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<h3>Recommendations</h3>
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<p><a href="/books/401-music-store-manager.html">Only Jesus</a> (great song by Big Daddy)</p>
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<p><a href="http://astore.amazon.com/jwoogm-20?node=1&page=2">What Did Jesus Say?</a> (2012) - 7 topics </p>
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<a href="/component/content/3-didcalvinmurderservetus/26-calvinfreebookonline.html"><img src="/images/stories/DidCalvinMurderServetusM.jpg" alt="DidCalvinMurderServetusM" height="NaN" width="120" /></a> </div>
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<p><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #333399;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Luke Is A Legitimate Non-Pauline Gospel History</span></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">A ministry-friend who questions Paul just wrote a book dismissing Luke's Gospel as Pauline. I believe this is a serious mistake. This new book on Paul makes no attempt to be scholarly, lacking any citations or references. However, I am concerned that other ministry-friends may share the assumptions of this author, be influenced by him, and similarly reach such an incorrect view of Luke's Gospel. Precious important words of Jesus would be lost this way if we drop Luke's gospel as a valid historical account of Jesus' ministry. (Luke only claims he is writing as an historian, and not under inspiration, FYI. See Luke 1:1-2. But it is still a vital part of the witness of Jesus' words.)</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">This new book first claims that Luke omits key law-supporting passages in Matthew. The new book also claims Luke never mentions the Law (not even using the word for "Law" supposedly). Finally, this new work claims Luke praises the Pharisees as law-abiding and good "doctors of the law," teaches salvation by faith alone, etc., to help sustain Paul.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">However, this book relies upon tarring Luke by his mere association with Paul. Then this dear brother-author does not read Luke with any care to see whether such bold assertions were correct. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Clearly, Luke is guilty of none of these things. Luke clearly supports the same view of Jesus and His Gospel which we find in Matthew. And it is not by duplicating passages in Matthew. This means <em><strong>Luke represents unique passages that further support the Matthean-view of Jesus which would be lost if we accepted the view that Luke is an unreliable Pauline text</strong></em>.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #333399;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Scholars Realize Luke's Gospel Is At Odds With Paul's Epistles</span></span></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In fact, the Jesus portrayed in Luke's Gospel is so doctrinally at odds with Paul's epistles that scholars concur that Luke had no knowledge of Paul's epistles when he wrote the Gospel or Acts. For neither Luke's Gospel nor Acts says anything </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">helpful to the acceptance of Paul's epistles. This was first exposed by theologian <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Christian_Baur">F.C. Bauer </a>(1790-1860), a professor at Blaubeuren Theological Seminary. </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Recently, Christian scholars Hengel and Schwemer in their book </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Paul: Between Antioch and Damascus</span></em> (Westminster John Knox Press, 1997)</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> at</span><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=PRIKVslqctkC&lpg=PA321&ots=GFnrpJIXZL&dq=%22haereticorum%20apostolus%22&pg=PA322#v=onepage&q=%22haereticorum%20apostolus%22&f=false" style="color: #517291; text-decoration: underline; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> 322</a><em style="color: #494a44; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">say "since F.C. Bauer and his pupils, <em><strong>there has been no evidence that knowledge of Paul's letter by Luke can be demonstrated.</strong></em>" <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> Hengel <em>et al</em> add:</span> <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"When Luke was writing, Paul's letters may have been in the archives of one community or another. The use of them begins only with I Clement or shortly after 100 CE....They will have been collected and edited around this time" while Luke wrote "twenty years earlier."</span></span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Pauline and non-Pauline scholars acknowledge the same truth about Luke's Gospel carries over into the book of Acts.</span></span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In R.B. Rackham's article, "The Acts of the Apostles, A Plea for an Early Date," <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>Journal of Theological Studies</em> (London: MacMillan, 1900) Vol. 1 at 76, this pro-Paul writer acknowledges that Luke could not have known of Paul's epistles because of the material discrepancies between Acts and Paul's Epistles which, had Luke known of said epistles, "we cannot imagine his leaving such inconsistencies in their present form." The full quote reads:</span></span></span></span></span></p>
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<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">It is <strong><em>clear that the writer [Luke] has not used our Epistles of St. Paul</em></strong> as his authorities. They can be fitted in, but there was <strong><em>no special desire</em></strong> of illustrating or even <em><strong>harmonizing with them</strong></em>. This is evident from some </span><em><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">apparent </span></strong></em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em><strong>discrepancies</strong></em>, especially between the Acts and Galatians. If St. Luke wrote at a date when the Epistles were the public property of the Church and widely read, <em><strong>we cannot imagine his leaving such inconsistencies in their present form</strong></em>. ...</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The letters of St. Paul were numerous, our Epistles had <strong><em>not won their pre-eminent position</em></strong>, and as yet they were <strong><em>the private property of the Churches to whom they were addressed</em></strong>....</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">St. Luke was writing at a time when the Epistle to the Galatians was not yet widely circulated. That Epistle contained the record of St. Paul's '<em><strong>secret history</strong></em>' poured out to his apostate children. <em>Id.</em>, at page <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=DvgLAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA84&dq=intitle:%22journal%22+intitle:%22theological+studies%22+date:1900-1900&output=html">84</a> (emphasis added).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
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<p> </p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">(Richard Beiward Rackham was a highly prolific evangelical scholar, writing<span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> Acts of the Apostles:An Exposition</span></span> (1901); <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Authority in the Matter of Faith</span></span> (with Baptist scholar, A. Robertson); <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The Voice of the Church and the Bishops</span></span> (1896), etc.)</span></span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, from such differences, Rackham deduces Luke could not have known of Paul's epistles. Luke's obvious desire to vindicate Paul would be negated by those epistles. Had Luke known of the epistles, Luke obviously would have either narrowed his favorable biography of Paul to not conflict with them, or abandoned a favorable biography of Paul because Luke's account of Jesus' doctrines varied from Paul's doctrines in the Pauline epistles. </span></span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In fact, this is now generally recognized. For Pauline scholars have had to insist that Paul's letters are more valid representations of Paul's own views even though Luke inexplicably contradicts the views of Paul had of himself and Paul's doctrines in the epistles. For example, Christian scholars who are pro-Paul realize Luke's Acts does not support the claim of an apostleship from Jesus that Paul makes in Paul's epistles. In "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_reliability_of_the_Acts_of_the_Apostles">Historical Reliability of Book of Acts</a>," <em>Wikipedia</em> (2013), we read:</span></span></span></span></p>
