There is no doubt that Paul had visions of Jesus. And as we all agree the gospels (and Acts for that matter) were written AFTER Paul and certainly influenced BY Paul. In one way or another they reflect his way of thinking (to a certain degree).
Wouldn’t it be possible that the story of visions started with Paul only and was incorporated into the gospels because… well, how could it be that Jesus appeared to Paul and not to his disciples?
I find it suspicious that there are such deep discrepancies in the different accounts of Jesus post-resurrection appearances….
Wouldn’t it be possible that the story of visions started with Paul only and was incorporated into the gospels because… well, how could it be that Jesus appeared to Paul and not to his disciples?
I find it suspicious that there are such deep discrepancies in the different accounts of Jesus post-resurrection appearances….
In other words: Couldn’t Paul be the sole starting point of this vision thing?
RESPONSE:
This question gets to the heart of a very big issue: what was Paul’s role in the development of early Christianity. Is he responsible for starting it? Was he the first to claim that Jesus had appeared after his death, as the risen Lord of life? Is Paul the real founder of Christianity? Should we call it Paulianity?
Maybe I’ll devote a post or two to that question, as it is completely fundamental to understanding the beginnings of the Christian religion. In this post I’ll deal with the question this reader has asked directly; my answer will, of course, be related to the larger issue.
So my basic view is that Paul could not have been the sole source for the idea that Jesus was raised from the dead. I have a very big reason for thinking that he was not, and a subsidiary reason for it. There are probably lots of other reasons, but these two stand out in my mind.
As to the big reason. Paul…
To see this and other posts in full http://ehrmanblog.org/did-paul-invent-the-resurrection-for-members/ and join the blog by clicking the "Register" button!
Hi this is cbd94, also known as "The Refutationist".
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this very interesting article which exposes Islam and the Muslims.
Refutationist, Bart Ehrman PBUH was obviously Muslim and this is my vain attempt at Al Taqiya!
DeleteNice !
ReplyDeleteI guess muslims should find another 'supposedly christian' scholar to attack christians.
I just saw in http://apologeticsandagape.wordpress.com/2014/04/23/paul-b-williams-favorite-scholar-affirms-the-apostle-paul-and-1-corinthians-151-9/
ReplyDeletethat James D.G Dunn also thinks the narration of resurrection was formulated by the disciples just months after Jesus' death.
(Muslim mode ON: I think Vatican with Evangelical fundamentalist are somehow conspiring to silence Ehrman and Dunn, probably using terror or bribery )
Great post thanks!
DeleteTwo great scholars would undoubtedly come to this conclusion as objectivists.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has no concerns about validating orthodox models of history, I found myself compelled to accept the earliest disciples of Jesus themselves professed the Resurrection and deity of Christ. This is coming from my research as an Atheist.
Bart Ehrman is honest enough to have a scholarly look at the evidence and profess these facts aswell, but not necessarily the supernatural conclusions that lay behind the facts, but as a Theist I believe the best explanation of all the facts is God's particpation in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Yet most Atheists/Muslims/Gnostics and others are just plain uncomfortable conceding to much territory despite the historians job to put all biases and absurdities aside.