Phizzy:
mP, Paul did meet Peter who first took the G.N to Gentiles, so Acts says, but it may indeed have all been on his own initiative that he started his preaching, possibly not having met Peter at that point in time ?
I certainly think Paul himself believed Jesus had commissioned him to preach thus, maybe not at the Damascene Epiphany, but Paul had many mystical experiences, and during one of these no doubt he heard the same voice telling him to preach to the Gentiles.
No one else heard that voice that time either I bet, all in Pauls head, not real.
If J.W's believe that Gal 6v8 is "inspired of God" how do they explain their version of Good News ? and more importantly, where is the mandate to preach it, in contradiction of Paul's command ?
mP:
I will show the only scriptures from Pauls writings that mention anything remotely close to Jesus. If you know of others please provide them.
http://www.jw.org/en/publications/bible/galatians/2
But when I saw they were not walking straight according to the truth of the good news, I said to Ce′phas before them all: “If you, though you are a Jew, live as the nations do, and not as Jews do, how is it that you are compelling people of the nations to live according to Jewish practice?”
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yes, when they came to know the undeserved kindness that was given me, James and Ce′phas and John, the ones who seemed to be pillars,
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I said to Ce′phas before them all: “If you, though you are a Jew, live as the nations do, and not as Jews do, how is it that you are compelling people of the nations to live according to Jewish practice?”
It seems that Paul is not even aware that Peter is his preferred name. And there you have is all that Paul ever says of Cephas (aka Peter) and James and John.
Given John was an extremely popular name back then just as it is now, just mentioning the name hardly qualifies as a perfect match.
http://www.jw.org/en/publications/bible/galatians/1
Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to visit Ce′phas, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 But I saw no one else of the apostles, only James the brother of the Lord. 20 Now as to the things I am writing ? YOU , look! in the sight of God, I am not lying.
There are many scholars who question what brother means, does it mean they sahred the same mother and earthly father or is this a reference to brothers like borhters in faith ?
Feel free to scan your Bibles for all other mentions of Jesus and Christ and all you will find is he died for us and our sins. No mention is ever made of Bethlehem, Mary, Joseph, 12 apostles, other apostles by name, Pilate, Herod, Judas Iscariot, any of the miracles and so on. If you check your historical records you will find there were religious leaders called james and cephas and they were not apostles.
SO the qustion remains did Paul really know Jesus if he couldnt or didnt mention a single fact of his life ?