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<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">A key contested issue is the historicity of Luke's depiction of Paul. According to the majority viewpoint, Acts described Paul differently from how Paul describes himself, both factually and theologically.</span><sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; color: #000000; font-family: sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_reliability_of_the_Acts_of_the_Apostles#cite_note-4" style="color: #0b0080; background-image: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> Acts differed with Paul's letters on important issues, such as the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_of_Tarsus_and_Judaism" class="mw-redirect" style="color: #0b0080; background-image: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" title="Paul of Tarsus and Judaism">Law</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">, Paul's own </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostle_(Christian)#The_Apostle_to_the_Gentiles:_Paul_of_Tarsus" style="color: #0b0080; background-image: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" title="Apostle (Christian)">apostleship</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">, and his relation to the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_centers_of_Christianity#Jerusalem" style="color: #0b0080; background-image: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;" title="Early centers of Christianity">Jerusalem church</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">.</span><sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; color: #000000; font-family: sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_reliability_of_the_Acts_of_the_Apostles#cite_note-5" style="color: #0b0080; background-image: none; white-space: nowrap;">[5]</a></sup><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> Scholars generally prefer Paul's account over that in Acts.</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference" style="line-height: 1em; color: #000000; font-family: sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_reliability_of_the_Acts_of_the_Apostles#cite_note-6" style="color: #0b0080; background-image: none; white-space: nowrap;">[6]</a></sup></span></span></span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">For example, Paul tells the Philippians that before conversion that he (Paul) was "blameless" according to the Law. In Philippians 3:4-6, we read: "I have reasons for such confidence. If someone thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: ...<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em><strong> in regard to the law</strong></em>, a Pharisee;</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">6 </sup>as for zeal, persecuting the church;<em><strong> as for righteousness based on the law, faultless</strong></em>." (Phil.<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+3%3A4-6&version=NIV"> 3:4-6</a> NIV.) But Luke could not have known of this, for then Luke embarassingly would be recording in Acts that Paul was an accessory to the extra-judicial killing (hence murder) of Stephan (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%206:8-8:1&version=NIV">Acts 6:8-8:1</a>) and was "breathing murder" against other disciples of Jesus. (<a href="http://bible.cc/acts/9-1.htm">Acts 9:1</a>.) The law clearly says "thou shall not kill...." which only had an exception for judicial punishments after trial with two witnesses as set forth in the law. Thus, Luke's portrayal of Paul <strong><em>as a lawbreaker</em></strong>, even a murderer, during his time as a Pharisee contradicts Paul's epistolary claims to the contrary. Would Luke have knowingly done so?</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Moreover, doctrinally, Luke has many unique passages that confirm what Jesus says in Matthew about the necessity of works for salvation, and justification by repentance from sin, at total odds with Paul's Epistles. For example, in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+13%3A23-24&version=NIV">Luke 13:23-24</a>, Jesus is asked whether few or many will be "saved," to which Jesus answers "work hard" (NLT) "make every effort" (NIV) or "strive" (KJV) to "enter by the narrow door," for "many will try to enter but will not be able to do so." Jesus' key word was</span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">“agonizomai," which Vine explains means "to strive as in a contest for a prize; straining every nerve to obtain the object. ” W.E. Vine, <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Dictionary of New Testament Words</span></span></span> (Old Tappan, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell Co. 1966) at 41.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Paul's most famous epistolary doctrine of justification by faith is destroyed by Luke's unique account of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2018:14&version=NIV">Luke 18:14</a>, the Tax Collector repents of sin, beating his breast in sorrow, and he goes home "justified," but the Pharisee who believed in the true God but thought he had nothing to repent about goes home unjustified. Justification by faith is wholly incompatible with a justification by turning in repentance away from sin. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">No doubt for these and the many other examples cited below, Ben Witherington, a Christian evangelical scholar, says in <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>The Paul Quest: A Search for the Jew of Tarsus</em> (2001) at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=VPO4POTRD44C&lpg=PA153&ots=qb2acOKn5x&dq=witherington%20not%20apostles%20with%20a%20capital%20A&pg=PA153#v=onepage&q=witherington%20not%20apostles%20with%20a%20capital%20A&f=false">153</a> "i<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">t appears that the author [of Acts] <em><strong>does </strong></em></span><em><strong>not</strong></em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em><strong> know Paul's letters</strong></em>, or at least the </span><em style="font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;">capital</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> Paulines...."</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Hence, Luke is a highly non-Pauline writer -- even viewed as contradicting or undermining Paul's self-reporting about his supposed apostleship, facts about Paul, his pre-conversion life, and about Paul's doctrine.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The unique portions of Luke which undermine the doctrine in Paul's epistles arguably are highly authentic. Edwards made a compelling case recently that Luke is another repository of the first gospel -- the Hebrew version of Matthew's Gospel, written by the hand of Matthew prior to its Greek translation -- the origin of the present Matthew. (See James R. Edwards, </span><a href="http://astore.amazon.com/jwoogm-20/detail/0802862349" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;">The Hebrew Gospel and the Development of the Synoptic Tradition</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> (2009).) For example, Luke often begins sentences with "And" which is a common form in Hebrew to start a sentence, but not in Greek. Those verses thus evince the original text was Hebrew, and Luke was translating it himself or with help.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Let us now review further examples to prove Luke is non-Pauline.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #333399;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Luke's Gospel Passages Which Undermine Paul's Epistles</span></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">First, Luke has a unique parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. This teaches clearly that the one who repents over sin (not making any change in beliefs) goes home "justified," but the Pharisee who prided himself on fasting and tithing, and assuming he did no wrong otherwise, goes home unjustified. (Luke <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+18%3A9-14&version=NIV">18:9-14</a>.) </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">This teaching of justification by repentance from sin is antithetical to Paul's doctrine of justification by faith. And it is similarly negative about the Pharisees.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This Gospel message is also comparable to Luke's depiction in Acts of the repentance-conversion message from Apostle Peter in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202&version=NIV">Acts </a></span><span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202&version=NIV">2:38-41</a>. There Peter tells Jews that they missed Jesus was Messiah and Master, and instead crucified him. Luke records many listening were "cut to the heart" by this message. Then Luke records that Peter urged them to "repent" from this sin and "be baptized." (Acts 2:38) Then in verses 40-41 it says,</span> </span><span id="en-NIV-26990" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">"With many other words <strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">he warned them</span></strong>; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this <strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">corrupt</span></strong> generation.” </span><span id="en-NIV-26991" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Those who <strong>accepted his message</strong> were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202&version=NIV">Acts 2:40-41 NIV.</a>) Luke here clearly did not imply that the mental "acceptance" of Peter's message saved them; it was the <strong>obedience</strong> to the message that saved them: repentance from sin and baptism in Jesus' name. In verse 44, Luke then calls them those who "believed," but Luke does not depict the mere process of 'belief' is what saves, but the acceptance of the call to obedience of repentance and baptism in verses 40-41 just before verse 44. This is not unlike what Luke wrote in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke's Gospel. There the tax collector who repents of his sins is "justified," but the Pharisee who prayed to God but did not repent of his sin went home "unjustified."