Did Paul Accept the Teachings of Jesus?

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Many people do not realize just how infrequently Paul mentions the sayings of Jesus himself. And scholars can't agree why he doesn't quote Jesus more. Did Paul not know what Jesus taught? How could he not know? Did he think it wasn't important? Wasn't relevant? Was ... misleading? Moreover, if we compare what Jesus taught with what Paul taught -- are we even dealing with the same religion? These are some of most important issues confronting a historical understanding of the New Testament and early Christianity.
In this episode, Megan asks Bart:
--Do we know where Paul would have got information about Jesus from?
-In any of the writings we have, does Paul refer to specific teachings, or talk about what Jesus said in any detail?
-When we manage to line up, thematically, what Jesus and Paul say, how far do they agree, and how often are there divergences of opinion?
-Did Jesus and Paul share a similar mission to the gentiles?
-There's a difference in gentiles converting
-Rather than viewing Paul as breaking with Jesus’ teachings, would it be more realistic to understand his thought as a logical continuation? Jesus anticipated the end of the world and tried to prepare people for it. Paul carried on this mission, preparing the Gentiles for the kingdom of God, and identifying Jesus as the first of many bodily resurrections.
-Is it fair to say that they’re teaching the same basic story, but their characters have some variation?
-Is it that Paul isn’t a direct continuation of Jesus, they’re both just teaching within the same religious worldview?

[@caversmill]

Don't know how many other people are like this, but I'm an atheist Brit with zero connection to any form of religion or religious studies but I bloody love these podcasts.

[@crede9427]

They validate your ideas❤

[@GabrielEddy]

@@crede9427 Exactly 😂

[@crede9427]

@@GabrielEddy his correct beliefs

[@aLev-s3n3ctus]

Religion as an object of academic study is truly fascinating because religion is this weird mess filled with anthropological nuances. It is always interesting to dissect weird critters, and religion fits the bill to a T.

[@jeoffreywortman]

You live this because this people are atheists that have no clue regarding what religion is about. See how they talk like if they new what happened 2000 years ago just so their worldview makes sense.

[@RandiRain]

I love how Megan can start talking, stumble on what she's trying to say, and then pick it back up, and pull it off with grace. I would have just lost my train of thought. She's the perfect person to do these interviews.

[@charlespolk5221]

Yes, I too love how she starts talking.

[@numbersix8919]

Yeah, she's intelligent for sure.

[@jmatrixrenegade1971]

Five children AND a scholar with a bunch of students. Takes some grace!

[@eurech]

5 kids oh wow I thought she had 2@@jmatrixrenegade1971

[@YaoEspirito]

The two of them really do make an excellent show.

[@kv4n]

It’s amazing when you look at scripture outside orthodox Christian thinking. My my whole life of Christian indoctrination still molds my interpretation of scripture. My mind still tries to harmonize the teaching of Jesus and Paul. When I hear someone mention the times Jesus said you must keep the commandments, my mind immediately goes to “He’s trying to teach us we can’t be good enough to go to heaven, because we can’t keep the commandments.”

[@user-jw1ox6wc9t]

Chapter 1 Romans Paul Hated The Jews, 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

[@youngknowledgeseeker]

You could check out "Biblical Unitarians" if you'd like. Sir Anthony Buzzard was interviewed on "MythVision" actually. They take a very historical and scholarly approach to Biblical Hermeneutics. And, if I may, when Jesus says keep the commands, I think Paul would agree. As Ehrman also says, I think, Paul *did* think behavior mattered AND mattered toward salvation, just not specific mosaic "Jewish" behavior (circumcision, Food laws, Holy days, etc). But Paul would have never dreamed of saying "don't murder" doesn't matter because "we can't' keep laws or something. Also, for the record, and rather interesting, Jesus in the synoptics never mentions the Sabbath when saying "keep the commandments" (he will list the others though). And when mentioning the Sabbath says he is in control of it and what he deems acceptable on it becomes permissable, therefore we can work on it with no antagonism from God. (Though, I do understand Jesus saying, "Pray your flight not be on the Sabbath" can feel like a point of contension)

[@kv4n]

@@youngknowledgeseeker Dude the Bible is bullshit. I know it now that I allow myself to objectively look at it. But if you need it to be “true” to be happy, go for it my man. Whatever twisting and justification it takes for you to be happy. I’d rather be grounded in reality.

[@eulldog]

Jesus came to clarify the commandments, and to correct the previous false understanding of sacrifice and rules of behavior. It's the state of mind in which Jesus says the kingdom of heaven exists, not some list of rules. Seek this 'within' aka meditation.

[@camilleespinas2898]

👍🏼 good job

[@cooperwesley1536]

I'm an alum of UNC-Chapel Hill (1993), and I would have loved to have sat in one of Ehrman's classes. My favorite professor was Cecil Wooten (Classics, Latin), but had I encountered Ehrman, he might have won that title. Thank you for maintaining a KZbin channel, Dr Ehrman... I'm very much enjoying it!

[@hiramcrespo734]

In his book "St Paul and Epicurus", Norman DeWitt makes many arguments saying that Paul (or whoever was writing claiming to be Paul) had studied under the Epicureans and was, in part, reacting against Epicureanism in his writings. He argues that many of the ways in which early Christian communities were organized and many of their practices were drawn from ancient Epicurean communities, including communion, confession, the tradition of writing epistles, the systematized dichotomy of vices - virtues, and many other details.

[@Cor6196]

I used to live in ancient Rome shortly after Christianity hit town, and there was this knock on my door and these two guys were there, each one with a scroll in his hand, and the older guy said, "Would you like to be saved?" and I said, "Saved from what?" And he went into this incomprehensible business about dying and rising and the end of the world and Jerusalem, and he kept a straight face all the time, so it wasn't my neighbors playing a joke on April Fool's, and when I said I wasn't interested, they both turned around, took off their sandals, shook off the dust right in my face and walked away. They did leave a scroll behind but I can't read Latin, never mind Greek, so I tossed it in the fire where I was cooking up a nice pasta sauce, and I hope that's the end of it! 😖

[@whatwecalllife7034]

​@@Megamoonmegadoomed to be funny

[@moodyonroody5313]

assume no tomatoes in your pasta sauce ....

[@Cor6196]

@@moodyonroody5313 What the f...?!!! Are you from Jerusalem too? What the hell is a "tomato"? I make my sauce like all my pagan neighbors - cream, cheese, butter, garlic. We call it "Alfred" or "Albert" - I forget, but it's some dead gladiator or emperor. Anyway, as we say here down by the Appian Way, "bonum appetitum"!

[@dawnemile7499]

The Bible and its sources are a fascinating study. It is worth it for the mental stimulation. First of all, the book has to be thoroughly read and studied.

[@kurakuson]

Use to? You are still in Rome.

[@dukegroovy5162]

I wish Megan would do an Audio book, her voice is so relaxing

[@kencreten7308]

I agree with that.

