It's not rare to encounter people who claim that Paul "invented" Christianity. The basic idea is that Jesus taught a pure and ethical form of Judaism that focused on God and gracious living, while Paul developed a religion that worshiped Jesus rather than God. Though this idea literally makes no sense historically, it's gotten a lot of run. Even the occasional serious academic book "blames" Paul for perverting Jesus' message in inventing Christianity.
One easily appreciates the appeal of this position. In the first three Gospels -- Matthew, Mark and Luke -- Jesus speaks continually about the kingdom of God. He does not ordinarily speak about himself. In the fourth Gospel, however, Jesus talks about himself all the time. Even ancient Christians recognized this phenomenon. Writing around the year 200, Clement of Alexandria described John as "a spiritual Gospel" on the grounds that it relayed not the literal history of Jesus' career but its spiritual and theological significance. How did followers of Jesus move from a religion focused upon Israel's God and God's kingdom to a religion devoted to the person of Jesus? For many, the Apostle Paul fills that gap.
However, every bit of evidence we possess demonstrates that Paul did not, in fact, invent Christianity. Let's begin with how Paul came to follow Jesus in the first place. The book of Acts claims that Paul, having already persecuted some believers in Jesus, has a visionary encounter with the risen Christ. Paul himself describes that encounter as an "apocalypse," or a revelation. In any event, Acts agrees with Paul that the new apostle turned for support to a community of believers that already resided in Damascus.
If Paul invented Christianity, how did that community in Damascus come to exist? Paul's "conversion," as some call it, occurred within just two or three years of Jesus' death -- and already communities of Jesus followers were spreading beyond Judea and Galilee into Samaria, Syria and other parts of the ancient Mediterranean world.
Moreover, a look at Paul's missionary career debunks the notion that Paul invented Christianity. Having joined the believing community at Damascus, Paul later goes on to Syrian Antioch. The believing community there -- Acts refers to them being called "Christians" -- supports Paul and his partner Barnabas in their missionary activities (Acts 11:19-26). Obviously, the church would not have supported Paul if his teachings represented a radical departure from what they already knew.
Paul's next base of operations was Ephesus, a grand city in what is now southwestern Turkey. Again, the church in Ephesus existed prior to Paul's arrival, and Paul used Ephesus as a base of operations for his work to the west.
Finally, we have Paul's letter to the churches in Rome. This is the only surviving Pauline letter that addresses a church he has never visited -- again, we see an influential church that Paul had no role in founding. He hopes to visit Rome, build a relationship with the churches there, and rely upon their support for an ongoing mission to Spain (Romans 15:23-24).
So we have a pattern. From Damascus in southern Syria, to Antioch in northern Syria, to Ephesus in Asia (today, Turkey), to Rome and hopefully on to Spain, Paul extends his missionary work to embrace the entire northern Mediterranean rim. As he does so, he relies upon churches located in major cosmopolitan cities to support his mission. All of these churches existed prior to and independent of Paul's mission, yet they support him. This could not be the case were Paul inventing a dramatically new interpretation of Jesus.
Many people note that Paul rarely quotes Jesus or appeals to stories from Jesus' life. That is true. Apart from the traditions of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, Paul explicitly refers only to Jesus' teaching concerning divorce (1 Corinthians 7:10) and the Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). But he also insists that his teaching is consistent with that of Peter and the other apostles (1 Corinthians 3:22; 15:3-11; Galatians 1:18).
And while Paul rarely mentions specific examples from Jesus' sayings and ministry, his core values strongly reflect the influence of Jesus' teaching. Jesus taught his followers to lead by serving; so did Paul. Jesus promoted love as the greatest virtue; so did Paul. Jesus announced the coming kingdom of God; Paul taught that the kingdom would fully manifest itself upon the risen Jesus' return (1 Corinthians 15:24). Jesus' ministry involved an outreach to "sinners," prostitutes, lepers and other outcast persons; Paul extended the good news to Gentiles.
None of this is to deny the different sense one receives when one compares the Jesus stories to Paul's letters. Obviously things have changed from Jesus' ministry among Jews in Galilee and Judea to Paul's mission to Gentiles around the Mediterranean. For Paul, Jesus' resurrection required a dramatic reinterpretation of many things, including the significance of Jesus' ministry. However, Paul did not invent that idea; instead, he shared it with many other believers who were founding churches and cultivating communities far beyond his own reach.
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Pauline Christianity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Apostle Paul Founder of Christianity
What Would Christianity Be Like if Paul Had Never Lived? By Bart ...
That's one popular idea. Another is that, because Paul's earliest Christian writings pre-date any other known Christian writings by one to two decades, and because so much of the Gospels consists of the fabulous, historical errors and chronological impossibilities, it might not be wholly unreasonable to ask whether Jesus might never have been a real man, but originated as a fictional character created by, oh, say, Paul.
Of course, such an idea would mean that Paul's pre-Christian career of persecuting Christians never happened, but with so much in early Christianity already known to be fictional, why should this one more fictional detail bring down a theory of what really happened?
I know that although popular, the idea that Jesus might never have existed is extremely UNpopular among theologians and Biblical scholars -- at least, when they're writing for publication and speaking publicly. How about you, Perfessor? Are you prepared to greet such an idea with more than the usual sneer and peremptory dismissal?
And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christian first in Antioch.
5] These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans,
[6] but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
[7] And preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
The original message was very much a Jewish movement. The followers of James, the brother of Jesus, continued this emphasis. The original faithful group stayed small and probably didn't come out of the catacombs or maybe they all got eaten by lions. Paul's movement outgrew the other, especially since he preached to Gentiles and didn't require a dietary code (or circumcision in a pre-novacaine world).