</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Luke's Gospel likewise has a unique parable of the Prodigal that is also at odds with Paul's epistles' doctrine on faith-alone salvation. (Luke <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A11-32&version=NIV">15: 11-32</a>.) This parable teaches that a son who sins is "dead" and thus lost, but that when "he comes to his senses" and repents of sin, and returns home, the father says the son is "alive again." This is a synonymn of born-again. Thus, Luke says that Jesus teaches the born-again experience is not merely by faith, but by <em><strong>repentance</strong></em> from sin and toward the Father. Cf. Luke <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%2013:2-5&version=NIV">13:2-5</a> (Jesus teaches "repent or perish").</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Again, a salvation by repentance and obedience is antithetical to Paul's teaching of salvation by faith, and, as most interpret Romans <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%204:3-5&version=NIV">4:3-5</a>, without any need of repentance from sin at all. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Likewise, salvation by works worthy of repentance is again underscored in Luke's unique account in Luke 19:8 <em>et seq. </em>about Zaccheus, a tax-collector. Zaccheus promises to pay the poor four-fold what he stole from people as a tax collector. This four-fold payment to the poor precisely fits the works worthy of repentance which under the Mosaic Law a thief must do when he steals (a) from some he no longer can find (<span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>i.e.</em>, the poor are a substitute per Exodus 22:1-9)</span>; and (b) no longer has the original item he stole (in which case payment must be four-fold the value of what had been stolen, per example in Numbers 5:5-8). Luke <em><strong>obviously unaware of contrary principles in Paul's epistles</strong></em>, quotes Jesus saying this work exactly worthy of repentance by a thief meant "<strong><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">salvation</span></strong> has now come to this house." (<a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/19-9.htm">Luke 19:9</a>.)</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In the same vein, one familiar with the repentance-free salvation construed from Romans 4:3-5 is surprised to hear Luke quote Paul in <a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/17-30.htm">Acts 17:30</a> say: "<span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now <em><strong>he commands all people everywhere to repent</strong></em>." Paul was referring to idolatry in the prior verse -- not the lack of faith.An equal shock is when one listens to Paul summarize his gospel identical to Jesus' gospel of "works worthy of repentance" -- Paul telling a court in <a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/26-20.htm">Acts 26:20</a> (ASV) that he "<span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">declared [his gospel] both to them of Damascus first and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judaea, and also to the Gentiles, that <em><strong>they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance</strong></em>."</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">These two passage in Acts -- Acts 17:30 and Acts 26:20 -- thus are more examples where Luke is <em><strong>unaware</strong></em> that a contrary principle can be found in Paul's epistles. At the same time, Luke is endorsing Jesus' true gospel that fills Luke's Gospel when Luke is repeating what Paul said under oath in court about a salvation by repentance and works-worthy-of-repentance. (On Jesus' teaching of these essential components of salvation, see <a href="/books/628-works-worthy-of-repentance.html">our webpage</a>.) Obviously, Luke is <strong><em>completely unaware</em></strong> Paul's testimony to Agrippa contradicted Paul's repentance-free, faith-alone, and no-works-necessary gospel found in several of Paul's epistles. Hence, Acts like Luke's gospel are both totally non-Pauline, even when Luke quotes Paul!</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The most non-Pauline aspect of the Gospels is Jesus' view of the Law's continuity. Luke here makes a key contribution in favor of Jesus's non-Pauline Gospel. For Luke's Gospel contains another time than just Matt <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matt%205:17-19&version=NIV">5:17-19</a> where Jesus says not one jot or title of the Law will expire until heaven and earth pass away. In Luke's Gospel, Jesus says this another time in an another setting. See Luke <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%2016:17&version=NIV">16:17</a>. And in the next few verses, Jesus applies a passage of the Mosaic law. Thus, clearly Luke tells of a distinctly different event but with a message similar to Matt <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matt%205:17-19&version=NIV">5:17-19</a> where Jesus again teaches on the continuity of the Law in the New Covenant. Luke 16:16-17 reads in pertinent part:</span></p>
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<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">16 </sup>“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it.</span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">17 </sup>It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. (Luke<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16&version=NIV"> 16:16</a>-17 NIV.)</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Matthew's similar quotation in chapter five is within the Sermon on the Mount. By contrast, Luke 16 is clearly at a different time when Jesus' disciples alone gather around Jesus. This is ten chapters after Luke's version of the Sermon on the Mount in Luke <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+6%3A20-49&version=NIV">6:20-49</a>.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">(Incidentally, most scholars agree the Sermon in Luke is an exposition on the 10 Commandments even though often discussed as paraphrases. See <a href="http://www.sermononthemount.org.uk/Bible/Luke6v20_49.html">Luke 6:20-40, Sermon on the Plain</a>. This article includes a detailed comparison to Matthew. Again, a Gospel that emphasizes the Law, as Jesus taught and found in Luke's Gospel, is 100% non-Pauline.)</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">As a result, the fact Luke 16:16-17 -- not part of Luke's Sermon on the Mount -- is different than Matthew's account at 5:17-19 within the Sermon on the Mount proves Luke has preserved<strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> a second time</span> </strong>where our Lord emphasizes the continuity of the Law. Jesus says in Luke 16:17 <em><strong>not the least stroke will disappear out of the Law</strong></em>, and then explains a passage from the Law in the next verse. Jesus illustrates verse 17 by explaining a Mosaic law on divorce that has a continuing validity. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, clearly Jesus in Luke affirms the Law's continuity. Hence, no one can misconstrue verse 16 (<em>i.e.</em><em>,</em> the Law and Prophets were proclaimed until John) to imply the Law is defunct once the Gospel comes into play. Rather, the Gospel is built on the Law -- it will proclaim the good news that those who were disobedient to the Law can receive forgiveness and atonement through a blood sacrifice of Jesus - when such atonement principle itself can only be found in the Law.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">This passage therefore of Luke 16:17 is <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;" data-mce-mark="1">very harmful to the validity of Paul</span></strong>. It thereby <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;" data-mce-mark="1">destroys the argument of those who assert Luke is Pauline</span></strong>, and skewed to help Paul. The truth is quite the opposite.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">What further underscores that Luke supports a law-endorsing Jesus is found in Luke 18. It duplicates most of Jesus' words found in Matthew <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matt%2019:16-26&version=NIV">19:16-26</a> on the answer to the young rich man on how to have eternal life. The answer Jesus gives in both is that <strong><em>salvation comes by obedience to the Law combined with repentance from sin</em></strong>. This rich ruler suffered evidently from greediness which had harmed the poor, and Jesus told him, in effect, to make amends, <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>i.e.</em>, perform a work 'worthy of repentance.' The passage reads in Luke</span>:</span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">18 </sup>A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”</span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">19 </sup>“Why do you call me good?”</span> Jesus answered. <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">“No one is good—except God alone.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">20 </sup>You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’<sup class="footnote" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+18&version=NIV#fen-NIV-25709a" style="color: #b37162; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</sup>”</span></span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">21 </sup>“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.</span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">22 </sup>When Jesus heard this, he said to him, <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">“You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”</span></span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">23 </sup>When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.