Paul of Tarsus’ view of Jesus and how it differs from synoptic gospels
Introduction
The Apostle Paul was initially called the Saul of Tarsus and was religious leaders of the first Christians. Paul is usually considered as a crucial Christian figure in Christian history. Notably, Paul had made many friends and foes in his days, and this depicts that even though he was a prominent Christian figure in the movement, Paul had amassed many detractors as well as enemies[1]. Moreover, his contemporaries failed to accord him the respect that was given to other apostles such as James and Peter. As a result, Paul was compelled to strive in the establishment of his authority and worthy in the ministry. Paul’s letter contained an enormous influence on the Christianity foundation, and this enabled him to secure. The objective of the study is to explore how Paul views Jesus in his letters and provides the difference view that Jesus was depicted in the synoptic gospels.
Paul View of Jesus
Paul was an intriguing figure in the formation of the first Christianity movement and because to be known more than Jesus among the non-Jews based on his letters as the primary source of information. There are many astonishing things about Paul such that in the modern theological argument is that Paul did not conform to any group such as apocalypticism and this makes him to fall into modern confounding, and this has made him be an astonishing as well as Christian figure that is puzzling[2]. The message that Paul spread was about a Messiah that was crucified, and this job, he did keenly and extraordinarily. Paul was a monotheist who believed that there is one God and the universe had other multiple levers that were filled with spirits. Paul seemed to have gone beyond the confines of the Christianity foundations that were supported by Peter and other disciples since he passed the message to the gentiles while it was not a norm for the Christians.
In his letters, Paul depicts Jesus in his central work. The primary interest of Paul, based on his letters, is the resurrection of Jesus and the way of the cross, as depicted in 1Cor 1:18. Paul does delve into exploring the activities of Jesus before he ascended to heaven[3]. The meaning of the text is that Paul explores the life of Jesus after he resurrected as well as the promises he made to the disciples that he will come back for them[4]. The centrality of the crucified Messiah and cross and the lack of stories about Jesus tradition and this have given Biblical theologies and interpreters to have many conclusions. Paul is said to contain limited information about the early life of Jesus, and this he failed to delve into the deeds Jesus did. Paul was not a witness, and this is an indication that he had little information, but thus he delves into the Messiah who promised to come and also who died in for the redemption of man. Therefore, Paul could not explore the saying and teaching as well as miracles that Jesus performed[5]. The faith he had was based on Hellenistic communities, and the history about Jesus was not important to him.
In the book of Mathew, the author explores the story of Jesus before he was born and the procedural development that Jesus went through, including his first attendance at the temple at the age of twelve. The story of Jesus is further explored in other synoptic gospels. While Paul explored the story of resurrected Jesus, the authors in the synoptic gospels explored the Supremacy of the Messiah, who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and as the Lord. The latter is supposed to head the Sabbath. Jesus is depicted as a son of God who was sent for the Jews, and this is well depicted in the Mark as well as in Mathew in which he was born in Bethlehem, where that had gone for the census as it was a norm.
Moreover, the supremacy of Jesus is depicted by John the Baptiste. He said that he was making way for the Lord as it as prophesied by Isaiah when he said that a voice of man was calling from the wilderness and asked the people to prepare for the way of the Lord. However, Paul does to at any time, allude to the traditions that were depicted by John the Baptiste. This can be said to be an episode that is astonishing about Paul, as depicted in Acts 19:1-7.
In his letters, Paul indicates that he understood the expression of the good news and how it functions but fails to acknowledge the ambivalence of the relationship John had towards Jesus that attracted the tradition of Jesus. The synoptic gospels exemplify the good news that is about Jesus that was supposed to be passed by people and encourage people to join Christ’s fold[6]. However, the synoptic Gospel depicts that Jesus was a Christianity figure that was reserved from the Jews, and thus the concentration was on spreading the good news to the Jews. As depicted by Paul’s letter, the functions of good news are different from the traditions that were taken by Jesus. For instance, Paul failed to recognize the Jesus tradition of beatitudes and instead focus on educating the Risen Christ people, who sit at God’s right hand.
Additionally, the authors in books such as Mathew, Mark, and Luke delve into the exploration of Jesus, who is like his Father. Jesus is depicted as Lord who does not allow the existence of other gods and religions, and this is the fact with his Father as depicted in Genesis as Moses received the command, God told him that He was a jealous God whose coexistence with other gods could not be allowed. However, in Paul’s case, he mingled with people who worshiped other gods and tried to persuade them to join in his view[7]. He would use words that depict Jesus as an accommodating lord and whose desire is for man’s redemption.
Paul does not conform his teaching to the miracles and the teaching of Christ but uses the letters to talk about the future aspect of Jesus based on the promises that he will fulfill on his second return. Paul asserts that the people who are well versed in the Gospel are supposed to teach others to follow the needs that Jesus would by converting them[8]. In his mission, Paul realizes that his teachings were based on Gentile and created many disciples to the Christians living in Jerusalem. This is because the Gentiles were supposed to convert to Jewish before joining the fold of Christs. Based on Paul’s various approaches that did not conform to the Jesus traditions, Paul resolved with other apostles such as Peter, to become a preacher to the Gentiles.
Bibliographies
Agosto, Efrain. Servant Leadership: Jesus and Paul. Chalice Press, 2012.
Barclay, John MG. Paul and the Gift. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2017.
Fredriksen, Paula. Paul: the pagans’ apostle. Yale University Press, 2017.
Hiestermann, Heinz Arnold. “Paul’s use of the Synoptic Jesus tradition.” Ph.D. diss., University of Pretoria, 2016.
Joseph, Simon J. The nonviolent Messiah: Jesus, Q, and the Enochic tradition. Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 2014
Longenecker, Richard N. Paul, Apostle of Liberty. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2015.
Bibliography
[1] Agosto, Efrain. Servant Leadership: Jesus and Paul. Chalice Press, 2012.
[2] Longenecker, Richard N. Paul, Apostle of Liberty. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2015.
[3] Barclay, John MG. Paul and the Gift. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2017.
[5] ibd
[6] Fredriksen, Paula. Paul: the pagans’ apostle. Yale University Press, 2017.
[7] Hiestermann, Heinz Arnold. “Paul’s use of the Synoptic Jesus tradition.” Ph.D. diss., University of Pretoria, 2016.
[8] Joseph, Simon J. The nonviolent Messiah: Jesus, Q, and the Enochic tradition. Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 2014