Hello
@jeremiah1five,
In
Matthew 5:17, and
Ephesians 2:15 the Lord Jesus Christ and Paul do not contradict each other, but both speak what is appropriate to their hearers at the time at which they spoke. When Paul speaks Christ has died, and Paul speaks to a different audience. The Lord speaks to,
'the lost sheep of the house of Israel' to whom He had come. Whereas Paul is speaking to the Church which is the Body of Christ, at the end of the Acts period, in which there is neither Jew nor Gentile, but a united and equal company with Christ as their Head, for whom Christ had made the law obsolete, that they may indeed be One in Spirit, the enmity created by ordinances having been taken away at the cross (
Ephesians 2:15).
The Church Christ was building was populated with Jews until the destruction of the Temple and without a Temple the Jews practiced their Law of Moses around their Feasts until time went by and Gentiles took over everything that was covenant with Israel - even their prophets and prophecy and began to separate themselves from the Church's Hebrew roots. ALL the New Covenant writings from Matthew to Revelation were written by Jewish Christians TO and FOR other Jewish Christians and they contain Jewish history, culture, rituals, Temple life, OT prophets and their prophecies and the covenants, everything about the Law and the Abrahamic covenants. It was their covenant and what God was doing new with Israel they needed to learn the effect Messiah had on their covenants. Then there's the Holy Spirit of Promise that was promised TO ISRAEL.
Christ didn't come to destroy the Law or change it because any change in the Law would destroy the Law. Even after Saul met Yeshua Messiah he continued in the things of the Law. He was a practicing Jew. He obeyed the Law.
* Again, there is no contradiction. 'The time' at which, Matthew 5:18, is spoken and, 'to whom', determines this. The Lord spoke to, 'the lost sheep of the house of Israel' for whom this verse is vitally true, all shall indeed be fulfilled as promised. Paul, as the Apostle to the Gentiles, could say in all truth what he does in, Romans 10:4, also, for to the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, (Who has now died and risen from the dead) the righteousness of God is now ascribed to Him by faith on the basis of the finished work of Christ.
The lost sheep of the House of Israel were the ones being born again. THEY were the ones that populated the Church Christ promised to build. The Law of Moses is forever, to be obeyed perpetually throughout their generations. No, Christ didn't abolish the Law. He defended it, clarified it and instructed His people to continue in it.
* Again it comes down to who was spoken to, and at what time,
@jeremiah1five, as I have said earlier. No contradiction, simply a different audience, at a different time. The one prior to the death of Christ Jesus the risen and glorified Lord, and one after.
The audience is the same for four decades until the destruction of the Temple. What happened at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15? Jews presided over that council to discuss how to bring in Gentiles into the Church Christ was building. What did these Jewish Christians decide to tell the Gentiles? They told the Gentile to obey the Law.
* With respect, jeremiah1five, in Acts 28:28, 'salvation is sent to the Gentiles' for they would 'hear' it. Salvation is no longer only 'of the Jew' (John 4:22), for Christ is now 'in' or 'among' the Gentiles (Colossians. 1:27), which is their hope of glory. Praise God!
Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris
Unless the context identifies hard-core, uncircumcised, non-covenant, idol-worshiping Gentiles then the identity of the Gentiles are proselytes and God-Fearers. They attended the synagogues and the Temple while it stood and were the first to hear about Messiah. And many of these proselytes committed to the Law of Moses and allied with Israel became born again.
From the Scripture:
17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
18 And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
If Saul did not keep the Law the elders of the Temple would have no part with him, but read on and see what they said about Saul in verse 24.
19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him,
Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
Saul was obedient to the Law, even practicing purification rites. Thousands of Jews were being born-again. Thousands!
21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
Saul obeyed the Law of Moses. It wasn't abolished.
23
Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
24
Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing;
but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law. (and they were speaking to Saul.)
25
As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
The above are in the Law of Moses and the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem instructed Gentiles to obey the Law.
26
Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.
27 And
when the seven days were almost ended,
Acts 21:17–27.
I think you need to do more studying and try to bring a cure for the Gentile propaganda you hold to.
I can't say it any other way.