</span> <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">24 </sup>Jesus looked at him and said, <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">25 </sup>Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”</span></span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">26 </sup>Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”</span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">27 </sup>Jesus replied, <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">“What is impossible with man is possible with God.”</span></span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">28 </sup>Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”</span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">29 </sup>“Truly I tell you,”</span> Jesus said to them, <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">“no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">30 </sup>will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Luke <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+18&version=NIV">18:18-29</a> NIV.)</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">And this passage promises eternal life in verse 29 <em><strong>not</strong></em> for faith, but to those who have <em><strong>sacrificed in this life.</strong></em> Again, this is a doctrine that does not fit the faith-alone verses in Paul's epistles. Luke is clearly contrary to the Paul revealed in Paul's epistles. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Most startling of all, Luke (in one more incident than Matthew had) identifies where Jesus again teaches to obey commands in the Law for eternal life. First in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010:25-28&version=KJV">Luke 10:25-28 KJV</a> we read:</span></p>
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<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span id="en-KJV-25389" class="text Luke-10-25" style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" data-mce-mark="1">25 </span>And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?</span></p>
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<p style="margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span id="en-KJV-25390" class="text Luke-10-26" style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" data-mce-mark="1">26 </span>He said unto him, <em><strong>What is written in the law</strong></em>? how readest thou?</span></p>
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<p style="margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span id="en-KJV-25391" class="text Luke-10-27" style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" data-mce-mark="1">27 </span>And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.</span></p>
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<p style="margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span id="en-KJV-25392" class="text Luke-10-28" style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" data-mce-mark="1">28 </span>And he said unto him, Thou <strong><em>hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live</em></strong>.</span></p>
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<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Luke likewise has unique criticisms of the Pharisees by Jesus that do not appear in Matthew or Mark. And thus, the claim that Luke treats Pharisees well is certainly false. For example, in Luke 16, we read:</span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">13 </sup>“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”</span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">14<em><strong> </strong></em></sup><em><strong>The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.</strong></em></span> <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">15 </sup>He said to them, <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">“You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight. (Luke <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16&version=NIV">16:13-14</a> NIV.)</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Hence, it is incorrect to claim Luke portrays the Pharisees as law-abiding, and good teachers.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Another example of a non-Pauline text is Luke's distinct version of the Parable of the Sower in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+8&version=NIV">Luke chapter 8</a>. We discuss this parable in depth in <a href="/images/stories/Salvation/ParableoftheSower.pdf">chapter 18</a> of Jesus' Words on Salvation. In Luke 8:13, Jesus portrays the second type of lost person as one who "believes for a while," but then falls into temptation. It has the same fate as the seed that fell on rocky ground that never took root at all. <strong><em>Hence, the second seed represents a believer who falls later into sin. Luke portrays this person in context as not saved at all, but lost</em></strong>. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Incidentally, in Luke 8:13, "believing" -- <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>pisteuo --</em> is the Greek verb, and the same word as in John 3:16. In this standard translation as "believing," <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">this believing did not save the second seed. Only the "noble and good heart," which existed prior to hearing the gospel, is saved, and endured. (But Paul, as you may recall, said <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>none is righteous</em> who have not yet accepted his Gospel. Jesus sees things differently than Paul on this second and related issue.)</span></span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">And Luke's version of the Sower Parable which destroys faith alone doctrine is different in Matthew by essentially one word. Do you have a guess what word it may be? This word <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>pisteuo</em>. Matthew says instead the second seed was "received;" he is not as explicit that this means <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>believed</em>. Luke says the second seed "believed" for a while (in the standard translation of <em>pisteuo</em>), and fell away, depicting such one-time faith as insufficient for final salvation. Hence, Luke's Gospel undermines the faith-alone doctrine of Paul even more than Matthew's Gospel does.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Incidentally, here, Luke may have been translating the original Hebrew Matthew better than the Greek translator of the Hebrew Matthew by Luke rendering the Hebrew as "believed." Jerome in the late 300s said that a Greek translator rendered the Hebrew Matthew into what we have today as the Greek Matthew, but apparently not every section. And perhaps not as well as Luke did in Luke 8:13. (On the Hebrew version of Matthew being its original form, see our article <a href="/books/132-hebrew-matthew-introduction.html">The Hebrew Version of Matthew</a>.)</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">One of the greatest preachers, John Donne (1572-1631), said this Parable of the Sower contains a great warning to Christians about having believed and losing salvation. This is because the second seed represents <em><strong>believers</strong></em>:</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
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<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><br />[Y]et we may relapse into former sins, or fall<br />into new, and come to savour only of the<br />earth...[W]e may have received the good seed,<br />and endured for a while, as St. <em><strong>Matthew</strong></em><br />expresses Christ's words;<em><strong> Received it</strong></em> and<br /><em><strong>believed it for a while</strong></em>, as St. <em><strong>Luke expresses</strong></em><br />them, and then <strong><em>depart from the goodness</em></strong><br /><strong><em>which God's grace</em></strong> had formerly wrought in us,<br />and<em><strong> from the grace of God itself.</strong></em></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
