What Are Your Thoughts On The Apostle Paul?

by cognac 109 Replies latest jw friends

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  PSacramento

  Jwoods,

  Christianity was an oral religion, passed on by "story telling", Paul's were the first examples of Christian writing and they were just letters to the churches he founded.

  One can argue that the writers of the Gospels wrote them ( I agree that Mark was probably first) to "counter" some of Paul's teachings.

  On a side note and going back to what Isaac posted, it seems that NOT all Translation translate the greek word for "such" in "no such custom" as "such", other translate it as "other", the greek word is toioutos wich means: such as, this kind or sort.
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  cognac

  Thank-you for the clarification Isaac!

  ( I agree that Mark was probably first) to "counter" some of Paul's teachings.)

  On what basis do you say this? Do you havr any examples?
• 

  JWoods

  On the head covering side of things, I always thought that it made no sense at all in WT understanding. What was the point of saying that "woman has a head covering of long hair" if she still needed a head covering?

  Of course, I guess that this little custom (which is probably more associated with the Roman Catholics and some protestants than the JW) is not the sort of thing which is going to kill anybody.

  Yet again, the JW dogmatically have set up a hardline teaching on the basis of a very limited and possibly misunderstood reference.

  Remind anyone of blood doctrine, or sabbath doctrine?
• 

  isaacaustin

  the blood doctrine came to my mind here too
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  isaacaustin

  I do not see any of Paul's teachings contradicting Jesus message. I see Paul as having to refute these many rules and regulations that the relgious leaders are attempting to put back into the mix, corrupting the grace of Jesus. Paul seems to be very Jesus intensive, focused on the death and rising of Jesus...having to deal with being sought after by those still zealous to keep the law and make it a requirement for salvation...constantly having to defend against man-made traditions.
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  JWoods

  Yes, Isaac. And note that the 7thDayers can probably make every bit as good (or as bad, depending on your view) a case for keeping the sabbath as the JW can on refusing transfusions...yet the JW make it a mark of faith to pretty much ignore the notion of the sabbath.

  It really is amazing to consider how much JW doctrine is built on just a single verse or fragment of some obscure and hardly understood verse. Yeah, it says 144,000 (as a number) in a couple of places - but where does it say that only this number go to heaven in plain terms?

  Where does it ever even hint that they are the only ones mediated into the covenant? That only they can participate in the last supper?

  OK, hijack over: please continue your admirations or disgusts for the things Paul wrote!
• 

  snowbird

  Imo, his letter to the Philippians is one of the most loving and appealing that he wrote.

  You can just feel his pride in and admiration for them.

  Sylvia
• 

  snowbird

  On the other hand, those fickle Galatians drove him to distraction!

  This is one of my favorite:

  Galatians 4:16 And now have I suddenly become your enemy simply by telling you the truth? I can't believe it. MSG

  Sylvia
• 

  Satanus

  Paul was the first pope.

  S
• 

  cognac

  It seems to me that the scriptures show us that we shouldn't take what Paul said at face value but rather weigh in what the other scriptures say first. For example, he said to one cong not to eat things sacrificed to idols. So, one would think we shouldn't do that. Then, he said to another cong that they could eat things sacrificed to idols as long as it didn't stumble anybody.

  Isaac - What are your thoughts regarding what I said about fornicators above?

  Also, does anybody know how Mark "countered" some of Paul's teachings?