The word of Paul isn't the word of God

By Femi Aribisala
If God were to inspire me to write a book, the
words in my book would still be my words. They
would not be the word of God.
Ask a Christian a question about Jesus, and he
might answer with a quotation from Paul. But
who tells us Paul speaks for Jesus? Why do we
need Paul to speak for Jesus when Jesus speaks
for himself? Why do we need Paul to speak for
Jesus when Jesus himself warns us: "Be on your
guard; I have told you everything ahead of
time?" (Mark 13:23). If Jesus has told us all we
need to know, why do we need someone else to
add to, or subtract from, what he said?
Limitations of scripture
The word of God is, and will forever be, with God.
(John 1:1). God created all things with his word.
He spoke his word to the patriarchs and the
prophets of Israel. Then he sent his word to the
world in the person of Jesus, his Son. The word
of God now sits at the right hand of God from
where he speaks into the hearts and minds of
sons of God and judges all things. There is no
scriptural basis whatsoever for concluding that
this word of God is the same as the word of Paul.
Daniel says: "I, Daniel, understood from the
scriptures, according to the word of the LORD
given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation
of Jerusalem would last seventy years." (Daniel
9:2). This shows that the scriptures are separate
and distinct from the word of God. The scriptures
are given by men. The word of God is given by
God. The scriptures are written by men. The
word of God is spoken by God.
Accordingly, Jesus points out that the word of
God gives life: scriptures do not. He says to the
Jews: "You search the scriptures, for in them you
think you have eternal life; and these are they
which testify of me. But you are not willing to
come to me that you may have life." (John
5:39-40).
Paul says: "All scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in
righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16). But this does
not make the scriptures the word of God. There is
a difference between what God says and what
God inspires. If God were to inspire me to write a
book, the words in my book would still be my
words. They would not be the word of God. All
that can be said is that my words were written by
the inspiration of God. If God were to inspire me
to do a painting, it would not thereby be the
painting of God? It would still be my painting.
Second Peter
Contrary to popular perception, the writer of 2
Peter does Paul no favours. He says: "No
prophecy of scripture is of any private
interpretation, for prophecy never came by the
will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they
were moved by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:20-21).
However, Paul is not a prophet. 2 Peter does not
classify Paul's writing as prophecy but as
"scripture." Christians need to understand that
the law and the prophets are the highest form of
inspired Jewish writings. Other "writings" are
considered of lower cadre.
2 Peter does not even acknowledge Paul as an
apostle of Christ. Instead, it pointedly refers to
him as "Brother Paul." It does not say Paul writes
by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Instead, it
says Paul writes: "according to the wisdom that
God gave him." (2 Peter 3:15). That is certainly not
a high commendation. It actually means 2 Peter
does not accept Paul's writings as the word of
God. At best, they are words of wisdom. I also
write according to the wisdom God gave me. But
that does not make my writings the word of God.
Moreover, the major concern of 2 Peter is that
Paul's letters are inclined to lead unstable
believers astray. I share that concern. However,
there is no danger in the word of God leading
anybody astray. Nowhere in the scriptures are we
counseled to be careful that the word of God
might lead us astray. 2 Peter says some of Paul's
writings are "hard to understand." Again, this
immediately shows they cannot be the word of
God. The word of God is not hard to understand.
On the contrary, it "gives understanding to the
simple." (Psalm 119:130).
Word of Paul
When Paul wrote his letter to Timothy declaring
the scriptures to be the inspiration of God, the
New Testament bible was non-existent.
Therefore, Paul's epistles can surely not be
included in his classification of the scriptures. In
any case, Paul's view of the Old Testament
contradicts that of Jeremiah. Jeremiah insists the
scribes tampered with the bible. He asks: "How
can you say, 'We are wise, for we have the law of
the LORD,' when actually the lying pen of the
scribes has handled it falsely?" (Jeremiah 8:8).
Paul is the only writer in the bible who says his
word is the word of God. He says to the
Thessalonians: "When you received the word of
God which you heard from us, you welcomed it
not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the
word of God." (1 Thessalonians 2:13). This is one
of the most deceitful things Paul ever said. In the
bible, Paul mostly speaks for himself and about
himself. Time and again, he presents himself as
his own authority, ensuring that his words should
not be mistaken for the word of God.
The word of God can only come from God. It
cannot come from man. Paul is a man; therefore,
he cannot speak the word of God. John the
Baptist, whose heavenly calling Jesus
authenticates, never claims he speaks the word of
God. Instead he says: "He who comes from above
is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and
speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven
is above all." (John 3:31). "He whom God has sent
speaks the words of God, for God does not give
the Spirit by measure." (John 3:34).
John is talking here about Jesus and no one else.
Only Jesus and the Holy Spirit are divinely
authorised to speak the word of God on earth.
They are the only two people who come from
heaven. They also never speak their own words.
They only speak God's words.
Jesus says: "I have not spoken on my own
authority; but the Father who sent me gave me a
command, what I should say and what I should
speak. And I know that his command is
everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just
as the Father has told me, so I speak." (John
12:49-50). The same principle applies to the Holy
Spirit. Jesus says: "He will guide you into all truth;
for he will not speak on his own authority, but
whatever he hears he will speak." (John 16:13).
These principles have no applicability to Paul.
Even by his own admission, Paul speaks his own
words. He says: "What I speak, I speak not
according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly." (2
Corinthians 11:17). But God does not speak
foolishly. (Continued).