Part I of II
Apostle Paul Was Wrong About Women!
(February 2000; Modified  March 2004)

Discern The Truth From That Which Is Not

Saints, you’re guilty of receiving unfounded commandments of tradition, running with them, and never bothering to look back and measure them against all of God’s Word, or the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, the Word of God is inerrant, but a lot of what Apostle Paul said regarding women such as (1) being silent in Church, (2) not teaching men, (3) being saved through childbirth, (4) bearing sole responsibility for the Garden occurrence, and (5) covering the head, do not Scripturally lineup with Jesus' teachings. Those teachings of Paul are incongruous to the commandments of God. God would never contradict Himself by spiritually freeing His children, both male and female, and then turn around and subjugate females. That’s not God; that’s the Jewish Oral Law of tradition, today known as the Talmud.

For a fact, what Apostle Paul, who was a "Pharisee of Pharisees," commanded regarding women, is nowhere written in the Old Covenant, nor the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For a fact, no other Apostle commanded of women what Apostle Paul commanded. It’s time The Church of Jesus Christ acknowledged that those five (5) commandments of Paul’s regarding women are in error. Those commandments are stumbling blocks to The Church of Jesus Christ. Face it, those commandments are out of the traditions of men – the Jewish Oral Law/Talmud, which was what Jesus warned about, too, which was His primary reason for coming – to deliver God’s people from some 400 years of bondage to those teachings. The Hebrew people rejected the commandments of God, so that they could keep their tradition (Mark 7:9) handed down through the Oral Law/Talmud. The Jewish people allowed themselves to be enslaved to those traditions, and Apostle Paul continued to enslave women in The Church, and you as well if you hold to those commandments. The intent and purpose of this message is to free The Church, both males and females, so that the Spirit of God can flow during the soon coming end time revival.

Search The Scriptures. Does God have a dual personality? Since the New Covenant is Spirit, and Spirit is neutral, why would God say to women, you are not free, but men are. That’s not The God that we know! That’s not The God in The Bible! Those of you who believe this, you are wrong, and MUST repent. Cry out to The Lord to show you the truth concerning this matter because The Church is currently in apostasy, and God is working on bringing His True People out of that apostasy. Be not ashamed, repent before The Lord, for your salvation is in jeopardy.

When people operate in the flesh, they are very likely to make mistakes, misunderstand, misinterpret, or just plain old sin. In the middle of writing this message, I made a weekend trip to Memphis, Tennessee. While there, I attended a Messianic Congregation that Saturday morning, and the message was on getting no respect or being misunderstood. The pastor began with Moses’ misunderstanding of the two-and-one-half tribes of Israel that didn’t cross over Jordan into the Promised Land of Canaan. Not long into the message, it was impressed upon me that Apostle Paul had a misunderstanding, or shall we say, no respect with regard to women in the Church of Jesus Christ, based on this Pharisaical entrenchment in the Oral Law/Talmud.

Not only was Moses a mighty man of God, but was the only one that the Scriptures say "the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend…" (Exodus 33:11). Moses and God very often had dialogues, and for this to happen, Moses had to have been moving in the Holy Spirit. Moses had the Holy Ghost. I said that to say this: The two-and-one-half tribes (Numbers 32:33), Reuben, Gad, and one-half of Manasseh, wanted to dwell in the land of Gilead because of the many cattle (Numbers 32:1-4). Gilead was good grazing land, but it was before crossing over the Jordan. Moses being Holy Ghost filled, misunderstood the motive behind the two-and-one-half tribes’ desire to dwell on the other side of Jordan. All those tribes wanted was plenty good grazing land for the large number of cattle they had, but Moses accused them of the following: (1) wanting to sit in peace on that side Jordan while the rest of Israel went to war without their aid; (2) by them not going over with their brethren would discourage them from wanting to go over; (3) they were just like their forefathers who lost their lives in the wilderness and would never see the Promised Land – sinful men they were, that brought God’s fierce anger toward Israel; and (4) they would turn away from God, and God would then destroy all the people of Israel.

The two-and-one-half tribes went on to tell Moses the intent in their hearts, which they did live up to, and that was, to build sheepfolds for the cattle, build cities for their families, and they themselves would go on over, ready armed, before the children of Israel, and would not return to their side of the Jordan until every one of Israel had received his inheritance in the land promised them. There we have the first misunderstanding or "no respect" for the two-and-one-half tribes by Moses, the man of God, who was moving in the flesh regarding this matter. The second misunderstanding of this same group of people comes from Joshua, who took over after Moses. You see, it follows them from Moses to Joshua – they are still treated as though they’re "up to no good" – treated with disrespect, and that wasn’t God.

