Chapter 12

Metanoeo

Change Your Perspective

Are You Prepared to Change Your Thinking and Your Perspective?...

Opinions are to conclusions as faith is to trust. Since we have at our fingertips a way to determine with absolute certainty whether or not Paul was speaking for Yahweh or for himself, there was no reason for us to presume anything. Yahweh’s test is a simple one. It contains six elements (with six being the number of man):

1. Is the person a naby’: someone who claims to speak on behalf of god? This is a screening codicil. If a person admits that they are speaking for themselves, then they are excluded from this test. This evaluation therefore does not apply to Obama but would apply to Osama. Paul’s favorite line is "But I say to you," and this should have been sufficient to exclude him from this test, and thereby also exclude his epistles from the Renewed Covenant Writings—because by repeating this phrase he was admitting that he was speaking for himself and not for God. But since he was duplicitous and often claimed to speak for God, by way of his duplicity, he qualifies in part for this test—albeit, he has already failed the first codicil. The preponderance of his message was delivered under the banner of "but I say," instead of "Yahweh says." That should have been more than sufficient to disqualify Paul as a man speaking for God. So it is strike one. (Where one strike is deadly.)
2. Is the person zyd: someone who oversteps their bounds, acting presumptuously with an inflated sense of self-worth, demonstrating self-reliance while taking liberties, someone who arrogantly pretends to know, who insults others and is disrespectful, displaying pride in the pursuit of personal recognition and acclaim while demeaning competitors, someone who rebels against the rule of law and is prone to anger, someone who seethes with frustration and is often furious, overbearing, rude, or conceited? Sha’uwl has insulted Shim’own, Ya’aqob, and Yahuchanan. His claim to the world as if it were his personal domain has been overbearing and arrogant. His assertion that he was incapable of lying and that he was the prefect example to follow were arrogant in the extreme. He has been rude to the Galatians and disrespectful of Yahweh—consistently misquoting His Word and then twisting it. And he has routinely shown great contempt for the Torah, consistently demeaning God’s Word. Strike two.
3. Does the person dabar dabar ba shem: openly and publicly preach to others, communicating their message in the name of God? As was the case with the first codicil, this is also a screening test. If the person has an insignificantly small audience, if their preaching is done in private, if their influence is limited in time and place, then there would be no reason to make this assessment. Such an individual would be disqualified. But, Paul begins his epistle bragging that he was speaking for God, not men. He claims to have had his own private session with God. This, along with the fact that Paul’s preaching consumes two-thirds of the book of Acts, his letters comprise half of the Renewed Covenant, and that his words are quoted more often by Christians than God’s, puts a bull’s eye on Paul. Strike three.
4. Is the person’s message ‘lo tsavah: inconsistent with what God has instructed and directed, does their message conflict with what God appointed, constituted, and decreed, does it vary from His Commandments? Galatians, like Romans, is an attack on the Torah. As such, Paul’s letters represent the most extreme breach of Yahweh’s fourth test. The only thing worse than advocating ideas which add to or subtract from the Torah, is to promote things which contradict the Torah. Paul’s repudiation of the Law, combined with his replacement theology (which is essentially comprised of believing him), is therefore an egregious and deadly violation of God’s fourth test. It is also a direct violation of the Third Commandment, for which there is no forgiveness. Strike four.
5. Does the person dabar ba shem ‘aher ‘elohym: speak in the name of gods other than Yahweh? Paul’s Gospel of Grace (Charis/Gratia) elevates the Greek and Roman pagan goddess above Yahweh. And in his parting comment, Paul excludes Yahweh’s name and signs off in the name of the Egyptian sun god, "Amen." Strike five in a life and death game where one strike is too many.
6. Does the person hayah: accurately convey what is happening and what has happened in the past, and do their predictions of the future bow’: materialize and come to exist as they have stated them? Paul’s errant portrayal of the Yaruwshalaym Summit is an undeniable breach of the hayah clause—as was his testimony regarding his contradictory conversion accounts and his mythical trip to Arabia. The fact that there were no prophecies in Galatians, a false prophecy regarding his inclusion in the Trumpets Harvest in his second letter, and no fulfilled predictions in any of his other letters, serves as an undeniable breach of the bow’ clause of this codicil. (Yahweh, on the other hand, proved that He inspired the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms by punctuating His words with prophetic predictions—all of which came true, or are coming true, just as He had promised. Since only God has seen the future, He isn’t actually "predicting" it, but instead reporting in advance what He actually knows. That’s why He is always right, and it’s why He uses prophecy to demonstrate that His Scripture is right. Paul’s inspiration was incapable of doing so on behalf of his false prophet.) Strike six. So it is off to the Abyss for Paul. And if you believe him, your soul will be destroyed at the end of your mortal life. That is why this test exists.

Here is the actual text from which Yahweh’s veracity evaluation emerges: "Surely the person who proclaims a message on behalf of a deity (naby’ – prophet, speaker, and spokesperson) who oversteps their bounds (zyd – acts presumptuously with an inflated sense of self-worth, demonstrating self-reliance while taking liberties, who arrogantly pretends to know, who insults others and is disrespectful, displaying pride in the pursuit of personal recognition and acclaim while despising others, who rebels against the rules and is prone to rage, who seethes with anger and is often furious, overbearing, rude, and conceited) to speak (dabar – communicate) words (dabar) in My name (shem – renown and reputation) which I have not instructed nor directed him (lo’ tsavah huw’ – I have not appointed, constituted, decreed, or commanded (i.e., that which is in conflict with God’s Word)) to speak (dabar), and who speaks (dabar) in the name (shem) of other (‘aher – different) gods (‘elohym), indeed then that prophet (naby’ – person who proclaims a message on behalf of that false deity) is destructive and deadly (muwt – is absent of life and is associated with death)."

"And if you ask in your heart, ‘How shall we know (yada’ – possess the information required to distinguish, discriminate, understand and acknowledge) if the words (dabar) which he speaks are not Yahuweh’s (YaHuWeH’s)?’ If that statement (dabar) which is spoken (dabar) by the one who proclaims the message (naby’ – prophet) in Yahuweh’s (YaHuWeH’s) name (shem – reputation and renown) does not exist (hayah – did not happen (is not accurate historically)), and does not come to be (bow’ – and arrive upon the scene (is not accurate prophetically)), the message (dabar) which he has spoken (dabar) is not (lo’) Yahuweh’s (YaHuWeH’s). He has spoken in arrogance and presumptuousness (zadown – imprudently insulting contemptuous and shameless speech, taking great liberty while overstepping all due bounds, in disobedience to the law and judge). His message (dabar) is not prophetic (naby’ – is not a message from God). Stir up trouble for and quarrel with him." (Deuteronomy 18:20-22)

As I have shared previously, while "hayah – exist" and "bow’ – come to be" seem to convey a similar thought in English, they don’t in Hebrew. By using them together, Yahweh is speaking of history, both past and future. Those who speak for Him must accurately describe what has occurred in addition to accurately predicting what will occur. And while you might discount the difficulty of flawlessly reporting prior events, neither Paul nor Muhammad could do it, and thereby failed the test of history past. And yet by relying on Yahweh, Moseh was able to accurately present fifteen billion years of universal history and two thousand years of human history.

In addition, hayah is not only the basis of Yahweh’s name; it is related to the Hebrew word for "life," chay. And the primary meaning of bow’ is "to go from one place to another, and to arrive, coming upon the scene." As such, by using hayah and bow’, Yahweh, who is the source of life, is predicting the arrival of Yahshua, tangibly demonstrating the power of prophecy. After all, predicting the arrival of the Messiyah, and knowing how to recognize Him, was the primary purpose of Deuteronomy 18.

