Paul starts in the synagogue because the gospel was ordered to go to the Jew first and then to the Greek.
In Romans 1:16, Paul writes that the gospel is 'the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.' Les Feldick explains that the synagogue was the logical starting point because Israel was God's covenant people, steeped in the Word of God, and the writers of Scripture. When the Jews rejected the message, Paul then turned to the Gentiles.
Romans 1:16 — This verse directly answers why Paul went to the synagogue first — the gospel is ordered to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16 states that the gospel is 'the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.' This verse establishes the order in which the gospel was to be proclaimed: first to the Jew, then to the Greek. The Book of Acts records Paul consistently entering the synagogues of the Jews during his missionary journeys, including at Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13) and even in Rome (Acts 28). The Scriptural record shows that when the Jews rejected the message, Paul turned to the Gentiles.
Les Feldick explains that Paul went to the synagogue first because it was the logical place to start. Israel had been the covenant people of God, steeped in the Word of God, and were the very writers of Scripture. The synagogue was where Paul would find those who already knew the God of Israel and the Scriptures. Paul's pattern was consistent: he went first to the synagogue of the Jew in every place, and when they rejected him, he turned to the Gentiles. This mirrored the order of Romans 1:16 — to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. After about thirty years of continued rejection by Israel as a nation, Paul made his final declaration: 'from henceforth we go to the Gentiles.' Les also emphasizes that this was part of the transition in Acts. Paul was still going to the Jew first during the first part of his ministry, bending transitionally to the Jewish order, while realizing he was the apostle of the Gentile. When Israel continued to reject, Paul turned almost completely to the Gentiles.
Les Feldick explains that the synagogue was the natural place for Paul to begin his ministry. Israel had been the covenant people of God, steeped in the Word of God, and were the very writers of Scripture. In Les's words, it was 'a logical place to start.'
According to Les, Paul's pattern was always to go first to the synagogue of the Jew, and when they rejected him, he would go to the Gentile. This pattern continued for about thirty years, until Israel as a nation had rejected the message, and Paul made his final statement: 'from henceforth we go to the Gentiles.'
Les teaches that Paul's synagogue ministry was part of a transitional phase in the Book of Acts. Paul, although the apostle of the Gentile, was still bending to the Jew during the first part of his ministry. When Israel continued to reject the message, Paul turned almost completely to the Gentiles. Les describes this as transitioning out of Judaism into what we would call the Age of Grace.
Why Israel Was Blinded — Acts 13 & Romans 11 Explained
And when the Jerusalem church heard that, they got shook up and they sent good old Barnabas up to check it out, see what's going on up there. And when Barnabas, God's man at the right time, when he saw that indeed God was beginning to deal with Gentiles, I pointed it out, I just graphically helped everybody I hope that saw it, that Barnabas went looking for Saul.
The Synagogue as the Logical Starting Point
Les explains that Paul went to the synagogue first because Israel had been the covenant people of God, steeped in Scripture, making it the logical starting point — and after about thirty years of rejection, Paul said 'from henceforth we go to the Gentiles.'
Paul's Pattern: Synagogue First, Then Gentiles
Les confirms Paul's consistent practice — he always went first to the synagogue of the Jew, and when they rejected him, he went to the Gentile.
A Different Message for the Gentiles
Les notes that Paul would go first to the Jew and then to the Gentile, but the message for the non-Jewish world had to be something totally different from Judaism — the message of grace.
Paul's Repeated Practice of Jew First
Les summarizes that throughout Acts, Paul went first to the Jew and to the synagogue many times, and upon their rejection, he turned to the Gentiles.
Why Paul Is THE Apostle to the Gentiles — Romans 1 Explained
They were directed only to the nation of Israel, and throughout His three years of earthly ministry, He Himself confined His ministry only to Israel, with two exceptions. That was the Roman centurion, and the Canaanite woman, who at first He even ignored, and the 12 said, Send her away. Why? Because she's a Gentile.
Transitional Bending to the Jew
Les shows Paul in the transitional phase at Antioch of Pisidia, still bending to the Jew while realizing he is the apostle of the Gentile.
Jew First During the First Part of Ministry
Les teaches that Paul went to the Jew first during the first part of his ministry, and when Israel continued to reject, he turned almost completely to the Gentile.
Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
This is the key verse Les cites — the gospel is directed to the Jew first, which is why Paul began in the synagogue.
According to Les Feldick, yes — Paul always went first to the synagogue of the Jew wherever he went throughout the Book of Acts. When the Jews rejected the message, he turned to the Gentiles.
Les teaches that after about thirty years of Israel's continued rejection, Paul made his final statement that 'from henceforth we go to the Gentiles.' Israel as a nation had rejected the gospel, so Paul turned almost completely to the Gentile world.
Yes. Romans 1:16 says the gospel is 'to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.' Les Feldick connects Paul's practice directly to this verse, explaining that the synagogue was the logical starting point because Israel was God's covenant people.
Watch the Teaching: Why Israel Was Blinded — Acts 13 & Romans 11 Explained