Biblical Commentary

The Epistles of Paul - 1 Corinthians Part 7: Marriage and Fornication

(The audio file links were broken for most of the first week that the program was posted. We apologize for the inconvenience. UPDATE: On August 18, 2021 it was noticed that the file was missing from the server. Now it has been replaced from a backup.)

In our last presentation of Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians, discussing the first half of chapter 6, we elaborated upon the Biblical concepts of marriage, adultery and fornication. We did this so that we could offer a better understanding of the nature of the sins of adultery and fornication. Denominational sects confound the definitions of these sins. Some of them claim that fornication is idolatry. However here in verse 9 we saw that fornication and idolatry were distinguished. These denominations evidently seek to disguise the fact that among the acts which the Bible calls fornication is the act of miscegenation, or race-mixing.

The Epistles of Paul - 1 Corinthians Part 6: The Judgment of the Saints

While discussing 1 Corinthians chapter 5 last week, although in that chapter Paul himself did not state anything explicit in regard to worldly governments, we noted the historical fact that Christians are powerless to execute the laws of Yahweh their God under the beast governments in which they have been and in which they are even now held as captives. Paul did explain the function of the worldly governments in the plan of God in Romans chapter 13. Studying Paul's ministry and epistles, it is evident that the epistle to the Romans represents much of Paul's most fundamental teaching, since he had not yet been to Rome when he wrote that epistle. But since Paul had already spent a year and a half with these Corinthians, which we see in Acts chapter 18, and since after he departed from Corinth he had written to them at least one epistle before this one, which we may see here in 1 Corinthians 5:9, we can rather safely assume that the Corinthians understood the things which Paul had also written to the Romans. This is especially true since, as Paul tells them in 2 Corinthians chapter 7, he had already “spake all things to [them] in truth”, indicating that he had already taught the Corinthians the fundamental aspects of the Gospel and the prophets that he was obligated to teach them.

The Epistles of Paul - 1 Corinthians Part 5: Delivering Sinners to Satan

Discussing 1 Corinthians chapter 4 in the last segment of our presentation of this epistle, we saw that Paul made an analogy of himself to a skilled architect, laying the foundation of Christ wherever he went with the expectation that others would come and build upon that foundation after him, thereby further edifying the Christian assembly. As we also pointed out, Peter made a similar analogy by comparing the members of the body of Christ to living stones, Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone of His ekklesia.

At the same time Paul also made an analogy of himself to a planter, and of Apollos to one who waters, indicating that the various servants of Christ had differing abilities and differing roles in tending to the assembly of Christ. However in our discussion we did not elaborate on how Paul had concluded this analogy, so we will do so here. Paul said that “6 I have planted, Apollos has watered, but Yahweh has given increase. 7 So that neither he who is planting is anybody, nor he who is watering, but Yahweh who is making to grow.”

We were informed that the original recording suffered some unexpected whitespace, and we replaced it with a recording of our own making on Sunday evening (approximately 7:30 PM Eastern US time and after 336 downloads). We apologize for any inconvenience. - William Finck

The Epistles of Paul - 1 Corinthians Part 4: The Eternal Spirit of Man

In our presentation of 1 Corinthians chapter 2 we saw that in Paul's writings the phrase mystery of God does not mean to identify a mystery about God but rather it pertains to what God had announced in the prophets concerning that which He would do with His people Israel. This idea is encapsulated by Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 in his expression in verses 7 and 9, omitting the parenthetical remarks of verse 8, that “... we speak wisdom of Yahweh, that had been hidden in a mystery, which Yahweh had predetermined before the ages for our honor … just as it is written, 'Things which eye did not see, and ear did not hear, and came not into the heart of man, those things Yahweh has prepared for them that love Him'”. With this we may indeed perceive that this mystery which Paul refers to relates not to God, but to His plan for His people. Accompanied with that concept, we also saw that the spiritual things of Yahweh are revealed to us by His Word. Further supporting this assertion is the very next verse of that chapter, verse 10, where Paul explained that the things God has in store for His people are revealed to them through His Spirit, in concert with the Word of God found in Zechariah chapter 7, where it quite notably refers to “the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets”.