[@YaoEspirito]

If you want to experience whiplash, listen to Megan, then listen to Krystal Ball.😣😬

[@sloopy5191]

Excellent, as always! Thanks to both of you...enjoy your holidays!

[@murph8411]

How many pairs of glasses do you own Megan? Every week seems to show a new pair! 😂

[@davidabulafia7145]

This week's glass are not the best.

[@jonnyw82]

What was always strange to me is Paul wrote so much theology embedded in his gospel and claimed he received it from Jesus but never says how that happened and never quotes Jesus or says, “…then Jesus told me…”

[@AnabolicUnitarian]

Um, he does do this a few times though. His 2 Cor. revelations claims to quote Jesus directly. Elsewhere he writes distinguishing where he says Jesus directly commands something and when he himself commands something. He does that in 1 Cor. about marriage for example.

[@jonnyw82]

@@drlegendre I’m aware but I was referring to how often he would say “my gospel” in his writings

[@jonnyw82]

@@AnabolicUnitarian do you know specifically where?

[@jeffryphillipsburns]

Strange perhaps, but nevertheless pretty typical.

[@johanericsson2403]

@@jonnyw82 E.g. Rom 16:25 "Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel..."

[@ginchen33]

I love these podcasts, Megan and Bart are so interesting to listen to.

[@GabrielEddy]

Paul was strenuously dichotomizing between “old” and “new” covenants, interpreting Jesus’ death (and resurrection) as necessarily fulfilling the “old” and thereby inaugurating the “new” despite Jesus having never made such a distinction between an “old” and a “new” covenant. This distinction was invented by Paul, hence his being credited with forming a new religion so radically divergent from Jesus’ teachings, and him being labeled an apostate from the Law i.e. from the “old” covenant/testament.

[@rickowen4410]

While I am a Deist now, after 40+ years as a Southern Evangelical, the following is basically how more conservative Christians would respond. Luke 22:20: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” Moses & the Law = Old Covenant. Jesus & the Gospel = the New Covenant. Contrasted in the NT: John 1:17; 3:13-15; 5:46; 6:32, 51; 8:28; 12:32; 17:1-8. Jesus’ apostles were understood to be messengers who expounded & expanded upon the basic message & foundation of Jesus - as Jesus, working through the Holy Spirit, allegedly led them to do so, as Jesus said he would do. Prior to the Cross, the Old Covenant was still in effect, therefore, Jesus spoke in these terms, often discussing obedience to the law with his Jewish brethren who were still under the law. After Jesus’ death & resurrection, the New Covenant good news was proclaimed as the fulfillment predicted in the Old Testament. Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:14ff. is one elucidation of this.

[@GabrielEddy]

@@rickowen4410 _Acts_ was written around 100 CE and is not intended as literal history. Whoever wrote _Luke_ was clearly a Pauline acolyte pushing the agenda I mentioned above.

[@TheChekas]

Hmmm, not quite true. You wouldnt explain teachings like 'the good shepherd' without intimating the end of the old and starting of the new. Or why Jesus would give new laws if he was contuing the old covenant. The last supper mentions blood of the new covenant they were to enter into. Paul & Peter necessarily had to expand on the message as chief apostles.

[@rickowen4410]

@@TheChekas John 10:16 intimates gathering Gentile believers with Jewish believers under the New Covenant.

[@TheChekas]

@@rickowen4410 absolutely. He has sheep in the old kraal already (Jews) which he takes outside first before he mixes them into one fold with the new (gentiles) kept in the new pen. That’s old covenant of the law & works annulled, and new covenant of grace & faith established.

[@SeaScienceFilmLabs]

Great topic for discussion, guys! Thanks for this upload.

[@kencusick6311]

This is the fundamental difference between the teaching of Jesus and Paul; Jesus: you must change your life and do these positive actions in order to be saved. Paul: All you need to do is identify with my group. You don’t have to change in any way. One is much easier than the other and flourished. The other is very difficult and is rarely found anywhere.

[@RB-tc3tw]

That’s a pretty big misrepresentation of Paul. He expected converts to change - or be changed - radically.

[@spyder2383]

Jesus said what you should do, Paul says what you shouldn't do. Paraphrased, of course. Muricans are not christians they are paulinians.

[@juanausensi499]

@@RB-tc3tw If the only relevant thing to do is believe in one thing, then it's not a misrepresentation.

[@RB-tc3tw]

@@juanausensi499 First, “You don’t have to change in any way” is not an accurate description of Paul’s teaching. Second, “believe in one thing” is not an accurate summary of the Pauline notion of what it means to have faith in Christ.

[@juanausensi499]

@@RB-tc3tw Let's test that. Who is saved, according to Paul?

[@Allothersweretakenn]

9:07 1. Preexistence and Divine Nature: • Paul emphasizes the preexistence and divine nature of Jesus, portraying him as the Son of God (Colossians 1:15-17, Philippians 2:5-11). 2. Incarnation: • While Paul doesn’t delve into the details of Jesus’ birth, he acknowledges the incarnation, stating that Jesus took on human form (Philippians 2:7-8, Galatians 4:4-5). 3. Teachings and Authority: • Paul refers to Jesus’ teachings, emphasizing the authority of Jesus as a source of guidance for Christian communities (1 Corinthians 7:10, 9:14). 4. Last Supper and Eucharist: • Paul provides an early Christian tradition related to the Last Supper, emphasizing the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice and the institution of the Eucharist (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). 5. Suffering and Death: • A central theme in Paul’s letters is the redemptive power of Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross (Romans 3:24-25, 5:8, 8:32; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:7). 6. Resurrection: • Paul emphasizes the resurrection of Jesus as a central tenet of Christian faith, highlighting its significance for believers’ hope and salvation (1 Corinthians 15:12-22).

[@jcavs9847]

Am I crazy or is this a reupload?

[@jonnyw82]

I was thinking the same thing

[@Robert_L_Peters]

Yes, if you look episode 31 is from 4 months ago. No explanation for why it is reappearing today.

[@jcavs9847]

@@Robert_L_Peters I literally watched this episode one or two days ago. I was so confused 😭

[@mcgie2002]

Yep. It is a (strange) repeat

[@erikawhelan4673]

You're not crazy.

[@lorrilewis2178]

Excellent discussion!!!

[@nitsua803]

I was surprised to see a new post on a Sunday, but I quickly realized that this episode had been previously posted, and it's okay.

[@onbedoeldekut1515]

I just had an advert trying to hawk the book of Enoch in the middle of a serious discussion about Saul. (KZbin recently blocked all ad-blockers).

[@andrewreynolds9559]

As an Australian atheist listening to Bart for many years I am convinced Paul’s highjacking of Jesus’s apocalyptic teachings and the resultant notion of the trinity is a total perversion of Jesus teachings and surely he and his father must be appalled at the resultant proliferation of the basically evil sects especially that of Peter…….. Roman Catholicism

[@TheArghnono]

Another excellent episode, and I have to say that dropping the long third party transition/intro/outro parts made a great improvement.

