Jesus and ‘the twelve’ brought Jesus’ “gospel of the kingdom” to come on earth, preaching ONLY to the Nation Israel… for Israel to believe and later preach it to the Gentiles (non-Jewish people), but Israel has not believed. After Jesus’ ascension, during the Acts period Peter brought “the gospel of the circumcision [Israel]” and Paul “the gospel of the uncircumcision” (Rom. 11:13) to all non-believers in Christ. These ministries need clarification.

The decision of the Acts 15 Jerusalem council meeting was pivotal. Thereafter Peter was only to minister to “the circumcision [Israel’s Believers], while Paul was sanctioned to take his “gospel of the uncircumcision” to All Men including unbelieving Jews who were seen of God ‘just as lost as lost Gentiles.’

“And when James, Cephas [Peter], and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me [Paul], they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we [Paul and company] should go unto the heathen [all unbelievers], and they [Peter and company] unto the circumcision [believing Jews].” Gal. 2:9

• Peter during early Acts preached Jesus’ “gospel of the kingdom” to Israel Only as instructed by Jesus (cf. Matt 15:24, 10:5-6). Peter later wrote to the ‘scattered’ of Israel saying Israel will ultimately become a “holy nation and royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9). (These terms are NEVER used of the Gentiles) This will occur in the Millennial kingdom on earth. Only once did Peter go the Gentile house of Conelius after receiving a God-given vision (Acts 10:28), he did this with great reservation. But Peter’s testimony of seeing those Gentiles ‘receive the Spirit’ served the to justify Paul’s Gentile ministry in the eyes of the leaders of the Acts 15 “little flock” Jewish Counsil who then commissioned Paul’s ministry to “the heathen,” i.e., ALL unbelievers alike (Gal 2:9).
• Paul during Acts preached “the gospel of Christ” (cf. Rom. 1:16, Gal 1:7) to the “the uncircumcision [Gentiles],” that is to “All Men,” but he went to “the Jew first.” Note how in Acts 13 and throughout Acts Paul went to the synagogue Jews first and then he would go to the Gentiles with his “gospel of Christ” to the “uncircumcision.” Though physical circumcision had been the mark of a Jew since initiated with Abraham, both Moses and Paul said the ‘true circumcision’ is not in human flesh but rather a “circumcision of the heart” (cf. Deut. 10:16, Rom. 2:29). Only a BELIEVING Jew was to be seen as a ‘genuine circumcised Jew in God’s eyes.’
• Then AFTER the Acts 15 Jerusalem council meeting (cf. Gal. 2:9) a major change was decided, that Peter and company would LIMIT their ministry to the Already Christ Believing “little flock” of Jews, while Paul was sanctioned to go to All Men, that is to ‘All the lost unbelievers,’ be they Jews or Gentiles, preaching the Resurrected Christ as Savior via His Cross-work, to be ‘justified by Grace’ (Rom 3:24) through Faith. So Paul went to ALL Unbelievers Alike regardless of race, with his “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24), offering ALL men salvation by Faith in Christ Alone.

AFTER The Acts Period Ended with Israel fully fallen and set aside (Acts 28:25-28), Paul began his POST-Acts ministry, writing; “Let no man therefore judge you in meat [dietary law], or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:” Colossians 2:16. The law was “nailed to His cross” and the Performance-Based Acceptance System of the Law ended along with the miraculous Apostolic sign-gifts [1Cor. 13:8]. Paul received added “revelations” (2 Cor 12:1, 7) concerning “the mystery [secret]” of the “one body” (Eph. 4:4) that Paul calls “the church, which is His body.” The foundation of Paul’s salvation doctrine is ‘justification by faith’ (Rom. 5:1) but the word “justification” is absent from Peter’s preaching and epistles.

Comparing the main features of 1) ‘the Gospels,’ 2) the ‘early’ Acts Period, 3) Paul’s Acts-Period ministry.

1. The 4 Gospels concerned the promised Kingdom blessings based upon the Abrahamic covenant concerning his lineage, the Nation Israel, to whom Christ came and spoke (cf. Matt. 15:24, 10:5-6).
2. During Acts there was the real ‘hope’ of Jesus Christ’s personal return to the earth to restore to Israel “the Kingdom” and “all things” spoken of by Israel’s prophets. This ‘Hope’ the ‘expectation’ of the believers.
3. During Acts Paul preached and wrote concerning “ALL men” (i.e., unbelieving Jews and Gentiles) importantly sharing “the just shall live [Gk. zao, have Christ’s ‘spirit life’] by faith.” (Rom. 1:17b). In Romans Paul said, ‘We are saved by HOPE.’ (cf. Rom. 8:23-25). Gal. 5:5 ‘the HOPE of righteousness,’ 1Thes. 5:8 ‘the helmet of the HOPE of salvation.’  Paul’s Acts Period message was the “gospel of Christ” and “the Hope of Israel[’s]” restoration (Acts 28:20) in “Thy Kingdom come… on earth.” Only AFTER Acts Paul received “the revelation of the mystery [secret].” While then writing his first prison epistle of Ephesians Paul explains his revelation of “the mystery,” he apparently went back to add Romans 16:25 as a ‘postscript’ as seen below. (See (This YouTube article further explains Romans 16:25: https://artlicursi.com/articles/romans-16-postscript)

