Saul ravaged the church to destroy
those he would soon call adelphoi.
With the war of the worlds under way
the risen Jesus appeared to him brighter than day.
“Who are you, Lord?” He blundered.
“I am Jesus whom you persecute.” He thundered.
In one minute his world was revised.
With eyes opened he realized,
‘God did for Jesus of Nazareth in the middle of time,
what I thought He’d do for Israel at the end of time’*:
deliverance from exile into new creation
by virtue of His death and resurrection.
After restored sight and baptism
He proclaimed the One who is risen:
“He who was manifested in the flesh”.
He had to be God, for where else should “our hope” rest?
Paul knew He would give His glory to no other,
and from Christ’s face shines glory like no other.
Much more, he called Him “our great God and Savior”,
“God over all, blessed forever.”
More than that, this godly Jew went so far
as to include Jesus in the Sh’ma!*

Jesus is Lord and Last Adam
according to Paul.
Jesus fulfilled the pattern
according to Paul.
Redemption-history complete,
all things are under His feet.
The Christ is Jesus who I preach
according to Paul.

The son of David, Anointed king of Israel
who, in His person, embodies His people:
by virtue of union, not two, but one,
fulfilling the mystery the garden begun.
The first Adam with all under his feet
and his wife are a type of Christ and second Eve.
New creation having started by virtue of resurrection,
walking by the Spirit is the rule for all blessed sons
of Abraham, the Israel of God,
whether Jew or Greek, circumcised or not.
This does not discount the fact of a remnant
existing from Israel that is ethnic,
for in fact God is still saving some:
just look at Paul, he is one.
So if Paul is saved and from the tribe of Benjamin,
so with other Jews God can graft them in again.
When all the elect Gentiles are finally saved
all the elect Jews’ salvation will cause the dead to raise-
the resurrection, “life from the dead”-
sharing in that life from the Head.
One body, one congregation,
one temple, bride, and new creation.
One Lord, one faith, and one baptism,
gifted with one Spirit as a chrism.
Anointed like Christ from Head to toe,
gifted to put on love, not a show!
This end-time temple/kingdom unique
composed of equalized Jews and Greeks,
was hidden in the text of Old Covenant Scripture,
but now when Moses is read unveiled, we see the picture!

Christ is all and in all
according to Paul.
The Spirit is now installed
according to Paul.
A remnant exists according to grace,
when they’re saved all will be raised.
To the praise of His glorious grace
according to Paul.

*1: An adjusted N.T. Wright quote (this is probably the only time I will quote him positively)
*2: 1 Corinthians 8:6 with Deuteronomy 6:4!