Click Here & Make this
Your Start Page!
Thank You!

Analyzing Pauline Traditions

Paul of Tarsus and the Origins of Syncretism in the Christian Church

—  Page 3  —

Paul's Role For Women

Titus 2:1-15 reads,

¹ But say the things which fit the sound doctrine, ² that older men should be temperate, sensible, sober-minded, sound in faith, in love, and in patience: ³ and that older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good; 2:4 that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 2:5 to be sober-minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that Elohim's word may not be blasphemed. ⁶ Likewise, exhort the younger men to be sober-minded; ⁷ in all things showing yourself an example of good works; in your teaching showing integrity, seriousness, incorruptibility, ⁸ and soundness of speech that can't be condemned; that he who opposes you may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about us. ⁹ Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing in all things; not contradicting; ¹⁰ not stealing, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of Elohim, our Savior, in all things. ¹¹ For the grace of Elohim has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, ¹² instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great Elohim and our Savior, Jesus Christ; ¹⁴ who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works. ¹⁵ Say these things and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no man despise you.

Paul's Teaching On Being Subject To Rulers And To Authorities

Titus 3:1-2 reads,

¹ Remind them to be in subjection to rulers and to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to every good work, ² to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men.

Chapter 3

Comparison Of Paul's Traditions With YHWH's Torah

A Summation Of Paul's Teaching In 1 Corinthians 7

In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul shows that he favours those in the assembly being single, that they may serve YHWH without distraction from having a spouse, but concedes that they should marry to avoid sexual immorality, if they don't have sufficient self control. And within marriage he teaches that neither husband nor wife has authority over their own bodies, but has authority over the other's body. And concerning mixed marriages, those between believers and unbelievers, he asserts that unbelieving spouses of believing ones are holy, and their children are also holy, as both parents are holy. He also allows separation of mixed marriage couples, where the "holy" or "sanctified" unbelieving spouse departs from the believing one. He also advised his audience not to change their practices, but to remain in whatever status or condition they were in at the time of their calling.

What do YHWH and Yeshua say about these matters that Paul commented on?

Upon Their Creation, YHWH Commanded Humans To Reproduce Greatly

Genesis 1:26-28 reads,

²⁶ Elohim said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." ²⁷ Elohim created man in His own Image. In Elohim's Image He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸ Elohim blessed them. Elohim said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

YHWH Said That It Is Not Good For A Man To Remain Single

Genesis 2:18-25 reads,

¹⁸ YHWH Elohim said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." ¹⁹ Out of the ground YHWH Elohim formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field; but for man there was not found a helper suitable for him. ²¹ YHWH Elohim caused a deep sleep to fall on the man, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. ²² He made the rib, which YHWH Elohim had taken from the man, into a woman, and brought her to the man. ²³ The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." 2:24 Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh. ²⁵ They were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

While Paul says that it is good for a man not to touch a woman, meaning he should remain single, YHWH says that it is not good that man should be alone, meaning not good that he should remain single. YHWH says that man needs a helper suitable for him — woman. A man should marry his wife or woman, have sexual intercourse with her, and thereby fulfil YHWH's command to them of being fruitful, multiplying and filling the earth.

If All Humans Listen To Paul And Remain Celibate, How Will They Obey YHWH's Word To Reproduce Greatly?

If a man listens to Paul and remains single, not touching a woman, how will he fulfil the reproducing command YHWH gave humans, which requires the help of a woman? If all men followed Paul's word then the human race would cease to reproduce and they would have rebelled against YHWH's command to them at the time he created them!

In YHWH's Family Order A Husband Is In Authority Over His Wife

Paul suggests that neither husband nor wife has authority over his or her own body, and that each has authority over the other's body. But that YHWH made woman a helper suitable to the man, it is implied that the man is in authority over his wife, seeing that it is his wife who helps or assists him fulfil the task YHWH has primarily given him. This task is to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, subdue it and have dominion over all flesh on the earth.