Joshua, a Spirit-filled leader of Israel followed in Moses’ footsteps by leading Israel into Canaan land, and these two-and-one-half tribes were right there with them. After everyone received their inheritance, the two-and-one-half tribes were on their way back to their inheritance on the other side of Jordan in Gilead when they decided to stop and build an altar to God. This altar was to be a witness between them and those in the Promised Land that The Lord is God (Joshua 22:34), and not a trespass as all Israel concluded it to be (Joshua 22:9-33). Just as Moses, Joshua, Phinehas, the people of Israel, and the princes of the congregation misunderstood those two-and-one-half tribes’ desires and intents, Apostle Paul did indeed move in the flesh and misunderstand that there can be no interchange between what Christ preached about liberty in the Holy Spirit for the Believer (men and women), and that which the Oral Law/Talmud (traditions of men) teach in subjugating women in their walk with God.

During Jesus’ time, right before His horrible death, the Apostle Peter said he’d never be offended by his relationship with Messiah, and that he would never deny him (Matthew 26:33). Sure enough, in the flesh, Peter denied Jesus three times (Matthew 26:70,72,74). Peter, living along side the Son of God, in fleshly frailty, proved the capableness of men of God making mistakes, and they are listed right there in our Bible. There is also the case of Eli and Hannah when she was in the temple praying before The Lord. Pay attention to the Prophet of God, Eli, as he is watching Hannah.

And it came to pass, as she [Hannah] continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked [observed/watched] her mouth. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD (I Samuel 1:12-15).

Point (1), this woman was in the temple – the place where one would likely go and pray; (2) she was pouring out her soul to God; and (3) Eli, man of God, in the flesh, not recognizing the appearance of one bearing all to God, accused her of having had too much to drink. Was this a mistake by a man of God? Yes! Saints, it has, can, and will happen again, and it did happen with Apostle Paul concerning women in The Church, as it is happening in churches today.

Saints, it is wholly possible for people, who are humans just like us, who are in God’s service, while in their flesh, thinking they’re in the spirit, to misunderstand and or misinterpret what God’s Word says or should be. Flesh does sometimes, more often than not, operate in God’s chosen vessels. However, God is our witness, flesh never operated in His Son’s (Jesus) life and that is why we must always measure Paul’s teachings on subjugation of women in the Church against the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Subjugation of women in the Church of Jesus Christ is not Jesus Christ, but was Paul’s "Oral-Law-Flesh" in operation.

The word Talmud means to learn. Talmud is the authoritative body of Jewish law and tradition developed on the basis of the Scriptural law after the closing of the Pentateuch. The Pentateuch is the first five books of the Old Testament recorded by Moses. The purpose of the Oral Law, later written down and became known as the Talmud, is to explain the written law of Moses by means of numerous commentaries on how to interpret the Oral Law. (Remember, Moses’ Law was placed in the side of the Ark, and God’s Law was placed on the inside of the Ark.) The Oral Law/Talmud, comes in two versions: (1) Jerusalem Talmud, and (2) Babylonian Talmud. As this Oral Law/Talmud grew, and grew, and grew, the Hebrew people became, and continue to grow in darkness, even to the point now that many don’t believe in God at all. Those laws proved to be a burden. Before Jesus came, God’s people were over-burdened by the Oral Laws because it was no way possible for them to keep them. Think about it, 613 laws with commentaries to them to make sure no one broke them! To those supplements were analogues, making sure they were rightly interpreted. The people were and still are burdened by a lot of laws in the Talmud which they can’t keep, and God would never burden any of His people. (One does not "read" the Talmud, but studies it, and it is far from being simple.)