The Epistles of Paul - 1 Corinthians Part 3: The Mystery of Yahweh God.

1 Corinthians chapter 1 ends as Paul compares worldly wisdom, which is doomed to fail, with the wisdom of God which is far better than that of man. Paul explains that although the Gospel of God is folly to man, the wisdom of man shall be destroyed, and has already been made to look foolish in the account of the Christ. In many respects the humanist philosophies OF were comparable to those of modern times, and the religious authorities were just as humanistic as those of today. So while the world thinks that Christians are fools, in reality Christians should see that those who are worldly are the true fools. As David wrote in two of his Psalms, numbered 14 and 53, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”

The first ministry of Paul of Tarsus in Corinth lasted over 18 months (Acts 18:11) until the Judaeans attempted to persecute him by charging him before the Roman proconsul Gallio. After the persecution had failed, Paul continued in Corinth for an additional but indeterminate period, which Luke describes only as “many days” (Acts 18:18). The end of Paul's ministry in Corinth having coincided with the term of the proconsul Gallio can therefore be dated to 51-52 AD from an inscription discovered at Delphi in Greece and first published in 1905 which is called the Gallio Inscription. The inscription represents part of a letter from the emperor Claudius concerning Gallio himself, which was written in 52 AD. After departing Corinth Paul spent three years in Ephesus (Acts 19, cf. vv. 10, 22, Acts 20:31) and after that passing through Macedonia he once again returned to Greece, where he spent another three months. By Greece, as the text records in Acts 20:2, it can be told from Paul's epistles that Corinth was where he spent at least a part of those three months. This first epistle to the Corinthians was written from Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:8, 19), and the second was written as Paul was en route from Macedonia to Corinth for his final visit there (2 Corinthians 1:8, 15-16, 23, 9:4, 11:9).

The Epistles of Paul - 1 Corinthians Part 2, The Folly of the Wisdom of Men

Here we shall briefly review the last few verses which we discussed at the end of our first presentation, beginning with 1 Corinthians chapter 1 at verse 4 where Paul wrote: “4 I thank my God at all times concerning you, in reference to the favor of Yahweh that is being given to you among the number of Christ Yahshua, 5 seeing that in all you have been enriched in Him, in all thought and all knowledge, 6 just as the proof of the Anointed has been confirmed in you, 7 consequently you are not to be wanting in even one favor, anxiously expecting the revelation of our Prince, Yahshua Christ, 8 who will also secure you until fulfillment, void of offense in the day of our Prince, Yahshua Christ.”

In this offering of gratitude to Yahweh Paul briefly mentions three things which reflect ideas that all Israelite Christians should consider to be among the most concrete Christian doctrines: the favor granted to the Christians at Corinth, the “proof of the Anointed”, and the security of that favor until the fulfillment, when the Corinthian Christians would be found “void of offense”.

Discussing the favor which was being bestowed by Yahweh God upon these Corinthians Christians, we cited passages from Jeremiah chapters 30 and 31 which demonstrate that such favor was a matter of prophecy and was promised by Yahweh to the children of Israel. This is explicit in Jeremiah 30:2 where it says: “Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.”

The Epistles of Paul – 1 Corinthians Part 1

The ancient city of Corinth sat in the Peloponnesus a few miles southwest of the nearly four-mile wide Isthmus of Corinth, the narrow neck of land that connects the Peloponnesus to mainland Greece. The Greek word ἰσθμός means neck, as describing a narrow passage. In the mid-19th century, the Greeks built modern Corinth much closer to the coast of the Adriatic Sea than the ancient city had once stood. The archaeology of the original site of Corinth indicates that there were people settled in the area in very ancient times. However the archaeology also indicates that the site of the city was only sparsely inhabited when the Dorian Greeks first settled there around 900 BC, if indeed it was inhabited at all. Like all Greek cities, myths were developed surrounding its founding, part of which are fascinating and surreal and part of which seem to represent historical facts. Most such myths put the founding of cites in the hands of the gods, the idols of a pagan people, and very often they were also developed for purposes which were political as well as cultural. In any event, the city of Corinth became a notable city among the Greeks by the end of the 8th century BC.

