Paul's Christianity

[nebula]

I wonder why Peter never wrote an account of the life of Jesus. . . .

Peter: "I'm a fisherman, not a writer."

[systemstrike_7]

All Paul knows about is Jesus' death on a cross, resurrection from tomb, and his ascension into heaven.

.....Paul never quotes anything from any gospel, mainly because Paul wrote before the gospels were written, and apparently hadn't been told about Jesus' earthly ministry.

Now if I am correct(and tell me if I'm not) the disciples and Paul met at some point in a city and conversed. Luke was with Paul because he was Paul's personal physician. Mark was with Peter(maybe even since Gethsamane and I could point to scripture where I believe this) and of course Matthew was one of the disciples. This would give the three early gospel writers a chance to compare stories and gain insight to eachothers recollection. This would rule out the need for Matthew and Luke to use Mark as a source document. And would also rule out the possibility of Paul inventing the base of the Christ story.

System, you contradicted yourself.

On one hand, you say that Paul doesnt know about the life of Jesus, even claiming that Paul didnt know He really lived. Then you say Paul met with the apostles and his personal physician conferred with Matthew and Mark about the gospels. If Paul met with the apostles, and his physician conferred with them about the gospels, Paul would had to have known the life story of Jesus.

Thank you btw, for the compliment earlier. The Lord gives me words and attitude.

I know that I contradicted myself. If you read further on you would see that I found some pretty interesting answers and posted them accordingly. I want people to understand that I am not here to defend my position. I am here to find answers. I will search both sides of the issue, and if I find that I am wrong, I will admit defeat; and do it willingly.

It is an interesting question of why Peter didn't write his own gospel account. I think he was just too busy. He was going everywhere and spreading the word. Who knows, maybe this is why Mark wrote it. Maybe Peter told Mark to "write according to what you have heard, but put them in no particular order" or something like that. Just a thought...

[cjrose]

You really need to do some real study in the Bible!

I do. I just get different results because I'm not looking at it with Jesus colored glasses on!

Jesus colored glasses? PPPpfffffffffffffffftttttttttttttttttt.... that is the most ridiculous and nonsensical statement ever written and I have seen alot here in outer court. That statement of a direct stab at Jesus in a derogitory manner to be blunt.

You may think you are studying the Bible and well, I am at least thankful that you are reading it but with what motive are you reading? Is it to find contradictions (which there are none) or is it because you are searching? Searching with a sincere heart understanding or coming to the realization that there is something missing in your life. If you "study" the Bible out of all the wrong reasons, meaning to find and come to your own conclusions that it is merely a fictional yet well written book of fairy tales, you will never understand.

The Bible becomes comprehended when you walk in the light. Those that are living in darkness will never understand Gods messages and lessons. Yes you may be looking through glasses but I can't understand how you can see through them with the lenses painted black.

Comprehending the Lords Word is a gift when one comes to accept, believe, surrender, commit, repent, obey, follow His commandments and seek counsel and inspiration from the Bible. If your motives are are not sincere and your study is simply to cause doubt, you are only hurting yourself and dangerously sacraficing your eternal salvation in a feebile attempt to knock us off our solid foundation which isn't going to happen.

Turn your motive around to seek out the Lords wisdom for the sake of your eternal direction. I don't know you nor do I presume to know you but I get very protective of our Savior when others mock Him with a thumbs up. What's that about. It's not funny. This is serious and before it's too late, as He stands at the door and knocks, you may want to take a peak at the Truth which will feel free to open the door wide and invite Him in. Then and only then will your understanding and comprehension of His Word make sense to you and it can happen in the blink of an eye with a sincere heart and a genuine concern for your eternal salvation.

[GeneV]

You really need to do some real study in the Bible!

I do. I just get different results because I'm not looking at it with Jesus colored glasses on!

Jesus colored glasses? PPPpfffffffffffffffftttttttttttttttttt.... that is the most ridiculous and nonsensical statement ever written and I have seen alot here in outer court. That statement of a direct stab at Jesus in a derogitory manner to be blunt.

You may think you are studying the Bible and well, I am at least thankful that you are reading it but with what motive are you reading? Is it to find contradictions (which there are none) or is it because you are searching? Searching with a sincere heart understanding or coming to the realization that there is something missing in your life. If you "study" the Bible out of all the wrong reasons, meaning to find and come to your own conclusions that it is merely a fictional yet well written book of fairy tales, you will never understand.

