1 Corinthians 9:19-21
Paul is not bound to anyone, but acts as a servant to everyone, in hopes of winning people to the Messiah.
To the Jews Paul became like a Jew. Paul was a Jew (Judahite) himself, so it’s curious as to why he says he became like a Jew. I take it to mean he adopted the culture and practice of the Jewish people (so long as it did not violate Torah), blending in and hoping they would listen better.
Then Paul mentions “to those under the law.” I don’t see how those under the law are any different from the Jews he just mentioned. He becomes as one under the law, even though he is not one who is under the law. I agree with Paul here who is likely speaking about him being under grace rather than law (Romans 6:14-15). Paul’s statement about not being under the law does not mean that he continues in sin, but rather that he is not under the law in the sense that those apart from Messiah are; under the penalty of the law.
Next Paul mentions those outside the law, and I take this to mean those who are not Jews, and are not under the law. This would be heathen cultures. Paul becomes like one outside the law, but this doesn’t mean that he has disregarded Yahweh's law, for he states he is under the law to the Messiah. In other words, he sometimes adopts the culture of the those that do not know Yahweh, but not to the extent of making void the law.
Then Paul mentions becoming weak to those who are weak, and concludes by saying that his purpose for becoming all things to all men is the hope of winning some of them to the faith.
I do not see anything in these verses that would lead me to believe that the “law of Messiah” is different than the “law of Moses,” (Yeshua and Moshe are on the same team). Paul is simply talking about how he, to the best extent possible, makes an effort to “get on the level” of differing persons.
We would do well to heed to Paul’s example here, instead of making unnecessary boundaries between ourselves and people who aren’t exactly like us. This will get us in trouble with religious people, but we shouldn’t let that bother us. Yeshua himself upset the religious applecart of his day.
To the Jews Paul became like a Jew. Paul was a Jew (Judahite) himself, so it’s curious as to why he says he became like a Jew. I take it to mean he adopted the culture and practice of the Jewish people (so long as it did not violate Torah), blending in and hoping they would listen better.
Then Paul mentions “to those under the law.” I don’t see how those under the law are any different from the Jews he just mentioned. He becomes as one under the law, even though he is not one who is under the law. I agree with Paul here who is likely speaking about him being under grace rather than law (Romans 6:14-15). Paul’s statement about not being under the law does not mean that he continues in sin, but rather that he is not under the law in the sense that those apart from Messiah are; under the penalty of the law.
Next Paul mentions those outside the law, and I take this to mean those who are not Jews, and are not under the law. This would be heathen cultures. Paul becomes like one outside the law, but this doesn’t mean that he has disregarded Yahweh's law, for he states he is under the law to the Messiah. In other words, he sometimes adopts the culture of the those that do not know Yahweh, but not to the extent of making void the law.
Then Paul mentions becoming weak to those who are weak, and concludes by saying that his purpose for becoming all things to all men is the hope of winning some of them to the faith.
I do not see anything in these verses that would lead me to believe that the “law of Messiah” is different than the “law of Moses,” (Yeshua and Moshe are on the same team). Paul is simply talking about how he, to the best extent possible, makes an effort to “get on the level” of differing persons.
We would do well to heed to Paul’s example here, instead of making unnecessary boundaries between ourselves and people who aren’t exactly like us. This will get us in trouble with religious people, but we shouldn’t let that bother us. Yeshua himself upset the religious applecart of his day.