Pistolpete, let's review the Facts:
Let’s continue then. I said in my last post;
But at the very end of the book of Acts, when Paul visits Jerusalem for the last time, before his imprisonment int Rome, Acts, reveals more – perhaps more than intended, and the Truth seems to come out, at least by implication, that rumors were circulating that Paul was teaching a different message
According to Acts, toward the end of his career, Paul arrived in Jerusalem and appeared before James and all the elders of the Jerusalem church. At issue was a “Rumor” that James wanted to DISPEL, namely that Paul WAS TEACHING JEWS that they could disregard the Torah. Acts records James addressing Paul:
“You see brother how many thousands there are among the Jews of those WHO HAVE BELIEVED; THEY ARE ALL ZEALOUS FOR THE TORAH.
And they have been told about you, that YOU TEACH ALL THE JEWS WHO ARE AMONG THE GENTILES TO FORSAKE MOSES, TELLING THEM NOT TO CIRCUMCISE THEIR CHILDREN OR OBSERVE CUSTOMS (Acts 21:20-21)
James then proposes that, to let everyone know that this rumor is false and that Paul himself lives in observance of the Torah, he participate in a purification ceremony in the Jerusalem Temple, which would involve bringing an offering and entering the sacred areas within the Temple courtyard where only Jews were allowed to go.
What is striking about this scene in Acts is that Paul says ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
He neither confirms nor denies the rumor, though he does go along with the purification ceremony.
But we know from Paul’s own letters that he has established an operational policy that when he is among the Jews, he becomes as “One under the Torah” and when he is with the Gentiles, he lives as a Gentile (1 Corinthians 9:20-21) He plays the same game as the Watchtower.
We know that James and the rest of the Jewish followers of Jesus, LIKE JESUS HIMSELF, were Zealous for the Torah and their ancestral faith.
One might expect the author of Acts would have Paul “Deny” the truth of the rumor, but it seems he dare not do that, perhaps because he knows the picture of harmony he is trying to pass off here had no basis in fact and Paul WAS INDEED TEACHING JEWS AND GENTILES THAT THEY WERE NOW UNDER WHAT HE CALLED THE NEW COVENANT-THE TORAH OF CHRIST.
But here is the thing, we know from Paul’s letters that he unquestionably taught THE VERY THING THAT JAMES, IN THIS CONCOCTED SCENE, IS SATISFIED-- HE DOES NOT TEACH!
We have to ask whether Peter, James, and the other apostles did in fact ever learned of Paul’s real Modus Operandi in dealing with both Gentiles and Jews and the FULL IMPLICATIONS OF HIS GOSPEL
Remember the Gospel Paul preached was referred by him as “MY GOSPEL”
Also you may not be aware but 2 Peter has always been questioned as being a Pseudepigrapha text, from the 2nd Century onward to today. Most consider it a Pauline writer. The debates still continue between Bible scholars and conservative evangelicals.
Here are just a few examples of those who did not accept that Peter wrote 2 Peter
Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260 – 340 CE) quotes Origen (c. 184 – c. 254 CE) as doubting the authenticity of 2 Peter (Ehrman 2013, p. 223).
Eusebius also referred to 2 Peter as a “disputed book” and rejected its authenticity (McDonald 2007, pp. 309, 396; Ehrman 2013, p. 223).
Didymus the Blind (c. 313 – 398 CE) referred to 2 Peter as a forgery (Ehrman 2013, p. 223).
Although Jerome (c. 347 – 420 CE) accepted 2 Peter as scripture, he mentions that many of his colleagues did not (Price 2006, p. 833).
Even after doubts about the authenticity of 2 Peter began to wane with the publication of Athanasius’ Thirty-ninth Festal Letter in 367 CE, the Syrian churches questioned it until the sixth century CE and Martin Luther had his doubts (McDonald 2007, p. 396).
There is no clear evidence that 2 Peter was quoted by the Church Fathers before the 3rd century CE (McDonald 2007, footnote 89, p. 277; Ehrman 2012, p. 485).