Also, depending where the negation provided by lo’ is placed in the concluding thought, Yahweh could be saying that a false prophet should "not be revered nor respected, neither dreaded nor feared." This is particularly appropriate for Paul, which is why both meanings were intended and why it’s appropriate to question him. And considering the reverence and respect shown by Christians for Paul, the secondary meaning is especially relevant.

In a text where a single conflict portends the death of the apostle, and those who believe him, Paul has failed all six. That’s not my opinion. It is an undeniable conclusion based upon Yahweh’s standard. It is case closed. The verdict is "Guilty!" Paul was a false prophet in the most horrible sense of the word. If you trust him, you do not know or trust God.

There are two additional thoughts in this Torah passage worthy of our consideration. The first is an indictment on all religions, but especially Christianity and Judaism. Indeed, when you come into the land associated with Yahuweh your God, which is given to you, you shall not accept, teach, or imitate (lamad – be trained in, instruct, become accustomed to, disciple others in), or perform (’asah – fashion, effect, attend to, commit to, observe, celebrate, profit from, bring about, ordain, or institute) any of the disgusting religious ways (tow’ebah – abhorrent rites, detestable idolatrous things, repulsive and loathsome rituals, abominable festivals) of these Gentile nations." (Deuteronomy 18:9) And yet, the substance of Pauline Christianity is Dionysian, and thus Babylonian. Without the Torah, there is no call for Abraham to come out of Babylon—to flee man’s religious schemes. And worse, Paul’s epistles call believers to remain mired in mankind’s religious muck.

Then speaking of the Word personally delivered by Yahweh on Mount Sinai, and of the promised arrival of the Word made flesh, God said: "According to all you inquired about and requested of Yahuweh your God near Horeb (Mount Sinai) in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the thunderous voice of Yahuweh, our God, nor let me see this great fire again, lest I die.’ Yahuweh said to me: ‘They have successfully and rightfully spoken. I will come onto the scene, exist substantively with, standing upright and rise up before (quwm –establish and confirm, ratify and fulfill before) them an inspired prophet from among their brothers as Myself in a point in time. And I will put My Word (dabar – advice, account, promise, message, and counsel) in His mouth, and He shall say to them all that which I direct and instruct (tsavah – command, enjoin, authorize, and appoint). And it shall come to pass that any man who will not listen to and carefully consider My Word (dabar – message and advice), which He [the Messiyah] shall declare in My name (shem – title, authority, mark, designation, character, individuality, position, and reputation), I will question and judge him, holding him accountable.’" (Deuteronomy 18:18-19)

The fact remains, Paul didn’t listen to Yahweh or the Messiah Yahshua. He only quoted Yahshua one time in all of his letters, and even then he misquoted Him. And each time he attempted to recite something from God’s Word, he not only misquoted Yahweh, he purposefully twisted Yahweh’s message.

From beginning to end Galatians exists a glaring example of how Sha’uwl purposefully and shamelessly misrepresented the Messiyah’s message: "Do not assume that I have come to weaken, dismantle, invalidate, or abolish the Torah/Law or the Prophets. I have not come to do away with it, but instead to completely fulfill it. Truly, I say to you, till heaven and the earth pass away not one jot (iota – the smallest letter, or yodh in Hebrew) nor tittle (keraia – the top stroke or horn of Hebrew letters) shall be passed by, be ignored, disobeyed, of be disregarded from that which was established in the Torah (nomos – prescriptions for living in Scripture) until the time and place it all happens. Therefore, whoever dismisses (invalidates or abolishes) the least of these commandments or teaches (indoctrinates or instructs) people to do the same, they will be called the least dignified in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever performs them, and teaches them, they will be called the greatest and most important in the kingdom of heaven." (Mattityahu/Matthew 5:19)

But Sha’uwl didn’t just reject and convolute Yahshua’s testimony; He was especially hostile to God’s Word. And so while Yahweh’s Deuteronomy 18 test was designed so that any one of us could determine whether or not Sha’uwl was actually telling the truth, there is something even more vital that God wants us to know. You see, our Heavenly Father delineated the criterion for adoption into His family in the Torah so that we would be prepared to reject the entirety of Sha’uwl’s writings on this subject.

Please consider God’s position on His family: "Yahweh will enable you to stand upright (quwm – He will restore and establish you, raise you up and keep you) by Him  as a set apart and purified (qadowsh – from qodesh) family (‘am), because by way of association (ka ‘asher) He has made a sworn promise (saba’) to you, if (ky – indeed) you closely observe (samar – revere, carefully examine, and become secure in) the commandments (miswah – written instructions and prescriptions, authoritative directions) of Yahweh your God and walk (halak) in His ways (derek – path)." (Deuteronomy 28:9) The purpose of the Torah is to save humankind so that we can enjoy a Familial Covenant Relationship with our Heavenly Father. Therefore, this statement is diametrically opposed to the core message of Galatians—the means to participate in God’s family.

Sha’uwl’s propensity to write, "But I say..." in countless commands is incompatible with Yahweh’s instructions. "With all the words (debar – communications and statements) which relationally I instruct (sawah – state with authority to direct) you with, carefully observe and be secure in (samar – regard, revere, closely examine, and keep) them. Do not add (yasap – make any increase or addition) to them and do not decrease or reduce (gara’ – subtract from) them." (Deuteronomy 13:1) The intent of Galatians wasn’t just to subtract God’s advice on circumcision, the Sabbath, and the Called-Out Assemblies from His Torah, or just to dissuade people from observing God’s Word; it was to negate the Torah’s purpose—decreasing its status to the point that it would be considered a liability rather than an asset.

You’ll notice that Moseh inscribed the Torah, not Hagar nor Ishmael—and that there was only one Covenant. "And as soon as it came to be (hayah) that Moseh (moseh – the one who draws out) finished (kalah – had completed) writing (katab – inscribing using an alphabet) the words (dabar) of the Towrah (towrah – prescriptions for living, teachings and instructions) on the (‘al – upon the Almighty’s) document (seper – His letter and scroll of written communication which recounts, relates and rehearses everything accurately), completing (tamam) it, Moseh instructed (sawah – directed and appointed) the Lewy (lewy – those who unite and join) to lift up and carry (nasa’) Yahuweh’s Ark (‘arown – from ‘arah, chest into which things are harvested and gathered) of the Covenant (beriyth – from beiyth, meaning family relationship), saying, ‘Grasp hold of (laqach – receive, accept, and take) this written documentation (seper – this letter of communication, recording, and scroll) of the Towrah (towrah – prescriptions for living, teachings and instructions) and place it beside (min sad – in close proximity to) Yahuweh, your God’s (‘elohym) Ark of the Familial Covenant Relationship (beriyth), existing (hayah) there as the everlasting witness and testimony (‘ed – eternal evidence, affirmation, confirmation, and remembrance) in and among (ba – with) you." (Deuteronomy 31:24-6) This is an unequivocal refutation of Sha’uwl’s "the Torah came to an end."

Sha’uwl’s instructions and Yahweh’s are completely irreconcilable. They are mutually exclusive. And that means Sha’uwl lied when he claimed that he spoke for God, and also that absolutely nothing he said or wrote should be considered trustworthy.