Talmud. Is the work which embodies the canonical and civil law of the Jews. It contains those rules, precepts and interpretations by which the Jewish people profess to be guided, in addition to the O.T., and includes not merely religion, but philosophy, medicine, jurisprudence, history and the various branches of practical duty. The Jews have been accustomed to divide their law into written and unwritten: the written contained in the Pentateuch, the unwritten handed down orally, until it was found necessary to write it. Some Jews have assigned the same antiquity to both, alleging that Moses received them on the Mount. Midrashim, or explanations of biblical topics, were of gradual growth. The system of interpretation which they exemplify and embody existed in the age of the so-called Sopherim (Scribes), who succeeded the prophets. The oldest Mishna is accredited to Hillel. It is divided into 6 orders or books, 63 treatises (MASSIKLOTH), and 525 chapters (PERAKIM). The first Seder treats of sowing, the productions of the earth, trees, and the uses of fruits, seeds, etc. The second Seder (MOED), the order of festivals. The third Seder (NASHIM) discusses the rights of men and women, marriage and divorce. The fourth Seder (NEZIKIN), consisting of ten treatises, with the losses and injuries which one person may bring upon another. The fifth (KODASHIM) treats of sacrifices, oblations, etc. The sixth (TAHAROTH) relates to purifications of vessels, household furniture, etc. Rabbinical Jews have always set a high value on the Talmud, often placing it above the old Mosiac law. Hence we find in the Masseceth Soferim the saying ‘The Biblical text is like water, and the Mishna like wine, and the six orders like aromatic wine.’ In another passage, ‘The law is like salt, the Mishna like pepper, but the six orders like fine spices.’ Again, ‘The words of the Scribes are lovely, above the words of the law, for the words of the law are weighty and light, but the words of the scribes are all weight.’ These extravagant praises of the oral traditions agree with the Saviour’s words: ‘Making the word of God of none effect, through your tradition, which ye have believed.’ (Mark vii.13). (Revised Edition of Smith’s Bible Dictionary. Compiled from Dr. William Smith’s Dictionary Of The Bible. Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, TN, 1991, p. 300.)

The author James B. Hurley has the following to say about the Talmud and women:

The Talmud is yet more explicit in its teaching of women’s inferiority. Its general attitude is reflected in its frequently classing women with children and (Gentile) slaves…To modern ears, the most offensive statement on the subject is probably that of Rabbi Judah ben Elai (c. AD 150) who ‘used to say, ‘A man is bound to say the following three blessings daily: ‘[Blessed art thou…] who hast not made me a heathen’, ‘…who hast not made me a woman’; ‘…and who has not made me a brutish man’*….Women were generally assumed by the rabbis to be persons incapable of learning about religious things…. (Man and Woman in Biblical Perspective. James B. Hurley. Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI 1981 pp 62-63.)

(*This teaching on women by Rabbi Judah can be found in The Babylonian Talmud. Seder Kodashim, Menahoth 44a. The Soncino Press, London, 1935, p. 264.)

Saints, God was not and is not anywhere around when such a prayer is prayed. That prayer is filled with hate for women and God is not a party to hatred. To give you an idea of other sinfully, ridiculous, burdensome teachings in the Talmud that are misguiding and binding God’s people, a few follows:

1. A man should not walk behind a woman on the road [To avoid unchaste thoughts], and even if his wife happens to be in front of him on a bridge he should let her pass on one side, and whoever crosses a river behind a woman will have no portion in the future world [Because the woman in crossing will naturally lift up her dress]. (The Babylonian Talmud, Seder Zera'im Berakoth 61a. The Soncino Press, London, 1948, p 383.)
   
2. If a man counts out money from his hand into the hand of a woman so as to have the opportunity of gazing at her, even if he can vie in Torah and good deeds with Moses our teacher, he shall not escape the punishment of Gehinnom, as it says, ‘Hand to hand, he shall not escape from evil,’ he shall not escape from the punishment of Gehinnom. …(The Babylonian Talmud, Seder Mo'ed, Volume IV, Mo'ed Katan 18a. The Soncino Press, London, 1938, p 113.)

Saints, the explanation as to why women are subjugated and segregated in The Church is because the male population fear their sexual urges going out of control. The Talmud even says so with the statements, "To avoid unchaste thought" and "Because the woman in crossing will naturally lift up her dress." Men are afraid of losing their chastity, so what did/do they do? They put their responsibility of self-control on the woman by restricting her freedom, even in The Church.

3. Three things were said in reference to nails [finger- and toenails]: One who buries them is righteous [by justly removing a stumbling block, a believed cause for injury]; one who burns them is pious [by going to greater trouble in disposing of the injurious matter effectively beyond recovery] and one who throws them away is a villain! What is the reason? Lest a pregnant woman should step over them and miscarry…(The Babylonian Talmud, Seder Mo'ed, Volume IV, Mo'ed Katan 18a. The Soncino Press, London, 1938, p 113.)