The Prophecy of Nahum - 09-19-2014

The prologue concerning the dating of the prophets is found here: Ordering and chronology of the Minor Prophets

Here we shall present the prophecy of Nahum, with some commentary and material from some of the correlating scriptures and history. Not much is known of Nahum himself. The prophet does not date himself except by the conditions expressed in his writing, and only calls himself Nahum the Elkoshite, most likely meaning that he came from a place named Elkosh.

There is conjecture that Capernaum, the New Testament town, was named for the prophet. The Hebrew word which gives us the name Nahum means comfort, and it is fitting for his message since the destruction of Assyria would be a comfort to Israel. The phrase from which the name Capernaum is derived means village of comfort. There are at least four towns named Comfort in the United States, in Texas, North Carolina, Wisconsin and West Virginia. Capernaum may have been named likewise, and there is not necessarily a connection to the prophet.

There is also a place called Alqosh in what is now northern Iraq which allegedly dates to Assyrian times, which is plausible, and for which there has been claimed a connection to the prophet for many centuries. If that is so, then Nahum would be an Israelite of the Assyrian captivity. However while this is a possibility it cannot be taken for granted that it is true, and one may argue that the context of the prophecy, especially in the first chapter, places the prophet in Jerusalem.

The Epistles of Paul - Romans Part 21, 09-12-2014, Romans Chapter 16

I want to begin tonight with a discussion concerning Paul of Tarsus and accusations against him by anti-Christs and so-called “liberal theologians” that he was somehow a misogynist, or a woman-hater. Nothing is further from the truth, except that jews and all those who have accepted their conditioning do not understand the structure of a proper Christian society, which is a patriarchal society, and the reasons which necessitate such a society are indeed Christian. On the other hand, Christians must understand that the so-called liberation of women from the patriarchal society was a goal outlined in the perverse arguments of the Communist Manifesto. It was a jewish goal towards the destruction of God's creation from the very beginning, and it can be traced back to Genesis chapter 3.

The Epistles of Paul - Romans Part 20, Confirmation of the Promises of the Fathers - 09-05-2014

In Romans chapter 14 we saw Paul discuss some of the various things that early Christians already disagreed upon in his time. But these particular disagreements were not limited to Roman Christians, and as we noted from 1 Corinthians chapters 8 and 10 they were also among Dorian Christians, and they were apart from the disputes over various aspects of the law which were often being thrust forth by the Judaizers, such as those which concerned circumcision which we see Paul write about in Galatians. From Paul's words in Romans chapter 14, as well as in others of his epistles such as Colossians and 1 Corinthians, it can be determined that early Christians were at odds concerning the keeping of Sabbaths and feasts and whether it was acceptable to eat food which had been sacrificed to idols. Resolving this dispute, in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 Paul expressed the opinion that one may indeed eat any food sold in the markets, so long as one did not worry about the source of the food. However if it was made known that the food had been sacrificed to an idol then it was better for one to abstain, for the benefit of one's Christian brethren. Paul's answer in Romans was not dissimilar but it was not as elaborate.

It must be kept in mind that these disagreements are not in respect to the moral laws of Yahweh. Rather, these disputes were only in respect to certain things in the law which were related to the regulation of community life handed down by Yahweh to the children of Israel. What was barred or permitted on the Sabbath, the Feasts and what deemed foods to be profane or sanctified were things related to the ritual laws and the Levitical priesthood done away with in Christ (Hebrews 7). The moral laws expressed in the commandments of Yahweh are not negotiable, and Paul upheld them wherever he felt it necessary to discuss them.