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<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">John Donne, “Sermon on ‘Easter’ 1626,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-mark="1">The Works of John Donne, D.D.</span> (Henry Alford, ed.)(London: John Parker, 1839) Vol. 1 at 378</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, Luke once more has a non-Pauline passage -- the Sower Parable -- with a unique variant that disproves Paul's core doctrine -- that salvation is by faith alone. Instead, Luke depicts the only saved person as the 'good and noble heart' who hears the word, and who by patient endurance produces good fruit. This again underscores this passage in Luke destroys the faith alone doctrine. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">And the Sower Parable also is at odds with Paul's notion that none are righteous in their soul prior to the Word being sown. See, </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Romans</span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%203:10-18&version=ASV" style="color: #517291; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> 3:10-18</a> <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">(Paul relying upon an out-of-context use of a Psalm)</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">.</span> </span>For Jesus in the Sower Parable identified someone who prior to hearing the gospel has a "good and noble" heart. (This is the person who received the gospel, and had works to show, while all the others either did not believe or did believe but fell away, and were lost.) </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Likewise, Luke records the parents of John the Baptist as "righteous" in the same vein. These two passages are much like Luke records about Cornelius in Acts 10. In that chapter, Luke describes a Gentile who never heard of Christ but whose charity and good works were a "sweet savor" to God. Thereupon, God then directed Peter to evangelize Cornelius about Jesus. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, on that issue of Paul's out-of-context application of 'no, not one is righteous' from a Psalm, such a view is systematically destroyed by Luke's Gospel and Acts: the Sower Parable on the "good and noble" heart existing prior to evangelization; Luke's depiction of the "righteous" parents of John, and Luke's portrayal of Cornelius in Acts 10. Each example <em><strong>refutes the picture in Paul that no one is righteous / has a good heart,</strong></em> before having the 'gospel belief' Paul insisted one must have to be saved. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Then of course, there are many examples of Luke repeating passages in Matthew that are non-Pauline. For example, Luke in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+6%3A46&version=NIV">6:46</a> extols the necessity of obedience aside from merely calling on the Lord's name: "Why do you <em><strong>call me, 'Lord, Lord</strong></em>,' and do not do what I say?" Jesus then equates the one who does not "listen to my words" to the one who builds a house on sand, and then the winds and rains come (<em>i.e.</em>, the stress of this world) and its end is "complete destruction." (Luke <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+6&version=NIV">6:48</a> NIV.) See parallel in Matthew <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%207&version=NIV">7:21-27</a> (NIV).</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">This contradicts Paul who says contrarily: "If you <em><strong>declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,'</strong> </em>and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you <em><strong>will be saved</strong></em>." (Romans <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+10%3A9&version=NIV">10:9</a>, NIV.)</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">(Incidentally, Paul's quotations to support this view are (a) out-of-context; and (b) relied upon a mistranslation by the Septuagint Greek of Isaiah 23; and (c) added new words not even in the passage from Isaiah, as confirmed by the Dead Sea Scrolls version of Isaiah that predate Paul. See this <a href="/books/568-isaiah-2816-another-septuagint-mistranslation.html">article</a>.)</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">And Luke has a parallel to the anti-Pharisee / pro-law statement of Jesus in Matthew <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+23%3A23&version=NIV">23:23</a>. In Matthew, the Pharisees are depicted as tithers who fail to follow any other portion of the Law. In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+11%3A42-44&version=KJV">Luke 11:42-44</a> (KJV), we similarly read a very negative statement about the Pharisees' position on the Law, as they emphasized only the Law which would encourage financial support for the temple system (which they evidently benefited financially from) and otherwise left "judgment [<em>i.e.</em>, the Law's decrees being applied] and the love of God" undone: </span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">42 </sup>But woe unto you, Pharisees! for<strong><span style="color: #ff0000;" data-mce-mark="1"> ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone</span></strong>. </span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">43 </sup>Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. </span></p>
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<p style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">44 </sup>Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Accordingly, Luke's Gospel is not only non-Pauline; it is clearly contrary to the epistles of Paul time and time again. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">And Luke's Gospel is uniformally derogatory about the Pharisees for traits that Paul himself evinces in his epistles, such as Paul's denouncing the Law generally while Paul cites portions of the Law to argue in favor of financial support of those who minister (like himself). (See "<a href="/books/396-pauls-self-serving-use-of-law.html">Paul's Self-Serving Use of Law To Urge Support for Preachers / Teachers.</a>") </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, the Paul of the Epistles would be destroyed by reading Luke's Gospel as a comparison to them. But it is obvious, the Paul depicted in Acts has none of those traits viewable only in Paul's Epistles.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">And therein lies an interesting issue of why did Luke not know of the epistolary Paul. How or more importantly </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>why</em> did Paul not expose Luke to Paul's true doctrines that he shared with his trusted followers in the epistles?</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #333399;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Acts: Luke Was Still Ignorant On Epistolary Doctrines </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">of Paul</span></span></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Luke's Gospel is designed to make Paul look good because the Paul in Acts is law-obedient when requested by James in Acts 21; endorses the Law in Acts 24:14 -- "I believe in all things that are according to the Law and prophets." And Luke quotes Paul saying in court (under oath therefore) before the Sanhedrin that he has lived "in all good conscience" (<em>i.e.</em>, without sin) before God till this day" (<a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/23-1.htm">Acts 23:1</a>).</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Clearly, Luke did not know of the contrary epistolary doctrines of Paul with which we are all familiar. Paul teaches the Law is "dead" (Romans 7:1-7), and thus it is all past tense. Paul also believes that "no not one is righteous...." (<a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/3-10.htm">Romans 3:10</a>). </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">For if Luke did know of these contradictions, and wished to remain loyal to Paul, Luke would not write a gospel so damaging to Paul, evincincing contradiction after contradiction of how Paul spoke in front of Luke and how Paul spoke in his epistles. Evangelical scholar R.B. Rackham acknowledged this fact long ago.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">For Luke portrays Jesus in Luke's Gospel as having doctrine that is antithetical to Paul whom Luke is trying to portray favorably in Acts. Certainly, Luke was unaware Paul's epistles taught abrogation of the Law. Otherwise, if Luke knew this, Luke would not have wished to open up Paul for ridicule and giving false testimony by recording (rather than ignoring) that Paul says the following in Acts <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2024:14&version=NIV">24:14</a> in the courtroom with Felix, a Roman ruler: </span></p>
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<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"<sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14 </sup><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> as a follower of the Way,</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> which they call a sect.</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> <em><strong>I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets.</strong></em>..." (Acts<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2024&version=NIV"> 24:14</a> NIV.)</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In context, Paul was being charged with letting an uncircumcized Gentile enter a Temple area where the uncircumcised were not permitted. Paul was trying to imply to Felix he would obey the Law & Prophets, and would not have violated the command against an uncircumcized Gentile entering the Temple proper. That command happens to be a command only in Ezekiel - a Prophet. See our article "<a href="/books/65-trophimus.html">Trophimus</a>."</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, had Luke known / heard Paul testify that he believed in all parts of the Law and Prophets before Felix, implying Paul felt obligated to follow the Law and Prophets, but Luke had read Paul's epistles that speak to the contrary, Luke would know that Acts <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2024:14&version=NIV">24:14</a> would lead to ridicule of Paul as untruthful. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Because Luke's agenda to portray Paul favorably in Acts is self-evident, it follows that Luke could not have known Paul's epistolary works say "I am not under the Law," and Christ was "the end of the Law" (See Romans 7:1-7). Indeed, how could Luke include Paul's contrary testimony before Felix if Luke knew of all of Paul's epistles? For had Luke known of the epistles of Paul, then clearly Acts <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2024:14&version=NIV">24:14</a> would prove Paul was testifying in an untruthful manner in front of Felix, saying "I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets." Paul certainly was implying to Felix that he, Paul, was duty bound to obey both which Paul's epistles make clear that Paul does not believe that to be true.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #333399;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">How Could Luke Not Have Known Paul's True Doctrines?</span></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">But wasn't Luke a frequent companion of Paul? How could Luke escape hearing enough of Paul's doctrines with which we are familiar to realize he better omit Acts 24:14 to prevent Paul from being exposed as untruthful? </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The answer is one of only two realistic possibilities: (1) Paul treated the recipients of his epistles as a unique circle to which Luke did not belong or qualify because of Luke's predilection, evident in his gospel, to favor Jesus's position in favor of the Law's validity and that justification was by repentance, and not by faith alone; or (2) Luke barely had contact with Paul during missionary activities even if Luke accompanied Paul on those journeys.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The only other possibility implicates Luke in deliberately keeping secret Paul's "secret" doctrine. R.B. Rackham suggested that possibility, and tries to put a good spin on it:</span></p>
