Bible Question (short): Jesus according to Paul, vs. the Gospels |
Question (full): Jesus according to Paul, vs. the Gospels? The following question was posed to me elsewhere, and I was wondering whether anyone here has done any study or knows of any good sources on the subject: "My personal point of view is that the (later-written) Gospels present a version of Jesus that is developed along a certain line from the (earlier written) authentic letters of Paul. The authentic letters of Paul are consistent with a spiritual/non-historic Jesus who is the focus of a mystery religion. The Gnostics, who claim Paul's teaching as one of their primary sources, and for whom other non-canonical Gnostic gospel versions of Jesus exist, may have been the "true" christians and the canonical-gospel-following christians the heretics, but since the canonical-gospel-following christians got to write history, it was the Gnostics who were branded the heretics. Paul's letters could be interpreted to fit both (although I find them more consistent with the Gnostic view). All that said, I wouldn't recommend interpreting the writings of Paul based on the later-written and tangentially developed Gospels." Appreciate any input! --Cheryl |