Paul, leading authority on Christianity, does NOT quote Jesus! (page 2)

He gives us a legalistic explanation for scripture and Messiah and identifies Jesus as having an historical missing piece of the puzzle (sacred secret.)

This view became very popular for those who were eager to accept a mystical, spiritualized (non-political) Messiah.

As somebody mentioned already, the popularity of Paul's identification of Jesus fit perfectly with the mystical views of Gnostics.

Marcion threw out the entire Old Testament (and its evil God, Jehovah) in preference for Paul's conceptual "good savior god".

It took the power of Rome to thwart the Gnostic movement and halt the growing throngs of those who liked this scenario.

Paul's success was greater than the Apostles because he seemed to know what he was talking about and could give the BIG PICTURE.

The "Governing Body" in Jerusalem was clueless.

Ding

Paul was a Pharisee, trained in the law by Gamaliel.

One would expect him to be more likely to write theological passages than Peter and John.

Since Paul wasn't a follower of Jesus until after Jesus' resurrection, it's not surprising that he didn't write a biography of Jesus discussing the Sermon on the Mount, Galiliee, Pilate, and the like.

Paul's apostleship was challenged in his own day because he wasn't one of the original disciples and because he had been a persecutor of the church. On a number of occasions, therefore, he stressed that he received revelations directly from Christ.

Nobleheart

Paul mentioned Jesus' death, burial and resurrection and subsequent appearance to many eyewitnesses in 1 Cor 15:3-8.

3 For I handed on to YOU , among the first things, that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; 4 and that he was buried, yes, that he has been raised up the third day according to the Scriptures; 5 and that he appeared to Ce´phas, then to the twelve. 6 After that he appeared to upward of five hundred brothers at one time, the most of whom remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep [in death]. 7 After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 but last of all he appeared also to me as if to one born prematurely.

To Christians, Jesus' death and resurrection are even more important than his ministry and whatever miraculous deeds he accomplished.

The Finger

Was there somewhere you were thinking of the Paul needed to mention these things in his letters Terry?

jay88

Paul the Opportunist over came his epilepsy, to become the greatest christian. He learned to BS the Jewish community, and the gentiles were babes to him so they were easy to delude.

leavingwt

Paul's apostleship was challenged in his own day because he wasn't one of the original disciples and because he had been a persecutor of the church. On a number of occasions, therefore, he stressed that he received revelations directly from Christ.

Very clever. I would do the same thing, if people were questioning my credentials. A personal revelation cannot be falsified and the conversation abruptly ends.

Midget-Sasquatch

Marcion liked Paul because alot of his ideas about the risen Christ, and several of the terms he uses, like the archons, fit well with a proto-gnostic view. Although I wonder if Paul's letters may have been tampered somewhat.

IIRC, Tarsus was a center known for Mithraism and mystery religions. I think thats a closer fit to what Paul purports to have gotten directly from Christ about what was done during the Last Supper.

Its not surprising that the earliest followers of the movement didn't accept his teachings. Looks like he was putting his own spin on foreign ideas and passing them off as revelation.

jay88

I have always consider the WTBTS the lesser Paul. The minute one can question Paul and his affiliation with 'Christ', in that very moment you can began to question the 'Organizations' affiliation with Christ.

Paul, leading authority on Christianity, does NOT quote Jesus!

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