The Bible becomes comprehended when you walk in the light. Those that are living in darkness will never understand Gods messages and lessons. Yes you may be looking through glasses but I can't understand how you can see through them with the lenses painted black.

Comprehending the Lords Word is a gift when one comes to accept, believe, surrender, commit, repent, obey, follow His commandments and seek counsel and inspiration from the Bible. If your motives are are not sincere and your study is simply to cause doubt, you are only hurting yourself and dangerously sacraficing your eternal salvation in a feebile attempt to knock us off our solid foundation which isn't going to happen.

Turn your motive around to seek out the Lords wisdom for the sake of your eternal direction. I don't know you nor do I presume to know you but I get very protective of our Savior when others mock Him with a thumbs up. What's that about. It's not funny. This is serious and before it's too late, as He stands at the door and knocks, you may want to take a peak at the Truth which will feel free to open the door wide and invite Him in. Then and only then will your understanding and comprehension of His Word make sense to you and it can happen in the blink of an eye with a sincere heart and a genuine concern for your eternal salvation.

[cjrose]

I agree, when I read the gospel accounts, I am absolutely fascinated by the life of Jesus. I just want to make sure it is true.

But we have strayed from the original debate, which is fine by me. I think we came to the point where faith and point of perception cloud each of our visions in certain ways.

I can appreciate that you are fascinated by the life of Jesus. What do you need to make sure it's true? Other than eye witness accounts, miracles, feeding multitudes, His endurance while He was being tortured and mocked, ridiculed and spat upon while bearing the weight of the cross He was to be nailed to knowing and foretelling of His death and resurrection.

Not only did Jesus tell the Apostles of the temple about to be destroyed and would be rebuilt in three days. The temple He spoke of was His physical body, rebuilding it in three days baffled and confused His Apostles as a temple takes months to years to build. Why didn't Jesus say, I'm going to die and come back to you after three days? He spoke in parables always with a lesson to be learned. It was when He appeared as He said in three days time and that is when the Apostles understood.

So, again, I ask you, what will it take for you to make sure the Bible is the Truth and Jesus is who He is? His birth and death and resurrection was foretold by the prophet Isaiah 700 years earlier. It is all through the Bible of the coming of our Savior. We who believe and have had a transformation are the evidence. Living proof.

As far as straying from the original debate, many times this happens as it is meant to happen. A constant learning process. And as to your statement of our faith and perceception being clouded, it is your own clouded perception that stands alone and incomparable to our very clear perception of truth, not visions but truth. They say we walk blindly in faith but our eyes are wide open and with a clairity only the Lord can provide to His children.

There is absolutely no clouded visions here and those that walked with Jesus 2500 years ago and believed because He dwelled among them in the flesh, how much more awesome is it that He still lives and dwells among us and we believe though we cannot touch Him or see Him literally and yet still have faith? Why is that do you think? It is because we can see Him and His messages are divinely clear and simple and loving and humbling. Yet so many make it so difficult. There is a bridge between mankind that seek religion. A gap in the process of man trying to reach God bypassing Jesus when Jesus is the truth the way and the light and it is only through Him that we can know God. Jesus closes the gap and provides a bridge and only through Him can we know the Father. Any other means is false and will not shed light upon you.

[nebula]

Not to fuel a whole other debate, but to really understand the Bible you need to remove the Hellinistic glasses (which is our way of thinking) and put on the Hebraic glasses, so then you can read the writings from the perspective of the culture in which it was written.

[Smalcald]

I think we can and should read the bible directly. The translations we have today are very very good.

There is no way God would have put some secret code book out there for only those with advanced knowledge of Greek or Hebrew or for that matter Latin to understand and stand at the gate.

We should indeed read the bible with Jesus colored glasses. Also there is NOTHING wrong with reading the New Testament with a Hellenistic viewpoint, God provided us the New Testament written in Greek for a reason.

[AnotherTraveler]

And please, guys, ya'll are christians. Be a little nicer, you are representing perfection and doing it poorly.

[cjrose]

And please, guys, ya'll are christians. Be a little nicer, you are representing perfection and doing it poorly.

How can we possibly represent perfection when we fall short of such a tall order? I agree we are commanded to set an example but poorly? Nobody mocks God and I am a firm believer in being blunt. My apologies that I fail to live up to perfection.

[WayneB]

After reading much of Paul's insertions into the New Testament, I can't seem to find any mention of Jesus' earthly ministry.

Try starting with the first creed spoken and later recorded by Paul in his letter to the church in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 15:3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.