An Example Showing That A Husband Is In Authority Over His Wife

Exodus 21:22-25 reads,

²² If men fight and hurt a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, and yet no harm follows, he shall be surely fined as much as the woman's husband demands and the judges allow. ²³ But if any harm follows, then you must take life for life, ²⁴ eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ^21:25 burning for burning, wound for wound, and bruise for bruise.

That it is a woman's husband who determines the fine to be paid by one who hurts her implies that he is in authority over her, and that she does not have authority over herself. Is there a scenario whereby YHWH authorises a wife to determine the fine to be paid upon her husband's injury, without the husband having any say in the matter?

YHWH Clearly And Repeatedly Shows That A Wife Is Under Her Husband's Authority

Numbers 5:11-22 reads,

^5:11 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, ^5:12  Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them: 'If any man's wife goes astray, and is unfaithful to him, 5:13 and a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and is kept close, and she is defiled, and there is no witness against her, and she isn't taken in the act; ^5:14 and the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she is defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she isn't defiled: 5:15 then the man shall bring his wife to the priest, and shall bring her offering for her: the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal. He shall pour no oil on it, nor put frankincense on it, for it is a meal offering of jealousy, a meal offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to memory. ^5:16 The priest shall bring her near, and set her before YHWH; ^5:17 and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water. ^5:18 The priest shall set the woman before YHWH, and let the hair of the woman's head go loose, and put the meal offering of memorial in her hands, which is the meal offering of jealousy. The priest shall have in his hand the water of bitterness that brings a curse. ^5:19 The priest shall cause her to swear, and shall tell the woman, 'If no man has lain with you, and if you haven't gone aside to uncleanness, being under your husband, be free from this water of bitterness that brings a curse. 5:20 But if you have gone astray, being under your husband, and if you are defiled, and some man has lain with you besides your husband:' ^5:21 then the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall tell the woman, 'YHWH make you a curse and an oath among your people, when YHWH allows your thigh to fall away, and your body to swell; ^5:22 and this water that brings a curse will go into your bowels, and make your body swell, and your thigh fall away.' The woman shall say, 'Amen, Amen.' 

YHWH speaks of a wife going astray and being unfaithful to her husband, by another man sexually lying with her. Does YHWH speak of a husband going astray and being unfaithful to his wife, by sexually lying with another woman? YHWH in Numbers 5:15 shows that it is the man who is to bring his wife to the priest, implying he has authority to bring her to the priest for the determination of the matters to be determined. Does YHWH give a wife such authority? YHWH in Numbers 5:19 & 20 clearly show that a wife is under her husband's authority. Does YHWH anywhere show that a husband is under his wife's authority?

YHWH Shows That A Husband Has Authority Over His Wife But A Wife Does Not Have Authority Over Her Husband

Numbers 30:1-16 reads,

^30:1 Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which YHWH has commanded. ^30:2 When a man vows a vow to YHWH, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. ^30:3 Also when a woman vows a vow to YHWH, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father's house, in her youth, ^30:4 and her father hears her vow, and her bond with which she has bound her soul, and her father holds his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she has bound her soul shall stand. ^30:5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he hears, none of her vows, or of her bonds with which she has bound her soul, shall stand: and YHWH will forgive her, because her father disallowed her. ^30:6 If she be married to a husband, while her vows are on her, or the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul, ^30:7 and her husband hear it, and hold his peace at her in the day that he hears it; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds with which she has bound her soul shall stand. ^30:8 But if her husband disallow her in the day that he hears it, then he shall make void her vow which is on her, and the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul: and YHWH will forgive her. ^30:9 But the vow of a widow, or of her who is divorced, even everything with which she has bound her soul, shall stand against her. ^30:10 If she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath, ^30:11 and her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and didn't disallow her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she bound her soul shall stand. ^30:12 But if her husband made them null and void in the day that he heard them, then whatever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband has made them void; and YHWH will forgive her. ^30:13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. ^30:14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows, or all her bonds, which are on her: he has established them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. ^30:15 But if he shall make them null and void after that he has heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity. ^30:16 These are the statutes, which YHWH commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter, being in her youth, in her father's house.

