In his sabbath day message in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia, Paul preached a powerful message, grounded in history and fact, of the hope of the resurrection from the dead. Embedded within this message was Paul’s core teaching that defined his minstry: that it was the Creator God who raised Yeshua of Nazareth from the dead, and we are justified before our Heavenly Father by that man whom God ordained.
Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it. And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness. And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot. And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Yeshua: When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose. Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead: And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Yeshua again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Acts 13:16-39
Paul specifically identifies the God of Israel as God the Father, the God who raised up his son Yeshua from the dead. Two distinct beings—one who is the Creator God, the other, his son Yeshua who is the firstborn of the dead.
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Acts 17:24-31
Paul’s polemic to the men of Athens starts by identifying the Creator, the “God that made the world and all things therein.” He describes that the world will be judged “by that man whom he hath ordained,” who is Yeshua of Nazareth, he that was raised from the dead.
And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. Acts 22:8,14-15
Paul testifies that “The God of our fathers” was separate and distinct from
“that Just One” (Yeshua of Nazareth) who was talking with him.
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Yeshua Christ. Romans 15:6
Paul clarifies that When he refers to "God," he means God the Father. He NEVER calls Yeshua God. Paul's monotheism is declared every time he uses the word "God" in his epistles. For Paul, there was but one God, the God of the Old Testament, the Creator YHWH.
To God only wise, be glory through Yeshua Christ for ever. Amen. Romans 16:27
Paul ends his first epistle by dedicating it to "God only wise," and drawing a distinction been his God and Yeshua the Christ. For Paul, there was but one God, the Father.
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Yeshua Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. I Corinthians 8:6
This is plain speech, not theological stretching. Paul states categorically that there is only one God, and then identifies him clearly as God the Father. No nuances, no wiggle room. Just a plain declaration identifying the one true God.
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians 4:6
There is only one God, the Father. Another clear statement from Paul.
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Yeshua
I Timothy 2:5
Clear speech! Paul declares that there is ONE God, and then identifies him as God the Father, in contrast with the man Christ Yeshua. In pictorial form it looks like this:
mediator
God.……….…………….Yeshua……………….…………….men
Yeshua is not God, but rather a resurrected man who is the mediator between God and man.
[Please note: the author of this article identifies Paul as the writer of Hebrews]
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. Hebrews 1:1-2
Who does the first word of this verse refer to? It is the Creator God YHWH, the God of our Fathers, the God of the Old Testament. He spoke by the prophets, and in these last days He has spoken to us by his Son. Notice that the Son Yeshua was appointed heir of all things. If Yeshua had been God, then he would not have need to be appointed anything, for everything was already his! The last portion of this passage says "by whom," which can also be legitimately translated "for whom." Indeed YHWH God the Father did make all things for Yeshua his firstborn son, whom he then appointed heir of all things.
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:12
Looking unto Yeshua the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
The man Yeshua, after he was raised from the dead, sat down at the right hand of God. This is clear speech, and completely in harmony with the creed of Israel from which Paul never strayed.
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Yeshua, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. Hebrews 13:20
The God of peace is none other than God the Father, the only God. He raised Yeshua from the dead. That's the point: God (immortal) raised Yeshua (mortal) to life eternal. No hint of polytheism. Just plain speech about the one God of Israel.
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