“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery [the God ordained secret], which was kept secret since the world began,” Rom. 16:25

Not only is Israel to ultimately be blessed in “thy Kingdom to come” on earth … it is also intended that during Christ’s Millennial Kingdom to come … Redeemed Israel would bless and teach the Gentiles on earth. Israel’s Jews will then function as God’s “kingdom of priests [intermediaries]” for the Gentiles (v23 below).

“And ye [Israel] shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou [Moses] shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” Exodus 19:6 (KJV)

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass [during the Millennium], that there shall come people, and the inhabitants [Gentiles] of many cities: ²¹ And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. ²² Yea, many people and strong nations [Gentiles] shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. ²³ Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten [Gentile] men shall take hold out of ALL Languages of the nations [i.e., Gentiles], even shall Take Hold Of The Skirt Of Him That IS A JEW, saying, We Will Go With You [Jews]: For We Have Heard That GOD IS WITH YOU.” Zechariah 8:20-23 (KJV)

The blessing of the Gentiles on earth in its fullest sense awaits Israel’s restoration as the God’s Nation in the Kingdom on earth. The Abrahamic Covenant that chose and blessed Israel includes the blessing of the Gentiles in the earthly kingdom; saying “for in thee [Abraham] shall ALL the families of The Earth be blessed” Gen. 12:3 (KJV). (Note that Israel will reign in the earthly Millennial kingdom only AFTER the current Post-Acts Gentile “church, which is His body” will have already silently, and secretly, ascended to “appear with Him in [heaven’s] glory” (Col. 3:4, 1), then being with and in Christ as “the Head” of His body.)

A noteworthy characteristic of Paul’s Acts period epistles is his frequent use of the OT Scriptures. Paul’s rich epistle to the Romans is full of such quotations. Habakkuk 2:4 is often cited to support the concept of “justification by faith,” emphasizing that the righteous will ‘live’ [have the everlasting life] by faith rather than by religious works. This idea is echoed in Paul’s Romans and Galatian epistles, where it is used to argue that faith alone, not adherence to the law saves and enlivens. Paul had gone to the full limit of the revelation given him during the Acts period, for he ‘kept back nothing.’ He had ‘not shunned to declare… the whole counsel of God’ (Acts 20:27). In Paul’s Acts period epistles it is evident that the Apostle Paul shared to all men by confirming the OT Scriptures.

During Acts Paul taught “... both to small and great, saying NONE OTHER THINGS Than Those Which The Prophets And Moses did say should come: that Christ should suffer, and that He should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people [of Israel], and to the Gentiles” (Acts 26:22-23).

By Contrast, Paul’s POST-ACTS epistles contain NEW “Revelations” (2 Cor. 12:1, 7). Being “unsearchable” (Eph. 3:8), this new information can’t be found anywhere in the Old Testament prophetic Scripture. These revelations go beyond the limits of Paul’s Acts-Period epistles. Paul’s POST-Acts epistles unveil “the mystery [Gk. musterion, God ordained ‘secret’)” concerning the heaven-bound Gentile church, information that was “hid in God” (Eph. 3:1, 9) until received by Paul for us Gentiles of “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:1 -2).

Paul received multiple revelations concerning the Gentile “church, which is His body” that consist of believers of ALL Races, seen Equally, being destined for “the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). In heaven no race will be set above others, but still Israel will reign on earth with Christ in the Millennial kingdom. Israel’s Messianic kingdom to come on earth has been long-prophesied … but the secreted Gentile “body of Christ” is according to God’s “great mystery [secret]” of the “eternal purpose that He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (cf. Eph. 3:11).

“And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the MYSTERY [the God ordained secret], which From The Beginning Of The World Hath Been Hid In God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:” Eph. 3:9 (KJV)
“Even [that is] The MYSTERY Which Hath Been Hid From Ages And From Generations, but now [Post-Acts] is made manifest [has appeared] to his saints” Colossians 1:26 (KJV),

“According to the Eternal Purpose Which He Purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:” Ephesians 3:11 (KJV)

Our “high” calling to reign with Christ “far above all heavens” is Paul’s Post-Acts “great mystery” (Eph, 5:32)

“I [Paul] press toward the mark for the prize of the high [above] calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phili. 3:14 “He that descended is the same also that ascended up Far Above All Heavens, that he might fill all things.)” Eph. 4:10 “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world [Gk. aion, age], but also in that [age] which is to come:” Ephesians 1:21 (KJV)