God use Jesus as much as He could.
But it was time for Jesus to complete His purpose for coming to earth.
So God had to use other humans to finish the task.
Paul even said he was finishing the works of Jesus.
Jesus could not stay here forever or there would not have been any redemption for this lost humanity.
So Christ came and did the Work H was called to do.
there were not 12 sons but " 13" sons of Jacob..AND there were not 12 but 13 Deciples of Jesus..Paul came along AFTER Jesus was crucified. ( Makes sense now ,right ? )
Benjamin was the youngest,born AFTER Joseph..much like the gentiles Born or chosen After the Jews ?
Paul was from the tribe of Benjamin as he explains here...
Phil 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
Phil 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Phil 3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Phil 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Phil 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Phil 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
but,I looked around more,and it is not clear that he is the 13th son.
I am looking for the verses that talk about how many sons Jacob had at the time of Josephs birth ( that would make it very clear). Because..they may be hiding the 13th in here.. (they said 12 sons because they at the time, thought Joseph was dead.)
Gen 42:32 We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
here is another mention of 12 sons
Gen 35:22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
but this dream of Joseph,I think lends evidence of there being 12 sons of Jacob BEFORE Bejamin was Born
"Gen 37:9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me."
( 11 stars ) he would be the 12th that they were making Obeisance..correct ?
My husbands say's if you do a study of the tribes and count them,list them out ,there are actually 13
prt 1
Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Rom 11:23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
Rom 11:24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Jesus had 33 and a half years to correct a 6000 yr. mess. God has to use other humans like Paul to give a revelation of who He(God) is. So we today will see who he really is.
Like it says in John 17:20.... "...we will know(believe) about Christ because of these guys...."
Oh yea, John 17 is the real Prayer of Jesus. Not the role model in Matt. 6.
Thank you.....peace and LOVE
Ah ...... the questions are so jr. high.
I did not say that to be funny. Just need to know do you want a real answer?
and there were 13 not 12 diciples of Jesus//Paul is the 13th
alsp..he mentions being circumcized on the "8th" day ( I guess that is a pic pointing to being born again..a cutting away of the old man so the new man is born again)
God rested on the 7th day..many assume that was the end of it..
I am assuming he continued creation on the 8th day..Jesus is the completion " It is finished"
all those who are born again grow into sons of God fully matured..like Jesus
Benjamin was not the 13th son. He was the 12th son.
Leah's sons were: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun.
Rachel's sons were: Joseph and Benjamin
Bilhah's sons were: Dan and Naphtali
Zilpah's sons were: Gad and Asher
There were, technically, 13 tribes. But this is because Jacob adopted Joseph's sons as his own. So the tribes had the names of Joseph's sons--Manasseh and Ephraim.
The tribe of Levi ended up scattered throughout Israel as they were designated the priestly tribe.
As for Paul being circumcised on the 8th day--that was standard for Jewish boys (and I believe still is.) Jesus was also circumcised on the 8th day (Luke 2:21.)
The 12 tribes of Israel make a very interesting study, as there are various rendering throughout the OT. The key is Joseph had 2 sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. In some renderings the 12 tribes include the Levites and Joseph. Other times Levites are left out and you may see Ephraim and Manasseh. But there was always a mechanism present for 12 tribes, the tribe of Joseph could be on tribe inclusive of his sons, or (since Jacob adopted them) they could be considered tribes in their own right. But always 12.
And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28)
(Paul) the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews. (Acts 26:7)
James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings. (James 1:1)
It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. (Rev 21:12)
"Good Morning Heartache." - Chris Botti
This does not have to be. But if you are not in a GOOD church. You will be singing BB King.
Hello Somebody.............blues all the time.
Humans have that someone. But if they are not shown by the very person who is suppose to show them ..... they are just a nice(or bad) group ..... of going no where fast humans.
Now do these humans have that "someone?" Absolutely!!!!!!.
Problem; The average person will not take time to discover "that someone." And the instituted clergy know this. So the instituted clergy takes advantage of this "lack of knowledge."
Other points to consider. How many of the Epistles attributed to Paul were really written by him. How much "editing" was done to his writings by sincere bvelievers. (how many interpretations of Paul are available today)? For some folks the study of Paul can give ammunition for their particular battle, but that's true of all scripture. In this day of media, any one who wishes to write an explanation of Jesus Christ is certainly free to do so and many have,
Then Paul soiled it... Look at the passage about women in second Timothy...
Misinterpretations of the Hebrew Torah? If you're referring to the fact that the Gospel-writers preferred the Septuagint to the Masoretic Text, implying this was somehow disingenuous to the message of the Old Testament, that's just bogus. If you're referring to how they interpreted and applied the OT text to Jesus' life in general, that's still bogus as a Biblical theology of Christ can be adequately constructed from many points in Old Testament, especially in the Torah.
Is it insane to see the death of Christ on the cross as the supreme act of love? Not if you have a correct view of God's justice and holiness as well as man's sinfulness. Along with this is the profundity of God identifying with human suffering by actually experiencing it...profundity which you would probably snub off as theo-philosophical-therapeutical bull. Then again maybe not...
Are the "self-serving writers of Christian lore" the only historical records we have? Then what "limited" resources we have to understand church history. Do you really think we're limited or somehow missing the "real history" of Christianity? You seem to imply that. The major assertions of theology you probably have in mind, especially matters that emerge from Paul's letters, can be accurately traced in church history and shown to be in harmony with the Gospels.