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<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">But St. Luke was writing for the Church at large, and gives, so to speak, the view from outside, the official report, what had transpired and had been made public. <em><strong>Secret conferences, secret motives and ideas in St. Paul's mind</strong></em>, may have been known to him, but they were <em><strong>private property</strong></em> as it were, suitable for an autobiography rather than for a book of ' Acts of Apostles.' St. Luke was addressing the general church public, who neither knew St. Paul's inner</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> history, <em><strong>nor had any claim to know it</strong></em>. (<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">R.B. Rackham's article, "The Acts of the Apostles, A Plea for an Early Date," </span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>Journal of Theological Studies</em> (London: MacMillan, 1900) Vol. 1 at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA84&dq=intitle:%22journal%22+intitle:%22theological+studies%22+date:1900-1900&id=DvgLAAAAIAAJ&output=html"> 84</a>.)</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">But Rackham's suggestion would imply that if Luke did know Paul's non-public doctrine, and knew it contradicted the portrayal Luke was relaying in Acts (and contradicted the Christ of Luke's own Gospel), then Luke was engaged in duplicity. Nothing in Luke's rendering of the Gospel of Jesus Christ nor of Acts suggests such a morality was acceptable to Luke. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">What then is more likely?</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Between the two men, only Paul shamelessly endorses using "guile" to catch recruits and "being all things to all men" by conforming to the morals of whomever he is with. See our article <a href="/books/283-guile-in-paul.html">Guile in Paul</a>. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Nor could a true Paulinist accept this possibility that Luke was suppressing material facts and deliberately covering up Paul's 'secret' doctrine at odds with the public Paul. Such a view deprives Luke of any trustworthiness at all for it means he was hiding contradictions between the secret Paul and the public Paul. Then who would believe Luke's account of Paul's vision -- the only event that legitimizes Paul -- if Luke were deliberately engaged in nothing less than deception to help Paul, which this necessarily would imply?</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">No! Rackham's suggestion does not fit the character of Luke. Thus, the true solution remains as a mix of the other two possibilities. First, Luke was not part of the unique circle to whom Paul imparted his anti-Law and faith alone view. And second, Luke's presence with Paul is very miniscule until the arrest of Paul and Paul's being taken by ship to Rome. And under arrest, Paul was in no place to preach and teach. Luke did not know the Paul he met and travelled with in Acts had a secret doctrine he did not disclose in front of Luke.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The "we" passages in Acts prove Luke accompanied Paul on what are called the second and third missionary journeys as well as Paul's voyage as a prisoner to Rome. See Acts </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2016:10-17&version=NIV" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;">16:10-17</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> (Lydia's conversion at Philippi), </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2020:5-15&version=NIV" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;">20:5-15</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> (Troas / departure Ephesus), </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2021:1-18&version=NIV" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;">21:1-18</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> (Tyre to Jerusalem), and </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2027:1-28:6&version=NIV" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.3em;">27:1 to 28:16</a><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> (Jerusalem to Rome).</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">If you exclude the voyage to Rome -- when Paul is a prisoner and hence not in a position to teach and preach anything, Luke's only personal exposure to Paul's teachings covers events summarized in 36 verses of Acts. That is relatively small.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">All other passages in Acts show no personal acquaintance with Paul. It is all second-hand. In fact, Luke never places himself in any conversation with Paul even on the voyage to Rome. For example, Luke never says "Paul told me." "I heard Paul say," etc. Luke always portrays Paul as if Luke is listening to second-hand reports. Luke never once steps out of that narrator role, and says as a witness himself of the events that "I heard Paul say...."</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Hence, Luke's exposure to Paul's teachings was apparently limited and insubstantial. Unless he saw Paul's epistles, Luke easily could not be aware that they contain teachings at odds with the true Jesus whom Luke knew through his study to write Luke's Gospel.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Accordingly, one may infer that <em><strong>Paul did not reveal himself fully in front of Luke</strong></em>. Even when Luke was with Paul as a missionary companion, Paul never revealed his true views on the Law or justification by faith alone. Paul reserved those "mysteries" to the recipients of his letters. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Why again would Paul do this? Because Luke's gospel has Jesus endorse the Law, we can assume Luke was himself desirous of keeping the Law. And Paul found out that fact, and was circumspect when around Luke.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Indeed, Paul viewed his gospel as something "hid" from others from the beginning of the world. (2 Cor. 4:3; Eph. 3:9). Paul thus could easily justify not disclosing to Luke his true doctrines, and in fact misleading Luke at Acts 24:14 that he endorsed the Law. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, this pro-Law view from Jesus which clearly <span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>formed</em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span>Luke's outlook likely explains why Luke did not know of Paul's contrary doctrine on the Law. Paul evidently learned of Luke's predilections. Paul, being desirous that an important figure like Luke would praise himself (Paul), kept to himself his true views when around Luke.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">While this may sound a bit manipulative, Paul confesses to this strategy in his epistles. For Paul explains that he would fit in with the morals of whomever he was with. Paul said that if he was with someone who obeyed the Law, Paul would do so likewise. In other words, we can say that Paul confessed he would give a false-impression that he was law-adherent around those who did not realize the Law was supposedly defunct. As astonishing as this may sound, Paul wrote:</span></p>
