Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

corpus-paul - Re: Paul on John the Baptist.

corpus-paul AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Corpus-Paul

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Rick Frommich" <eugor3 AT hotmail.com>
  • To: corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Paul on John the Baptist.
  • Date: Fri, 03 May 2002 12:25:01 +0000





Dear Rick,

It may not be Pauline literature, but you must consider Acts 19:1-7 where
it is obvious that Paul knew of both John and his baptism. Acts, of
course, was written by Luke, a long time accomplice of Paul's, though it
is probable that Luke was not with Paul at the time of the events related
in the passage.

Kym Smith
Adelaide
South Australia
khs AT picknowl.com.au

---
You are currently subscribed to corpus-paul as: eugor3 AT hotmail.com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to $subst('Email.Unsub')


Thank you for your response Kym.

I am familiar with the passage you cited. Tell me, do you think the book of Acts accurately recounts the actions and words of Paul?

I seems to me that the material in Acts stands in direct conflict with what Paul has to say about himself in Galatians. Paul did not teach his followers to circumcise nor would he have allowed a companion to be circumcised for the sake of Jewish believers.

RSV Act 16:3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those places, for they
all knew that his father was a Greek.

RSV Act 21:21 and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to
circumcise their children or observe the customs.

This is precisely what Paul IS doing in Galatians. So Acts is engaged in Judaizing the Apostle Paul. It is this very type of false representation that Paul is arguing against in Galatians asserting that there is no truth to it whatever.

Gal.6:12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that would compel you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not
be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who receive circumcision do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to
have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh.

And so we see, according to Paul himself, he does indeed teach that circumcision is not necessary ...even undesirable for the gentile converts.

As to the movements of Paul after his conversion:

RSV Act 9:1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him. 4 And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5 And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting; 6 but rise and enter the city, and you will be
told what you are to do." 7 The men who were traveling with him stood
speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision,
"Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." 11 And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire in the
house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." 13 But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name."
15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."
17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the
road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized, 19 and took food and was strengthened. For several days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

If one takes a close look at Galatians and at Paul's defensive arguments one might easily conclude that the positions Paul argues against are indicative of the information that Acts provides concerning Paul. It would seem that the Jerusalem church is behind the accusations that Paul is refuting in Galatians.

9:26 And when he had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to
the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem,
29 preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists; but they were seeking to kill him. 30 And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus.

13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; 14 and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace,
16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I
do not lie!) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judea;
23 they only heard it said, "He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."

note the order of the corrections that Paul is making.

Yes I persecuted the church.

Yes I had a divine encounter with God that changed my life

No I did not go straight to Damascus and consult with the disciples there but rather I went first into the desert.

Yes I did go to Jerusalem but it was three years after my conversion.

I only saw Cephas and James [this refutes Acts assertion that Barnabas was the first Jerusalem disciple to confer with Paul]

For the first fourteen years I remained unknown to the other Jerusalem disciples and apostles.

Because of a revelation I journeyed to Jerusalem and conferred with the reputed Pillars of the movement.

They saw what wee had accomplished and agreed that we should continue to minister to gentiles and they to the circumcision. Others tried to force us to adhere to circumcision but we did not yield for even one moment.

These heavy duty brothers did not add to our knowledge of the Gospel.

They only requirement agreed upon was that we should remember the poor which we were already doing.

As you can see, Paul's argument in Galatians follows precisely the order of the Acts presentation of Paul's conversion and discipleship. And so I find it difficult to look at Acts as an accurate reflection of what Paul did or did not do, knew or did not know.


_________________________________________________________________
Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page