[@jeffryphillipsburns]

What does “outro” stand for? Outroduction?

[@TheArghnono]

@@jeffryphillipsburns It's coined from intro. Pretty well-established term over the last 50+ years in music and video.

[@billyoumans1784]

Fundamentalists would probably argue that the passages where the man asks “what must I do to receive eternal life” all end with “and come follow me.” That the selling and giving to the poor are secondary, the main thing is to “follow Jesus.” Personally I don’t agree. I think the latter is secondary. But it’s not as if the selling and giving are all that is quoted to be necessary for salvation. There is one other means by which Jesus says the forgiveness of sins may be obtained:: by forgiving others. It’s in the Lord’s Prayer, and in many other places.

[@davidk7529]

Is this an episode from earlier this year that’s just been uploaded today? The times and other things mentioned sound like it’s from April or so 😅

[@daviddieter8294]

I wonder if Christians are worried about Erhman, or learn from him? Quite fascinating because he knows so much about being a Christian firstly, he converted his own parents, secondly as a historian and lastly as an agnostic. He really does challenge what people know with many of his simple tasks for his students of comparisons of themes, content and ideas in the Bible to help them learn through critical thinking and personal experience, ie comparing passages from the gospels to simply show inconsistencies. This critical thinking skill is needed more and more these days it seems. I commend him challenging his students and all of us.

[@chrisp4170]

The big difference between the teachings of Paul and Jesus was Easter. If you believe that Jesus died for our sins, then it would be strange for the route to salvation available before and after Jesus’ death not to have changed. I don’t have a problem with this in the way that Bart does. How could Jesus have preached that the route to salvation was through his death and resurrection, when it hadn’t happened? Easter changed everything for both Jesus and Paul. Paul doesn’t discuss the route to salvation before Jesus’ death and Jesus doesn’t discuss the route to salvation after his death.

[@robertmattingly6856]

I have only been listening to you for a short time now, my question is, if Paul presecuted early christians, and then converted only a few years after Jesus death, then Jewish christians must have grow quickly?

[@squatch1992]

Speaking as a Christian, this is the highlight of my week. Been waiting for this episode for a long time!

[@jeffryphillipsburns]

Speaking as a left-handed person, this seems to me essentially a rehashing of something already repeatedly addressed in this series, maybe slightly fleshed out in this episode, but only slightly.

[@squatch1992]

@@jeffryphillipsburns I'm left handed too!

[@jeffryphillipsburns]

@@squatch1992 Congratulations! I’m Christian too (though this no more to do with my religious beliefs than my left-handedness)-as far as I can tell, that is..

[@GabrielEddy]

@@jeffryphillipsburns Hmm I suppose that would depend on whether you obey the commandments… err, fulfill the sacraments… err, say the prayer… lol

[@numbersix8919]

@@squatch1992 I am also left-handed, and this video is worth watching again in the Mirror Universe where I seem to be about half the time anyway.

[@eximusic]

If Paul's writings precede the gospels, and Paul quotes Jesus at the last supper, then how do we know the 3 synoptic gospels weren't quoting Paul?

[@joeldavis7577]

Is this a re-upload? There's a lot of banter and anecdotes that sound very familiar

[@gyomor00711]

Yes it is. I remember it too. based on what Megan says at the beginning and what Bart says at the end, the video is 4 months old. The episode before it is called Is "Paul the Founder of Christianity?" and the following is "Is the Gospel of John a Forgery?" (interview with Hugo Mendez).Too bad they are not numbered. :(

[@christianmichael8609]

@27:00 Prof Ehrman says ‘… Nothing about believing in Jesus’. For Paul, believing in Jesus obviously entails faithship according to Jesus’ pattern. In Matthew 19.21, Jesus said this to the same young man he had told to give up his posessions that enslaved him: “…and come, follow me”. Prof. Ehrman omitted ‘.. and come follow me’ from the words of Jesus. Why did he omit that? Paul stressed: ‘Imitate me as I imitate Christ’ - Paul gave up everything he had his pride in and which kept him enslaved - in order that he should be shaped according to Jesus’ pattern. Paul wrote this to his most mature converts: “And so, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only when I was with you but even more now that I am absent, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is producing in you both the desire and the ability to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you may be blameless and innocent, God’s children without any faults among a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world as you hold firmly to the word of life. Then I will be proud when the Messiah returns that I did not run in vain or work hard in vain.” (Phil 2.12-16 ISV)

[@robinstevenson6690]

The idea that Jesus had no interests in non-Jews flies in the face of Mark 6:15: "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

[@qtip6366]

What about Mathew 10:15?

[@robinstevenson6690]

@@qtip6366 Matt 10:15 seems pretty irrelevant: "Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town."

[@qtip6366]

@@robinstevenson6690 Jesus’s own words are irrelevant?

[@erikawhelan4673]

Why the re-upload?

[@ji8044]

No, Paul always refers to "my gospel". He made up the principles of Christianity on his own, though he did not intend to create a new religion. He thought the end of the world was imminent.

[@user-om2os5yr6i]

The gospels are all, ultimately, cribbed from Paul anyway. Mark just turns Paul's personal opinions into straight-up Jesus quotes, so it is meaningless to ask if Paul "accepts" it: he made it up himself. (Of course the later gospels mix things up a bit.)

[@Plethorality]

Many new religions think that the end of the world is imminent .. and they are right!... The world has ended for many of them. Yet life goes on...

[@DavidRayBurroughs]

Paul has always struck me as the third wave of Christianity and it is only by luck we see his wrestling with the facts be was observing - that non-jews could and were as good people and christians but not jews and not "needing" circumcision and not needing to become full blown converts to the Jewish faith. For some reason, he"saw" that, and it appears to have been different from the views of Peter, et al.

[@travis1240]

Maybe he just saw an opportunity to be a religious leader.

[@hollykirby8542]

Paul’s makes more sense in a way. Perhaps he is the “divine one.” Though we say Jesus, it’s all about “thorn in his flesh,” Paul.

[@user-om2os5yr6i]

Paul is the _first_ wave. Second wave is inventing a terrestrial Jesus to mouth Paul's opinions (with strategic alterations). Third wave is walking said Jesus around Judea saying them. Fourth is executing everybody who says different, and burning every last scrap of whatever they wrote.

[@user-jw1ox6wc9t]

You are forgetting ROMANS CHAPTER 1, Paul HATED The Jews, Paul WANTED The Jews exterminated!!!! PAUL WAS A ANTISEMITE~~~~ 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

[@yoursoulisforever]

I love this series. Much respect for Bart and Megan! Regarding what Bart says (at 31:50) "that there would be no reason for him to have to die"...I would ask if he was killed because he attacked the Pharisees for their hypocrisy on the very matter Bart referred to, and due to his popularity, he was a huge treat to their power.

[@ged9925]

@bartehrman Can you provide some historical insight on ownership/cohabitation of the land of Israel?

[@MossyMozart]

@ged9925 - Certainly a timely request.

