Ep.1111: Does the Apostle Paul Contradict Himself? (Part I): Contradictions Series
Examining several supposed self-contradicting statements by Paul
CHAPTERS
Theme Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:33
The Apostle Paul is a Christian icon. He essentially wrote half of the New Testament as he carried the gospel far and wide. He suffered dramatically for his faith, was challenged regularly by those in authority and even stood up to the Apostle Peter when it was needed. When you read his words, you cannot help but see his love for God and undying devotion to Jesus. With all of the good he did, there are many who 2,000 years later claim he was a self-absorbed, self-contradictory man. They make lists of the things he said and wrote and seem to relish in his apparent instability. Did the Apostle Paul contradict himself? Did he say different things to different people just to gain their favor? The only way to find out is to examine the accusations one at a time!
Saul of Tarsus was on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christians there. Suddenly his journey was interrupted by a blindingly bright visit from the Lord Jesus Christ himself. The exchange Saul had with the mighty risen Lord completely changed his life. Saul would soon be known as Paul. He would become the Apostle to the Gentiles. This simple story is surrounded by controversy. Aside from the challenges to prove what happened, the hardest skepticism comes from the telling of the story itself. This is just the beginning of the many inconsistencies people say overshadow the authenticity of Paul’s Christian life.
Inconsistencies or details with an easy explanation?
The account of Paul’s conversion appears three times in the book of Acts. The first telling is more or less an historical recounting. The other two were a record of Paul’s own telling. The problem is in the details. The three accounts seem to blatantly contradict each other with important details. Did everyone journeying with him fall to the ground when this light appeared, or was it just Paul? The skeptics say that depends on which version you read. Did everyone hear the voice of Jesus or just Paul? Again, they say it depends on which story you read. The critics' points are well taken. Because the story of Paul’s conversion can be so easily called into question, the truthfulness of his Christian life is questionable as well.
Did Paul make it up as he went along?
This is only the beginning. Was Paul a people pleaser or a true servant of Christ? Was he a deceitful or an honest minister? Those who have written him off boldly claim that these and other accusations can be proven by Paul’s own words! Can they? Are these inconsistencies proof of a great deception?
Check out our February 03, 2020 podcast, “Does the Apostle Paul Contradict Himself? (Part 1) for more. We carefully and methodically take each of these accusations apart to see what they are made of. We look into context, definitions and the several other factors for various Apostle Paul contradictions. There are answers. They are logical, and they are harmonious. Take this journey with us and then head over to Part II for more.
Interesting that Paul never mentions the 10 Commandments in entirety in any of his Epistles, but mentions 2-3 horizontal Commandments in one Epistle, and singles out “Honor thy Father and Mother . . . ” in another. Further, He at one point states that putting ones self through circumcision puts you back under the Law, and you lose the free gift of salvation. Further, in his own words (2 Timothy 1:15, he states that “All” (Assemblies) in Asia have rejected him, and in Rev2:2, the Messiah praises the Assembly in Ephesus for exposing “Apostles who are not Apostles, and their lies.” When you combine Paul’s contradictions of the Messiah’s statements regarding the Law and the Commandments in Matthew 5, with the Messiah’s admonition in John’s Gospel, “If you love me, keep My Commandments, followed by John’s Epistle where he states, “He who say’s he knows Him, and keeps (guards) not His Commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.\,” you have, whether you like it or not, a very serious issue regarding Paul’s authenticity as a true Apostle. All you have is the word of a former persecutor of the sect of the Nazarenes, who claims to have had a miraculous encounter with The Messiah after He ascended, who later gives him a special Gospel that is, at many times, contradictory to the Gospel given to the 12 original Disciples/Apostles; a Gospel “not learned from men.” The only redemption I see for Paul is that he ministered mostly to Gentile converts, and seemed to stay within James’ 4 requirements for Gentile converts edict at the Council of Jerusalem, even though he stifled the spiritual growth of those Gentiles by insisting they stay as far away from Yehovah and Yeshua’s original 10 Commandments as possible, including the 7th day Sabbath, while opening the door to converts from various Sun worship Cults to bring in remnants of their pagan beliefs and festivals like the celebration of the birthday of various sun Gods on the winter Solstice (Dec 18 through Dec 25, depending on the year), claiming it as “Christ’s birthday,” as well as “Pope” Victor (late 2nd century) trying to force the elimination of Passover from the church calendar in favor of “Easter Sunday,” the birthday of Eostre, the “Earth Mother,” while claiming it was to celebrate the execution and resurrection of Christ. Also, as a final reminder: Our Messiah, Yeshua Ben Yosef. stated, “Many will come in my Name,” referring to false teachers, and even Messiahs, “That even the elect might be deceived, if that were possible.” Have we been deceived by Paul, and HIS Gospel, not taught to him by man, a Gospel Yeshua forgot to give to his 12 Disciples, a Gospel that contradicts the words of the Messiah Himself?
Thank you, Jon, for your respectful and thorough points. We recommend listening to all four of the “Paul episodes” for more insight, including this Episode #1111. #1112: Does the Apostle Paul Contradict Himself? (Part II), #1113: Paul or Matthias: Who Was the Real 12th Apostle? and most to the point, Episode #1114: Did the Apostle Paul Contradict Jesus?