Life is too short for one to fret over how to dispose of fingernails and toenails. A pregnant woman miscarrying if she steps on finger- and toenails is hogwash! It just does not follow.

4. My son, be more careful in [the observance of] the words of the Scribes than in the words of the Torah, for in the laws of the Torah there are positive and negative precepts; but, as to the laws of the Scribes, whoever transgresses any of the enactments of the Scribes incurs the penalty of death. (The Babylonian Talmud, Seder Mo'ed, Volume II, Erubin. The Soncino Press, London, 1938, p 149.)

That was a prime example of how the Oral Law/Talmud supersedes the true Word of God by the warning of death if one breaks the laws prescribed by the Scribes. That’s making God’s Word of none effect!

5. On the eve of the Passover Yeshu [Jesus] was hanged. For forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried, ‘He is going forth to be stoned because he has practised sorcery and enticed Israel to apostacy. Any one who can say anything in his favour, let him come forward and plead on his behalf.’ But since nothing was brought forward in his favour he was hanged on the eve of the Passover! (The Babylonian Talmud, Seder Nezikin, Volume III, Sanhedrin. The Soncino Press, London, 1935, p 281.)

Of course that was after Jesus’ death, but you can see why a Jewish person will quickly tell you that he is a Jew and can’t receive anything you say about Jesus being the Messiah. Jewish people are bound to the Oral Law/Talmud that the Scribes and Rabbi’s have passed on, informing them of the punishment for believing Jesus is Messiah.

6. R. Eleazar…What is meant by the Scriptural text, ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh? ‘This teaches that Adam had intercourse with every beast and animal but found no satisfaction until he cohabited with Eve.’ (The Babylonian Talmud, Seder Nashim, Volume I, Yebamoth. The Soncino Press, London, 1937, p. 42.)

That answer is so far from the truth, it’s a sin. Adam did not have a sin nature before his fall, and besides, God would not have stood for the practice of beastiality.

Saints, God did not give life to any of His people for them to be hindered in their walk with Him through misinstruction and burdens of Talmudic teachings, and that includes Paul’s teachings on women in The Church. A few more examples of disturbing  Talmud laws follow:s:

Moses Maimonides devoted himself to the explanation of the Talmud. Please look carefully at the following commentary:

…a minor girl three years old or less who has had intercourse, even if with an adult male, is entitled to a ketubbah [Jewish marriage contract with monetary stipulation to be paid in the event of divorce] of two hundred zuz [a coin of the value of a denarius], because she will eventually recover her virginity and become like other virgins. (The Code of Maimonides, Book Four, The Book of Women. Yale University Press, 1972, p. 68.)

Be for real, a "3" year-old that has obviously been raped, will eventually become a virgin, again! After her hymen has been torn or stretched, it is not going to re-grow as though she had never been penetrated. That being the case, after sex, all women become virgins over and over again. The silliness of these laws interpreted by men without God’s Holy Spirit, was made above God’s Word.

This background of the Talmud has been shared with you for your understanding of how Paul dug inside the Oral Law/Talmud, and pulled out those ridiculous doctrines or precepts that have bound God’s women in The Church.

Jesus warned, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the market places, And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts; Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damanation (Mark 12:38-40). Christ didn’t warn us of the Scribes just because they were pretentious or fake men of God. Nor did Christ reveal to us that they would receive greater damnation because of their pretentiousness or fakeness. Christ warned us of the Scribes because they misinterpreted The Law and put God’s people in bondage to their precepts so that the people no longer honored God with their hearts. "Us" includes The Church because of those commandments that have made women in The Church second class Christians.

The Pharisees and the Scribes went together like "bread and butter." They were together when they spoke to Jesus about His disciples not "washing their hands oft" as was a tradition of the elders (Mark 7:1-23). The Pharisees and Scribes were together when Jesus called them hypocrits that shut up the kingdom of heaven against the people by having them bound to senseless interpretations of God’s Word (Matthew 23:1-39). It was the Chief Priests, Pharisees, Scribes, and Elders that plotted to put Jesus to death (Mark 14:43; Luke 22:1-2; John 18:3). These Scribes and Pharisees were, spiritually and naturally, deadly people. Follows are some instances of Jesus attacking the Oral Laws/Talmud:

1. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is corban*, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye (Mark 7:10-13). Once again, the Oral Law/Talmud was in operation, and Jesus outright told them that they go against God’s teachings and truths when they hold on to man’s traditions, that excused them from supporting their parents.

