The Cult of Paul

Contrast #12: Paul's condemnation & Jesus' forgiveness …
In line with many of the aforementioned contrasts (directly via Contrast #04 on page 25, Contrast #10
on pages 29-30, and Contrast #11 on the previous page, and indirectly via Contrast #05 on pages 25-26 &
Contrast #09 on page 29) there is a clearly defined dichotomy between Paul and Jesus in the way they
judge the actions of others – with Paul tending to staunchly condemn those believing differently than
he does or acting in ways he deems to be unacceptable, and Jesus repeatedly and unconditionally
forgiving the same 13 . Paul calls a spiritual opponent a “son of the devil” and then blinds him in Acts
13:8-11, whereas Jesus calmly informs his religious opponents “now that you say 'We see,' your sin
remains” in John 9:41 – and this, after having cured a man who had been blind from birth (see John 9:1-
7; also Matthew 9:27-31, Mark 8:22-25, Mark 10:46-52, & Luke 18:35-43) … Paul coldly proclaims that
“those who practice such things deserve to die” in Romans 1:32, whereas Jesus tells a critical crowd
“Do not condemn others by appearances, but rather judge [their deeds] with proper discernment” (in
John 7:21-24) and later tells his Pharisee opponents “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
I come that you might have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10) … Paul claims that the sinful
cannot “escape the judgment of God” and that they “are storing up wrath on the day of wrath” (Romans
2:3-5), whereas Jesus speaks frequently and consistently of a celestial Father whose Love is “perfect”
(see Matthew 5:44-48) and thus completely without punishment (see 1 John 4:18), as well as of a God
whose mercy is unconditionally given to all who forgive others (see Matthew 6:14 – see also Matthew
18:21-22 14 & Luke 6:36) … Paul is seen demanding that a congregation member guilty of “sexual
immorality” should be “[handed] over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh” (1 Corinthians 5:1-5),
whereas Jesus extends open kindness towards a woman who has committed a similar offense (see his
“neither do I condemn you” in John 8:1-11) … Paul aggressively states “You foolish Galatians! Who has
bewitched you?” (Galatians 3:1), whereas Jesus calmly reminds us that “anyone who says ‘You fool’ is
liable to the fires of Gehenna” (Matthew 5:22) … Indeed, Paul repeatedly makes brazen statements of
condemnatory judgment (see “Let anyone be accursed who has no love for the Lord” via 1 Corinthians 16:22,
“We are ready to punish every disobedience” via 2 Corinthians 10:6, “I wish those who unsettle you would
castrate themselves” via Galatians 5:12, and “Their end is destruction” via Philippians 3.18), whereas Jesus
over and over & over again expresses gentleness and understanding towards those steeped in sin, all
while telling his followers to avoid judging others at all costs. (see “Do not judge, so that you might not be
judged. For with the judgment you levy upon others will you yourselves be judged, and the measure you give
out will be the measure you receive in return.” ~ Matthew 7:1-2, see “Why do you see the speck in your
neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own? … You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye,
for only then can you see clearly enough to take the speck out of your neighbor’s.” ~ Luke 6:41-42, see “Love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute you … for your Father in Heaven makes the sun rise upon both
the evil and the good, and sends rain to both the righteous and the unrighteous.” ~ Matthew 5:44-45, and see
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” ~ Luke 23:34)
.
“God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but rather that the world might be
saved through him … I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came
not to judge the world, but to offer it salvation … As you enter a house, greet it. If the house is
receptive, let your peace flow upon it; and yet if it is not so, allow your peace to return to you. If
anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, gently shake off the dust from your feet as you
calmly leave that house or town.” ~ via Jesus Christ (John 3:17, John 12:47, & Matthew 10:12-14)
13 Yes, it is true that Jesus somewhat testily – if not seemingly rudely – calls his listeners “broods of vipers” twice in the
New Testament (in Matthew 12:34 & Matthew 23:33), and yet readers would do well to note that on both occasions
Jesus is speaking to groups of Pharisees (like Paul) who had chosen to be cunning in their denouncement of The Way
of Christ – cunning like the serpent whose guile had deceived Adam in the book of Genesis; with the Hebrew word for
cunning being extremely similar to the Hebrew word for naked in that tome. As such, Jesus is not so much insulting
the Pharisees here as he is noting that the is aware of their trickery, and that he will neither honor nor tolerate the same.
14 Importantly, numbers had potent sub-meanings for the authors of the biblical texts; in this instance with the number 70
speaking to the seventy nations of humanity mentioned in Genesis 10 (i.e. that we are to forgive everyone) and the
number 7 referring to perfection or wholeness (i.e. that we are to forgive them completely and without condition).
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