[@saidzouhri8524]

Thank you ,you are an honest man

[@Pax-Africana]

What teaching is Mr. Ehrman referring to?

[@ruefulradical77]

It would have been VERY helpful if the description noted that it was a duplicate/ re-upload of episode 31. Yes, it was very interesting, BUT I wouldn't have spent so much time on it!

[@eulldog]

Paul definitely got the message wrong by concluding all we need is to worship Jesus like a God. This was all made up and assumed in some letters and totally missed the point that Jesus never said he was the only son of God - but that we ALL are.

[@jeffmacdonald9863]

Unlikely to be have been Paul's idea, but the reaction of the disciples struggling to cope with their Messiah's death - "there must have been some purpose, some meaning behind it, right?"

[@eulldog]

@@jeffmacdonald9863 I disagree. IMO it doesn't matter who came up with the idea, but Paul perpetuated this false belief that just believing Jesus is 'the christ' is all we need. The disciples knew the truth through the psychedelic wine Jesus made many times for his disciples, and that he will 'return again', and to 'do this in remembrance of me'. The disciples absolutely knew that Jesus (and all of us) don't truly die when we die.

[@ponderingspirit]

This is a re-upload?

[@murph8411]

It seems so given they were talking about things they’ve already done this summer and then about the course that was released earlier this summer.

[@thescoobymike]

Is it possible that the “teachings of Jesus” that are consistent with Paul were actually reverse engineered based on Paul’s writings? As in, Jesus did not actually say these things but the writers put it into his mouth to make it consistent with Paul?

[@travis1240]

It's not even reverse engineering. It's simply a progression. There is a lot of evidence that the author of Mark was aware of at least some of Paul's writings and included this in the first gospel. I haven't seen the reverse (that Paul was aware of the gospels) argued successfully. I think it's likely that neither Paul nor the gospel authors actually had much reliable information about Jesus.

[@thescoobymike]

@@travis1240 i said “reverse engineering” because the stories in the Gospels are supposed to take place before Paul ever entered the scene. Therefore they’re placing future sayings or ideas into the past and projecting them on to Jesus, who came earlier than Paul. Thus explaining my use of the term “reverse”.

[@travis1240]

​@@thescoobymikeyeah I understand. Much/most of the Bible describes events far in the past from the perspective of the authors, when the authors had little or no information about the events in question - this is why so little aligns with the historical record. Paul is one of the few writing contemporaneously, and a few of his books are probably even written by a guy named "Paul". So I tend to see it as just stories and not some sort of engineered past.

[@thescoobymike]

@@travis1240 well I don’t wanna get lost in semantics, so regardless of our preferred terms I agree with you. The contents of books in the Bible tell us a lot more about the time period in which they were written rather than the time period in which the stories take place.

[@jeffmacdonald9863]

I don't see it. It's quite possible Jesus didn't say many of those things, but I don't see how you'd get to most of them if you were just trying to come up with stuff that matched Paul's writings.

[@jillengland3277]

I don’t think Paul ever met Yeshua. Sad but true.

[@travis1240]

He never even claimed to meet him in person. As for his "visions", Paul was either aware he was a con man, or maybe he had a stroke or fell off his horse and hit his head.

[@hollykirby8542]

Some think he developed an insider position to work with Roman government

[@jillengland3277]

@@hollykirby8542 Been reading “Creating Christ”, Valliant, which expresses that point of view. Comparing it to “The Triumph of Christianity”, Ehrman. Although they are sensibly the same topic they do not agree.

[@user-om2os5yr6i]

Best evidence we have is that nobody did. Certainly nobody from the time so much as hinted they had.

[@kevinbeck8836]

is this a reupload?

[@cuthip]

Is this a reupload?

[@CoffeeKatastrophe]

I know I’m not losing my mind, right?

[@mikailsameerraifmikailsame9436]

I have a question for Dr.Bart I have always wanted to know. Why is it that mark, matthew, luke and john regardless if they narrated the gospels for scribes to copy or them writing it down their narration themselves or their specific communities writing the narrations themselves why is it that there is nothing regarding the exegesis of the gospels by the authors of the gospels themselves? May i know what evidences we have?

[@eulldog]

Part of the answer is that there is no evidence the gospels were written by the apostles themselves. They started as verbal stories and eventually written down from a story telling point of view - all by anonymous authors. Many other books of the bible were discarded and not included as well.

[@mikailsameerraifmikailsame9436]

@@eulldog thank you bro.

[@user-om2os5yr6i]

There is no hint of evidence gospels "started as verbal stories", and plenty against. Mark is visibly cribbed from Paul's letters, with such embellishments as putting Paul's opinions in Jesus's mouth, and the other gospels crib from Mark, with their own embellishments.

[@eulldog]

@@user-om2os5yr6i yes, there is lots of evidence that the gospels started out as verbal stories because they were circulating around many decades sourced through many christian sects, all before the first gospels were written down in the form we know. All of the main gospels were embellished and molded to fit the form of the winning christian sect.

[@mikailsameerraifmikailsame9436]

@@user-om2os5yr6i do you say that because the letters of paul are the earliest evidence available?

[@bikelane]

Regarding lack of any written sources of the teachings or biography of Jesus available to Paul, in "The Historical Figure of Jesus," Sanders suggests (if I recall correctly) that there were pericopes (is what I recall him referring to them as--small snippets of individual writings) that were passed around in communities of followers. Is that a suggestion that has fallen out of favor in academic circles?

[@user-om2os5yr6i]

There was never so much as a hint of evidence for pericopes. Real historians only talk about what there is evidence for, not random speculation. Most of what "new testament scholars" (who are not historians) talk about is exactly such random speculation. Since the early Church assiduously destroyed every document from the time except Paul's letters and a couple of others, everything not directly referring to those is random speculation. "Oral traditions", most of all.

[@jeffmacdonald9863]

@@user-om2os5yr6i Why do you think the early Church destroyed every document from the time? Why do you think they had such documents to start with? At the very least, intentionally destroying such documents wasn't necessary. Simply not bothering to copy manuscripts deemed less important would likely lead to their loss as the centuries passed.

[@user-om2os5yr6i]

@@jeffmacdonald9863 Because later Church heavies boast openly about torching anything they can find that differs from their official opinions. Founding documents would be among the most important to preserve and copy unless they suggested inconvenient facts such as that Jesus never preached, but was only ever seen in visions. You wouldn't need a creed insisting Jesus _"really did"_ this and _"really did"_ that unless there were sects saying he didn't.

[@jeffmacdonald9863]

@@user-om2os5yr6i Yeah, they boast about it. They boast about the heresies they squash. They never boast about squashing a heresy that claimed there never was a physical Jesus on Earth. That suggests that wasn't a sect that was actually around. You're inventing documents there isn't any reason to think existed in order to blame the Church for destroying them.

