When modern writers, thinkers, believers in christianity talk about their Religion they are almost always depending on Saul of Tarsus (Paul) rather than
Jesus.
There is a good reason for this.
Paul wrote letters. Jesus did not.
Paul explains, explains, explains.
He is the Professor, scientist, theologian and hard-nosed scold. He leaves no room for arguments.
On the other hand, Jesus is vague and mysterious.
But, Houston, we have a problem!
Paul never met Jesus and could not have read his non-existent writings.
The Apostles and disciples, at least, spent lots of time with Jesus one-on-one without really grasping specifically the "meaning" of his teachings!
Paul can explain it all, no problem!
Well, that's isn't quite the right way to say it, you see, because there IS A PROBLEM!
Aside from never having met Jesus or having interrogated him or studied under him, Paul laid the foundation of intellectual understanding
which christianity was built on!!
We have to accept him (Paul) at his word that he is qualified.
Paul tells his story of conversion and goes on to report miracles as corroborations.
Basically, that's it. That's all you get. Take it or leave it!
But, Paul pulls a fast one!
Paul doesn't base his arguments and persuasions on Jesus. Paul uses Jewish theology!
Paul uses a Greek way of thinking, too.
Paul uses eisogesis (reading INTO the text) to make his doctrinal points. Quoting Jesus? Not necessary!
Paul was sent by the High Priest to end the sect of Jesus followers and he does this by co-opting their message and meaning. How? He convinces the Jesus splinter group that Jesus is the End Point of Judaism itself. By bringing both groups together there is no longer an "enemy". The pagan goyim steeped in Greek mythology (Thanks to Roman patronage) can accept Judaism with its demi-god, Jesus! Everybody can get along! Right? Wrong.
Then--history stepped in and destroyed MAINSTREAM JUDAISM...leaving only the "blended" messianic Jesus group!
Rome destroyed the center of Judaism and its performance rituals in 70 c.e.
If you were a practising Jew---you had to stop practising!
Two choices remained:
1.Disperse (Diaspora) and hide and go without ritual forgiveness procedures.
2.Embrace a Messiah who is dead (but it was all an elaborate scheme to Return!)
Not much of a choice, huh?
Yes. It stunk.
The friends and relatives of Jesus had not understood to any depth an actual REASON or LOGIC for Jesus (IF he were authentically Messiah) dying.
The were befuddled, stunned and baffled. Ideas were kicked around. Maybe this....maybe that...maybe....how about....?
Until....
Paul comes along like a millionaire constitutional lawyer and explains everything with astonishing details and clarity!!
But, Paul (and the majority of Jews) had been absorbed into a Greek ethos. Paul used GREEK logic. He used GREEK mythos and reasoning.
Paul mashed mythology, Hebrew religion and philosophy together so that there was something familiar and "reasonable" for everybody. (Almost).
To be religious is to invent your own capacity to realize "blessings" by redefining the everyday occurances in miraculous ways.
Case in point:
The individual Jew under the Law had no need to risk his life and his family fortune by "whoring" after other gods unless he became convinced by day to day living in the real world that there was no Jehovah taking care of him ......
or providing any substantial benefit for all the sacrifices and prayer being offered on that god's behalf.
At that point...It was a PRACTICAL MATTER to at least TRY another god on for size.
Think of it this way...
A person with incurable cancer will finally turn to quack doctors when the legitimate ones offer no hope.
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PAUL DISTORTS UNDERSTANDING OF HEBREW RELIGION
Let us NOT confuse the Law of Moses with Paul's description of it or his interpretations.
The two aren't the same!
So, first off we need to separate these two things to clarify our thinking.
1.The Law of Moses
2.Paul's interpretation of the "meaning" of the Law of Moses.
So, let us talk about #1 and not #2 for a moment, shall we?
Okay....
The Law of Moses was a law that required PHYSICAL compliance in order for PHYSICAL enforcement to follow.
Circumcision was physical. Stoning was physical. Slaughtering an ox was physical. Ritual cleansing was physical.
Can we all agree on that? (Try not to superimpose your Pauline bias for the moment.)
The very concept of "sin" is concerned with BEHAVIOR.
BEHAVIOR IS PHYSICAL. The consequences are practical and everyday. (Hand's on... not theoretical.)
Now, contrast Hebrew tribal religious thinking (practical) with Greek thinking (mystical philosophy of Plato):
Please note that it is Greek thinking (such as Plato) to mix the "ideal" into the physical realm and regard the physical as a mere shadowy manifestation of the divine world.
Alexander the Great carried Greek thought (i.e. philosophy) into the Middle East. It had a shattering impact on Judaism. Their theology was never the same.