The Torah’s message, its purpose, and its ongoing place in the lives of those who seek to live with God remains the opposite of what Sha’uwl has written. "Moseh instructed them, saying, ‘At the end (qes – completion) of seven (seba’ – from saba’, meaning sworn promise) years (sanah – times of renewal), in the appointed time (mow’ed – designated appointment by the authority for a specific purpose), the year of canceling debts (semitah – releasing debtors from their obligations), during the festival feast (chag – the celebratory party) of the Dwelling Place (sukah – Shelters, Homes, Tents, and Tabernacles, all describing a protective covering in which families live, from sakak, meaning to overshadow, cover, and protect) when all Yisra’el (yisra’el – individuals who strive, endure, and live with God) comes (bow’ – arrives) to see and experience (ra’ah – to view and consider, to be present, paying attention to, delighting and reveling in) the presence of Yahuweh, your God (‘elohym) at the place (maqowm – the home, the source of direction, and dwelling place) which relationally He chooses (bahar – prefers, selects, and desires), you shall read (qara’ – summon people to and proclaim, recite and announce, inviting guests to hear, calling out) this (zot) Towrah (towrah – prescriptions for living, teaching and instructions) before (neged – in front of, in an open public forum) all Yisra’el, so that they can hear it (ba ‘ozen hem – in their ears).’" (Deuteronomy 31:10-11)

And that leaves all of us with a clear choice. We can accept God and reject Paul, or we can accept Paul and reject God. But no matter whom you choose to trust, one thing is certain: Paul lied.

Only three questions remain. Did Paul write Galatians? Are the eight remaining epistles (1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians) and the four personal letters (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon) attributable to Paul as errant and repulsive as Galatians? And what motivated Paul to oppose God?

To answer the second of these questions we must admit that some of the things Sha’uwl said elsewhere were encouraging. I cite the following example in Acts 24: "Paul responded:...‘But this I will admit to you, that according to ‘The Way,’ which they call the sect, I do serve the God of our fathers, trusting everything that is in accordance with the Torah, and that is written in the Prophets." (Acts 24:14) To this contradiction I say: liars lie, but not all the time, otherwise no one would believe them.

Christian apologists might cite the "Gifts of the Spirit" in First Corinthians 12 as evidence that Paul was inspired by God, but most of the things he said therein were wrong. And others will protest that the following chapter, which was dedicated to love, could not possibly be errant, but it is nonetheless. And while the evidence behind these conclusions will have to wait for future volumes of Questioning Paul, it should be obvious to everyone that Sha’uwl was a living contradiction—routinely displaying behaviors which contravened his own instructions. And ultimately we will find that the other letters attributed to Paul are filled with many of the same problems, as well as new ones we have yet to expose.

Recognizing that two-thirds of Galatians has been overtly opposed to God’s Word, for there to be any hope of finding overall merit in the letters to the Thessalonians, Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, they would all have had to have been written by someone other than the author of this epistle. And yet each was explicitly identified with Paul in their salutations, and are expressly associated with communities we know Paul visited according to the book of Acts. So the odds Galatians was written by someone other than Paul, the man depicted in Acts, and the author of the epistles to the Thessalonians, Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians are remote in the extreme. Consider the required makeup of an imposter, and the circumstances under which a conman would have had to operate under to perpetrate such an astonishing fraud.

The Galatians ghostwriter would have to have convinced Peter, who knew Paul personally, that Paul wrote this letter to the Galatians, even though that was not true. And that means the Pauline imposter would have had to have perpetrated his fraud during the height of Paul’s fame, and while Peter was still alive, because Peter specifically, and adroitly, addressed the letter to the Galatians in his second epistle. Considering the number of times these men met, considering the enormous responsibility borne by Peter, the imposter would have had to have been the most adroit impersonator in human history.

This imposter would have had to pull off this stunning fraud without Paul himself knowing about it or objecting to it. And therein, the hypothetical scenario of a ghostwriter crumbles, because as anal as Paul was about signing his letters to prevent frauds from being perpetrated, as intense as he was about not allowing anyone to alter his message, as self-indulgent as he was, it is ludicrous to think that Paul wouldn’t have had a conniption fit over someone pretending to be him, and writing a falsified letter in his name.

There is just no way to push the timeline on Galatians out beyond Paul’s and Peter’s lives (which terminated around 65CE), particularly because these men continued to write, leaving a lasting legacy of their reactions to people around them. Especially relevant, it’s obvious that Galatians was written in 50CE, and that it was Paul’s first letter, composed in the immediate aftermath of the Yaruwshalaym Summit, when nerves were still raw. This was all very personal, very emotional, very self-serving and self-promoting, and thus very, very Paul. The self-proclaimed Apostle would have had twelve subsequent letters in which to expose the imposter—something Paul surely would have done had there been one.

There are a score of reasons to acknowledge that Galatians was Paul’s first letter. It’s the only one which details his life story from birth to the Yaruwshalaym Summit, which strives to validate his calling, and which describes the inception of his ministry. In his salutation, Paul uncharacteristically greets the Galatians alone, having been recently separated from Barnabas (whom Paul served with while in Galatia) but not yet united with Timothy (whom Paul would met in the immediate aftermath of the Yaruwshalaym Summit).

Further, the Galatians epistle shares something in common with those penned in haste to Corinth and Thessalonica—in that these hurried and defiant replies were written to the three most rebellious assemblies Sha’uwl encountered. And since we know that he crafted both of his letters to the Thessalonians and to the Corinthians within two years of his initial visits to these places, it’s instructive to know that the timeline which can be deduced from the book of Acts places Paul and Barnabas in Lystra, Galatia in 48CE.

Moreover, this conman would have had to fool Barnabas and Timothy, and then Luke as well. But knowing Luke’s penchant for detail that would have been impossible. If Luke smelled a fraud, his suspicions, Peter’s, Barnabas’, or Timothy’s protestations, would have been chronicled in Acts.

But there is more to consider. Our impostor would have to have been an expert in the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms. For example, in this letter the author cited (albeit misquoted) Habakkuk, a book most people don’t even know exists. He identified a Torah passage which could be misconstrued to associate the Torah with a curse. He even recognized that zera, the Hebrew word for "seed," was singular in Genesis. And yet this imposter would have to have despised the Torah sufficiently to dedicate himself to denying its purpose. You could count such individuals on one hand and not use all of your fingers, meaning that the pool of potential applicants in line to impersonate Paul in the mid-first century would have been very small. In fact there was only one: Paul himself.

Should there have been a charlatan, the conman would have to have been schooled sufficiently in Rabbinical Law to pass himself off as a former Pharisee who trained under Gamaliel—the most esteemed religious teacher of his day. And yet, he would have to have hated Judaism sufficiently to demean the religion and condemn Jews—positioning them as the "church’s" foe. And while it is not uncommon even today, to find Jews who are self-loathing, Paul’s condemnation of his own people in 1^st Thessalonians 2:14-16 is a league apart—uniquely qualifying Sha’uwl as the anti-Semite who wrote Galatians.

Should Galatians have been penned by a mystery writer, the perpetrator would have had to have received formal training in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic, as well as in classic literature, mythology, and rhetoric (the basis of debate), at a time when just being literate was rare. Keep in mind, that while Paul’s message has been hard to decipher, that’s partly because elitists of the day sought to impress one another by communicating in the fewest possible Greek words, leaving the reader with the challenge of correctly interpreting them. And that is some of what we are witnessing in Galatians, and is why the New Living Translation has more than doubled the letter’s word count in their attempt to convey its message.

