More about Pauline Christianity

More about Pauline Christianity

by: Rich Rev on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/richardrevelstoke

OK I have to start this post with the disclaimer. I have nothing against the person of Paul portrayed in the New Testament. My posts are about Pauline Christian theology not about any particular person. I have stated very clearly that I consider Paul the greatest human teacher of his time and a wonderful writer I admire.

Having said all that I’d like to point out a few problems with the religion of Paul.
First of all Paul was not one of the original 12 apostles and did not spend three years being personally trained by Jesus. Paul claims in his letters that he received his gospel by direct revelation from Jesus.
Jesus made three predictions: the first that the Temple of Jerusalem would be destroyed. This happened in 70 A.D. when Titus destroyed the temple. Done.

The second prediction was that the spirit of truth would be sent and that happened on Pentecost. Done.

The third prediction was that he would return one day and that has yet to be fulfilled.
He made no prediction about a future apostle arriving on the scene to explain his entire mission. Was Jesus not clever enough to explain the meaning of his death on the cross while he was still here on earth?

The apostle Paul who is supposedly a student of Jesus rarely quotes Jesus or even mentions any of the events of Jesus life. Did the other apostles not teach Paul? Paul never mentions any of the 25 parables or any of the discussion of the sermon on the mount for example. Did Paul not receive instructions from the other apostles about these teachings of Jesus?

The book of James on the other hand is the only book in the new testament that makes any reference to the teachings of Jesus. James paraphrases Jesus about 35 times mostly from the sermon on the mount. Another interesting aspect of the book of James is it mentions nothing about the atonement and redemption.

The book called by scholars Q which most scholars agree was the first gospel makes no mention of atonement and redemption either. It is a collection of the sayings of Jesus of which the three synoptic Gospels borrow heavily from.

Another very interesting thing to consider is that Jesus and the 12 apostles were teaching for three years. It is not possible that they were teaching the gospel of atonement and redemption for the very simple fact that Jesus had not died yet.

So why has Christianity focused on the teachings of Paul above the teachings of it’s supposed founder and leader? Why has Paul‘s gospel superseded Jesus gospel? These are fair questions to ask and the truth has never suffered from careful examination so I hope you will take these questions into consideration in the spirit they are intended.

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