stood to lose significant political and economic power if they acknowledged that their political entity of “Jews” was subordinate to a higher authority of “Hebrews”.
Abraham Lincoln recognized that he needed a higher authority than just his position as elected president with the support of current government officials to truly empower the Emancipation Proclamation. He did this by appealing to the Constitution, the supreme law of the nation, and to Almighty God as supreme law giver. “I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free…warranted by the Constitution…and the gracious favor of Almighty God.”
Likewise, Paul’s proclamation of equality among ALL believers in Jesus Christ as the promised Seed of the Woman, regardless of national origin, was not established via fiat through a “revelation” creating a “new Christian” church superseding the now extinct Jewish religion.
It was based on the existing constitution of the Hebrew nation.
Whoa! Hands waving frantically by those in the know. Paul himself said he received revelation about the church from Jesus. Good point. Let’s look at that passage.
“Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
- How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery
- compare the revelation of Jesus Christ to John. No revelation at the end of any mystery story announces a new thing. Unveiling a new product or service is advertising. Revelation of a mystery clarifies the details about circumstances already known in generalities.
- Whereby, when ye read [what else, if not scripture?] ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ / the Messiah / Prophesied One To Come
- Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit
- That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in the Messiah / Christ by the gospel
- Whereof I was made a minister…to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery
- which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God…
- To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church / congregation of sanctified ones the manifold wisdom of God
- According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in YHVH’s Promised Savior our Lord
- Of whom the whole family / tribe / nation in heaven and earth is named
- Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages [past and present]. (Ephesians 3)
The revelation Paul – and other apostles and prophets – were given was not the creation of a new Christian Church. It was HOW what appeared to be a constantly losing battle with Satan from the beginning of time to possess men’s souls is revealed to be instead a win for God through COVERT ACTIONS WORKING WITHIN SATAN’S STRATEGY!
At the very beginning, the apparent loss of the Adams to the serpent’s lie, as has been dissected in the post The King Is Dead, was instead a win for God when, faced with a choice, Adam developed the likeness of God. Instead of taking the easily rationalized route of self-ishly abandoning his helpmeet, he instead self-lessly died for her sake.
Another example would be the spreading of Judaism throughout the Persian Empire made possible only when Haman’s plan to destroy all Jews gave Esther the opportunity to choose to selflessly present her body a living sacrifice rather than selfishly abandon her people. And at the time of Christ’s atoning death, the spreading of faith in YHVH’s Savior world-wide was not crushed as would be expected, but expedited by the terrifying Roman Empire’s military-backed world-wide reach.
This is further proven hermeneutically. Note carefully, this word “constitution” encompasses the action of bringing into existence as well as the policies and practices on which all national actions are either legitimized or deemed acts of rebellion against the State.
All these requirements are found in the biblical record of the constitution of the S(h)emitic Hebrew / Eber nation ultimately led by Eber’s heir, Abraham, and the Israel of God which was never decommissioned, but not for a theoretical new nation led by Paul,
Kingdom Come 