YHWH clearly shows that a wife, being under the authority of her husband, has no right before him to bind herself with any vow without the ratification of her husband. On the other hand he shows that a husband has the right to bind himself with any vow without recourse to his wife or anyone else for that matter. In other words, YHWH clearly shows that while the husband has authority over his wife, a wife does not have authority over her husband!

Paul's Marital Authority Structure In 1 Corinthians 7 Is Contrary To YHWH's

This authority structure YHWH shows here is different from that suggested by Paul in 1 Corinthians 7, whereby he purports to give a wife authority over her husband, even while he acknowledges that a husband has authority over his wife. Paul also denies a husband authority over his own body, purporting to give this authority to the wife, yet YHWH does not so give a wife authority over her husband's body, giving the husband authority to decide for his soul or body as he deems fit, without recourse to his wife or anyone else for that matter. It is therefore clearly observed that Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 7 with respect to the authority structure as between a husband and his wife is not in harmony with YHWH's Word!

A Wife Lacks The Authority To Deliver Her Husband Before The Authorities, Unlike A Husband

Deuteronomy 25:5-10 reads,

^25:5 If brothers dwell together, and one of them die, and have no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside to a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in to her, and take her to him as wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her. ^25:6 It shall be, that the firstborn whom she bears shall succeed in the name of his brother who is dead, that his name not be blotted out of Israel. ^25:7 If the man doesn't want to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to the gate to the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuses to raise up to his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother to me. ^25:8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak to him: and if he stand, and say, I don't want to take her; ^25:9 then his brother's wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face; and she shall answer and say, So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother's house. ^25:10 His name shall be called in Israel, The house of him who has his shoe loosed.

In Numbers 5 we see that a husband has authority over his wife, in that he is to bring his wife to the priest for determination of the matters to be determined. In Deuteronomy 25 here we see that a woman, even one authorised by YHWH to become wife to a particular man, has no authority to compel him to go to, or to deliver him to, the authorities, for determination of the matters to be determined. Her role is one of informing the authorities to take action on a matter. It is then for the authorities to adjure his presence before them for determination of the matters to be determined. In other words, whereas a husband has authority over his wife, a woman does not have authority over her husband.

It is therefore observed that the authority structure as between a man and his wife as presented by YHWH is different and contrary to that presented by Paul in 1 Corinthians 7!

Is An Unbelieving Spouse Married To A Believer Deemed Holy?

With respect to mixed marriages, those between a believer and an unbeliever, Paul suggests that the unbelieving spouse is deemed holy, on account of the marriage with the believer. Is this so?

YHWH Shows That Holy People Greatly Risk Becoming Unholy By Entering Into Mixed Marriages

Deuteronomy 7:1-6 reads,

^7:1 When YHWH your Elohim shall bring you into the land where you go to possess it, and shall cast out many nations before you, the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, seven nations greater and mightier than you; ^7:2 and when YHWH your Elohim shall deliver them up before you, and you shall strike them; then you shall utterly destroy them: you shall make no covenant with them, nor show mercy to them; ^7:3 neither shall you make marriages with them; your daughter you shall not give to his son, nor his daughter shall you take to your son. ^7:4 For he will turn away your son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of YHWH be kindled against you, and he will destroy you quickly. ^7:5 But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their engraved images with fire. ^7:6 For you are a holy people to YHWH your God: YHWH your Elohim has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples who are on the face of the earth.

YHWH forbids his holy people from entering into mixed marriages with unholy people. Why? That his holy people not turn away from following and serving him to turn to following and serving other gods. In other words, YHWH implies that mixed marriages eventually result in the holy becoming unholy, rather than the unholy becoming holy. But Paul suggests that the unholy party in a mixed marriage becomes holy on account of that marriage — quite the opposite of what YHWH shows in Deuteronomy 7!