Talk:Judaizing teachers

This article has a modern Christian bias.

For example, the "Judaizing teachers" included Peter the Apostle and most likely the entire Church of Jerusalem led by James the Just. Paul of Tarsus seems to be at odds with this group. This group didn't think Christians had to convert to Judaism, whatever that term means in the context of the first century, they felt that Christians should live the life of Jesus and Jesus observed the Sabbath and Quartodeciman and probably the food laws and circumcision.

This claim: "Paul stated that the death of Christ had essentially brought a conclusion to the Law of Moses by its finally having been completely fulfilled once and for all." can not be supported by the evidence, for example Paul does many things that are of the Law of Moses, which would be hypocritical if he actually believed its usefulness had passed. The notion of the Law of Moses being fulfilled is Dispensationalism and if you really think about it is rediculous. Paul of Tarsus and the Jerusalem church continued to be Torah-observant even after Jesus' death. Yes, there was dispute between the two groups (which would be more knowledgeable of the teachings of Jesus?) but the actions of Paul show he did not think the Torah had been eliminated. Part of being Torah-observant is the Ten Commandments and part of the Ten Commandments is the teaching not to murder. So, if Jesus' death did away with the Torah (see also Marcionism) are we to believe that it's now ok to murder? Also the Council of Jerusalem determined that the Noahide Laws were sufficient for new gentile converts - the Noahide Laws are part of the Torah - clearly the Torah had not been eliminated. In addition, clearly *all* prophecy has not come to pass, for example, restoration of the Davidic kingdom, lions lie down with lambs, swords into plowshares, etc. and there are numerous Bible verses that state the Torah is perpetual, not subject to nullification.

Examples of Paul the Torah observant Jew:

Acts 15: Paul accepts that a subset (the Noahide Laws) of the Torah applies to new Gentile converts.

Acts 16: Paul *personally* circumcises Timothy even though his father is Greek because his mother is of the Jewish faith.

Acts 21: James confronts Paul about rumors he is teaching rebellion against the Law of Moses, Paul goes to the Jerusalem Temple to prove that he in fact keeps and walks in the ways of the Law of Moses, though when he is spotted by people from his own area (Asia Minor) a major riot breaks out.