The ghostwriter, should there have been one, would have to have accompanied Paul and known the timing and nature of his travels. He would have had to know intimate details about his life, including the grotesque physical infirmity he suffered while visiting the Galatians. He would have had to have known what Paul said to this audience during his previous visit, and also know why this remote province was now rebelling against him. And he would have to have had a reason to intervene in the midst of a nasty argument, and somehow benefit from this spat.

The Galatians imposter would have had to be willing to perpetrate a fraud to artificially elevate Paul’s status above Yahshua’s Disciples in the midst of conceiving a new religious faith. And yet the only person in recorded history known to hold such views, and to be similarly motivated, Marcion, hadn’t even been born when this fraud would have had to have been perpetrated. Further, in the case of Marcion, entire tomes have been written to marginalize him, yet nothing was ever said about this hypothetical ghostwriter who turned out to be vastly more influential.

Our charlatan would have had to have been a party to the Yaruwshalaym Summit, because rather than coming up with an entirely different story, he was clever enough to twist what actually occurred, so that it would serve Paul’s peculiar agenda. And he would have to have been in the room when Paul condemned Peter for hastily leaving a meal. And why if this person wasn’t Paul, was he so obviously angry and so emotionally involved with all of this?

What’s more, this imposter would have had to be skilled at impersonating Paul’s handwriting, because the last half of the last chapter of Galatians claims to have been penned in Paul’s hand. And that would have been especially challenging since it’s obvious that this is the first letter Paul wrote. Moreover, the charlatan would have had to have had Paul’s jargon down pat, including knowing his propensity to use alla, charis, euangelion, stoicheion, and pistis.

The Galatians ghostwriter would have had to have hired a courier whom the Galatians would have trusted as one of Paul’s emissaries. And then he would have had to convince the leaders of wealthier assemblies to pay scribes to copy his fraudulent letter and include it in codices with Paul’s legitimate epistles.

And along these lines, since we know that Paul wrote a letter to the Galatians, if the one we have is a fraud, the imposter would have had to have confiscated Paul’s original before replacing it with his own, and to have done so without anyone noticing, including Paul. I say this because the time interval isn’t sufficient for a hypothetical authentic Galatians epistle to have arrived, been circulated, and then been forgotten, so that the imposter’s letter could have replaced it without anyone noticing that they were different.

And lastly, Paul’s letter Rome reprises the climax of Galatians—the existence of two covenants, one of the flesh, the other of the promise. It was Paul’s brilliantly clever, albeit devastatingly deadly, means to circumvent the Torah, bypassing it by going from Abraham to the Messiyah, with nothing in between. This is the crowning achievement of Pauline Doctrine, his signature. Therefore the man who wrote Romans, also wrote Galatians. And as we have discovered, Second Corinthians was penned by a man whose ego and spirit were a perfect match for those on display throughout this epistle. Moreover, much of the content found in both of the Thessalonians letters is worse than what we have read in Galatians.

But even if someone could pull off the greatest fraud in human history, why would they? Who in the first century benefited from defending Paul and attacking Yahweh? Who else met the criterion of the devastating prophecies Yahweh and Yahshua leveled against this man?

While we have covered some of this material before, in support of Galatians being from Paul, we must recognize that the book of Acts reveals that Sha’uwl had the kind of contentious relationship with the Galatians, and with Yahshua’s Disciples, which is reflected in this epistle.

Peter spoke critically about Paul’s letter to the Galatians, so if not this one, where is that one? Moreover, the language Peter used to describe Galatians adeptly identifies the issues which permeate this surviving copy.

The Jerusalem Summit which serves as the centerpiece of Galatians, is presented in such a way that it is obvious that Galatians is not only Paul’s heated response, but also that the author was clever enough to twist what actually occurred there in such a way that he managed to reposition himself as favorably as possible.

The fact also remains that Galatians is about Paul, about his childhood, his education, his qualifications, his preaching, his detractors, and his trials and tribulations. Within its text, we find the author referring to himself as the mother of the faithful, as the parent of his spiritual children, as the perfect example to follow, as a person who can do no wrong, and as someone who cannot lie—all themes which are echoed in the other epistles attributed to him. So if Paul didn’t write it, why would anyone ascribe such a lofty status on another, especially in the midst of a letter purported to speak on behalf of the Messiyah Yahshua?

How was it possible that a copy of Galatians was included in the midst of the oldest extant codex containing Paul’s epistles: Papyrus 46? There we find in order of their appearance: Romans, Hebrews (which is of unknown authorship), 1^st and 2^nd Corinthians, Ephesians, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1^st Thessalonians. And since P46 is dated between 85 and 125CE, there is no way to attribute this fraud, if it is such, to someone writing at a time when everyone who had actually known Paul was long since dead.

And as you know, Paul had a propensity to sign his letters so that his audience would have complete assurance that he was actually the author. But with Galatians, he did more than just sign his name. The last chapter attests to having been penned in his own hand. He even commands believers to pay particular attention to the specific characteristics of his handwriting.

Further, Paul knew the Torah, he was an expert in Judaism, he was skilled in public debate, and he was emotionally involved, all of which are prerequisites for authorship. And that leaves us with only one viable alternative: that the person depicted in Acts and associated with the Thessalonians, Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Timothy was the author of Galatians.

Recognizing that Paul wrote Galatians, the best possible spin we can put on this disastrous tome is that he was clearly angry, and may well have dashed off an emotional response that, from a more sober perspective, he would have thrown away. But, then again, Paul’s ego was way too big for somber reflection.

You don’t need me to tell you that Paul was a false prophet... We now know that he failed all six of Yahweh’s tests in Deuteronomy 18.

You don’t need me to tell you that Paul lied... We now know that his testimony regarding our means to become part of God’s family was in complete conflict with Deuteronomy 31.

You don’t need me to explain what happened on the road to Damascus. Yahshua described it, and Paul confessed... "Then He [Yahushua] said to them [the seventy witnesses He had sent out], I saw the Adversary, Satan (Satanas – the one who opposes) falling (pipto – descending and prostrating himself) as lightning (astraphe – as a bright beam or ray of light) from (ek) heaven (ouranos – the sky). Behold, I give you the authority to trample upon serpents (ophis – snakes which serve as a metaphor for demons) and scorpions (skorpios – poisonous animals, from skopos, skeptics who conceal) and upon the whole of the hostile enemy’s (echthros – the hated and odious one’s opposing) power. And absolutely nothing will harm you (adikeo – nor will you be doing anything wrong or unjust)." (Luke 10:18-19)

Paul’s confession reads: "It happened. I was traveling and approaching Damascus, around noon, then suddenly and unexpectedly nearby a burst of lightning (periastraphai – a flashing light, from peri, about, near, concerning, and on account of, and astraphe, lightning, a beam or ray of bright light) from (ek) heaven (ouranos – the sky), an intense (hikanos – sufficient and adequate) light (phos) about (peri – near, around, and concerning) me (eme)." (Acts 22:6) Paul’s depiction is exactly as Yahshua had described the fall of Satan. Paul even used the same words. Moreover, it’s obvious to those who have studied the Torah that Sha’uwl encountered the "qatan – lesser, lowly, loathed, opposed, and abhorred" "luminary who has dominion over the night," which is described in Genesis 1:16.