[@user-om2os5yr6i]

​@@jeffmacdonald9863 It is objective fact that whatever was written down in the early Church is lost to us, where it would have been preserved if anyone in later centuries had wanted to preserve it and could do without getting burnt. The odds that nothing was written down at the time except what we have now is nil. The reasonable inference is that early writings were among what later came to be considered heretical. It is _not_ reasonable to infer that nobody at the time cared what the apostles wrote. That Mark had practically nothing to work with except Paul's letters suggests that the torching came very early. Nobody writing second-century shows any hint of knowing anything about what apostles thought, outside what we have in Paul, 1 Peter, and the like. Boasts about burning heresy and heresiarchs are meant to warn others away from currently active heresy; there is no need to mention heresies long since wholly suppressed, and utterly compelling reasons not to.

[@unme4728]

Why does Prof Ehrman not seem to know about Sepphoris, a major Roman city an hour's walk from Nazareth?

[@MusicalRaichu]

I think there is both continuity, and an understandable discontinuity. Jesus lived and taught substantially in a Jewish context. He would tell his disciples that to enter the kingdom, one needs to repent from sin and live faithfully to God and doing good to others. But in Jesus' context, this was naturally expressed by following the Torah. Paul may well have started the same way. But Paul faced something that Jesus didn't. He was sent by Jesus to the gentiles. He experienced gentiles coming to faith in God, repenting, and starting to do good to others in response to the message of Jesus without first becoming Jews or knowing the Torah. That forced him to rethink what entering the kingdom of God was about.

[@erichodge567]

27:35 Dr. Ehrman puts his finger on the central point, the crucial difference.

[@jayjaral]

1 Timothy 1:4 mentions a reference to what might be the Gospels, even though today most serious and unbiased scholars consider this pastoral letter to be a forgery.

[@MossyMozart]

@jayjaral - In other places, Dr Ehrman has said that that only 6 of the letters are written by the same person. The others are written by others. (There is no concrete evidence that Paul wrote any of them.)

[@PropheticPlaces-rm9lp]

Although I Too Have Problems With Paul Portrayed In False Church Doctrines. Yeshua Did Say "You Believe In God Believe Also In Me." So Yeshua Did Command A Belief In Him.

[@Plethorality]

His other commands were to love. Paul encouraged love, too, but many churches who discourage love, quote paul, to contradict what Jesus said. This frustrates me, no end.

[@PropheticPlaces-rm9lp]

@@Plethorality - Agreed. And Not Everything Written Of The Bible Is The Inerrant Infallible Word Of God Is "Scripture". As Church Religions Proclaim. Paul Is A Good Example Of This Himself. The Only Time Yeshua And His Disciples Spoke Of Scripture Is When They Were Referring To What The Prophets Of God Said. Even The Apostle Peter Attested To This. With His Letter When He Was Stirring Their Minds To Remember What The Prophets Of God Said. Saying That "IN All Paul's Letters" He Speaks Of "These Things" Too. Not That Paul Was Writing Scripture Himself With All His Letters. - 2Pet.3:1-16 The Catholics Leaders Had Professed Peter As Their Patriarch Of Faith To Succession. So The Protestants Not To Be Out Done Reserved Paul As Their Patriarch Of Succession. As So The Protestant Pastors Of Paul Put Him On A Pedestal Of Their Own Accent Over Others As Well.

[@TheSoteriologist]

Begins 2:35.

[@jeffryphillipsburns]

Wish you would have posted this sooner. Oh, well, thanks anyway.someone else can make use of it.

[@TheSoteriologist]

@@jeffryphillipsburns It's a reup anway, you could have spared yourself the whole thing :)

[@thescoobymike]

Pretty much every episode starts around the 2:30 to 3:00 area just as a heads up for anyone who plans on listening to more of the episodes

[@TheSoteriologist]

@@thescoobymike There have been a few around the 4:00 mark too. It's good not to have to search so much.

[@thescoobymike]

@@TheSoteriologist facts

[@norzilahaziz6695]

Keep it up wth the good job Prof. I guess still many peoples around the globe that worship the wrong god..

[@grizmileham7029]

I have come to the conclusion that Matthew 28:20 "...teaching them all to obey everything I have commanded you..." totally breaks the dispensationalist reliance on the ressurection as the dividing line between Jesus's message and Paul's regarding observance of the law vs. salvation by grace through faith. I am personally coming to believe that 1 and 2 Cor. shows Paul was mostly a grifter who had very little idea of what Jesus actually taught and 1 & 2 Peter and especially James were the psuedoepigraphical response of the Jerusalem christians to Paul's complete revision of the Jesus cult's salvation message.

[@joejones363]

After the dialogue with the rich young man, Jesus talked about how hard it would be for those with riches to enter heaven. He compared it to a camel going through the eye of a needle, although some scholars said the actual word was a rope, not a camel.

[@scienceexplains302]

*Paul talked with Cephas and James?* He wrote that he did, but the account sounds very suspect to me. We shouldn’t say they talked, but that Paul claims they talked. He had reason to want people to believe they talked - so Paul would have “street creds”. It would serve as a comeback to a claim that Paul’s knowledge was inferior to Cephas’ and James’ because those two knew Jesus personally.

[@johnnylnowlin]

***QUESTION?*** ... If anyone can answer: In John 5:31, Jesus stated that if he gave testimony of himself, he should not be listened to. BUT... the spirit bore witness to Jesus by the miracles Jesus performed - hence, there was witness that Jesus was of God. Based on the above... Paul had no witness to prove what he claimed Jesus told him on the road to Damascus. How do we know that Paul did not make it up? How is one to know, in the absence of a "witness" that Paul was not lying?

[@mickeydecurious]

John was written 100 to 110 years after crucifixion... I don't know how that would have passed down the line if Jesus said it 🤔💭

[@alexchavez4951]

I think we were lied to. There have never been a condemnation! They sold us that idea, to sell us the salvation!

[@mildredmartinez8843]

Illuminating.

[@jillengland3277]

“Capt’n I’ah can’t do it! I can’not fix the warp core by merging it with this infernal alien contraption”! Summary of my experience welding “The Triumph of Christianity”, Ehrman with “Creating Christ” , Valliant. I have a new theory that any literature can be created by first copying Mark and editing that until you get what you want. At least then every book would have the same outline. 😇

[@user-jw1ox6wc9t]

@ @jillengland3277 Paul has always struck me as the third wave of Christianity and it is only by luck we see his wrestling with the facts be was observing 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

[@Seapatico]

It's hard to even compelled how anyone knew anything 2000 years ago. If few people could read and write, you only "know" what you've memorized. It seems wild to quote anyone when you can't read or write.

[@joyhunter2362]

This is a Reupload But it is Good

[@hollykirby8542]

Though this may be a repeat upload, I missed 1st time & glad for this. I see two gospels most definitely. I’ve wondered that if Paul was necessary why Jesus did not inform his disciples of Paul to come. Jesus should be all that’s needed!!!

