Is it possible that St. Paul was a false teacher?

Question

Why do Protestants put so much emphasis on Paul's teachings? Is it because they believe Paul taught that faith in Christ and not faith AND works were his legacy on how to achieve salvation?

Answer 1

no

Answer 2

Actually some of the earlest "heresies" are based on this assumption. If I recall correctly, it was one of the tenets of the Ebionite heresy that Christians had to also be Jews, and had to follow the Jewish law, whereas Paul taught that the Old Testament law was "invalidated" (not exactly right, but I'm searching for a term here) by the revelations in the New Testament. The Marcionites, who opposed the Ebonite teachings, largely followed the teachings of Paul. The Ebionotes considered Paul's lines of thinking falsehoods. There seems to be some evidence in the historical record that Paul was also a bit of an anti-Semite, and this too has been expunged from the Canon. But I am not doing justice to the question. Check out any of several books by Bart Erhman, specifically, "Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible, and Why".

Answer 3

About 2/3 of the New Testament was written through the Apostle Paul. Based on all the facts and evidence that proves the validity of the Scriptures, it would be impossible that Paul was a false teacher.

Since Paul taught much about Christian living and how Christians should behave as the Church of Christ, there are many people who vigorously try to discredit Paul so that they can do as they please without that restraint that Christ taught through Paul. This way they can set up their own kingdoms, call these private kingdoms "Christian" churches and name themselves the leaders of these cults.

Answer 4

No he was not. St. Paul encountered the Risen Lord on the way to Damascus & from henceon, became a Great Apostle.

Answer 5

Paul was a good Jew. The traditional Jews certainly thought he was. That was what kept getting Paul thrown into jail or chased out of town.

Answer 6

My opinion ... The only thing Paul had going for himself in so far as "Christian" credentials were concerned were his own word, the word of people like Luke and others that followed him, and one quote concerning Paul from Peter. Peter's quote is suspect for the following reasons ... Psycology: Peter wasn't well schooled, and so to keep from looking ignorant (simple human pride and the psychology that goes with it) due to not understanding what Paul was talking about (and Paul was well educated) he gave Paul a nod. Fear: Peter said what he said in reference to Paul because Paul had clout with both the Romans (Paul was a Roman citizen) and the Jewish religious leadership (Paul had worked for them in the past in condemning the followers of Jesus and who knew whether or not his having become "Christian" wasn't some kind of ploy?). With fear in mind, remember that Peter was the one that denied, THREE times, that he even KNEW Jesus and ran with the rest when the guard came to take Jesus away for his trial. Paul never knew Jesus, never met him, and as far as I can tell contradicted Jesus. Examples of his contradicting Jesus: #1, Jesus was obviously pro-marriage and never spoke of celebacy, Paul was in favor of celebacy. #2, Jesus never told anyone to disregard any phase of Jewish law, Paul said it was done with and that followers of Jesus needn't keep it. Maybe its just ME, but those two things seem MAJOR contradictions. I believe, and again this is just my opinion, that Paul was the first cultist within the Christian community. That he had definite control issues and those issues show in his writtings. Those same control issues are why the early Church Fathers adopted so much that he wrote when Constantine decided to make what had by that point devolved into "Christianism" the Roman state religion. The government and the prevailing religious leadership needed control and Paul's writtings afforded them the opportunity to enact said control. Having said all of that I feel obligated to say this as well ... Paul wasn't stupid. He said some very good things. But so did Jim Jones. ~ Peace & Blessings ~

Answer 7

Anything is possible. Not everything is probable.
Who knows. It's in a 2000 year old book that was edited and rewritten a gajillion times.

Answer 8

I doubt it, he wrote half of the New Testament. If Paul was a false teacher, we are all in trouble.

Answer 9

Is the pope a catholic???????????????

Paul never even met Jesus.

A note to john-s 4 awnsers above mine. Your absolutly right john we are all in trouble because of this.

Answer 10

No, is it possible that Allah is was born in a pig pen and loves pork rinds.

Answer 11

Yes.