Paul’s Rule and the Conversion Controversy

When Paul’s letters are read through the lens of Christian doctrine, it's easy to view Paul as decisively and intentionally detached from his Jewish past¹. Consequently, much of his words are read through a distortion, forcing passages to fit this conclusion.

But what if some of these pivotal, even controversial passages of Paul are actually Jewish in origin, built upon a different set of assumptions?

What if Paul’s views of Jewish and Gentile distinction weren’t a radical departure from tradition—a license to kickstart a new religion—but an affirmation of Rabbinic eschatology²?

To understand, let's look at Paul's influences.

Paul's Influence

Though Paul apparently received his Rabbinic education through the Pharisaic school of Hillel³, he would have been heavily influenced by the teachings of the school of Shammai.

Both perspectives are reflected through the Epistles. Numerous references in the New Testament tell us that some Pharisees were genuine followers of Jesus. To me, this suggests a kind of fluidity in identity within the boundaries of the Jewish expression. One did not have to undergo formal conversion from one school of thought to another.

But the shift from Gentile (pagan) to follower of the Jewish Jesus was massive. As we've covered before, Jewish conversion was a valid and time-tested approach to helping the Gentiles navigate this magnitude of life change. To do it without conversion was not so easy, as there was no practical precedent for this—not enough to navigate everyday life.

This is the foundation for a controversial passage we're looking at: Paul's instruction for Gentiles and Jews to remain distinct in the synagogue communities. In short, Jews should not become Gentiles, which seems obvious. But also, Gentiles should not seek Jewish conversion.

This is commonly referred to as "Paul's Rule."

"Paul's Rule"

“Paul’s Rule” is a scholarly term used to describe Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 7:17–24.

“Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which G_D has called him. This is my rule in all the congregations.”
- 1 Corinthians 7:17

For much of the church's history, however, these words equate to the collapsing of the Jewish distinction and abandonment of Torah observance.

This interpretation has also led to a new paradigm (perhaps multiple), paving the way for Replacement Theology and a lot of confusion.

But read through Jewish tradition, Paul's controversial words take on a different possibility—not as a rejection of Jewish identity, but as a reflection of a Rabbinic belief about the Messianic Kingdom.