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Alleged Contradictions Between Paul’s Epistles and Jesus’ Teachings

Alleged Contradictions Between Paul’s Epistles and Jesus’ Teachings

I’ve studied the Bible for more than 60 years, and the inconsistencies between the Apostle Paul’s writings and the teachings of Jesus have long troubled me. This is why I personally choose to prioritize the words of Jesus Himself—what many call the “red letters” or a “Jesus Words Only” approach.

When I consider the historical context of Jesus’ ministry and the early years that followed, it only makes sense to follow the Master directly: the One who lived, taught, and demonstrated the way of the Kingdom in person. Paul, by contrast, never met Jesus during His earthly ministry and had no firsthand knowledge of His teachings. Yet many of Paul’s statements appear to diverge significantly—even contradict—the clear words of Christ, as shown in the comparisons below.

For me, the safest and most faithful path is to anchor my understanding in what Jesus Himself said and did, rather than in the interpretations of someone who came later and whose writings sometimes stand in tension with the Master’s.

Below is a compiled list of references drawn from biblical verses where Paul’s statements appear to contradict or differ from Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels. These are presented as pairs of verses (or related passages) to let the texts speak for themselves, with a brief neutral description of the apparent difference based on the wording. The list avoids duplicates and groups them thematically for clarity. Verses are referenced in standard Bible notation (e.g., KJV or similar translations for consistency).

1. On the Law (Torah/Mosaic Law)

  • Jesus (Matthew 5:17-18): “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
  • Paul (Romans 10:4): “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
    Description: Jesus states the law endures until heaven and earth pass; Paul describes Christ as the end of the law.
  • Jesus (Matthew 19:17): “And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”
  • Paul (Romans 7:9-10): “For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.”
    Description: Jesus links keeping commandments to entering life; Paul says the commandment brought death.
  • Jesus (Matthew 5:17-18): As above.
  • Paul (Romans 7:6): “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”
    Description: Jesus upholds the law without change; Paul says believers are delivered from it to serve in spirit.
  • Jesus (Matthew 5:17-18): As above.
  • Paul (Romans 6:14): “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
    Description: Jesus affirms the law’s permanence; Paul states believers are not under the law.

2. On Justification and Eternal Life

  • Jesus (Matthew 12:37): “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”
  • Paul (Romans 3:24, 28): “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus… Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”
    Description: Jesus ties justification to words; Paul to grace and faith apart from deeds of the law.
  • Jesus (Matthew 19:29): “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”
  • Paul (Romans 6:23): “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
    Description: Jesus describes eternal life as inheritance through sacrifice; Paul as a free gift.
  • Jesus (Matthew 25:31-46): Judgment based on works like feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting prisoners (e.g., “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me… inherit the kingdom”).
  • Paul (Ephesians 2:8-9): “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
    Description: Jesus bases kingdom entry on works of mercy; Paul says salvation is not of works.
  • Jesus (Luke 14:28, 33): “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost… So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”
  • Paul (Romans 5:21): “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
    Description: Jesus emphasizes counting the cost and renouncing all; Paul ties eternal life to grace.

3. On Forgiveness

  • Jesus (Matthew 6:14-15): “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
  • Paul (Ephesians 1:7): “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”
    Description: Jesus makes forgiveness conditional on forgiving others; Paul ties it to Christ’s blood and grace.
  • Jesus (Matthew 6:14-15): As above.
  • Paul (Romans 4:25): “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
    Description: Jesus conditions forgiveness on human action; Paul on Christ’s death and resurrection.

4. On Judgment and Condemnation

  • Jesus (Matthew 7:1): “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”
  • Paul (1 Corinthians 5:12): “For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?”
    Description: Jesus prohibits judging; Paul says to judge those within the church.
  • Jesus (Luke 6:37): “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.”
  • Paul (1 Corinthians 5:12): As above.
    Description: Jesus says not to condemn; Paul assigns responsibility to judge sinning members.

5. On Associating with Sinners

  • Jesus (Matthew 9:11-13): “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick… I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
  • Paul (1 Corinthians 5:11): “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.”
    Description: Jesus associates with sinners; Paul instructs not to associate or eat with sinning brothers.

6. On Titles, Teachers, and Leaders

  • Jesus (Matthew 23:9): “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.”
  • Paul (1 Corinthians 4:15): “For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.”
    Description: Jesus prohibits calling any man father; Paul claims to be a father through the gospel.
  • Jesus (Matthew 23:8): “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.”
  • Paul (1 Corinthians 12:28): “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers…”
    Description: Jesus says one teacher (Christ); Paul lists multiple teachers in the church.
  • Jesus (Matthew 23:10): “Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.”
  • Paul (1 Corinthians 4:15): “For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ…”
    Description: Jesus says one master/leader; Paul mentions countless instructors/leaders.

7. On Women’s Roles

  • Jesus (No direct prohibition; e.g., Matthew 28:1-10): Women are first to proclaim the resurrection.
  • Paul (1 Corinthians 14:34-35): “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak… And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”
    Description: Jesus allows women to speak and proclaim; Paul requires silence in churches.
  • Jesus (No direct restriction; e.g., Luke 8:1-3): Women support and participate in ministry.
  • Paul (1 Timothy 2:11-12): “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”
    Description: Jesus includes women without restrictions; Paul prohibits teaching or authority over men.

8. On Mercy and Election

  • Jesus (Matthew 5:7): “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”
  • Paul (Romans 9:15-16, 18): “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy… So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy… Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy.”
    Description: Jesus ties mercy received to mercy shown; Paul says it depends on God’s will alone.

9. On Sum of Commandments

  • Jesus (Matthew 22:37-40): “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart… Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
  • Paul (Romans 13:9): “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery… and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
    Description: Jesus includes love for God as primary; Paul sums it up only as love for neighbor.

10. Miscellaneous

  • Jesus (Luke 16:15): “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”
  • Paul (2 Corinthians 8:21): “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.”
    Description: Jesus says what is esteemed by men is abomination to God; Paul seeks what is honorable in men’s sight.
  • Jesus (Matthew 10:8): “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.”
  • Paul (1 Timothy 5:17-18): “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour… For the scripture saith… The labourer is worthy of his reward.”
    Description: Jesus says give without pay; Paul supports wages for preaching.
  • Jesus (Matthew 9:13): “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
  • Paul (1 Corinthians 5:7): “For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.”
    Description: Jesus desires mercy over sacrifice; Paul presents Christ as a sacrifice.
  • Jesus (John 11:26): “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”
  • Paul (1 Corinthians 15:31): “I die daily.”
    Description: Jesus says believers never die; Paul says he dies daily.
  • Jesus (John 12:48): “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
  • Paul (Romans 2:12): “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law.”
    Description: Jesus says his words judge; Paul says the law judges sinners under it.

You can find more about my studies into Paul on my page; Problems With Paul.