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<p style="margin-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and </span><strong style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 12pt; color: #494a44; line-height: 21px;"><em>to the Jews I became as a Jew</em></strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;</span><em style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 12pt; color: #494a44; line-height: 21px;"><strong> to those who are without the law as without law... that I might win those who are without law</strong></em><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">; to the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." 1Corinthians 9:19-22</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px 30px; color: #494a44; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-size: large;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as<strong><em> I also please all men in all things</em></strong>, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." 1Corinthians 10:31-33</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Hence, the reason Luke never backs off in Acts from a Paul who we all know clearly abrogates the Law in his epistles is because <em><strong>Luke was a God-fearing Gentile who still believed, per Jesus, that the Law continued</strong></em>. And while Luke was not a Jew, Paul's 'all-things-to-all-men' principle would say that to one who obeys the Laws of the Jews like Luke, "I became as one who obeys the Laws of the Jews." And thus <em><strong>Paul would not let Luke hear Paul teach otherwise, lest Luke be offended and dislike Paul</strong></em>. Thus, this explains why Luke portrays Paul positively in Acts in many circumstances, and does not portray Paul as an apostate from the Law and Prophets but instead as an adherent. Paul kept Luke in the dark, and at <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2024:14&version=NIV">24:14</a> of Acts, Paul lied in court and clearly misled Luke that Paul endorsed "all points according to the Law and prophets." (Whether lying in court in violation of the Ninth Commandment is ever justified is beyond the scope of this article.)</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: 'times new roman', times; color: #333399;" data-mce-mark="1"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Conclusion</span></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Just because Luke accompanied Paul on the trip from Jerusalem to Rome for Paul's trial, and on two brief journeys, does not mean Luke knew of Paul's teachings against the law, or that salvation is by faith alone. In fact, clearly Luke did not know the epistolary-Paul. For Luke depicts Paul as a law adherent (Acts 24:14), and not as an apostate from the Law. Luke also depicts Paul teaching a salvation by "works worthy of repentance" in Acts 26:20, surely proving that Luke never knew of the 'faith alone' doctrine frequently found in Paul's epistles.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">And hence, Luke's affection for Paul stirred no response within Luke to skew the Jesus whom Luke presents in his Gospel. Luke does nothing in his Gospel that can be suspected of being skewed to help confirm Paul's doctrines revealed in Paul's epistles. Thus, Luke's Gospel is a trustworthy work.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">In fact, Luke's Gospel is so trustworthy and antithetical to the epistolary Paul (<em>i.e.</em>, the Paul of Paul's letters) that one can infer from reading Acts that Luke <em><strong>never heard any of the anti-Law lessons</strong></em> that fill each of Paul's major letters: Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Corinthians. Luke was a dupe of Paul's false testimony to Felix that "<em><strong>I believe in all points that are according to the Law</strong></em>...." (Acts <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2024:14&version=NIV">24:14</a>.) </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Thus, in writing the gospel, Luke was un-influenced by the Pauline doctrines which are now synonymous with Paul, but back then were only shared by Paul with those whom Paul safely could trust would not be offended. Paul obviously did <em><strong>not</strong></em> share his true doctrines <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">with someone like Luke</span></strong> whom Paul must have realized <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">knew Jesus's doctrines on salvation (such as repent-or-perish), justification by repentance</span></strong> (not faith) from the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee, etc., all <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">at odds</span></strong> with Paul's epistolary doctrines. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Paul clearly had a secret doctrine -- imparted like a mystery. Thereby, even someone like Luke who even shared a voyage with Paul in police custody and two other brief journeys <em><strong>never heard those 'mysteries' which Paul imparted by letters solely to trusted confidants</strong></em> who would not be offended by the message. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large;" data-mce-mark="1"> (1/23/2013, revised 1/07/2016)</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Study Notes</span></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Luke also records in Acts that Paul taught repentance was crucial, which most interpret Paul in Romans 4:3-5 to say is not crucial. For there Paul says God justifies us while 'ungodly.' Yet Luke in Acts conveys a different message from Paul. In <span data-mce-mark="1">Acts 17:30 ALT, we read: "Therefore indeed, [these] times of ignorance having overlooked, God is now <em><strong>giving strict orders to all people everywhere to be repenting</strong></em>."</span></span></p>
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<p> </p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Some contend that Luke-Acts equates all Pharisees with doctors of the law, and this is intended by Luke to compliment the Pharisees. This is for purposes of arguing Luke was trying to vindicate the Pharisees, and this supposedly destroys the reliability of Luke's Gospel and Acts in light of the valid Matthew.</span></p>
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<p> </p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">However, in Acts 5:17, Luke uses "doctors of the law" as distinct and different from the Pharisees. See <a href="http://bible.cc/luke/5-17.htm" target="_blank" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.666666984558105px; line-height: normal;">Luke 5:17</a> ("the Pharisees and doctors of the law").</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">When I asked a colleague for the proof that Luke does equate "doctors of the law" with the Pharisees, I was advised to read Luke 5:17 in conjunction with Acts <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+5%3A34&version=ESV">5:34</a>.</span></p>
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<div><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">However, Acts <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+5%3A34&version=ESV">5:34</a> merely says Gamaliel was a doctor / teacher (rabbi) of the law. This does not prove all Pharisees were doctors / teachers of the law. It proves only that Gamaliel was regarded as one. It means Gamaliel was not only a Pharisee, but also a Rabbi (teacher) of the law. It does not logically follow that all Pharisees were Rabbis. For example, Luke did not likely mean to suggest by saying Gamaliel was a Rabbi that we should infer Paul was a Rabbi (teacher / doctor of the law) before his Damascus experience when Luke says later that Paul told a crowd in Acts <a href="http://bible.cc/acts/23-6.htm">23:6</a> "I am a Pharisee." </span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">More important, the entire effort to construe "doctors of the law" as a compliment is pointless because even if Luke calls the Pharisees "doctors" (teachers / rabbis of the law), it does not prove he does so to praise them. Rather, Luke likely would be simply stating a fact. For otherwise, the Pharisees are condemned in Luke's Gospel over and over again in the <strong><em>sternest condemnatory language. </em> </strong>For example:</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></div>
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<div>
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<p style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">14<em><strong> </strong></em></sup><em><strong>The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.</strong></em> <sup style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">15 </sup>He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight. (Luke <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16&version=NIV" target="_blank" style="color: #517291;">16:13-14</a> NIV.)</span></p>
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<p style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px; color: #494a44; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"> And in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+11%3A42-44&version=KJV" target="_blank" style="color: #517291;">Luke 11:42-44</a> (KJV), we read:</span></p>
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<p style="color: #222222; line-height: normal; font-size: 16px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">42 </sup>But woe unto you, <strong>Pharisees!</strong> for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.</span></p>
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<p style="color: #222222; line-height: normal; font-size: 16px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">43 </sup>Woe unto you, <strong>Pharisees!</strong> for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.</span></p>
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<p style="color: #222222; line-height: normal; font-size: 16px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><sup style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">44 </sup>Woe unto you, scribes and <strong>Pharisees</strong>, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Hence, the notion the Pharisees are called as a group "doctors" (teachers of the law) is unfounded. Gamaliel was, but this does not prove all Pharisees were also all Rabbis (teachers / doctors of the law). More important, Luke portays the Pharisees negatively, and thus if a positive potrayal of the Pharisees suggests a pro-Paul bias, we can say emphatically that no such positive portrayal of the Pharisees exists in Luke's writings.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