[@eulldog]

That's exactly what Paul got wrong IMO. Paul basically said "all that matters is Jesus (and worshipping him)", which is wrong compared to what Jesus said/did. Jesus never intended to be worshipped as God, and always indicated that we are ALL sons of the Father - not just himself. He repeatedly said to seek this truth within, like a child, to enter this 'heaven'.

[@travis1240]

My opinion is that Jesus never said he was the "son of god", or any of that self-aggrandizing stuff he's associated with now. He was just an apocalyptic preacher who got crucified by the romans for insurrection. He didn't write anything down (or ask that anyone else write anything down) because he thought the world was going to end so soon that it didn't matter. He certainly had no idea that his movement would live well past his death and that several decades later someone would come and usurp his message with a completely different one. At the same time, without Paul, Christianity would have died out a very long time ago.

[@eulldog]

@@travis1240 I disagree with part of what you said. Jesus was certainly a participant in the Eleusinian mysteries and didn't think the world would end or anything. He for sure didn't try to start a religion about himself, but he was trying to an ultimate truth when he constantly indicated that we are ALL sons of God (not just himself). Aka we are all immortal but experiencing physical death, and that we should not worry about death. His message is universal and would have continued regardless of Paul. We are seeing this true message continue today with the resurgence of psychedelics.

[@user-om2os5yr6i]

@@travis1240 There is no evidence that a Jesus ever said anything at all. What Mark claims Jesus said is largely just rephrases of what Paul identifies as his own personal opinions.

[@Sxcheschka]

@@eulldog Jesus was an Apocalyptic preacher believing the world was soon to end, and you claim he didn't think the world would end...

[@ericbilodeau3897]

It's almost as if Christians are really Paulites

[@schmetterling4477]

Evangelicals might be. Catholics are certainly not. For Catholics works are central. Faith without works is dead. Early Protestants did, of course, criticize the Catholic priest caste for its greed and opulent lifestyle in the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. That criticism has entirely reversed itself in the Evangelical subgroup which consists mostly of people with varying degrees of narcissistic/egotistic personality disorder. They want salvation for free and are throwing in some Schadenfreude over everybody else who isn't like them and therefor can not possibly be saved. ;-)

[@ottosponring5534]

My understanding is that Paul got the information about Jesus through his visions and intuition starting with his falling from the horse on the way to Damascus. The rest he made up not the most reliable of sources. He was in many points in opposition to him.

[@Jayzbird16]

I know that Prof. Ehrman pushes back when people say ask if Paul was the founder of christianity. However, I feel like a lot of that pushback is sort of semantic in nature, as in, well, what do you mean by "founded," or what do you mean by the term "christianity"? The more I learn about it all though, the more I see Paul as being by far the most influential force that shaped what would become christianity, and the more I see Jesus himself as sort of incidental to it, and the reasons why have a lot to do with what Bart and Megan are talking about in this episode. Jesus and Paul taught different messages and knew very different things. Jesus didn't know he was going to be crucified, and Paul didn't know what Jesus taught. Consequently, Jesus didn't preach a message about himself. Jesus was a Jew, and his message was to Jews and about Judaism and the Jewish law and prophets. Entrance into the kingdom being based upon hospitality seems to be a direct echo of the parable of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis, rather than anything that would come to be thought of as New Testament theology. The Judaism of Jesus would have been a religion of obedience to law, even if his spin on Judaism was unorthordox, and not so much about beliefs, per se. That's in stark contrast to Paul, who taught a message about Jesus, instead of the message that Jesus himself taught. Paul couldn't have because he didn't know Jesus, and probably knew very little about Jesus or his teachings. The one thing he did know was that Jesus was crucified, and that other christians believed he'd been resurrected. The other thing he knew was uncircumcised non-Jews were not too enthusiastic about becoming circumcised. But still, people had been converting to Judaism for hundreds of years, and they were known as "proselytes." When Paul went to James and Peter, the probably thought he was crazy. If "gentiles" wanted to convert, they could do it the same way it had always been done, by becoming "proselytes." But Paul came up with a novel solution: they didn't have to become "proselytes," they could just become "christians." That's the key innovation. Jesus did not teach this, and the Jerusalem church doesn't seem to have approved either. It appears that the conception of James and Peter was that to be a follower of Jesus was to still be a Jew, most likely because that's who Jesus was and that's what Jesus taught. But Paul replaced that with a teaching about Jesus, about how belief in his death and resurrection, instead of obedience to law, was the key to salvation, and about how it was not necessary to be a Jew at all to be a follower of christ. In fact, if Paul was right, then it wasn't even necessary for Jesus to have taught anything at all. All he needed to do was just simply die and be resurrected, and then later inspire folks like Paul to go raise up churches of people who believed in it. Paul makes Jesus' whole ministry superfluous. The Jerusalem church could not compete with the "gentile" churches founded by Paul, and eventually went extinct or was subsumed, leaving an increasingly anti-semitic Pauline christanity that bore little resemblance to the religion that Jesus followed and taught. It was founded upon Jesus, but arguably, no longer by him. Was McDonalds "founded" by Richard and Maurice, or was it "founded" by Roy Crock? It's kinda the same question. You could answer it either way, and either answer could be viewed as being correct, because the restaurant they opened and operated bears no resemblance to Roy Crock's corporation that still bears their name.

[@hollykirby8542]

The mystery still is how did Galilean Jesus make a name for himself. What attributes captivated scholarly Paul to invest himself. Was it something supernatural OR sinister. Faith is belief without evidence....

[@jeffmacdonald9863]

From what I understand of Bart's take on this, the theory is that James and Peter already had adopted the theology that faith in Jesus and the meaning of his death and resurrection was key to being right with God. Probably derived from their attempt to find meaning in his execution. Paul's difference was that if that was the important thing then converting to Judaism and keeping the Law was not necessary. The Jerusalem Church was already halfway to being a new religion. By reaching out to Gentiles, Paul just cut the ties to Judaism entirely. It's hard to see, because we don't have any documents from James and Peter's version, so we can't see the changes happening.

[@Jayzbird16]

And the fact that it's hard to tell in many cases what Jesus actually taught because the "gospels" came so late and the earliest one we have (Mark) is such a Pauline retelling of Jesus' life (even the word "gospel" [euangelion] is a Pauline thing), that just muddies the waters that much more. If I've come across this point you're bringing up before I've forgotten it, but it's entirely possible that's true. But that would just mean that Jesus' ministry was that much more pointless, since even his disciples threw away almost everything he said that much more quickly.

[@user-om2os5yr6i]

@@Jayzbird16 [Euangelion] is an Augustan, i.e. Roman thing that Paul adopted. (Augustus was announcing salvation from military domination by others.) There is no objective reason to believe that a Jesus taught anything before the gospels were penned. If there was such a one, anything he said is lost, wholly replaced by what was made up after he died. The bulk of what was made up for him to have said is rephrased from Paul's opinions, or later writers' reactions to them: there is no better way to enforce doctrine than to insist your founder said it himself.

