Comparative Theology · Pauline Epistles & Early Church
All things to all men: Paul on his own method
Handle with care. Romans 3:7 is Paul stating an objection made against him, not confessing. Present it that way or you will be corrected.
In short
- 1.1 Corinthians 9:20-22 — to the Jews I became like a Jew, to those under the law like one under the law… I have become all things to all people.
- 2.Acts 21:26 — he performs a Temple purification ritual to defuse suspicion, having taught that the Law does not bind.
- 3.Acts 16:3 — he circumcises Timothy, after writing that circumcision is worthless (Galatians 5:2).
- 4.Romans 3:7 — if my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness, why am I still condemned as a sinner?
The claim being examined
Paul openly describes adapting his behaviour and message to whatever his audience required.
The Islamic position
Prophets in Islam are commanded to convey the message without alteration, however unpopular. A messenger who reshapes the message for each audience is doing something else.
Analysis
Charitably read, 1 Corinthians 9 is missionary flexibility in secondary matters, and many Christians read it that way. The difficulty is that the examples Paul and Acts give are not secondary: circumcision and Temple ritual are precisely the things Galatians treats as a return to slavery. Tabor points out the practical result — Paul''s Jewish critics could reasonably conclude that they did not know which Paul they were dealing with, which is exactly the accusation reported in Acts 21:21. Romans 3:7-8 shows Paul himself acknowledging that people accused him of teaching let us do evil that good may result; he calls the charge slanderous, but the fact that he must rebut it tells us it was circulating.
Side by side
| Galatians 5:2 | Written to Gentiles | If you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you. |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 16:3 | Done for Jews | Paul circumcised Timothy because of the Jews in that area. |
| Galatians 3:13 | On the Law | Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. |
| Acts 21:26 | In the Temple | Paul underwent the purification rite and paid for the offerings. |
From the Qur'an
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۖ
yāayyuhā l-rasūlu balligh mā unzila ilayka min rabbika
O Messenger, convey what has been revealed to you from your Lord.
وَلَوْ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْضَ ٱلْأَقَاوِيلِ لَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ بِٱلْيَمِينِ
walaw taqawwala ʿalaynā baʿḍa l-aqāwīli la-akhadhnā min'hu bil-yamīni
And if he had invented sayings against Us, We would have seized him by the right hand.
From the Bible
τοῖς πᾶσιν γέγονα πάντα
To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews… I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
Read it in their Bibleπεριέτεμεν αὐτὸν διὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους
Paul circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area.
Read it in their Bibleἐὰν περιτέμνησθε Χριστὸς ὑμᾶς οὐδὲν ὠφελήσει
If you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
Read it in their Bibleεἰ δὲ ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ ψεύσματι ἐπερίσσευσεν
Someone might argue: if my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?
Read it in their BibleSources
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