*Corban: A consecrated present to the Temple fund; something brought near the altar; a sacrificial present.

2. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery (Matthew 19:7-9). The Oral Law/Talmud says it is okay to divorce; Jesus says it’s not okay except for fornication – it was never okay – divorce is adultery – it’s sin. God only made Adam one wife and He didn’t have an extra waiting in the wings in the event of Adam’s displeasure with Eve.

There, you heard it from Jesus’ mouth, "and many such things" meaning, it’s a whole lot more of these laws. This bondage smells of the Oral Law, the Talmud.

Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men... (Mark 7:7-8).

Saints, for hundreds of years, the Scribes, Elders, and Pharisees, prescribed their burdensome commandments to God’s people out of all disrespect to God’s Word/Law. That which was coming from the heart of mankind and not God's Holy Spirit, Apostle Paul had walked in before his salvation. Paul, such a zealot in that way of teaching, brought some of it over into The Church of Jesus Christ. You have to ask yourself if those commandments on the subjugation of women were from The Lord when you look at the ultimate of evil in the hearts of those interpreters of God’s Law/Word. Those hearts were evil in that they conspired to slay Messiah, Jesus and many prophets before Him, so how could they have been inspired by God to command those burdensome precepts?

The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day (Luke 9:22).

It must be made clear to The Church that Jesus didn’t walk-out the interpretation of the Oral Law/Talmud, He walked out God’s Law/Word, and that never excluded women, nor elevated one sex about another. Subjugation of women is nowhere in God’s Word/Law. (Please, think on this before continuing to walk in those same Talmudic teachings that you think are of God.)

And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean (Acts 10:28). God as good as told Peter that the Oral Law/Talmud was not His Word, and that he was under the New Covenant and walking in the Spirit. God was letting Peter know that those traditions he was adhering to were not according to the truth of the Gospel.   

Paul also slipped back into the Oral Law/Talmud in a lot of what he spoke which meant he was in the flesh.  For those of  you who highly esteem Apostle Paul’s words above GOD’s Word, Jesus said,

He [any human being] that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness in him (John 7:18).

Paul often spoke of himself. Jesus never lifted Himself up; He gave the glory to the Father, thus making Him as God’s Word is, truth, and there was no unrighteousness found in Him. Jesus was very meek, humble, and lowly, whereas Paul, well, he was a different story – CONCEITED! A few instances follow:

1. And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord… (I Corinthians 7:10). Who commanded, Paul or The Lord? What follows in that verse of Scripture, yes, The Lord would have it that way, but the fact that Paul, who is used to commanding, had to disavow his command. Look at the next verse.
   
2. But to the rest speak I, not the Lord… (I Corinthians 7:12). This is Paul’s advice, and not "thus saith the Lord."
   
3. Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment…(I Corinthians 7:25). Again, Paul goes on his own, to give advice that is not "thus saith the Lord."
   
4. I speak not by commandment….And herein I give my advice… (II Corinthians 8-10). Paul gave good advice here, but it was not "thus saith the Lord" nor "The Lord told me to tell you", nor was it Holy Ghost inspired, but was of him – Paul.

Saints, we can safely conclude from the above  that, when Paul spoke, it was not always God; when many men of God speak, it's not always God.

This is not "Bash Apostle Paul Day". It is necessary searching of the Scriptures to prove to The Church of Jesus Christ that (1) Paul’s words do not supersede God’s Word; and (2) Some of Paul’s words that have no other parallel to them in the whole Bible, cannot be from God, and especially with it bringing some into disobedience while persecuting others. The Church simply should not follow those commands even though The Church has for these 2000-plus years.

The word boast means to praise "self." Anything "self" is pride, and God counsels us against pride. Paul spoke highly of himself rather freely. He boasted when he said,

I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also (II Corinthians 11:16-18).

In verse 18, Paul tells that he will glory also. Moving down to verses 22 through 30, he really lays it on, point-by-point – boasting of himself.

Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities (II Corinthians 11:22-30).

Saints, this is not okay. "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips" (Proverb 27:2). God never approved such behavior in any of His children, including Paul. Jesus, our example, never boasted about Himself or the great works done by Him, so why should The Church stamp "approved" on Paul’s behavior by accepting those writings of his that don’t line up with God’s Word – more particular, those writings on female subjugation? Are you beginning to get the picture of what Paul was capable of doing? Can you now see what God is showing The Church for her own spiritual good?

