Paul & Difficult Passages
Bible Questions
Teachings
Paul Taught Nothing but the Torah and the Old Testament – Part 1
Part 1 examines the claim that Paul taught believers to abandon the Torah and the Old Testament. The speaker begins with Paul’s Jewish credentials and his defense against accusations that he taught against Moses. Using Peter’s warning about difficult passages, the Teaching argues for reading Paul in light of the Hebrew Scriptures. It traces justification by faith to Abraham, Habakkuk, and the Prophets, distinguishing salvation through faith from obedience as a response to salvation. The Teaching interprets Romans 3:31 as affirming the law, Romans 10:4 as describing Messiah as the law’s goal, and Romans 7’s marriage analogy as a discussion of covenant and release from the law of the husband rather than abolition of Torah. Part 1 closes with discussion of serving in the Spirit and questions about lawlessness, grace, and continued obedience.
Paul Taught Nothing but Torah and the Old Testament – PART 2
Part 2 continues the Teaching’s argument that Paul’s writings should be read in continuity with the Torah and the Hebrew Scriptures rather than as an abolition of God’s law. The Teaching connects Paul’s language about Gentile inclusion, the commonwealth of Israel, the olive tree, justification by faith, being ‘under the law,’ and the ‘certificate of debt’ to passages in Genesis, Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings. It argues that salvation and justification are by faith, while obedience is a response to God rather than a means of earning salvation. Romans 14 and Colossians 2 are presented as passages that must be read in their immediate context rather than as permission to set aside Sabbath, appointed times, or biblical food instructions. The Teaching closes by urging viewers to test Paul’s words against Scripture, following the example of the Bereans.
Judaizer What This Really Means
In modern religious discourse, the term “Judaizer” is frequently weaponized to dismiss those who express a desire to obey the biblical commandments of Yahovah. Often, this label is applied to believers who are simply seeking to return to the foundational practices of the faith, leading to confusion and unnecessary conflict. To understand what a “Judaizer” actually is, we must first recognize that the term does not appear in the Bible. Its contemporary usage is often divorced from its historical and etymological roots, serving more as a cultural pejorative than a scriptural descriptor.
Etymologically, the term stems from the Greek word ioudaizein, meaning “to live according to Jewish customs.” Historically, this referred to those who advocated for the adoption of specific Jewish rituals and traditions—many of which emerged from the oral law developed during the Babylonian exile. It is vital to distinguish between the Torah (the written law of God) and the traditions of men codified in the Talmud and Mishnah. While many in the modern church conflate obedience to God’s law with “Judaism,” the two are distinct. In fact, as explored in our study on Jacob To Jesus, the religion of the Old Testament was not “Judaism”—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were not Jews, nor did they follow the rabbinical traditions that arose centuries later.
The Pharisees, who emerged during the Second Temple period, introduced the concept of two Torahs: the written law and an “oral law” supposedly given to Moses at Mount Sinai. This oral tradition, including various takkanot (rabbinical enactments), eventually became the core of rabbinic authority. Yeshua (Jesus) frequently rebuked the Pharisees precisely because they elevated these human traditions above the written commandments of God. By replacing the clear instructions of Scripture with man-made doctrines, they effectively made the Word of God of “no effect.”
Tragically, modern Christianity has often fallen into the same trap. By asserting that the law was “abolished” at the cross, many denominations have drifted into a form of lawlessness, rejecting the fourth commandment (the Sabbath) and other foundational statutes while claiming “freedom in Christ.” This rejection of God’s law to uphold denominational tradition mirrors the very behavior Yeshua condemned. As 1 John 3:4 reminds us, sin is lawlessness; if the law is abolished, the definition of sin vanishes, rendering the need for a Savior logically inconsistent.
Ultimately, being a “Judaizer” in a negative, scriptural sense means advocating for the commandments of men over the Word of God. Those who call others back to the “ancient paths” are not Judaizing; they are seeking to walk in the original, unadulterated ways of the Creator. We are called to strive with God, becoming part of the “Israel of God” through faith in Yeshua. Rather than being swayed by cultural labels or the traditions of men, we must test all things against the standard of Scripture, guarding His commands as the apple of our eye.
To dive deeper into the distinction between human tradition and the ancient path, watch the full teaching here: Judaizer What This Really Means.
The Full Armor of Yah – Part 2
Part 2 moves from identifying the spiritual opposition in Ephesians 6 to examining the armor itself and the kinds of tests each piece is meant to withstand. The Teaching emphasizes that the whole armor is required: truth establishes the believer’s authority and readiness; righteousness joins faith with obedient living; the gospel of peace grounds the believer in reconciliation and covenant harmony with Yah; faith becomes a shield when trust remains firm even through silence, loss, or an unwanted answer; salvation protects the mind through confidence in Yah’s saving work and promises; and the sword of the Spirit is the whole living Word of Yah, not merely selected New Testament passages. The recurring practical test is whether the believer will submit feelings, traditions, culture, fear, groupthink, and personal expectations to what is written. The Teaching closes with Yeshua’s model for spiritual conflict: ‘It is written.’
