Have I made Paul greater than Jesus?

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers through the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us through His Son “Paul”  Hebrews 1:1-2

"Jesus said: Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine “Paul” and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine “Paul” and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. Mat 7:24,26

In my journey to understand why I and mainstream Christianity have jettisoned the Torah I discovered that I was clinging to my understanding of the words of Paul even if they contradicted the clear words of Jesus, the clear word of YAHWEH or Paul himself. Whenever I read the words of Paul and they seem to contradict the Torah, the Prophets and Jesus who are all in agreement, I always chose to believe the contradicting words of Paul and ignore or reinterpret everything else. I simply believed that Paul had some kind of direct revelation, that Jesus chose not to teach, and it changed everything. The details and effect of this direct revelation were codified later in Christianity from cross referencing writings of Paul. At its most basic, it goes like this. If I accept Jesus, If I love others, I have fulfilled the Law and if the Law is fulfilled I do not need to really know, really understand or really follow God’s Law as long as I love others. The problem is, that is not how God described His plan, or how the Prophets presented it nor how Jesus presented it.

Jesus says:

Man shall live by every word that comes out of the mouth of YAHWEH.  Mat 4:4

Whoever nullifies one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Mat 5:19

Nothing in the Torah will pass away until heaven and earth pass away Mat 5:18

He specifically says He did not come to abolish the Torah. Mat 5:17

Pay special attention to the more important parts of the Torah but do not neglect the smallest parts Mat 23:23

He will reject those who are Lawless. Mat 7:23

If you love me, you will keep My commandments and I always have the same words (commands) that my Father has. John 14:10,15

The Torah of YHWH is perfect, restoring the soul; Psalms 19:7

Forever, YHWH, Your word stands in heaven.  I will never forget Your commandments;  How I love Your Torah! It is my meditation all day. Psa 119:89,93,97

You are near, YHWH, and all Your commandments are truth. From long ago I have known from Your testimonies That You have founded them forever Psa 119:151-152

The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting. Psa 119:160

"God is not a man, that He would lie, Nor a human, that He would change His mind; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Num 23:19

Certainly, YWHW GOD does nothing Unless He reveals His secret plan to His servants the prophets. Amo 3:7

The Prophets say.

“I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.” Eze 11:19-20

"This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time," declares YHWH. I will put my Torah in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Jer 31:33

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the commandments (word) of our God endures forever. Isa 40:8

The other Apostles say.

By this we know that we have come to know Him if we keep His commandments. 1John 2:3

The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 1John 2:4

Those who obey God's commandments remain in fellowship with Him, and He with them. 1 John 3:24

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 1John 5:3

To this you were called, because the Messiah suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth. 1Pe 2:22

Many times, the Apostles, including Paul, quote the Torah when they want to show that they have authority to say what they are saying. There are about 342 OT quotes in the NT. They appeal to the Torah’s authority to validate what they were writing. Paul quotes the Torah as authoritative, but does Paul then say the Torah is no longer needed, fading out of sight, been abolished, replaced, or set aside? Especially when the Torah he is quoting says it will not be abolished, replaced, or set aside. That would be contradicting the very thing he says is his authority.

Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 1Co​r.​ 9:8 

Peter warns against taking Paul's words and making them mean lawlessness. 

There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You, therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 2 Peter 3:15-17

 So, was Paul a hypocrite in what he taught compared to what he lived?

Are my Christian teachers and preachers correct that Paul had revelations that overrule YAHWEH’s words and contradict Jesus and even Paul himself. 

Luke records how noble people received Paul’s teachings.

Now these Jews (Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Acts 17:11

What were the “Scriptures” that the Bereans examined to compare Paul’s teachings to?

The only Scriptures the first Christians had was the Old Testament.

So, for the Bereans, everything Paul said HAD to be in 100% agreement with the Old Testament. Such as...

You shall walk after the YHWH your God and fear Him and keep His commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. Deut 13:4

Otherwise, they would have considered Paul a false prophet.

The Bereans show me that Paul preached in agreement to the Law of God. As mentioned in Acts 17.

The New Testament scriptures testify that Paul lived in accordance to the Law of God.

take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus, all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. Acts 21:24

Paul lived God’s Law and he taught God’s Law.

Why does my pastor interpret Paul’s teachings as doing away with the Law of God? ... even though the Bereans proved he was in agreement with it?

Is my pastor making Paul out to be a hypocrite by implying that Paul was saying “Do as I say and not as I do”. Paul told the Church in Corinth, those who were born as gentiles, to ..

Be imitators of me, as I am of the Messiah. 1 Cor 11:1

Paul also says:

You know what God wants; you know what is right because you have been taught His Law. You are so proud of knowing the ​Torah, but you dishonor God by breaking it.​  Rom 2:18,23

through the Torah comes knowledge of sin.​ Romans 3:20​

Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision?  Yes, there are great benefits!​ ​ Rom 3:1-2

​Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! On the contrary, we uphold the law.​ Rom 3:3​1​

What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?​ ​ Rom 6:1-2

What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the Law. Rom 7:7

​Paul said “I love God's Law with all my heart.”​  Rom 7:22

So then, I myself, in my mind am a servant to God's Law, but in my sinful nature a servant to the law of sin.​​ Rom 7:25 

The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's Law, nor can it do so. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  Rom 8:7,13,14

(OT prophesied that God would give us new hearts and new spirit that would want to obey his Laws Eze 11:19)

The Bereans show in Acts 17, that Paul taught in accordance with the Old Testament. And Acts 24 testifies he lived by God’s Law and Paul’s own testimony was that he loves and follows God’s Law.

Maybe people who take Paul’s letters and interpret them that God no longer wants us to follow His instructions (Torah), have become those of who Peter warned me. If I listen to them Peter says “I will lose my own stability”

Which do I follow? The Eternal word of God or the excerpted words of Paul? Words quoted many times devoid of any historical or narrative context but repeated so much they seem normal to me. Even though, they contradict the rest of the Bible.

The whole of God’s word does not teach that, If we love God, we do not and will not obey His commandments. God’s Word constantly says “IF I truly love, Then I will truly keep His commandments”. It does not say, IF I keep His commandments, Then I will love. It says, only when I truly love God first will I want to obey His commandments. Obedience does not bring Love. Love brings obedience. God loves me and when I accept His free love and forgiveness and love Him in return, I want to obey my loving parent. Not out of fear, not to win acceptance, but out of love and respect, trusting what He tells me to do (even if I do not understand) is for my best interest.

 

Blessed is the one whose delight is in the Torah of YAHWEH, and who meditates on His Torah day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither--whatever they do prospers. Psalms 1:1-3

Those who love Your Law have great peace (shalom), And nothing causes them to stumble. Psa 119:165

I hope for Your salvation (Yeshua), YHWH, and do Your commandments. Psa 119:166

 

May YAHWEH bless you and keep you!