Paul, leading authority on Christianity, does NOT quote Jesus! (page 7)

PSacramento

Could we ever have such a thread in the Witnesses?

In our search for the truth we are able to have various view points on rather minor details or even major one, to debate, to argue, to discuss and to even *gasp* change our minds !

Nice eh?

TD

Paul was chosen by the Lord for a specific task, to spead the Gospel of Christ, that it is in Christ that there is salvation, I argue that he did just that and, truth be told, did it better than anyone else.

That's certainly true, but he arguably had a huge advantage inasmuch as he was not only the messenger of that Gospel, he by all appearances was the formulator of much of it.

What would Christianity be without Paul? Would we even know that Christ was born without sin were it not for Paul? Who's the most prolific writer in the NT by far? Who comes closest to actually explaining the mechanics of the Ransom? Who explains the parousia? Who explains the purpose of the Law and why it was no longer necessary? It's Paul, Paul, Paul and Paul

Who's at the center of all the squabbles among the early Christians leaders? Who takes on the pillars of the Jerusalem congregation in their own backyard? (And wins) Eusebius quoting Hegesippus tells us that James the Just was a lifelong Nazarite who neither cut his hair nor ate meat. Paul tells us that a man who eats only vegetables is "Weak" and that long hair dishonors a man. The tension between Paul and James is palpable. Paul says he wishes that those teaching circumcision among the Christians would go castrate themselves.

It's against that backdrop --Paul as the most aggresive, outspoken and authoritative figure among the early Christians that his seeming unfamiliarity with Jesus of the Gospels appears out of place.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Paul was the ultimate "new light" authority.

It's hilarious in Acts that he was the bold, heroic witness to the "governing body" that gentiles were receiving the spirit and circumcision was no longer required. What was the first thing Paul did when he was sent out to deliver that message to the congregations? He took Timothy and circumcised him "on account of the Jews".
Just "Wow!" If he wanted to prove the message, an uncircumcised Timothy would have spoken in tongues and performed miracles. Instead, Paul cut off his foreskin so that he would be just another Greek proselyte of the Jewish Law.

Of course this was the same Paul that denounced Peter for being in fear of the Jews. Mind you, Peter was just declining to eat with gentiles while Paul was performing the functions of a Jewish rabbi in making Greeks circumcised. And this was the same Paul that said that the Christians that advocated circumcision ought to be emasculated.

Paul is the father of Christian hypocracy. He took the hypocracy of the Jews and infused it into the Christian congregation.

designs

How do you spell Duplicitous in Greek: P.A.U.L.

tec

I really liked what Shelby said about Paul, and I hope people consider the insight implied by them. He never claimed to be perfect, there is no reason to think he would not have made mistakes, and I do get the feeling sometimes he was at his wit's end trying to understand how he could reach people. I don't think he was a hypocrite either.

Even Paul said of himself:

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 "Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.that he had become all things to all people."

I also like what someone else said, comparing Paul's letters to hearing one side of a phone conversation.

Tammy

AGuest

THANK you, dear tec (the greatest of love and peace to you)!! You always say it so concise and succinct! Today, Paul would be considered a "sell-out" if not an outright hypocrite. I am sure that if he had it to do all over again, he would do/say a lot of things differently. The GOOD thing is that we can often "look at" Paul... and see what NOT to do! However, if we always only look at Christ, we can see that, too... as well as what TO do.

[Also, praise JAH!... your response and verse quote made me "see" something more: WHY it is that my Lord has me still attending the Memorial! As I shared with you here that it's so that any who are WISHING to do so themselves... among those I was associated with... can see what it looks like: to set a "fine" example for them. If I went and harassed them, however, or said distasteful/mean things... while trying to tell them that I had found the Way... who would listen? While I am not a part of them... or under their law... or sharing in their "table" (by eating their "food" as presented in the WT/AW, talks, etc.), I CAN be "like" one of them by following THEIR "solemn assembly"... and quietly and respectfully partaking... in the manner they know... during their observance. As they SHOULD be doing. While keeping a watch on my own "walk" so that I do nothing to [otherwise] stumble them! Thank you for assisting with THAT understanding, as well!)

Again, peace to you and yours!

Your servant, sister, and fellow slave of Christ,

SA

Band on the Run

I can see that he would NOT be Timothy's favorite apostle. My thought is that he did not practice what he preached when dealing with the Jewish faction.

jay88

I really liked what Shelby said about Paul, and I hope people consider the insight implied by them. He never claimed to be perfect, there is no reason to think he would not have made mistakes, and I do get the feeling sometimes he was at his wit's end trying to understand how he could reach people. I don't think he was a hypocrite either.

>>>>>>>>

Have you given the same BOD to the WTBTS?

tec

Shelby - Peace to you. Glad I could help a little, even just by quoting something at the right moment for you :) I could feel as well as hear what you said also.

Your sister in Christ,

Tammy

tec

Jay, what does BOD stand for?

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

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