You don’t need me to tell you who he heard on that frightful day. Paul already did so by quoting Dionysus... "And we all fell down to the ground. I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, Saoul, Saoul, for what reason are you pursuing me (dioko – making me run and flee in hostile pursuit [recognize that Yahshua would never flee from any man and thus never said such a thing])? It is difficult (skleros – hard, harsh, and demanding) for you (soi) to kick (laktizo) against (pros) a goad (kentron – a pointed stick used to prod animals and control them, or a poisonous stinger of a scorpion)." (Acts 26:14) Paul deliberately put a pagan proverb into the aberration’s mouth in the third of his three depictions of his conversion experience in Acts 26:14, wherein he was defending himself before King Agrippa.

Paul’s citation as you now know came from Euripides’ The Bacchae, where "rebelling against the pointed prod" was used to describe the consequence of personally having to endure the havoc and madness that would be wrought by the Greek god Dionysius on the kingdom if someone refused to worship him. But before we consider why Dionysius was chosen by Paul (or Satan), please note the intersection between the "scorpions" in Yahshua’s demonic reference and Sha’uwl’s quote. This too is telling.

When we examine the myths which grew out of Satan’s religious counterfeits, we find that the closest pagan parallel to Yahshua is Dionysius, which is why he was chosen. Just as Yahshua’s blood is represented by wine, Dionysius (Bacchus in Roman mythology) was the god of wine. He died each fall but was reborn at the Winter Solstice (December 25^th on the Julian Calendar), and then resurrected each spring. This "renewal," became an annual religious festival celebrating the promise of resurrection from the dead. Held over the course of five days each Spring, the Dionysia set the stage for the Christian replacement of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and FirstFruits, with Palm Sunday ("Passion Sunday"), Maundy Thursday ("institution of Communion"), Good Friday ("death and burial of Jesus Christ"), Holy Saturday (where "Jesus rested in the grave"), and Easter Sunday occurring during the last week of the Babylonian festival of Lent.

Just as Yahshua had a divine father (Yahweh) and a mortal mother (Mary), Dionysius had a divine father (Zeus (the father of the gods)) and mortal mother (Semele). And by his death and resurrection, Dionysius was responsible for liberating his believers and thereby providing the faithful with eternal salvation, in complete harmony with being liberated from the Torah by way of faith in Paul’s Gospel. And lest we forget, Paul’s beloved Charis, the Roman Gratia, were the love child of Dionysus and Aphrodite. And I wouldn’t be surprised that Paul was inspired in this regard by the reverence he experienced in Lystra, Galatia in 48CE, where he and Barnabas were worshiped as Zeus (king of the gods) and Hermes (messenger of the gods).

You don’t need me to tell you that Paul deceived believers when he claimed to have represented the Messiah... Seventeen years in advance of the day they would benefit from this advice, Yahshua warned His Disciples to be especially wary of the likes of Paul. His Olivet Discourse began with: "And Yahushua responded judgmentally (apokrinomai – used discernment to separate fact from fiction; a compound of apo, separate, and krino, to separate, choosing right from wrong), telling them, ‘Pay attention and be perceptive (blepete – look closely and watch out, be careful and discerning, think and understand), lest someone will cause you to wander away from the truth (planaomai umas – deceive and delude you, leading you astray)." (Matthew 24:4)

In a private meeting in which only His Disciples were present, Yahshua "told them to pay attention and to be careful, lest someone will cause you to wander away from the truth, deceiving and deluding you." Since this warning was stated specifically to and for the Disciples, might this someone be Paul, and the occasion be the Yaruwshalaym Summit? And if not him, who? If not then, when?

"For many will come in My name (onoma – reputation), saying (lego – claiming), ‘I exist as, belong to, or represent (eimi – I am and I stand for) the Messiyah (ΧΣ – the Implement of Yah). And many will wander away from the truth (planaomai – will be deceived and deluded).’" (Matthew 24:5)

I would count the billions of Christians who have been led away from Yahweh and His Torah, who have been deceived and deluded by Paul’s Gospel of Grace, as "many." In fact, it would be impossible to identify another individual who has misled more people than Paul.

Then if someone says to you, ‘Behold (idou – indeed, suddenly now, look) here in this place (hode – in this case positioned near the speaker) the Messiyah (ΧΣ),’ or, ‘in this case here,’ do not (me) think that they are trustworthy or reliable.’" (Matthew 24:23) Paul claimed to have seen the Messiyah on the road to Damascus, and then again in Arabia. And he is the only one to have made such a claim within the lifetimes of Yahshua’s audience—the Disciples. So the sandal still fits.

Because pseudo-christs (pseudochristoi – false-messiahs) and pseudo-prophets (pseudoprophetai – false prophets) will stand up and arouse (egeiromai – will rise up, awaken, and stir the comatose), doing (didomi) great (megas) signs (semeion) and (kai) wonders (teras – portentous events) in order to delude and deceive (planao – causing people to stray from the path), even if it were possible (ei dynatos – if they were able), those who were chosen (eklektos – those who select and are selected, from ek, out of, and legos, the Word)." (Matthew 24:24)

When Paul got up before the Yaruwshalaym Ekklesia and tried to impress the Disciples by bragging about the "signs and wonders" he had performed, using the exact same phrasing Yahshua had warned about, they should have remembered this conversation and responded appropriately. Paul has now failed two tests: Yahshua’s and Yahweh’s.

But, Yahshua would be even more specific regarding Paul, tailoring His prophetic prediction to reflect the wannabe Apostle’s boast that he would meet with Yahshua in Arabia—the ultimate Scriptural wilderness—and then report this myth to the Disciples. "Look (idou – indeed, telling the listener to pay attention to this subject), I’ve told you this beforehand, forewarning you (proeipon umin – I have spoken to you about this previously, predicting in advance that it will occur in your future). If and when therefore, someone says to you, ‘Look, indeed, He exists (estin – He is (third person, singular and thus "He exists," and not "I exist") in the wilderness (eremos – uninhabited desert),’ behold, do not leave (exerchomai – go away from) your place in the treasured inner room of the home (tameion – the reserved and secure chamber of a household and storehouse where [the Spirit] will be distributed). And you should not trust him (pisteuo – think that what he has said is true)." (Matthew 24:25-26)

Juxtapose this with Paul’s claim to have encountered the Messiah on the road to Damascus, and then to meeting with Him in Arabia, and we discover that once again, Paul is not only a perfect fit for this warning, he is the only candidate who made these claims within the lifetimes of Yahshua’s audience. So either Yahshua erred in this prophecy, or He was warning, telling us not to trust Sha’uwl’s claims. And let us not forget, Yahshua told His Disciples that when He returned, everyone on earth would see Him, not just one man.

You don’t need me to tell you that Paul and his traveling companions were the only men who claimed to be Apostles in Ephesus during the short time span covered in the Revelation 2 prophecy... "I know that you cannot possibly accept, tolerate, or endure (ou dynamai bastazo – haven’t the will, ability, or state of mind to take up with, walk along side of, lift up or carry forward (i.e., advance or promote)) those who think errantly, those who are wrong, injurious, pernicious, destructive, or baneful (kakos – are incorrect, wicked, evil, harmful, noisome, morally corrupt, diseased, culpable, mischievous, demonic, or hurtful). And you have observed and objectively tested (peirazo – scrutinized, examined through enquiry) those who claim and maintain (phasko – say, affirm, profess, declare, promise, or preach) of themselves that they are Apostles (apostolos – someone who is prepared and sent forth) but are not. And you have found them (heurisko – examined, scrutinized, come to understand them, and discovered through closely observing them that they are) false, deceitful liars (pseudes – are pretending to be something they are not, they are erroneous deceivers)." (Revelation 2:2) Frankly, this prediction is so specific, it’s a wonder Paul’s reputation survived it.