Interjection: One thing must be cleared for it’s very important. The Bible is God’s Word; it’s Holy Spirit inspired, but only Jesus’ Gospel is inerrant because He, being God The Son, did not lie. Jesus, being God The Son, made no mistakes nor did He ever misunderstand. When it comes to epistles, if anything in them doesn't line up with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the fulfilling of the writings of the Prophets, then as Believers, we cannot walk in whatever it may be. Sad to report, but quite a number of things Paul commanded The Church to follow, do not line up with the Gospel, and they are in error because they came not from God, but from Paul’s "Oral-Law-flesh."

Paul’s boasting continues with the most boastful statement of his epistles. "for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing" (II Corinthians 12:11; II Corinthians 11:5). In other words, "I’m just as good as Peter or John." Who cares? Should Paul care about who is on top? No. As a servant of God, one should concern himself with his obedience to God and correctly hearing God’s voice. Paul’s arrogance was problematic. It was so much so that he is primarily responsible for much of the confusion among Believers.

Saints, Apostle Paul was fallible! He was quite capable of making mistakes and misunderstanding. Yet, Saints, stop and think on these words of Paul’s:

1. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me (I Corinthians 4:16).
2. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ (I Corinthians 11:1).
3. Brethren, be followers together of me… (Philippians 3:17).

No, Paul, "it’s not follow you", but follow God, as you advised us to in Ephesians 5:1: "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children…." Saints, face it, you know that Paul was wrong to encourage people to follow Him. Face it! He was wrong, and that was not of God. (That is no unfavorable reflection on our Bible, because The Gospel is the true Word of God, and Jesus, who can not lie, spoke it, and lived it so that we would know the truth and be set free (John 8:32).) Paul, and no preacher, or teacher, should ever encourage God’s flock to follow them. They never created anybody or anything! They never did and never can live a sinless life! They never died on the cross for anybody! They most certainly are not omniscient, omnipotent, nor omnipresent. We are to follow the example God sent, Jesus our Savior, who walked out God’s Word, showing us that we can be and must obey God’s Word only, and be holy.

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Mark 8:34; Matthew 16:24; Luke 9:23).

Saints, the sheep follow the Shepherd, Jesus, Son of The Most High God (John 10:4), and they don’t follow strangers (John 10:5), not even the Apostle Paul, because, as Jesus said,

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me (John 10:27).

Saints, even the Apostle Peter advised us to follow Christ because it was Christ who suffered for us (I Peter 2:21). Apostle Paul, many times, operated outside the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it’s high time The Church stopped erroneously holding fast that which he wrote in his letters that do not line up with The Gospel. The man Paul misunderstood in that he held the Oral Law, the Talmud, above God’s Word, and that was easy for him to do because he was a "Pharisee immovable." Paul said this about himself:

an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee (Philippians 3:5)

The Pharisees, the sect that was few in numbers, carried the torch when it came to the Oral Law/Talmud and burdening God’s people to make sure they held fast to every bit of it rather than God’s Law.

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 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...(I Corinthians 9:19-20).

Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved (I Corinthians 10:32-33).

From Paul’s statements above, we see that he is a respecter of persons and a pleaser of men, and can easily switch roles. From this, you can see that PAUL DID SLIP INTO THE ROLE of being under the law – Oral Law/Talmud, and put women under that, when they are in fact, operating in the Holy Spirit under the New Covenant.

As Born Again-ers, walking in the Spirit, it is spiritually dangerous, slipping out of the Spirit and into the flesh just to please someone or attempt to draw someone unto salvation. God never ordained any Born Again-er to live a double life, not even Paul. God’s Word always was and always will be, "quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit [of mankind], and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart [of mankind]" (Hebrews 4:12). With such a powerful witnessing tool as God’s Word, God therefore does not require us, nor did he require Apostle Paul, to temporarily live life as a lie to gain souls. When God brings us out of the world, out of dead churches, out of Judaism, out of the Talmudic Law, He means for us not to return to those things – like the dog returning to his vomit (Proverb 26:11). The Oral Law/Talmud was deeply etched in Paul’s inner man. In the case concerning female bondage, Paul did as some of the other Apostles had done in regard to letting the Oral Law slip into their teaching and preaching. Get this, Paul rebuked the other Apostles for committing such horror, but what about him – he took the speck out of their eyes while he himself had a log in his eye.

