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pvj-03: Topics — Jesus's Audience vs Paul's Audience

Primary Topics

1. Jesus's Pre-Cross Audience: Jews Under the Old Covenant

  • Jesus's earthly ministry was directed primarily to Jews (Matt 10:5-6; 15:24)
  • He taught in synagogues (Matt 4:23; Mark 1:21; Luke 4:16)
  • His interlocutors were Pharisees, scribes, Sadducees, and Jewish crowds
  • He operated within the framework of the Mosaic covenant still in force

2. Jesus's Post-Resurrection Commission: All Nations

  • After the resurrection, Jesus commanded: "teach all nations" (Matt 28:19)
  • "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15)
  • "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world" (Matt 24:14)
  • Acts 1:8 — "unto the uttermost part of the earth"

3. Paul's Post-Pentecost Audience: Mixed Jew-Gentile Churches

  • Paul explicitly identifies as "apostle of the Gentiles" (Rom 11:13)
  • His commission was "the gospel of the uncircumcision" (Gal 2:7)
  • He wrote to mixed churches: Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, Thessalonica
  • His audience was post-cross, post-resurrection, post-Pentecost

4. The Transitional Events (Acts)

  • Pentecost (Acts 2): Holy Spirit falls on Jewish believers from "every nation"
  • Cornelius (Acts 10): Holy Spirit falls on Gentiles — first uncircumcised converts
  • Jerusalem Council (Acts 15): Apostles formally decide Gentiles need not keep Mosaic law
  • Antioch Incident (Gal 2:11-14): Paul confronts Peter over Jew-Gentile table fellowship

5. The Covenant Transition

  • Old covenant: Mosaic law given at Sinai, addressed to Israel
  • New covenant: Prophesied in Jer 31:31-34, inaugurated at the cross
  • Paul explains the transition: Gal 3:24-25 (law as schoolmaster), Eph 2:14-15 (broken wall)
  • GENTILES (conversion of, prophecies of)
  • COVENANT (Mosaic, Second/New)
  • JEWS (identity, relationship to Israel)
  • MISSIONS (Great Commission texts)
  • JUDAISM (religion and Judaizers)
  • pvj-01-paul-knows-jesus: Established that Paul knew Jesus's teachings
  • law-16-paul-and-law-in-romans: Paul's law teaching in Romans
  • law-17-paul-and-law-in-galatians: Paul's law teaching in Galatians