Clarity on the dual ministry of Paul

Clarity on the dual ministry of Paul

QUESTION:

Do you have an actual verse that justifies ignoring the models of Paul in Acts? Acts covers virtually all of Paul’s ministry, including the time that he wrote those four epistles (except for maybe Philippians). So, should I think that Paul changed his doctrine between say, Acts 19, where he baptized the Ephesians believers, and when he wrote the Epistle to the Ephesians? So, can you point out a verse that specifically tells us where that dispensation stopped and this new dispensation started where we are not supposed to follow Paul’s old example but instead follow some new example, that presumably isn’t recorded in Acts? I am genuinely curious to know the answers.

ANSWER:

I’m completely open to answering your questions. However, many of them originate because you have your timeline incorrect. For example, Acts 19 (as you say) is when Paul visited the Ephesians in 54AD, but it’s not when he wrote Ephesians. During this visit he wrote the first letter to the Corinthians. The letter to the Ephesians is only written in 60AD after he was imprisoned in Rome.

For a useful timeline of Paul’s ministry and events in his life, see this post: The Timeline of Paul’s Ministry.

In order to understand Paul’s ministry, one has to factor in the transition from Israel under prophecy to the Body of Christ under grace. Acts is not a book of doctrine, but a historical account to document the transition of Israel’s blinding. With this said, it will demystify Paul’s ministry if you take into account that it transitions with the time he lived in.

Paul did not write any epistles until after he began his second missionary journey (about 51AD and in Acts 18), in which he was preaching the gospel of God in the synagogues and separating out those who believed it, into houses and schools, to establish them in the Gospel of Christ. His audience was a mix of Jews and Greeks (Gentiles) and during this time he was still water baptizing and doing miracles and signs for the Jews to believe his message. The gospel of God was about the resurrection of Christ and that this proved He was the Son of God. The gospel of Christ was about how Christ died for their sins, releasing them from the laws of Moses (yet maintaining some basic laws to keep the peace between the mixed cultures). Both these gospels that were preached to those who believed could be proved from the scriptures and the prophets. Those established in the gospel of Christ became members of the fledgling yet expanding Body of Christ.

The first 6 of Paul's letters can be referenced within the Book of Acts — we can read Acts and then cross-reference it in Paul's letters, and we can see where Paul was when he wrote these letters.

1 AND 2 THESSALONIANS

The first letters Paul wrote are the two letters to the Thessalonians. In Acts 17, Paul, on his second apostolic journey, came to Thessalonica and preached there. Many were saved, but Paul was driven out of town. Paul continued on south through Macedonia until he came to Corinth where he wrote the two letters to the Thessalonians. Timothy's return from Macedonia mentioned in Acts 18:5 is also reported in 1 Thessalonians 3:6. And in 2 Thessalonians 2:5 Paul reminds the Thessalonians of his teaching, as if it had not been very long since he had been with them. So, the writing of 1 and 2 Thessalonians can be placed into Acts 18:9 during the time of Paul's ministry in Corinth, and that makes them the first 2 letters that Paul wrote.

THE LETTER TO THE GALATIANS

The letter to the Galatians is written during Paul's second missionary journey. Paul had visited the region of Galatia before and tells us in his letter that he had returned there again to physically witness how their faith had been twisted to believe things other than what Paul had previously taught them. (Gal.3:1..., Gal.4:14...). Acts 15:36 confirms that he decided to revisit these places he had been during his first missionary journey, confirming the ministry they did during their first missionary journey. Acts 18:22 tells us of the conclusion of his second journey as he travelled from Corinth to Caesarea and finally back to Antioch.

Acts 18:23 is the beginning of Paul's third missionary journey, going over all the country (incl. Galatia), strengthening the churches. This is when Paul learns of their departure of faith! In Acts 19:1 Paul is in Ephesus, after his visit to Galatia, and it is from here that he writes the letter of Galatians to document and provide written correction to the false doctrine they had fallen to.

1 AND 2 CORINTHIANS

The next two letters that Paul wrote are the two letters to the Corinthians. In Acts 18 Paul spent a year and a half ministering in Corinth—see Acts 18:11. He later returned to his home base at Antioch (Acts 18:22), and later in his third apostolic journey he arrived in Ephesus (his ministry in Ephesus extends all the way through Acts 19—a period of more than two years, see v10). It is here in Ephesus during Acts 19 that Paul wrote 1 Corinthians— see 1 Corinthians 16:19. Shortly after that Paul travelled to Macedonia (see Acts 20:1 and 2 Cor. 2:13) and that is where he wrote 2 Corinthians.

ROMANS

Paul is in his 3rd missionary journey, having left from Antioch and is now in Ephesus where he writes Galatians and 1 Corinthians. Later, he travels up to Macedonia where he writes 2 Corinthians. In Acts 20:2,3 Paul arrived in "Greece," i.e., in Corinth again, and spent three months there enjoying the hospitality of a believer named Gaius (mentioned in 1 Cor. 1:14). In Gaius's home, in Corinth, Paul wrote the letter to the Romans (see Rom. 16:23). This is the last letter written during the Book of Acts. In Acts 21:33 Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, and would spend the next 5 years in prison, right through the end of the Book of Acts.

So, to sum up what we have seen so far, from Acts 9 through to Acts 28 we read of the earlier ministry of the Apostle Paul and find that during these years he wrote 6 of his 13 letters (as above).

Before Acts 21 Paul is free to travel and minister, but the Word (the gospel of the grace of God) is bound within him (revelations that he was not able to share yet). It is after Acts 21 where Paul is arrested and remained a prisoner through to Acts 28, and beyond, that now he is bound in the flesh, yet the Word of God is unbound, free to be ministered out without having to keep silent concerning the mysteries.

THE PRISON EPISTLES— PHILIPPIANS, COLOSSIANS, EPHESIANS, AND PHILEMON,

Shortly after the end of the Book of Acts, while he was still a prisoner, now in Rome, Paul wrote four letters—the "prison epistles": Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, and Philemon. In each of these letters he writes of his "chains"— see Ephesians 6:20, Colossians 4:18, Philemon 13 and Philippians 1:13.

THE PASTORAL EPISTLES—THE LETTERS TO FIRST TIMOTHY, TITUS, AND SECOND TIMOTHY

Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry for a few years, perhaps 3 years. During this time, he wrote the three letters known as the "Pastoral Epistles," because these letters were written to Paul's co-workers—Timothy and Titus. Finally, at the end of his life he is again in prison. This time he anticipates being beheaded for the Lord and writes the last letter, 2 Timothy.

IN SUMMARY

Paul’s Acts ministry was to both Jews and Gentiles. Remember, the Jewish kingdom program had not yet been suspended. The Jews were stumbling but had not yet fallen. This is why Paul goes to the Jew first, and then to the Gentiles. Paul says this in 1Cor,

1Co 9:19-22 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. (20) And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; (21) To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. (22) To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

This is why we hear of him baptizing, obeying the law and the traditions, taking temple vows, circumcising Timothy, etc. But Paul also said, I am not called to baptize but preach the gospel. Paul rebuked Peter for confusing the Galatians with his diet. Paul declared that the gifts of prophecy and tongues and knowledge would cease. Paul lost his God-given ability to do miracles and heal the sick. All this was happening because of the transition out of prophecy and into grace (mystery). This is why it is hard to understand the mixed context of Paul’s overall ministry until you see that his Acts ministry (to Jews and Gentiles) was different to his prison ministry (for Gentiles only). Luke documents this in Acts 28:28,

Act 28:28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

I trust this will help answer your questions. If you still have more, let me know and I’ll provide some more insights.