Saints, the Oral Law/Talmud was so ingrained in Paul that he, in his zealousness, had Timotheus circumcised in the flesh because of the Jews (Acts 16:1-4). That fleshly circumcision was Old Covenant show of salvation, and did not apply to Timothy. That circumcision was done away with when Jesus expired on the cross. If God’s Word is sharper than any two-edged sword, and is truth, what was the need to prove something in the flesh to draw converts? Saints, that act was not from God. God’s Word is immutable and He would not flip-flop on heart/spirit circumcision (covenant) just to get people in The Church. Paul was wrong, and he was so because he reverted to the Oral Law that was deep in his soul. Wasn’t it Paul who said, "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law [carnal ordinances with the Oral Law along side] by the body of Christ…" (Romans 7:4). Didn’t this same Paul say, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth…"(Romans 1:16). If there is power to save one in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, how did it get weakened whereby Paul had to revert to fleshly circumcision to draw Jews to their Messiah? Why isn’t it done today? The Gospel wasn’t weak then, and it isn’t weak now. There was no need, and is no need today, to present the Gospel in any way but simply as it is – SIMPLE.

Before leaving Apostle Paul, Church, below is proof that he pulled some of his commandments from the Talmud. Take a look at the following:

Saints, men had already commanded women not to read the Torah in the congregation, so Apostle Paul, as well, shuts up women’s mouths in The Church. Apostle Paul, along with today’s preachers, believing that women are not called by God to preach and teach and that they should be quiet, ARE NOT OF GOD with that teaching. Paul and those preachers are letting the Talmud rule – doctrines of men – man-made traditions. Paul’s thinking was due to his rabbinical school training – the "Pharisee of Pharisees." That was sin in Paul, and is sin in the men in the Church of Jesus Christ that are following after those words written in Paul’s letters that don’t line up with the Gospel of Jesus Christ! God is no respecter of persons whereby He would oppress anyone or a particular sex, in this case, women.

God alone knows His reason for women not serving in the Levitical Priesthood. The writer, however, highly suspects it had to do with the fact that the priesthood of old did not have God’s Holy Spirit dwelling in them  at all times as does the spiritual priesthood of today's church, and because of that, no unclean fleshly thing could approach God.  Being that no unclean fleshly thing or person could go near the things pertaining to The Lord, this meant  menstruating women would have been absent from Temple duties more than present had they been allowed to perform priestly duties. Also, women bleeding for long periods after childbirth perhaps was another reason women were not given priestly duties.

With the exclusion of women from the Levitical Priesthood, God still did not, in His eyes, create them to be lower than men. The Rabbis were encouraged not to teach or even speak to women, but Jesus spoke to women, and He did so because God did not debase woman. There were women in Jesus’ ministry, and I don’t believe they were there as servants to cleanup after the men. True, the women shared their substance with them, and did not preach or teach, but they learned from the master. Those women could not preach, teach, or pray over people because they were still under the Old Covenant and were not yet Holy Ghost baptized, whereby they could enter into the Holy of Holies on their own, menstruating or not.

There are preachers who are guilty of subtracting from God’s Word concerning Deborah, and the other women in The Bible. These women were used of God:

 Deborah the Judge whom preachers and teachers swear-up-and-down was not alone, a Judge, but was an aide to the man, Barak. There is this one radio preacher ("on a million hours of the day"!) who says that all God did was give Deborah wisdom and that she was not in charge and did not overrule Barak. He preaches that women have no authoritative roles. Saints, that’s not what God’s Word declared about the lady, Deborah. It is Biblically-clear that Deborah, alone, was the leader/chief  (Judge) of the whole nation of Israel. Even though she had a husband (Judges 4:4), God chose her to be His Mouthpiece to His people, and not her husband. Let’s first understand that there were two distinct orders of judges during those times: (1) the leader or chief of the whole nation, and this was before Israel and Judah had kings; and (2) the elder princes or chiefs of families. As a Judge, appointed by GOD HIMSELF, Deborah’s responsibility was to counsel the people using the Word of God (I Chronicles 17:6), and encourage them, and deliver them from the hands of the enemy when need be.

