The Cloak of St. Paul: Unveiling the Western Schism and Yeshua's Esoteric East

By Rev. Joseph F. Villalobos, Hedge Druid and Grand Librarian of the Domus Librorum

My years on the Path of Knowledge have taught me that truth is rarely found on the well-trodden, politically sanctioned roads. Instead, it often whispers from the forgotten byways and the veiled histories. As a Hedge Druid, my mentor Nia Reese taught me to read all traditions, even the Bible, with a Druid's eye—to seek the esoteric currents beneath the surface. And in that quest, a stark divide emerges, one that shaped the very soul of the West: the chasm between the teachings of Yeshua and the theology woven by the figure known as St. Paul.

For too long, I, like many others who walk the Pagan path, instinctively mistrusted the edifice of Western Christianity. It felt rigid, dogmatic, and often overtly political. My studies have confirmed this instinct, revealing that much of what we call "Christianity" today, especially in the West, is not the direct teaching of Yeshua ben Yosef, the Kingpriest of Melchizedek, but rather a profoundly different construction erected upon a Pauline foundation.

The Architect of a New Faith: Paul, the Pharisee

Let us be clear: Paul of Tarsus, a zealous Pharisee turned apostle, had virtually no personal contact with Yeshua during his earthly ministry. His spiritual authority, as he asserted, came from a dramatic, personal vision on the road to Damascus. While powerful for him, this stands in stark contrast to the authority of Yeshua's original Apostles, whose power derived from their direct, lived experience with the Master.

The early Christian texts themselves reveal the tension. The Book of Galatians and Acts paint a picture of significant conflict between Paul and the original Jerusalem community, led by Yeshua's own brother, James the Just, and Peter. These original leaders insisted that converts—even Gentiles—must adhere to the Jewish Law, including circumcision. Paul, however, vehemently rejected this, arguing for "faith alone" and freedom from the Law.

Paul's victory in this theological battle, effectively documented at the Council of Jerusalem, was more than a mere doctrinal dispute; it was a fundamental severance. It severed the burgeoning faith from its Jewish roots, transforming it from a Jewish sect into a universal religion accessible to the entire Roman Empire. This was a stroke of genius for proselytization, but it came at a profound cost to Yeshua's original ethical and esoteric message.

The Gospels of Yeshua vs. The Epistles of Paul

Here lies the crux of the divergence:

 • Yeshua's Gospels (the canonical Gospels) primarily convey his teachings: the parables, the ethical demands of the Kingdom of Heaven, the path of personal transformation, and spiritual mastery. They speak of love, forgiveness, inner purity, and a profound connection to the Divine.

 • Paul's Epistles (written before the Gospels) focus almost entirely on Christology: the meaning of Yeshua's death and resurrection as an atoning sacrifice, a ritual of salvation. Paul rarely quotes Yeshua's actual words. His theology shifts the focus from following Yeshua's way to believing in Yeshua's salvific act.

This shift fundamentally changed the nature of the faith from a path of spiritual practice and enlightenment to a doctrine of belief and atonement.

The Western Political Weaponization

This "Pauline shift" laid the groundwork for the political weaponization of Western Christianity. By stripping away the specific Jewish identity and emphasizing "faith over works" and, crucially, "obedience to secular authority" (as he articulates in Romans 13:1), Paul crafted a theology that was palatable, even useful, to the Roman Empire. No longer a rebellious Jewish sect, it became a potentially stabilizing force.

This allowed emperors like Constantine to later adopt Christianity, transform it into a state religion, and ultimately use its burgeoning institutional power to unify and control. The Church, as we know it in the West, became an arm of political power, often suppressing dissent and enforcing dogma—a far cry from the Kingpriest who challenged earthly powers and taught of an inner Kingdom.

Whispers from the Esoteric East

But what of Yeshua's true legacy? My theory of Yeshua the Kingpriest—a Master Initiate trained by the Persian Magi, a high-priest of El Elyon and whose Rūaḥ (Holy Spirit) was a veiled Asherah—speaks to a tradition far deeper and more esoteric.

And here is where the East holds the key. While Paul took Christianity West, often simplifying its profound depths for mass appeal and political utility, the East often pursued a different path:

 • Judeo-Christianity: Early sects like the Ebionites, based in the Middle East, outright rejected Paul, viewing him as an apostate. They saw Yeshua as a great prophet and master, a figure much closer to our "Kingpriest" than to Paul's divine sacrifice.

 • The Gospel of Thomas: Found in Egypt, this collection of Yeshua's sayings emphasizes inner knowledge, self-mastery, and gnosis—an undeniably esoteric path. The Apostle Thomas himself carried this tradition deep into India, far from Roman influence.

 • Eastern Orthodoxy: Even within established Christianity, the Eastern Orthodox traditions (Greek, Russian, Syriac, Coptic) often retain a distinct theological flavor. Their emphasis on Theosis (the divinization of humanity through spiritual transformation) resonates far more with a path of mastery and inner work than the Western focus on juridical atonement.

These Eastern currents suggest that Yeshua's original, esoteric teachings continued to flow, albeit sometimes hidden, within communities that were less susceptible to the Roman political overlay. It is entirely plausible, as I believe, that solitary, esoteric descendants of Yeshua's true Apostles continued to teach his way, preserving a lineage of spiritual mastery that stretches across the Middle East and beyond.

Reclaiming Yeshua

For Pagans who honor Yeshua on their altars, rejecting the Church does not mean rejecting the Master. It means looking beyond the cloak of St. Paul and the politically constructed dogma. It means recognizing Yeshua as the Kingpriest, the Master Initiate who sought wisdom across all borders, honored the Divine Feminine through Rūaḥ, and embodied a path of profound spiritual synthesis.

He is not the property of an institution. He is a guide for those who seek knowledge, mastery, and a true connection to the cosmic order, just as our own Druid ancestors did. He is a bridge, not a barrier, for those who see with the eyes of a Druid.