While Revelation is a prophetic book, Yahshua’s commendation was written in the present and past tense. And that is significant because Yahuchanan scribed Revelation in 69CE, less than seven years after Sha’uwl wrote his letter to the Ephesians, and within close proximity of the wannabe Apostle’s death. Since Paul and his companions are the only candidates who meet the explicit criterion associated with Yahshua’s bold statement, it is evident that God was calling Sha’uwl an "errant, demonic, and deceitful charlatan."

But there is even more to this prediction than just a scathing indictment against Paul in the form of praise for not acquiescing to his false teachings. Yahshua would go on to suggest that while the Ephesians rejected the "self-proclaimed Apostle," they ingested some of his poison: "Nevertheless, I hold (echo – regard, count, and consider) this against (kata – in opposition to, as something that is depressing about, a downer concerning) you, that you have forsaken (aphiemi – laid aside and sent away, departed from and left, dismissed, divorced, neglected, abandoned, and rejected) your first (protos – foremost, most important, influential, honorable, and desirable) love (agape – familial devotion, benevolence, object of affection, and moral and caring friendship). Remember (mnemoneuo – be mindful of, think about, make mention of and respond to) therefore the source from whence (pothen – the place, origin, and condition from where and why) you have descended from a higher place to a lower one (ekpipto – fallen and dropped away, become thrust down and lowered, gone from standing upright to prostrate, bowing down and falling under judgment, overcome by the attack of demonic spirits who bring grief, terror, and death). Change your perspective and attitude and think differently (metanoeo – reconsider and change your mindset) and bring forth the most first, foremost, most desirable, most important and influential investments of your time, works and deeds, or else I will come suddenly and remove your light from its place unless you reconsider, change your perspective, your thinking, and your attitude (metanoeo)." (Revelation 2:4-5)

The Ephesians forsook God’s Word—the Torah. We cannot love God without first coming to know Him. The only means to achieve this is by observing the Torah. Further, the lone path to a loving covenant relationship with God is through His Called-Out Assemblies—which by definition are the source of the Called-Out Assembly.

You don’t need me to tell you that Paul, to the exclusion of all other individuals, became the living embodiment of what Yahshua warned Shim’own Kephas about just before He ascended into Heaven... "This was already the third appearance by Yahushua (ΙΣ) with the Disciples, after rising from lifelessness. Therefore, while they ate breakfast, Yahushua (ΙΣ) said to Shim’own Kephas, ‘Shim’own, of Yahuchanan, do you love Me more than this?’ He said, ‘Yes, You are aware (oieda) that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Feed (boskomai – tend to and nourish) My sheep.’

He said to him again, a second time, ‘Shim’own, of Yahuchanan, do you love Me?’ He said, ‘Yes, You recognize (oieda) that I love You.’ He said, ‘Shepherd (poimaino – guide, care for, feed, protect, tend to, and assist) My sheep.’

He said to him a third time, ‘Shim’own, of Yahuchanan, do you love Me?’ Grieved, the Rock said to Him, ‘You are aware of (oieda) everything. You know (ginosko) that I love You.’ Yahushua said to him, ‘Tend to (boskomai – feed and nourish) My sheep.’" (Yahuchanan / John 21:14-17)

As we know, Yahshua wasn’t talking to Shim’own about grazing or about sheep. His "sheep" are Yahweh’s "children." Their "food" is "God’s Word—the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms." As the prototypical "shepherd," Yahshua was urging Shim’own Kephas "to guide and protect," His flock, keeping His sheep out of harm’s way by keeping the wolves at bay.

"‘Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you gird yourself (ezonnues – you tied the belt of your own garments), and walked (peripateo – traveled and directed your life) whenever and wherever you desired (thelo – decided, intended, and determined). But when you grow older, you will extend (ekteneis – you will stretch forth) your hands and another (allos – a different kind of person), he will gird (zosei – he will fasten a strap around the midst of) you, and he will move you (oisei – he will take, guide, and drive you) where you do not intend.’ ...He said to him, ‘You should follow My path (akoloutheo moi – follow and accompany Me, and be My disciple; from a, be unified and be one with, keleuthos, the Way).’" (Yahuchanan / John 21:17-19)

What Yahshua was saying to Shim’own is that in the act of reaching out to feed and protect His flock, someone would tie him up and drive him away, taking him to a place he did not intend to go. One individual in Peter’s future was able to drag "the Rock" away from his God-given responsibilities. Sha’uwl forced Shim’own out of Antioch, in the midst of feeding and protecting God’s children, and then drove him back to Yaruwshalaym. Sha’uwl’s rhetoric and force of personality caused Shim’own to cower as he had before, and even retreat, leaving Yahshua’s flock to be devoured by a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Even Peter’s comments regarding Paul’s epistles were used in a way "the Rock" never intended. Rather than being seen as an overt warning to God’s sheep to be on their guard lest Paul’s epistles lead them to their own demise, Christendom twisted what Peter wrote to infer that Paul’s letters were Scripture. Peter had indeed been taken to a place he did not intend to go.

You don’t need me to tell you that the single most indicting statement God ever made against Paul was delivered during Yahshua’s Sermon on the Mount... In light of what we have read, God’s every word specifically and comprehensively undermines, or more accurately utterly destroys, Paul’s credibility and the foundation of Pauline Doctrine—and thus the religion of Christianity. "Therefore let your light shine brightly before mankind so that they can see, become acquainted with, and pay attention to your good, moral, advantageous, profitable, generous, and important works and deeds which you attend to that are profitable, and thereby appreciate your Father in Heaven. Do not assume, suppose or acknowledge, following as a custom or tradition, that I have come to weaken, dismantle, invalidate, abolish, or annul the Torah (nomos – Law which are prescriptions for living) or the Prophets. I have not come to do away with, invalidate or abolish it, but instead to completely fulfill it. Truly this is trustworthy and reliable, I say and affirm these words to you: until heaven and the earth pass away not one jot (iota – the smallest letter in Hebrew) nor tittle (keraia – the top stroke of Hebrew letters) shall be passed by, be ignored, disobeyed, or be disregarded from that which was established in the Torah (nomos – Law and prescriptions for living) until the time and place it all occurs, coming to exist and taking place publicly in the context of history."

"Therefore, whoever dismisses, dissolves, invalidates, or abolishes the least significant of these commandments, precepts, prescriptions, and authoritative directions which must be accomplished, or teaches people to do the same, they will be referred to and labeled the most insignificant, least important and dignified in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever performs, accomplishes and celebrates, practices and profits from them, and teaches them, they will be called and designated the greatest and most important in the kingdom of heaven. Because I promise and say to you, that unless your righteousness, integrity, legal standing, and adherence to the relationship is abundantly superior to and more appropriate than the religious teachers, experts, scribes, scholars, and Pharisees (Pharisaios – members of a fundamentalist political and religious party comprised of hypocritical Jews who coveted authority, were overtly religious, set rules which others had to abide by, established religious rituals and traditions, and interpreted Scripture to their liking), you will never move into or experience the realm of heaven." (Mattityahu/Matthew 5:16-20)

You do not need me to tell you that Yahshua popped Paul’s balloon twenty years before the Devil’s Advocate began spewing hot air... "Ask, making an earnest request, and it shall be given as a gift to you. Seek, searching for knowledge, and you will discover the truth and find what you are looking for. Knock, requesting acceptance at the door, and it will be opened for you. For then all who make an earnest request receive and will be accepted. And those who search for the location and for knowledge, who desire to learn, will know the truth. Those who request acceptance at the door, they will be granted entrance."