The following facts must be layed before you: (1) God appointed judges as it is written "the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge [implying one judge at a time], and delivered them out of the hand of their [Israel] enemies all the days of the judge…" (Judges 2:18). Another Scripture implying that it was one judge at a time reads, "And it came to pass, when the judge was dead…" (Judges 2:19). Saints, there could be but one judge at a time in Israel which refutes the male superiority teaching that Deborah was not a judge but aided Barak when the Bible never said Barak was a judge, but that Deborah was. (2) Judges gave counsel/directions/orders. If Deborah was not the Judge giving orders to Barak, why was she so disrespectful to this MAN. "And she [Deborah] sent and called Barak…and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go…with thee ten thousand men..." (Judges 4:6). Then again, "Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand…" (Judges 4:14). Barak was the "Captain of the Host" that led the military and that’s all that he was. Barak was not a partnership judge with Deborah.

Let us do a comparative of Deborah and Barak.

Sealing proof of solitary female judgeship for Deborah, is the following Scripture: "And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley…" (Judges 5:15). That Scripture is saying that, Deborah’s decision to go up against Sisera, Captain of the Canaanite army of King Jabin, had the support of the Tribe of Issachar and of Barak, even though the Tribe of Reuben had to do much thinking about fighting in that war. So, you see dear Saints, DEBORAH WAS THE JUDGE OF ISRAEL ALL BY HERSELF. THERE WOULD BE BUT ONE JUDGE AT A TIME, CHOSEN BY GOD, AND HE CHOSE THE WOMAN, DEBORAH!

Huldah the Prophetess:  During King Josiah’s reign - one of a handful of Israel’s kings that obeyed God, he commanded the priest and a few others to

Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found....So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum…(now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. And she said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,Thus saith the Lord, Behold... (2 Kings 22:13-16).

God had to have called Huldah from before she was in her mother’s womb, but why on God’s green earth would He call her, but then tell her she couldn’t speak because she was woman? Huldah had a husband, alive and well, but it was Huldah, the woman, that God had chosen to use as His voice and not her husband.

Anna the Prophetess:   At the dedication of Jesus by Mary and Joseph in the Temple in Jerusalem, Simeon first prophesied...

And there was one Anna, a prophetess…she was of great age, and have lived with an husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem (Luke 2:36-38).

The Apostle Paul and the Oral Law/Talmud says women must be quiet and learn from their husbands, but poor Anna did not have a husband around to teach her about the Lord, so how was she to get rooted and grounded in the Lord? (Women who don’t have a husband around to teach them, what are they to do?) Anna was a prophetess, and according to God’s Word, He calls you from before you’re in your mother’s womb. Why would God call this woman to be in His service to the Saints, and then tell her she can’t speak in the Temple – she can’t speak in the Church. THAT’S NOT GOD - That’s Paul letting the Jewish Oral Law/Talmud speak – man’s doctrine.

Abigail:   God used the woman Abigail to advise David against the causeless shedding of blood. The Bible tells us that Abigail "was a woman of good understanding" (I Samuel 25:3). She was blessed by God with the ability to judge wisely. If women were such second class citizens before God, why would David (the king of Israel in waiting) receive advise from this woman when she spoke to him to not senselessly kill Nabal and his people because of Nabal’s rudeness and disrespect for David and his men. David asked for food to which Nabal said no. Instead of putting the matter into God’s hand, David made up his mind to destroy Nabal and his house, without taking into consideration the man’s ignorance and stupidity, and that he would also have killed Abigail, a woman God had blessed with wisdom. David acknowledge the godly advice from this woman when he said, "And blessed by thy advice, and blessed be thou, which has kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand" (I Samuel 26:33). God never ever made women to be second-class people.

Saints, the Oral Law/Talmud does not say that a woman can be of good understanding out of wisdom.   

There is no wisdom in woman except with the distaff [spindle].  Thus also does Scripture say: 'And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands' (The Babylonian Talmud, Seder Mo'Ed,  Yoma 66b, Vol III.  Rabbi I. Epstein, The Soncino Press, London, 1938, p 311).

What a misinterpretation of Scripture!  Second Samuel 14:2, 20:16, 22 speaks of wise women and a woman of wisdom, but yet, the Oral Law/Talmud says there is no wisdom in women.  Who do you believe?

What about Esther? -- what about Ruth? -- what about Miriam? God sanctioned the events in these ladies’ lives so that there would be no doubt in the hearts and minds of mankind that He, God, does not discriminate. Because God knows the end from the beginning, He does not say one thing here and do another over there. That’s why He gave us the Scriptures and sent His Son, Jesus, His Word, His Truths, so that we study and discern the untruths, such as those epistles ascribed to Apostle Paul.