[@truthdoesntcomeeasyyes4968]

​@@Jayzbird16 Hi. You're a reasonable and honest individual. It's your honest search for truth which led you to recognize the opposite teachings when it comes to Jesus and Paul. Remember, Jesus wa-rn-ed about Fer-oc-1ous w0l-ves in she-ep's clo-thi-ng. 👉 Paul is the answer The fruits of Paul are that 2 Billion + Christians made a H.E.R.E.T.I.C of Jesus of the Bible. The Bible testifies. On each and every fundamental doctrine, it's Christians Vs Jesus whom the Christians profess to love and honor. Truth is a bitter pill to swallow. The fruits of Paul are that the faith called Christianity h-e-a-p-s the gr-ea-te-st I-N-S-U-L-T-S on Jesus of the Bible. The Bible testifies. I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to try to counter / challenge / refute / reason on.

[@narancauk]

27:39 ''Paul says believe in death and resurrection of Jesus''---------------------I slightly presume that Paul also meant and be true to Jesus teachings (Not only death & resurrection and discard his teachings??????)

[@hans-georg6091]

In what language would Paul have spoken to James and Peter in Jerusalem? Did Paul command any Aramaic? Would Jesus's disciples have had a smattering of Greek?

[@greenefieldmann3014]

Video starts at 2:36.

[@torjusekkje6264]

You miss a to understand a crucial part of the NT

[@Lost-In-Blank]

30:00 So there are modern Christians who believe that God sent his only begotten son to earth to die for the sins of man, knowing he was going to be crucified, and didn't tell him, didn't warn him, just let it be a surprise. And these modern Christians think this God is benevolent and loving?

[@lauriehermundson5593]

It would seem so...

[@Lost-In-Blank]

So some ancient and modern Christians believe that God and Jesus are the same entity, both omniscient and omnipotent, meaning Jesus would have known he was going to be crucified on Good Friday in Jerusalem as early as his infancy? So, being omniscient, Jesus knew about his eventual sacrifice the entire time he was preaching. Hence, no reason for Jesus to not take his crucifixion into account when wording what he was preaching.

[@GabrielEddy]

He was not omniscient. (Mark 13:32)

[@GabrielEddy]

He was not omnipotent. (Mark 6:5)

[@travis1240]

If you analyze it, there is no reason for the drama to take place at all

[@hollykirby8542]

He emptied himself, remember? While on earth he was human (and oh ya he was god too)..... Get it?

[@MossyMozart]

@@hollykirby8542 - No. I don't buy it. "Son of man" = he was one of us.

[@WilliamXucla]

Has it occurred to Mr Ehrman, that Paul spoke to people in far away places, who had never heard of Jesus?...Therefore, why should he be quoting him?...

[@a.t.6322]

What is often lost in these types of conversation is that Jesus was speaking to his own people, the Jewish people. This is especially obvious in Matthew 25. When he says whenever you do this to the least of these my brothers and sisters you do it to me he’s referring to the Jewish people.

[@releb101]

“All the nations will be gathered before him.”

[@David_Brinkerhoff93]

Rev 2:9, 3:9

[@releb101]

@@David_Brinkerhoff93 completely irrelevant to the original comment.

[@tedclemens4093]

Sixty-six books, one theme: "My grace is sufficient for you."

[@AnnaSibirskaja]

That's an interesting way to preach. 🤔

[@smillstill]

Romans 1:18-20 says the unreached by the Gospel know what God wants in their heart. No one really knows what that means though, except by speculation. Would Paul agree with the sheep and the goats parable for those people?

[@carlgrove8793]

How could he accept them when he was apparently totally ignorant of them?

[@scienceexplains302]

*Resurrected Jesus didn’t appear* to anyone specifically in the earliest available version of Mark, the first gospel. And from Mark 16:7, I wouldn’t expect that Jesus would appear first to the disciples or Paul, because the women don’t tell anyone, so Cephas and the gang don’t know to meet Jesus there. Mark’s Jesus had alluded to Resurrection, but they didn't understand and were afraid to ask 8:31-34,9:30-32, (14:24-5?), and he doesn't mention a physical meeting.

[@andrewfrennier3494]

In modern Christianity, it seems Paul is the most important, with Jesus as a reference

[@MuslimReplies]

Can you please tell me if this was a teaching of Jesus or not Did Jesus agree to kill the disobedience kids and he criticized the Pharisees and the Jews for not doing it Matthew 15:3-4 Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and ' Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death .' Mark 7:9-10 And he continued, "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, 'Honor your father and mother,' and, ' Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death ." Jesus was pointing to the teaching of the OT as we read in Exodus 21:15, Exodus 21:17, Leviticus 20:9, and Deuteronomy 21:18

[@haddow777]

When God made his covenant with Israel, he had already promised that they would he instrumental in helping the whole world. In Exedus, he claims he is making them a kingdom of priests. As can be seen by the priests in Israel, they were separate from the 12 tribes. The 12 tribes had land they worked. The priests worked in the temple and helped support the temple as well as the spiritual support of the nation. When Jesus came, he wasn't just looking to save anyone, but he was forming a kingdom, and was picking the promised priests out of Israel. They are the ones mentioned in the first ressurection in Revelations 20. Since God promised this honor to Abraham's seed and to Israel as a whole, Jesus restricted this gathering work to just Isralites. Even after he died, his followers were similarly restricted to just the Israelites for a time. About 3.5 years. This was foretold in Daniel's prophecy of the 70 weeks. Jesus ministry would be 3.5 years and the time the Israelites enjoyed as being exclusively called lasted for another 3.5 years, totalling a week of years. So Matthew was talking about the time when the work was restricted to Jews and Paul was discussing the times after the gathering work was opened up to the gentiles. They aren't making contradictory claims, they are just discussing different periods of time. Like Jesus claiming they still needed to follow the law. That was true at the time. He didn't do away with the Law until after he bestowed the Holy Spirit onto his followers, showing he had been given authority in heaven to do so. Thar was when the new covenant started and did away with the old one. After that, the law was no longer held against anyone.

[@user-wj9hx8ww3z]

It seems to me that ppl could still appreciate the earthly historical Jesus, while acknowledging that Christianity as a religion was based on what happened after Jesus' death. I see no contradiction, in other words, with accepting what historians like Bart says abt what Jesus believed, and what the first Christians believed abt the risen Christ. Perhaps Jesus himself was not fully aware of how God would act after his death. I see no reason why we can't accept both.