"What man is there among you, when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he should ask for a fish, would give him a snake? If then you being morally corrupt know how to give good and generous gifts to your children, how much more by way of contrast will your Father who is in heaven produce and give valuable and generous gifts to those who ask Him?"

"For then this is the Torah (nomos – the Law and prescriptions for living) and the Prophets: enter, starting with and experiencing the first step in the path by the way of the narrow and specific doorway because the way is wide, it is crafted to be broad, expansive, and unreliable, and the route is broad which leads away,  and which deceives and influences someone to go astray to the point of destruction and perishing, needlessly destroying themselves, squandering their lives, and the vast preponderance of people, are those experiencing this path. The doorway is narrow, exacting and specific, and the path goes against the crowd, which leads to life, and few discover, and experience it."

"You must be alert, carefully examine, prosecute, and turn away (prosechete – you should pay close attention, watch out for and beware of, guarding yourself) from false prophets who come to you from within dressed in sheep’s clothing, yet they actually are wolves who are exceptionally self-promoting and self-serving (harpax – vicious carnivorous thieves who secretly and deliberately rob, extort, and snatch away; from harpazo: to violently, forcibly, and eagerly claim and seize for oneself and pluck away)." (Mattityahu / Matthew 7:7-15)

Yahshua could not have made this message any clearer for you. He told you what you could rely upon and who you should not trust. He just said that a self-serving insider, someone pretending to be one of His sheep, would feign an alliance with Him so that he could more easily snatch souls away from God. He was obviously speaking about Paul—and those who have promoted his deceitful doctrine.

One would have to be naïve not to see Paul in Yahshua’s statement telling us to "be alert and turn away from false prophets who come to us from within dressed in sheep’s clothing who are actually self-serving and self-promoting wolves." By examining Yahweh’s test, we know for certain that Paul was a "false prophet." As a Jew, he "came to" this audience "from within." We know that Paul was effective, that he was believable, because he presented himself as the ultimate "insider." And yet while he claimed to speak for the Messiyah, he never quoted Him. As such, he "dressed himself up as" one of Yahshua’s "sheep" when he appointed himself the Messiyah’s Apostle. And as we know, Paul, more than anyone who has ever claimed allegiance with the tribe of Benjamin (something which can no longer be done in that all genealogical records were destroyed in 70CE), was the "wolf" Yahweh and Yahshua predicted would savage their flock. And then when we recognize that this warning came in the midst of a discussion regarding the eternal role the Torah plays in our salvation, the very thing Paul sought to undermine, we are left with a singular conclusion: Paul of Tarsus was the false prophet, the wolf in sheep’s clothing, the insider, who led many to their death and destruction by way of his popular path.

But Yahshua was not yet done impugning the likes of Paul, as well as those who have followed in his footsteps. "Indeed as a result, you will know with certainty, recognize, and understand (epiginosko – have complete and accurate knowledge based upon a thorough examination of the evidence regarding) them from their fruit, from their results and harvests. Not all those calling Me "Lord Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but to the contrary, those in heaven are those who do My Father’s will (thelema – do what He decided and proposed [read: who observe Yahweh’s Torah]). Many will say to Me in this specific day, "Lord, Lord, did we not speak inspired utterances and prophesy in Your name and drive out demons in Your name, and perform many mighty miracles in Your name?’ And then at that time, I will profess to them that I never acknowledged, recognized, understood, or associated with them. You all must leave and depart from Me, those who bring about that which is Torah-less (anomia – Lawless)." (Mattityahu / Matthew 7:20-23)

Are you listening? This is a scathing indictment of Pauline Doctrine and Christian teaching. Yahshua’s name matters, as does His Torah. And the presence of miracles does not equate to the presence of God as Christian apologists claim. Countless Christians have justified their faith by claiming to have witnessed inspired healings and character transformations in the name of "Jesus Christ," unaware of the fact that the Messiyah Yahshua said that observing the Torah, not miracles, was the proper means to evaluate whether or not someone actually has a relationship with the Father.

"All of those who really listen to and actually hear My words and who do as I have said, they are like a sensible and wise, man who builds, edifies, and strengthens a family home upon the rock (petra – a reference to Shim’own Kephas (a.k.a. Petros - Peter) and to Himself as the Rock of our Salvation). And rain descended and the rivers came, and also the tempestuous wind blew, and yet their family and household did not fall down or prostrate themselves because their established foundation was upon the rock." (Mattityahu/Matthew 7:24-25) While Christians will tell you that Paul won the argument over the Torah’s foundational role in our salvation with Peter, Yahshua begs to differ.

You don’t need me to tell you that Paul alone fulfills Yahweh’s and Yahshua’s admonition regarding the wolf in sheep’s clothing from the tribe of Benjamin... "Benjamin viciously tears apart, mangles, kills, and devours (tarap – creates his food by tearing and plucking the life out of his victim) like a wolf, in the morning, at the beginning part of the day, devouring his prey, and in the evening when it is dark he divides and destroys that which has been spoiled." (Genesis 49:27) Sha’uwl bragged that he was from the tribe of Benjamin when the wolf in sheep’s clothing wrote: "For indeed, I am an Israelite, from the seed of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin." (Romans 11:1) Please keep in mind that based upon the destruction of the genealogical records in the Temple in 70CE, Paul’s generation was the last which could make this claim.

And you don’t need me to tell you that Sha’uwl admitted to being demon possessed... "Therefore in order that I not become overly conceited, lifting myself up, exalting myself, and become excessively arrogant, I was given a sharp pointed prod (skolops – a troublesome, injurious, irritating, and painful sharp stick, a stake, splinter, thorn, and scorpion’s stinger) in the flesh (sarx – physical body), by Satan’s (Satanas – the Adversary’s) spiritual representative (aggelos – supernatural envoy and messenger), in order that he would strike and torment, correct, chastise, afflict and restrain me in order that I not become overly conceited." (2 Corinthians 12:7) He obviously knew what Christians are wont to deny.

Let’s be clear: Paul’s motivation for opposing God is irrelevant. All that matters is that he did. Yet I recognize that human nature causes us to wonder how Satan could have fooled Paul initially. And just as millions have pondered the nature of the thorn in Paul’s side, even though it was revealed in the text, we are likewise curious to understand the impetus behind his willingness to perpetrate the most deceitful, destructive, deadly, and damning fraud in human history. And it’s hard not to wonder how he got away with it as well—albeit, that question was answered by Yahshua at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount (Mattityahu / Matthew 7:7-27). Therefore, recognizing that I’m moving away from that which you need to know, and from that which can be objectively known, to that which we would like to know, and which is purely speculative; I offer the following insights for your consideration.

The Roman name from which we have come to know Paul, Paulos, means "little and small" in Latin, and not so coincidently, the common trait among all of Satan’s little helpers is insecurity. A truncated sense of value manifests itself in paranoia and ego. Hypocrisy reigns; which enables the wolf (which is actually a timid creature) in sheep’s clothing to devour unsuspecting foes who let their guard down. Their victims are predisposed to trust an insider, believing that they are telling the truth. And in this way, these predators share Satan’s persona and methods, and are therefore especially easy for him to manipulate, and effective for him to use.

