The Ordering and Chronology of the Ministry and Epistles of Paul, Part 2: The Prison Epistles

As I had explained in the opening presentation in this short series, I had hoped to gather into one place my interpretations of the time and place of the writing of each of the epistles of Paul of Tarsus, as well as a general chronology of the events recorded in the Book of Acts. I had also originally hoped to do that in a single presentation, but it was just not possible. So while we have discussed what I have called Paul’s “travelling epistles”, now we shall discuss the time and place, and also the circumstances, of the writing of the 6 epistles that were written while Paul was a prisoner. Once again, for much of this presentation I am drawing on information which I had already presented in our commentaries for each of the epistles of Paul and in our earlier commentary on the Book of Acts. There are also some new perspectives.

This is important to us for several reasons. First, it is an important reference tool, because in my opinion no other such reference exists which has a truly accurate chronology of the events of the ministry of Paul, the writing of his epistles, and the Book of Acts. As I had also said, there is much misinformation in many popular and supposedly authoritative academic sources concerning the ministry of Paul and the writing of his epistles, and it is convenient to have our own opinions of these things in one single article, or perhaps more accurately, one single source of reference.

But there is one further reason. Once it is realized that we can indeed know where Paul was throughout nearly his entire ministry, that it can all be accounted for in the records of his epistles and in Acts, then we also know where Paul was not. Paul of Tarsus never wrote an epistle to the Egyptians or to the Arabians, or to any other race, and he never visited or preached among them either. There is no Roman Catholic universalism in the ministry or the epistles of Paul, and taking the words “all men” out of context and twisting them into a universalist interpretation is not sufficient evidence. But on the other hand, Paul of Tarsus was never in Britain or Spain, although he had expressed a hope that he may reach western Europe, and the so-called “29th” or “Lost” chapter of Acts is a complete hoax which was perpetrated in recent centuries and used to patronize and to deceive many British Israel and American Christian Identity adherents. We do not need lies to support our assertions or the basis of our faith.

The Clergy Claims God Committed Fraud, and Adultery! A Review of a Paper by Clifton Emahiser.

Here we are going to present, critique and hopefully be able to elaborate upon a paper by our dear friend Clifton Emahiser, which, according to his own records, he had written in April of 2007. It has been 23 months since we have reviewed any of Clifton’s work, so it is well past time that we gave him a visit.

There are lies which Christian churches have taught for over 1,800 years, and when these lies are examined against Scripture, there is no way in which they could possibly be true or Christian, since the Scripture tells a completely different story. So all who perpetuate those lies in the name of Christ are basically accusing Him of fraud, and that is the point which Clifton shall make here. But they are also accusing Him indirectly of other sins, such as adultery, and here we shall endeavor to explain that as well. These lies are a system of Bible interpretation which we generally describe as “replacement theology”, which we can begin to identify in the writings of the so-called “Church Fathers” as early as Justin Martyr and the middle of the 2nd century of the Christian era. Justin lived as an adult and wrote his several works about one hundred years after the death of Paul of Tarsus.

But the lies do not reflect the teachings of the apostles. It is fully evident in various statements in the epistles of James, Peter, and especially those of Paul, that those epistles were written to the twelve tribes scattered abroad, who at that time were found in Europe, Anatolia, Syria, and Mesopotamia. As Flavius Josephus and other historical sources attest, since the Assyrian and Babylonian deportations and until the Roman destruction of Jerusalem there were chiefly only a remnant of three tribes in Judaea during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, who had ever called themselves Judaeans. That remnant represented a small portion of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi. A greater portion of those three tribes were taken into Assyrian captivity, or had never returned from those who were later taken into Babylonian captivity.

Topical Discussions, December, 2023

I did not plan a topical discussion program this week, but I have been rather under the weather, having had a flu since Saturday, and heavy congestion, so if I disappear for a minute, it is only because I have been coughing rather consistently for several days, and hopefully it will not plague me too badly here this evening. Because I was sick, I decided to do this topical podcast, and even though each of the topics were at least partly prepared, it still took me nearly as long to complete as my last few Genesis commentaries. But maybe that is because I cannot focus up to my usual ability.

It also happens to be 15 years to the day that I arrived home from prison, in 2008. Technically, I was not really yes “out” of prison, but I was on home confinement for nearly the last three months of my sentence, which is a decision that was made at the halfway-house where I had spent about six weeks. Officially, my sentence was completed on March 6th, 2009. But by January 4th I was able to register the Christogenea.org domain name, and then start building my website. I had no idea how large of a project it would become, or how long I would be able to do it. But no matter how long I can do this, I praise Yahweh that I have been able to do it at all. Since Christogenea is also a costly venture, I will be here so long as I continue to get enough support to sustain it, and sometimes that is a challenge. So I still do not know how long I will be able to do it. Yahweh willing, I shall continue, and hopefully be at it at least as long as Clifton had persevered. I might need that much time just to be able to finish some of the things which I have already started.

Here I plan to discuss the meaning of the Hebrew word zuwr, which is often translated as strange or stranger, the true meaning of the word human, the meaning of the word adam, which expands on my recent offering in my Genesis commentary in several ways, and also the fact that the Greek word ἀρσενοκοίτης which was used by Paul in two of his epistles is Sodomy, or what we now call homosexuality, and it is forbidden in the New Testament just as it had been in the Old Testament.