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</div>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Irenaeus in <em>Against Heresies</em> in Chapter 15, recounts the service of Luke to Paul on their journey to Rome. See this <a href="http://christianbookshelf.org/irenaeus/against_heresies/chapter_xiv_if_paul_had_known.htm">link</a>.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"></span></p>
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<p> </p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">The book by my ministry friend contends that Josephus wrote Acts. The evidence is speculative, mostly having to do with each recording a similar shipwreck they were involved in. But that journey was on a common thoroughfare, and shipwrecks were common. It would be like saying if two supposed men each write about a car-crash at a certain intersection allows us to infer it is one, not two men who are writing the story.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">There are others who contend Luke was really Plutarch writing. See this <a href="http://www.truthseekers.co.za/component/option,com_fireboard/Itemid,28/func,view/catid,3/id,2082/">link</a>. This is also speculative, as the links are they inferentially had similar backgrounds and education. </span></p>
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<p> </p>
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<h3><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: large; color: #0000ff;"><strong>Usage of Pisteuo in Acts by Luke Encompasses Obedience, and Is Not Mere Belief</strong></span></h3>
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<p> </p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">Wayne Jackson in Belief as Used in the Book of Acts in the Christian Courier -- an evangelical outreach -- explains the meaning of <span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>pisteuo</em> can be "to believe" but also "to trust" and "to obey." He says John 3:36 proves the "to obey" meaning, as the contrast is with a verb to "disobey." Jackson points out that John 2:24 proves the "trust" meaning as Jesus would not "pisteou" certain men... he did not trust them.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1">So then Mr. Jackson examines how did Luke use <span style="font-size: medium; font-family: 'times new roman', times;" data-mce-mark="1"><em>pisteuo</em> in the book of Acts ... as mere belief, or the acts of obedience / repentance that were discussed in the same context?</span></span></span></p>
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<p style="margin-left: 30px;"> </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em 30px; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">(1) Following Peter’s sermon on Pentecost, certain devout Jews inquired: “What shall we do?” The apostle commanded them to repent of their sins and be baptized for the remission thereof (2:38). Those who “received his word were baptized” (v. 41).</p>
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<p style="margin-left: 60px;"> </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em 30px; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Luke then says: “And all that believed were together” (v. 44). “Believed” sums up the obedience described previously.</p>
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<p style="margin-left: 60px;"> </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em 30px; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">(2) On the initial day of its existence, the church consisted of at least 3,000 souls. Later, Luke records that many others heard the word and “believed; and the number of men came to be about five thousand” (4:4). It is obvious that the 5,000 mentioned here included the 3,000 referenced earlier, and that the “believed” of this passage means precisely what it did in 2:44.</p>
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<p style="margin-left: 60px;"> </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em 30px; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">(3) After the baptism of Cornelius, the first Gentile convert, Peter went to Jerusalem to defend his actions before a rather hostile Jewish audience (cf. 11:2). He argued that God had authenticated the Gentiles’ acceptance by giving them the Holy Spirit. </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em 30px; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">The apostle then said: </p>
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<blockquote style="padding-top: 10px; padding-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; margin: 0px 0px 20px 50px; font-size: 17.5px; border-left-width: 5px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: #eeeeee; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; font-size: 15.9949998855591px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, 'Courier New', monospace;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“If then God gave unto them the like gift as he did also unto us, when we [Jews] believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?” (11:17). </span></p>
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</blockquote>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em 30px; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Note that the entire conversion process of the Jews (cf. 2:38) is simply referred to as “when we <em>believed</em>.”</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Of note, when Peter says in Acts 11:17 "when we believed on the Lord Jesus" the Greek is: "pisteusasin epi" Jesus -- meaning "believed upon...." -- the verb being an aorist participle active in the dative.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">The next example of usage has the same contrast between pisteuo and apeitheo that exists in John 3:36, revealing there pisteuo<em> </em>should be rendered as <em>obey</em>. Mr. Jackson writes:</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em 30px; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">(4) In the course of his first missionary journey, Paul, together with Barnabas, came to the city of Iconium. They entered into a synagogue of the Jews and proclaimed the gospel of Christ.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em 30px; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">There was an encouraging response for Luke says that “a great multitude both of Jews and Greeks <em>believed</em>” (14:1). Note the sentence that follows. “But the Jews that were <em>disobedient</em> stirred up the souls of the Gentiles, and made them evil affected against the brethren” (<span class="caps">ASV</span>).</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em 30px; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">The term rendered “disobedient” in the <span class="caps">ASV</span> is apeitheo, which carries the idea of refusing to be persuaded, a failure to comply (Thayer, p. 55). Moulton and Milligan, prominent experts in the Greek papyri, cite numerous examples of where <em>apeitheo</em> means “to disobey.” In conclusion they stated: “We have not sought for more instances, but it has seemed desirable to give rather plentiful illustrations to prove a case which is <em><strong>very important for doctrine”</strong></em> (p. 55).</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">The article's footnote provides Moulton's cite as: Moulton, J.H. & Milligan, G. (1963) <em>The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament Illustrated from the Papyri</em> (London: Hodder & Stoughton).</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">It seems Moulton and Milligan know very well that whether John 3:16 means "believe" or "obey" turns on the identical contrast in John 3:36 where <em>pisteousin eis</em> is contrasted with the verb <em>apeitho -- </em>meaning <em>disobey</em>. This tells you the meaning and intent of the word <em>pisteuosin </em>as a contrast to make one's meaning clear. Mr. Jackson then applies that lesson to construe Luke's meaning in Acts 14:1. The Jews and Greeks in other words obeyed the Good News. Moulton and Milligan thus imply that knowing how <em>pisteuo</em> is used as a contrast to <em>apeitheo</em> has a "very important" impact on "doctrine." They are alluding to John 3:16.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Mr. Jackson then reviews other examples. Finally, he states his conclusion:</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em 30px; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 26.7233409881592px;">Belief, because it is the foundation of <em><strong>one’s surrender to Christ</strong></em>, and because it is the motivating factor for further obedience, is employed by Luke to reflect the entire process in becoming a Christian — including repentance, acknowledgment of Jesus as the Son of God, and immersion in water. How can anyone contend that the<em><strong> sole mental act of “believing” in Christ represents the entire plan of salvation?</strong></em></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Again the link for his article is found <a href="https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/805-belief-as-used-in-the-book-of-acts">here</a>. Wayne Jackson is also the author of the well-received book <em>Acts from Jerusalem to Rome</em> (2005) available at this Amazon <a href="http://amzn.to/1EwkUss">link</a>.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; font-size: 16.0020008087158px; line-height: 1.67em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> </p>
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