[@SpiritLevel888]

Why's the veracity of Paul's Apostleship coming under attack? Because TRUTH is under all-out attack. By dismissing Paul you're USURPING the *completed Word of God* and leaning on your OWN understanding NOT *"Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth."* As an "awakened" new ager I dissed Paul (once or twice) thinking I knew better, but now I'm BORN AGAIN I see better. I SEE he was full of the same *Spirit* filling me - and that's ALL I need to know about Paul: that he was anointed by the *Holy Spirit* (which testified of Jesus through him). Paul was appointed by *Jesus Himself* and HE don't make mistakes. Paul's personality shows through in his writings even as all the authors of scripture do. But Paul isn't simply rehearsing something that he sat down and learned and meditated and said "well now this is what I'll write." No, he wrote as he was moved by the *Holy Spirit.* Seriously, Paul wrote as he was moved by the HOLY SPIRIT and to *insult him* is to insult said *SPIRIT* which, Jesus says, is tantamount to the *unpardonable sin.* We must *stress* Paul's Apostleship for the *church age* as over and against *Christ's Ministry* in the Gospels; but people cry, *"I'm gonna go with what Jesus said."* They're well meaning but NOT THINKING. Everything Jesus said in his earthly ministry - with exception of the last chapters of the gospels (after His resurrection) - was BEFORE THE CROSS. He hadn't DIED yet; His blood hadn't been shed and nothing is mooted of that. Jesus came to His People ISRAEL but was prophesied to be a LIGHT unto the Gentiles (Isaiah 49:6, Luke 2:32) Paul was BLINDED by Jesus' LIGHT in *Acts 26:12-18* and HE brought that LIGHT to the Gentiles - as prophesied. Rightly DIVIDE the Word of Truth! When you go by what Jesus said in his earthly ministry you're going by that which is BEFORE THE CROSS. When you get to the *Apostle Paul* he makes it so plain that everything he writes he receives from the Lord in *(((GLORY))).* It's still the Words of Jesus only now it's in the time that's most appropriate: POST Resurrection. He's FINISHED the Work of the Cross. We have to adhere to the writings of Paul because that's where the MEAT of our doctrine really IS.

[@d..c4808]

Is Paul's un-knowledge of the teachings of Jesus more unrealistic than the writer(s) of the Gospels that must have had front row tickets and dictaphones to get Jesus on record verbatim? There must also had been a lot of door knocking involved to interview the grandkids of the witnesses who saw the Great Jesus Magical Mystery Tour when it was in town all those decades before the reviews finally came out. Little bit sus how Paul preached "thou must pay thy preacher." Was his Mrs seeking a divorce?

[@paulbunyan9436]

30:00 Paul has to explain why the death and resurrection of the Messiah was necessary...

[@GlorifiedTruth]

The commandments Jesus gives the man in the gospel of Mark are also, not surprisingly, Mr. T's Commandments.

[@keithsmith3678]

Paul didn't know or wasn't interested?

[@chewy560]

In Mark 24, Isn’t Jesus challenging the common understanding and practice of the Jews - that simply following the law (10 commandments) isn’t alone sufficient for eternal life. He told the rich person that he lacked one thing which prevented him from being able to follow Jesus. The teaching is not specifically about giving to the poor (although in the case of the rich young ruler it was), but rather desiring things of the world in preference to following Jesus. The teaching was so shocking to those following Jesus that they wondered who could be saved Mk 24.26.

[@Dybbouk]

But is there already a gnostic element in Paul's teachings??? In which case, he wouldn't have cared much about the physical Jesus???

[@AndrayTheDutchman]

One question keeps coming to me: were the 'gentiles' that Paul went to Hellenized jews? These weren't circumcized and were essentially gentile. The way he talks to them seems to indicate they were once under the law and were once part of Israel...

[@theunapologeticjew]

Do you just accept Paul’s persecution of Christians as ‘gospel’ or is there historical evidence? A Pharisee working for a Sadducee makes little sense at the time.

[@barbaralucas7890]

Paul was taught by Jesus’ disciples, according to Acts and if Jesus is guiding Paul, according to Acts, then his epistles to the church is going to reflect Jesus’s teachings. From the Book of Genesis love is taught, and Paul said be as I am meaning practicing preservation. That was totally different from what Jesus said and meant

[@jillengland3277]

What do Gnostic Or Apocrypha say about Paul 🙄

[@johanericsson2403]

There's a faked collection of letters between him and the philosopher Seneca

[@jillengland3277]

@@johanericsson2403 I will look for those. At least it will inform what others thought of Paul’s “acts”.

[@dianejames2078]

my issue is ...we go by the FACT that all of the prophets and the disciples wrote by the inspiration of God..they were under the spirit of Father.. my concern is ,why didn't Jesus want his disciples to go unto the Gentiles??? all of Jesus red letter words were written and spoken to the israelites and all of the Jews that believed in God the Father.... no where in Fathyers book does he ever say that Jesus will come back in a few yrs to teach someone and make them a disciple Just For The Gentiles.... Jesus plainly said he has two folds to tend to... were they Judah and Jerusalem,or were they the lost sheep of Israel and the Gentiles??? if Paul be fake...then ...there's no hope for Gentiles..plz help me to understand this....yes I'm on the milk and partially on the meat..plz explain if you can

[@carefullychristian8657]

Bart What are key teachings in gospels 1.One true God,father of us all 2.jesus,messiah is our lord 3.the Spirit proceeds from God 4.jesus comes from sbove offered himself as a ransom for our sins 5.jesus suffered, crucified,died and rose again from the dead and ascended to hea ven just.

[@mickeydecurious]

Does that make sense to you? Because to me it just sounds like a waste of time for a loving all-knowing being to even go through, besides Jesus's mother didn't remember nothing about a virgin birth when she came to that house to get Jesus she came with his brothers and sisters... Does this make sense to you? Because it doesn't to me. Why would an all loving all-knowing God even have to have a human sacrifice, why would an all-powerful God even need blood? Him in the flesh why would he die how can a God die and if it's so that he follows our laws of physics how the hell did he rise again that's against our laws of physics, unless he was only in a deep medical coma... Yes I've thought about this a lot. I've read the Old testament and believe me I don't see Jesus in there. And then again you can pick out a verse and make it say whatever you want to justify whatever you want to believe I guess 🤷🏼

[@alexprofessor1829]

Sir please please tell me how can I contact with you

[@chefchaudard3580]

Dr Ehrman has a website. Just go there.

[@alexprofessor1829]

@@chefchaudard3580 thank you so much 😊

[@MossyMozart]

@alexprofessor1829 - Dr Ehrman teaches at UNC Chapel Hill. Write in c/o the university? Or in c/o his publishers?

[@claytongardinier5179]

Is it possible that the teachings of Paul informed the later gospels especially the passage you spoke with reference to the goats and sheep.

[@jeffryphillipsburns]

Bart says the goats-and-sheep bit directly contradicts Paul.

[@jeffmacdonald9863]

Paul definitely influenced the Gospels, but I think more in the shift from being a Jewish sect to a new Gentile religion. Bart talks in some other videos about Mark showing that the Jews, even the disciples, didn't understand Jesus, but some Gentiles did recognize who he was. That's Paul's mission to the Gentiles, right there.

[@user-om2os5yr6i]

@@jeffryphillipsburns Bart is not up on current scholarship. Mark is cribbed directly from Paul. Other gospels crib from Mark, inserting inversions and further invention.

[@ezekielsaltar4728]

Religions are all about "How can I be resurrected?" not how "How can I be saved?"