In the Volume of the Book is it Written of Me

There’s a parable that we read in the gospel of the New Testament, about the Publican & the Pharisee, two different men praying in the Temple, & that one was more-so justified in his confessions. But when we look at the prayer of the Pharisee, the greatest difference between him & the publican is his attempt to justify himself in his own standard & tradition of the law.

We can see the Apostle Saul foreshadowed in the story of this parable, that he embodies the character of the pharisee, with his zeal of the law. What do I mean by this? That Saul was a man justified by law, in that he was;

“circumcised the eight day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, An Hebrew of the Hebrews: As touching the law, a Pharisee. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” -Philippians 3:5-6

& so in a sense, I see Saul as a sort of guardian of grace with law with his whole being, in that even his own flesh by faith, was in defense of traditions held according to Torah. (Righteousness in the law)

Likewise, even when we dive into the Old Testament, we get a vivid idea of what having zeal for the law looks like when we consider the Prophet Nehemiah’s reform written in Nehemiah 13:1-31. This is the glory of the circumcision, that he instituted an extensive moral & liturgical reform in rededicating the people to their God.

Yet in this same spirit of zeal, do we find Saul in the New Testament persecuting the church, due to his own misperception of what remission of the gospel represents. Thus Justified by law but fallen from grace.

Even in his own letters would Shaul explain that what things were gain to him, he counted a loss for the revelation found in Ha-Mashiyach. That even Ha-Mashiyach being with-out sin, still became offensive to the law even while still in his mother’s womb, being persecuted.

& of his fullness have all we received, & grace for grace. -John 1:16

& this reason being that the law was given by Moshe, but grace & truth came by Ha-mashiyach.

& so, even though Saul may have been born justified according to law, he falls short in that he persecuted his own brethren of the faith, one who knew no sin. Thus was it necessary that his zeal be first reconciled to his brother that he offended, & then remissioned in sincerity of spirit.