The Jew was Paul's chief human opposition—from Jewish enemies who pursued him to Jewish believers who wanted to stop his Gentile ministry.
Les Feldick shows from the book of Acts and Paul's letters that wherever Paul went, after Jewish rejection in the synagogue, Jewish opposition rose against him. This included city-to-city pursuit, attacks on his apostleship, named opponents, and even attempts on his life.
Acts 9:29 — Records how the Grecian Jews tried to slay Paul for speaking boldly in the name of Jesus.
Acts 13:8-9 — Shows a Jewish sorcerer, Elymas, actively withstanding Paul to keep a Gentile official from the faith.
Romans 11:28 — Paul himself describes Israel as enemies 'for your sakes' concerning the gospel, directly identifying Jewish opposition in his ministry.
Scripture records repeated opposition to Paul from Jewish opponents as he took the gospel to the Gentiles. In Jerusalem, Grecian Jews disputed with Paul and went about to slay him (Acts 9:29). At Paphos, a Jewish sorcerer named Elymas withstood Paul and Barnabas, seeking to turn away the Roman deputy from the faith (Acts 13:8-9). Paul himself confessed that he persecuted the church of God before his conversion (1 Corinthians 15:9). In Romans 11:28, Paul writes that as concerning the gospel, Israel were enemies for your sakes, giving a scriptural summary of why Jewish opposition accompanied his Gentile ministry. Yet in the same passage he was able to say he was troubled on every side yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).
Les Feldick identifies the Jew as Paul's chief human opposition. He points out that every place Paul went, after the Jews rejected the gospel in the synagogue and Paul turned to the Gentiles, the Jews became his chief opposition and opposed Christianity left and right (Clip 7). Les shows that this was true both of Jewish enemies who pursued him from city to city—Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens (Clip 2)—and of Jewish believers at Jerusalem who actually wanted to stop Paul's Gentile ministry (Clip 1). Les emphasizes that if those Jewish believers had succeeded, the gospel of grace would not have reached the Gentiles, leaving no chance of salvation for us (Clip 1). Les also shows that the Jewish opposition attacked Paul's apostleship, saying he never walked with Jesus like Peter, which forced Paul to defend his apostleship by rehearsing all his suffering (Clip 3). He highlights specific Jewish opponents such as Elimas the sorcerer and the Grecian Jews who tried to kill Paul (Clips 5,6). Even with all this opposition, Les notes, Paul never gave up but remained true to his commission so the Gentiles could receive the gospel (Clips 0,1).
Les Feldick teaches that wherever Paul went, the Jews who rejected the gospel and saw him turn to the Gentiles became his chief opposition, opposing Christianity left and right (Clip 7). They pursued him from Philippi to Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens, because instead of creating an envy that would bring emulation, they created a hatred (Clip 2). Their attacks also questioned Paul's authority, saying he never walked with Jesus like Peter did, which forced Paul to defend his apostleship (Clip 3). Some Jewish opponents even tried to kill him because they could not stand anyone doing anything against Judaism (Clip 6).
Yes. Les explains that whether the Jews were part of the believing element or still totally in Judaism, they constantly came back to the fact that Paul never walked with Jesus like Peter and was just an upstart (Clip 3). The Jewish believers at Jerusalem wanted to put Paul down and stop his ministry among the Gentiles; had they succeeded, there would have been no gospel of grace for us (Clip 1). Paul withstood all this pressure so that the Gentiles might continue to receive the gospel of grace (Clip 1).
Even though Paul was troubled on every side, perplexed, persecuted, and cast down, he was not distressed, not in despair, not forsaken, and not destroyed (Clip 0; 2 Corinthians 4:8-9). Les points out that Paul never gave up or threw in the towel, and he remained true to his commission so the Gentiles could receive the gospel (Clips 0,1). Paul also acknowledged his own past, calling himself the least of the apostles because he had persecuted the church of God, the Jewish believers at Jerusalem, before his conversion (Clip 4; 1 Corinthians 15:9).
Paul's Perplexity and Perseverance
Les describes Paul's hardships—troubled, perplexed, persecuted, cast down—yet not distressed, in despair, forsaken, or destroyed, showing that opposition did not defeat him.
Jewish Believers Wanted to Stop Paul
Les says the Jewish believers at Jerusalem wanted to stop Paul's Gentile ministry, and had they succeeded, our chances for salvation would have been destroyed.
Jews Pursued Paul from City to City
Les teaches that the Jews were Paul's enemies everywhere he went, pursuing him from Philippi to Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens, because they created hatred instead of envy.
Jewish Attacks on Paul's Apostleship
Les explains that both believing and non-believing Jews attacked Paul as an upstart who never walked with Jesus, forcing him to defend his apostleship and point to his suffering.
Paul's Past Persecution of Jewish Believers
Les recalls that Paul himself persecuted the Jewish believers at Jerusalem before his conversion, so Paul called himself the least of the apostles.
Elimas the Sorcerer Withstood Paul
Les highlights a specific Jewish opponent, Elimas the sorcerer, who actively tried to keep a Roman deputy from hearing Paul's message of faith.
Grecian Jews Tried to Kill Paul
Les explains that Grecian Jews—non-Palestine Jews—at Jerusalem tried to kill Paul because they could not tolerate anyone working against Judaism.
Jews Became Chief Opposition After the Synagogue
Les sums it up: every place Paul went, once the Jews rejected the gospel and he turned to the Gentiles, the Jews became his chief opposition.
Acts 9:29: And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
This is the biblical record of Jewish opponents in Jerusalem trying to kill Paul.
Acts 13:8-9: But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,
This shows a named Jewish sorcerer directly opposing Paul's ministry to a Gentile official.
Romans 11:28: As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
Paul plainly states that Israel were enemies of the gospel for the Gentiles' sake.
Galatians 2:6: But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
Paul references the Jerusalem apostles, whom Les connects to the Jewish believing pressure on Paul's ministry.
1 Corinthians 15:9: For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
Paul admits he had persecuted the church of God before his conversion.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9: We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed:
Paul's own testimony of enduring affliction without being destroyed, which Les applies to Paul's ministry under opposition.
According to Les Feldick, the Jews were Paul's chief opposition. Every place Paul went, once the Jews rejected the gospel and Paul turned to the Gentiles, the Jews opposed Christianity left and right (Clip 7).
Yes. Les points to Jewish believers at Jerusalem who wanted to put Paul down and stop his ministry among the Gentiles. He says that if they had succeeded, we would have no chance of salvation, because the gospel of grace would not have reached the Gentile world (Clip 1).
Les explains that Jewish opponents could not stand anyone doing anything against Judaism (Clip 6), and they regarded Paul as an upstart because he had never walked with Jesus as Peter had (Clip 3). They pursued him from city to city when the gospel moved to the Gentiles (Clip 2).
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