despite the repeated accusations, Paul was not trying to overthrow the Jewish tradition, culture, and way of life. It was just that, as other loyal Jews have supposed from time to time, he believed that Israel’s Messiah had appeared, that he knew the Messiah’s name and his qualifications, and that this Messiah had done something much more powerful than merely defeating a pagan army. He had overthrown the dark powers that had kept the nations in captivity; he had built a new “Temple,” a worldwide community in which the divine glory had come to dwell by the spirit; and he had now sent out
...more
Amen!