Imagine Alexander the Great as a gigantic hypodermic needle injecting a VIRUS of Platonic mysticsm into Jewish religion.
Jesus came AFTER the influence of Greek Philosophy when Greek language had swallowed up Judaism. Few Jews could speak Hebrew when Jesus and Paul were on the scene! Even the scriptures (Hebrew!) were now Greek (Septuigent).
Consequently, we cannot view THE LAW OF MOSES backward through the lens of Roman/Greek thinking and not color how we see and define the reality of what it was.
This is exactly what Saul of Tarsus did, however, he interpreted using Greek thought and philosophy and confused actual Hebrew tribal thought with mystical Platonic philosophy.
Christianity, as a result, relied heavily on Paul's explanations for it's OWN doctrinal understanding.
This is why "christianity" was different things to different groups: Jesus was god. Jesus wasn't god. Jesus was both god and man. Etc. etc.
The book we call Bible merely reflects the destruction of Judaism into little sects of "christian" pagan-hebrew-greek ideas.
To call Israel a NATION is a misnomer of divided tribes until we see the people united under the concept of a BINDING LAW.
For a law to be binding it must carry enforcement.
How a law is administered (penalty) determines how strong the law actually is.
Example: Why would anybody agree to obey a law without penalty? The authority behind law enforcement is the power of penalty and reward.
Citizens don't drive 55 m.p.h. because it is morally superior behavior to do so. Citizens drive 55 m.p.h. because the posted speed limit is enforced by fines and insurance rate hikes!
So too in Israel.
The "authority" behind the Law of Moses was the STORY of how SPECIAL they all were as a carefully selected and groomed ethnic people of promise!
The enforcement of these laws was the physical penalty of punishment which could consist of having your head bashed in with a rock by your neighbors, or your parents! That was the incentive to obey the law.
LAW was PRACTICAL (or it became worthless)
The STORY of Judaism was handed down orally. There were many tribes with different versions of it. Jehovah was connected to some of the stories and Adonai (Elohim) with others. The Priests had a version, the Jews returning from Babylon had a version and the Jews who remained behind had a version.
When combined and written down these stories over-lapped, self-contradicted and layered themselves into place.
Why do you think Israel was always being enticed into worshipping idols instead of engaging in ritual sacrifices at the Temple of Jehovah?
The blessings didn't happen!! It was all smoke and mirrors! The promises were lies! Even a dullard would figure it couldn't hurt to at least try one of the local deities instead. What did they have to lose? Jehovah's wasn't giving them anything.
When Alexander the Great brought Platonic thought into the Middle East it was the psychological end of Judaism.
A series of re-thinks was constantly applied to the entire "meaning" of what it meant to be a Jew.
Jews and Judaism became......RATIONAL!! (At least a few of their great thinkers did.)
Jews realized that the Messianic aspect was the ONLY aspect that could bring blessings and results.
Do you understand what it is I am saying?
ONLY THROUGH AN ACTUAL PERSON (Messiah, king, military leader who actually does something) would the Jews be able to acquire blessings of freedom and prosperity.
THE IDEAL was always that God would do it miraculously and it never happened. This only left the last resort of MAKING BLESSINGS HAPPEN through human agency and calling it a miracle.
To be religious is to invent your own capacity to realize "blessings" by redefining the everyday occurances in miraculous ways.
That is the real meaning of the Messianic hope
Jesus was only one of many such hopes that died by various ends.
It was the Greek interpretation of what a Messiah was in Paul's speeches and writings that created an alternate way of dealing with all those centuries of failure that appealed to the Jews and Gentiles alike.
Paul "spiritualized" the promises and made them look like a great long-term solution rather than an abject failure.
The downtrodden who needed hope and miracles bought Paul's hokum.
And guess what? It has been re-re-interpreted over and over again by sects and branches of Christianity again and again. But, the kicker is this: WE DON'T GET ANY BLESSINGS!!
Why?
BECAUSE THE REWARDS ARE ALWAYS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
The gimmick is the return of Jesus the Messiah. For the Jews it had been the "coming of the Messiah" and for Christians it is the "return of the Messiah".
Nothing ever happens!
Get it?
It is carrot and stick and nothing more.
The Jehovah's Witness brand of carrot and stick merely makes the reward (and possible punishment) seem amazingly NEAR!
End Times is a big market. A very big market.
But, you have to keep it alive with vitality of promises and prophecies.
When those promises and prophecies don't happen (1884, 1914, 1925, 1975) you just start all over again.
Now do you get it? PAUL allowed everybody a way of INTERPRETING BLESSINGS through a miracle or mystical interpretation so they could
cling to hope.
To be religious is to invent your own capacity to realize "blessings" by redefining the everyday occurances in miraculous ways.
Terry