To satiate their cravings to fill the painful void in their lives, insecure individuals demand attention, even reverence—and they will do or say anything they believe will serve their interests. In doing so, they become exceedingly divisive. It’s them against everyone, except those who are unrelentingly loyal, pledging their unwavering support. But these wolves are deadly, killing everything they touch by biting an opponent’s heals. As opportunistic hunters, they will devour most anything living or dead, including their own. Their insecurity drives them to be excessively territorial, and they will fight anyone who infringes on their turf. All of this makes insecure individuals particularly vulnerable and especially susceptible to those who can fulfill their yearning to be in control; to be admired.

Examples are: Paul (the wolf in sheep’s clothing), Nero (the prototypical Antichrist), Rabbi Akiba, Marcion, Diocletian (circa 303 with his persecutions), Emperor Constantine, Muhammad, Maimonides, Adolf Hitler, and Stalin. My father was hopelessly insecure, as was my most important customer in my first business, and the man I unfortunately hired to replace me in my last. Should you be interested in meeting them, I exposed the divisiveness of these individuals in Prophet of Doom and In the Company of Good and Evil.

Every word of Galatians oozes arrogance and hypocrisy—the tell tale signs of insecurity. Sha’uwl’s life was a living contradiction. After claiming that he was an Apostle trained by God, Paul wallowed in self-indulgence. The first half of his letter was so overtly egotistical and self-centered it was obvious that Paul was trying to compensate for his inadequacies and rise above his foes by putting them down. After alleging to have been chosen by Yahshua, he contradicted Him. After telling countless lies, he said that he cannot lie. After disassociating the Messiyah from the Torah which served as His exemplar, Paul told believers that they should follow his example. After being welcomed by Yahshua’s Disciples, Paul demeaned them. His most repetitive phrases were "but I say," and "to the contrary." Then after ruthlessly attacking his foes, calling for their castration, Paul insisted that he not be troubled by their rebuttals.

Especially relevant in this regard, it is evident that Sha’uwl was rebuked by Messianic Yahuwdym who openly demonstrated that he was lying. Since insecure men cannot tolerate criticism, Paul responded the same way Muhammad would centuries later—by demonizing Jews: calling the Chosen People the "enemy of God." The argument he waged in Galatians against those who observed the Torah, flowed directly into his next letter, Sha’uwl’s anti-Semitic rant in First Thessalonians.

Sure, there were different strokes for different folks, which is why there are different religions, but the point of vulnerability is always the same. Insecure and egotistical people like Paul crave power, reverence, and control. The founders of religious schemes lust for unbridled adoration, and will stop at nothing to garner the undivided attention they need.

Based upon what we have read in this letter, Paul was the perfect patsy. He was a Pharisee, the best student of the best teacher. He was among those Yahshua called hypocrites and a brood of vipers—the children of demons. He was one of Satan’s children before he became Satan’s messiah. So of course Paul thought that the lesser light and voice came from his god. It did.

Paul’s life was also a living hell. His father sent him away when he was a young boy. So he desperately tried to prove his worth by being a good student, but something went desperately wrong. Rather than become a ranking Pharisee and serve in the Sanhedrin, Paul was sent back home to sew tents. Can you imagine how demeaning this must have been for someone desperate to prove his value? For a boy who craved attention, who yearned to be respected, he was doing women’s work.

Never having enjoyed a mother’s love, Paul turned on women. He grew to hate them. And in a culture where homosexuality was considered an abomination, he at the very least struggled with his sexual orientation, expressing his love for only one person—a man named Timothy.

Having witnessed his dark side, his penchant for tearing others down and abusing them, Rabbis chose Paul to harass those who recognized that Yahshua was the Messiyah. And even in this barbaric job, Paul would brag that he excelled. Imagine a soul dark enough to boast about such a thing. And so it was in this darkness, in the midst of being subhuman, that the man who had been rejected by his father, who had been rejected by the Pharisees, and who was good at being bad, was offered the one thing he craved: respect. The Adversary who wanted to be worshiped as if he was God had found his kindred spirit. And together they would reshape the world.

I suspect that Paul, like Constantine and Muhammad knew that something was amiss during his conversion experience. While all three embellished their account of it over time, only they know if they were actually fooled by Satan pretending to be God or not. But such delusions were fleeting. All too soon they were committed. Up to their throats in their own self-serving charade, they couldn’t turn back and admit the truth—their egos wouldn’t allow it. And that is why Satan picked them in the first place. He knew that their need to be respected and to compensate for their broken childhoods drove a lust for attention and respect which he could manipulate.

So long before Paul wrote Galatians he knew the truth. His ploy, the conception of two covenants, was way too clever, way too diabolical, way too false, for him not to have laughed at his victims for believing his story. But there was no turning back. He, like Muhammad, was demon possessed, and thus was no longer in control. He had been betrayed by the Great Betrayer, the lord of egos, the prince of lies. The first step toward the dark side had set things in motion which could not be undone.

We know that Satan promised Muhammad, a dumb brute of a man, sex, power, money, and immortality, and he delivered on all four accounts, not that it did Muhammad any good. He was never satisfied. And we know that Satan promised General Constantine victory in a battle that would transform his life from becoming a slave as the loser, to becoming Emperor as the winner. And what I suspect Satan promised Sha’uwl—a pompous elitist—was to be his messiah—to be the single most influential and respected man who ever lived.

Surprisingly, this title doesn’t go to Abraham, Moses, David, or even Yahshua, because as a result of Paul’s letters, too few people consider what they had to say. But Paul founded a religion—the largest and most influential in human history. He has been immortalized. Christians cite his words far more often than Yahweh’s and Yahshua’s combined. He has become "Saint Paul"—the most famous Apostle.

And as a result of what he has done, the man who was rejected by his father, mother, religious teachers, Yahshua’s Disciples, and God, took his revenge and damned more souls than anyone in human history. Billions have been poisoned by his words. He was the wolf in sheep’s clothing; the one in the best position to mutilate Yahweh’s Word and devour Yahshua’s sacrifice. He was a trusted insider. And in the battle between knowing Yahweh and believing Paul, Satan achieved his greatest victory, and Christianity as we know it is the result.

If you are still a Christian, and are clinging to the notion that Paul spoke for God as opposed to Satan, and that his epistles are Scripture, you are now without excuse. The foundation of your religion has been torn asunder. Yahweh and Yahshua have presented their case against him, and have proven that he was a false prophet as clearly as words allow. Paul’s way of faith and his gospel of grace are in direct conflict with God’s Word. So for Christians, it is time to metanoeo: to change your perspective to that of the Torah, your thinking so that it is consistent with God’s, and your attitude so that you rely upon Yahweh and not men.

If you are unwilling to do these things, appreciate the consequence. The souls of those who continue to believe Paul and reject God will cease to exist at the end of their mortal lives. And for those who promote Pauline Doctrine, which is essentially the religion of Christianity, you have made yourself God’s enemy, and as a result your soul will endure eternal separation from Yahweh in the Abyss. Don’t say that you were not warned.

But if you are now free of Paul, and if you are liberated from the enslavement of his religious deception, then I invite you to turn to the God Paul rejected. Embrace Him on His terms, and He will embrace you. You have His Word on it:

"Yahuweh’s Towrah (towrah – Law, instructions, and prescriptions for living) is complete and entirely perfect (without defect, lacking nothing, correct, sound, genuine, right, helpful, healing, beneficial, and true), returning, restoring, and transforming the soul. Yahuweh’s testimony and witness is trustworthy and reliable (verifiable, confirming, supportive, and establishing), making understanding and obtaining wisdom (becoming educated and enlightened to the point of comprehension) simple for the open-minded." (Psalm 19:7)