Going through your points in order:
1. “Paul never mentions the Ten Commandments in entirety.”
•True, Paul doesn’t list all Ten Commandments in one passage—but he references them repeatedly:
o Romans 13:8–10: Paul cites commandments like adultery, murder, theft, and coveting, then summarizes them in “love your neighbor,” echoing Jesus’ own summary (Matthew 22:37–40).
o Ephesians 6:2–3: Paul quotes “Honor your father and mother” directly.
•Episode #1114 clarifies that Paul’s emphasis is on the Law’s fulfillment through Christ—not its enumeration. He teaches that love is the fulfillment of the Law (Romans 13:10), aligning with Jesus’ summary in Matthew 22:37-40.
2. “Circumcision puts you back under the Law and forfeits salvation.”
•Galatians 5:2–4 warns against circumcision as a means of justification—not against the act itself. He is not anti-circumcision; he is anti-legalism.
•Episode #1112 explains Paul circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:3) for missional reasons, showing flexibility, not contradiction.
•Paul’s issue is with requiring circumcision for salvation, which the Jerusalem Council also rejected (Acts 15). His stance is consistent with apostolic consensus.
3. “All assemblies in Asia rejected Paul (2 Timothy 1:15).”
•Paul’s lament in 2 Timothy 1:15 reflects a moment of abandonment during imprisonment. He’s lamenting that many in Asia turned away from him during his imprisonment; not that they rejected his message permanently. This was not a doctrinal or universal rejection.
•Episode #1111 highlights Paul’s deep ministry in Asia (e.g., Ephesus, Colossae), and his letters show enduring spiritual relationships and mutual respect.
•Temporary desertion under persecution doesn’t equate to theological repudiation.
4. “Revelation 2:2 praises Ephesus for exposing false apostles—implying Paul?”
•Revelation 2:2 doesn’t name Paul. In fact, Paul founded the Ephesian church and spent years teaching there (Acts 19).
•Episode #1114 explains the “false apostles” likely refer to later imposters seeking authority, not Paul, whose apostleship was affirmed by signs, suffering and divine commissioning (2 Corinthians 12:12; Acts 9).
5. “Paul contradicts Jesus’ teachings on the Law (e.g., Matthew 5 vs. Romans 10).”
•Jesus said he came to “fulfill” the Law (Matthew 5:17), not abolish it. The Law’s ceremonial aspects were not to perpetuate indefinitely.
•Episode #1114 explains that “fulfill” (Greek: plēroō) means to complete or bring to fullness, and Paul agrees: Christ is the “end” (telos—goal or fulfillment) of the Law for righteousness (Romans 10:4).
•Galatians 3:24–25 shows that Paul viewed the Law was a tutor leading to Christ. Once faith comes, we are no longer under the tutor. This is progression, not contradiction.
6. “Paul’s gospel was not taught by Jesus to the Twelve.”
•Paul received his gospel by direct revelation from Christ (Galatians 1:11–12), but it aligns with the Twelve’s message.
•Episodes #1112 and 1114 show that Paul’s gospel was affirmed by the apostles (Acts 15; Galatians 2).
•Peter calls Paul’s writings “Scripture” (2 Peter 3:15–16), a strong endorsement of doctrinal harmony.
7. “Paul stifled Gentile spiritual growth by avoiding the Ten Commandments and Sabbath.”
•Paul taught moral principles rooted in the Law (e.g., love, holiness, integrity), but emphasized freedom from ritual observance (Colossians 2:16–17).
•Episode #1112 explains how Paul did not stifle growth. In fact, he contextualized the gospel for the Gentiles, helping them avoid legalism while embracing righteousness. He removed barriers to inclusion.
8. “Paul opened the door to pagan festivals like Christmas and Easter.”
•There’s no biblical or historical evidence that Paul endorsed pagan festivals.
•Episode #1114 clarifies that Paul warned against idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14) and emphasized conscience and liberty—not syncretism.
•These festivals arose centuries later and cannot be attributed to Paul.
9. “Jesus warned of false teachers—Paul fits the profile?”
•Jesus did warn of false teachers, but Paul doesn’t fit the criteria:
o His life was marked by suffering, sacrifice and unwavering devotion to Christ.
o Episode #1111 shows Paul’s conversion was validated by external witnesses (Acts 9, 22, 26), and his teachings were consistent with the gospel and affirmed by other apostles.
The various episodes we have done on this important topic thoroughly address these concerns with scriptural precision (Greek terms, fulfillment theology, linguistic analysis), cultural and theological context (such as the Law as a tutor), apostolic validation (such as Acts 15, 2 Peter 3), miraculous credentials (healing – Acts 28:8-9, resurrection of Eutychus – Acts 20:9-12, casting out demons – Acts 16:18, imparting gifts – Acts 19:6) and his consistent, Christ-centered message. There is also no debate on his effectiveness in including the Gentiles and expanding the gospel message.
We maintain that Paul doesn’t contradict Jesus. Rather, he builds upon his foundation to reach the nations with clarity, compassion and conviction. – Christian Questions