The Epistles of Paul - Romans Part 19, 08-29-2014: Christian Disagreement

In Romans chapter 12 Paul explains, to a great degree, how Christians should treat one another. Of course, when we read these passages from Paul's letters, we must remember that he is only talking about the members of the body, “those who are Israel”, which has nothing to do with aliens. From Romans chapter 12: “4 Just as in one body we have many members, but the members all do not have the same function; 5 in this manner we are many in one body with Christ, and each one members of one another. 6 But having varying gifts according to the favor which is given to us: whether interpretation of prophecy according to the proportion of faith; 7 or service in the ministry; or he that is teaching, in education; 8 or he that encourages, in encouragement; he that is sharing, with simplicity; he that is leading, with diligence; he showing mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Love without acting; abhorring wickedness, cleaving to goodness: 10 brotherly love affectioned towards one another; in honor preferring one another 11 with diligence, not hesitating; fervent in Spirit, serving the Prince. 12 Rejoicing in expectation; persevering in afflictions; firmly persisting in prayer; 13 sharing in the needs of the saints; pursuing hospitality. 14 Speak well to those who persecute you; speak well and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who are rejoicing; lament with those who are lamenting; 16 being of the same mind towards one another, not thinking of lofty things, but accommodating oneself to those that are humble: do not be wise on account of yourselves; 17 to no one returning evil in place of evil: having noble intentions in the presence of all men; 18 if possible from yourselves, being at peace with all men; 19 not taking vengeance yourselves, beloved, rather you must give place to wrath; for it is written, 'vengeance is Mine! I will requite, says Yahweh.' 20 Now, 'if your enemy were to hunger, feed him with scraps; if he thirsts, give him drink; for doing this, you will heap coals of fire upon his head.' 21 You must not be overcome by evil, rather overcome evil with that which is good.”

The Epistles of Paul - Romans Part 18, 08-22-2014: Government as a Punishment from God

For much of Romans chapter 12, Paul of Tarsus explained how Christians should treat one another, also exhorting his Roman Christian readers to prefer one another with diligence, meaning to discriminate in favor of one another at the expense of all others, and informing them that it is honorable to do so. Beginning that discussion, Paul made two important admonitions: that Christians not conform themselves to this world, and that Christians not think proudly, instead maintaining themselves as mere members in the much larger body of Christ, doing what they can for that body and its other members. At the same time, towards the end of chapter 12, Christians were also exhorted to leave vengeance and judgment in the hands of Yahweh their God.

Here in Romans chapter 13, we see Paul explain how Yahweh executes His vengeance and His judgment: that He uses worldly powers and authorities which He appoints in order to do so. Many pastors, even within Christian Israel Identity, have struggled with Romans 13, and many noble attempts have been made to explain it. However they usually fail because once again, they neglect to consider the full Biblical context of Paul's words. This chapter cannot be properly understood in isolation.

The Epistles of Paul - Romans Part 17, 08-15-2014: The Living Sacrifice

In the last segment of our presentation of Paul's epistle to the Romans, we discussed Romans chapter 11 and the broken and grafted branches of Paul's famous analogy depicting wild and cultivated olive trees. We asserted that the Romans, being wild olives, must have therefore been Israelites who, as a society, grew up and developed without the law and the prophets. Yet there are many who would assert that simply anyone who believes in Jesus is somehow grafted onto the olive tree. There is nothing more important to proper Biblical interpretation than context. Yet again, there is nothing more divisive when properly interpreting Scripture than context. Christ came not to bring peace, but a sword, and Paul said in Hebrews chapter 4 “12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The keeping of the Word of God certainly has real-life consequences for those who abide by it.

Paul said in Romans chapter 8 “29 Because those whom He has known beforehand, He has also appointed beforehand, conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be first born among many brethren. 30 Moreover, those whom He has appointed beforehand, these He also calls; and those whom He calls, these He also deems worthy; while those whom He deems worthy, these He also honors.” In Romans chapter 9 Paul had said that “the purpose of Yahweh concerning the chosen endures, not from rituals, but from the calling”. Paul said at Romans 11:29 that “Indeed the favor and the calling of Yahweh are not to be repented of.”

The Epistles of Paul - Romans Part 16, 08-08-2014: Branches Broken and Grafted

As we have described over the last four segments of this presentation of Paul's epistle to the Romans, from Romans chapter 9 Paul has been discussing and contrasting three different groups: The Israelites of Judaea who remained under the law, the Edomites of Judaea whom Yahweh hates, and the Israelites of the Nations, those of the ancient dispersions who were being reconciled to Yahweh through Christ.

The first two groups were contrasted in Romans 9:1-13 where Paul stated that he had concern for his “kinsmen according to the flesh”, and explained that not all of those in Israel were of Israel, going on to compare Jacob and Esau and illustrating for us that in Jacob were vessels of mercy, while in Esau were vessels of destruction. With this we supported our interpretation of Paul's message with explanations from both the prophets and from history which clearly demonstrate that the Edomites had moved into the ancient lands of Israel and were eventually converted to Judaism, well over 100 years before Christ.

The third group is revealed in Paul's words from Romans 9:24-26, where Paul cites prophecies from Hosea and Isaiah proving that the Nations to whom he brought the gospel were the nations descended from those cast-off “lost sheep” Israelites of the Old Testament. From Romans chapter 1 much of Paul's language in reference to the Romans demonstrates his confident persuasion that the Romans themselves were a portion of these long-dispersed Israelites.

Of these three groups, Paul only accounts two of them worthy of salvation: the Israelites of Judaea and the Israelites of the dispersion among the Nations. The Edomites are accounted as “vessels of wrath fitted for destruction”, as Paul explains in Romans 9:22. The message of the prophets concerning these Edomites, today's Jews, is the same as Paul's message: a promise of destruction.

The Epistles of Paul - Romans Part 15, 07-18-2014: Jacob, Esau and the Nations, continued

Comparing the Israelites of Judaea with the Edomites of Judaea from the beginning of Romans chapter 9, towards the later part of that chapter Paul went on to explain that the calling of Yahweh in Christ is for the both Israelites of Judaea and the Israelites of the ancient dispersions, those who were taken into the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities and who never returned to Palestine. Paul quoted pertinent passages from Hosea and Isaiah in order to illustrate his assertions. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah tells us that these people would be found in Europe, and that is where the apostles went after them. These are indeed the Nations sprung from the seed of Abraham which Paul describes in Romans chapter 4.

Then in Romans chapter 10 Paul contrasted the Israelites of the ancient dispersions, who were no longer called by the name of Israel, to the Israelites of Judaea to whom Paul continued to apply the name Israel. Keeping the law and the writings, keeping the Sabbaths and the rituals and the circumcision, ostensibly they deserved to keep the title. The Israelites of the dispersions included the Romans themselves, and although Paul does not explain as much the Romans were from a body which departed from Israel many centuries earlier, and were not of the Assyrian captivity. Yet Paul considers them to be “lost” Israelites from the very beginning of the epistle, in the language which he uses in reference to them that in the Old Testament was only used in reference to Israel.

The Epistles of Paul - Romans Part 14, 07-11-2014:

The last two segments of this presentation were spent in a lengthy discussion of Romans chapter 9, which Paul began with an ardent plea for his “brethren”, whom he defined as his “kinsmen according to the flesh”. Here it is evident, that Paul did not use the terms brother and kinsman the way today's denominational sects claim that they should be used. Rather, Paul's brethren and kinsmen were “according to the flesh”, and those whom he was concerned for he was praying for because they did not yet accept the Gospel.

Paul went on to explain that his brethren and kinsmen “according to the flesh” were Israelites, and to the Israelites belonged the adoption, covenants, law, service and promises of Yahweh God. That leaves nothing for non-Israelites. We see that Paul reckoned Israel “according to the flesh”, and not according to what any of them as individuals may have believed. Rather, he was concerned that he still had brethren “according to the flesh” in Judaea who did not believe. This is a clear refutation of the so-called “spiritual Israel” doctrine of the denominational sects. Israel is “according to the flesh”, and Israel was reckoned by tribes in Matthew chapter 19 and Luke chapter 22, Acts chapter 26, James chapter 1 and Revelation chapters 7 and 21. Tribes can only be natural, genetic Israelites.

The Epistles of Paul - Romans Part 13, 07-04-2014: Jacob and Esau, continued

Before continuing with the second part of our presentation of Paul's discussion of Jacob and Esau in Romans chapter 9, there are a few prophecies which we already presented concerning Esau, or the Edomites, which we should further consider. In our first part of this presentation on Romans 9 we cited parts of Ezekiel chapters 34 and 35 [I had erred, only attributing chapter 34 while quoting from both chapters] in order to understand how it was that the Edomites had come to be fellow-citizens of the Israelites in first century Judaea, both politically and in their religion. In that presentation we also presented much historical evidence from the works of Flavius Josephus which corroborates these prophecies. Now we shall address an even greater prophetic aspect of this prophecy, and that of Malachi chapter 1 which Paul cites in the last verse we had read, Romans 9:13.

The Epistles of Paul - Romans Part 12, 06-27-2014

In the last segment of our presentation of Paul's epistle to the Romans, we completed Romans chapter 8, which, as we explained, summarized many of Paul's statements in the chapters which precede it. Paul ended Romans 8 by stating that nothing could separate the love of Christ away from the creation of Adamic man, which in its entirety and without exception awaits liberation from the bondage of decay. Tonight we shall present Romans chapter 9, where after explaining these things Paul turns his attention to his kinsmen Israelites in Judaea.

One cannot truly understand Romans chapter 9 without understanding the demographic makeup of the Roman province of Judaea during the time of Christ. This is because an understanding of Paul's statements in this chapter, and the chapters beyond where he continues the same topic he presents here, hinges on two statements which are made by Paul in the opening verses. These are in verse 3 where he expresses a deep concern “for the brethren, my kinsmen in regards to the flesh”, and then he goes on to say that “not all those who are from Israel are those of Israel”. Seeing this, there are a few things which are clearly obvious, the first being that Paul is a racist concerned only with Israelites in regards to the flesh, whether or not they have accepted the Gospel, and secondly that not everyone in Israel at Paul's time is of that flesh, since not everyone in Israel is an Israelite!

The Epistles of Paul - Romans Part 11, 06-20-2014

There is no disparity between the Word of God and the Creation of God. If you are an Adamic man, you have an eternal spirit from God and for that reason you should seek to do the works of your father. If you are not an Adamic man, you have not one chance in hell of ever getting into heaven, as we saw in our last presentation of Romans that resurrection is through the spirit, and as Paul explained in his epistles to the Corinthians, that spirit is transmitted through the natural body, being sown in that same seed. In this next segment of our presentation of Paul's epistle to the Romans, we shall see that the Adamic man is a unique creation, and when the apostle used terms such as “the whole creation”, he was referring only to the creation of the Adamic man. Corruptions of Yahweh's creation have corrupt spirits, and the apostles considered them to be clouds without water which are twice dead, not having the spirit. That is why both the apostles Peter and Jude considered the infiltrators among the children of Israel in their own time to be spots and blemishes in their feasts of charity, feasting themselves without fear among the Israelite Christians with designs upon fornication and adultery. So it was in the first century, and it has not changed today except that White Israelite Christians refuse to recognize the problem, where by helping the devils they imagine themselves to be helping God.

The Epistles of Paul - Romans Part 10: The Gift of the Spirit is Genetic, 06-13-2014

In Romans chapter 5 Paul described how not only the children of Israel but even the entire Adamic race has a sure promise of eternal life in Christ. In chapter 6 Paul explained that obedience to the law remains necessary in spite of the fact that men would not be judged by the law. In chapter 7 Paul explained how Israel was freed from the law in Christ, and also explained how the law should encourage men not to sin, how by it men should learn the nature and consequences of sin, and how it should help men to understand their own sinful nature whether they succeed or fail on any given occasion, as opposed to their spiritual nature by which they can overcome sin and the weaknesses of the flesh. The law being spiritual, those with the Spirit of Yahweh can indeed conform themselves to the law, and agree with it even though there may be times when they fail, being in the flesh. These things are necessary to recall, since Romans chapter 8 in its entirety is a long conclusion to the several chapters which precede it. Romans chapter 8 both concludes and also confirms many of the things which Paul had said in the previous chapters.