A serious question for Christians (and anyone else interested)?

Question

I am wondering: why it is that Christians, on this site and elsewhere, when defending their belief, will quote from the letters of Paul extensively, and hardly ever, if at all, from the reported words of himself?

I am genuinely confused by this, and would appreciate sensible answers.
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OOPs - sorry, the last sentence should read " ... Christ himself"

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GIGGLES: what on earth are you babbling on about? Try and read what you typed, out loud.

OUT OF THE GRAY: umm ... so, what Christ actually said is not so important? That is what you seem to imply.

GNOMEN: Ah, so Paul MET Christ? And what Christ said is so difficult for ordinary people to understand, that we have to rely on what Paul said about it, rather than try to understand difficult words from Christ's own lips? An interesting viewpoint.
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TROLL BOMB: yes, dear, I know some of Paul's Letters quote the words of Christ; on the other hand he also made a lot of stuff up that Christians now claim to be the words of Christ/God.



If Christ is the Son of God, and the last prophet, why does he need Paul to explain his message? Doesn't that make Paul the last prophet?
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Answer 1

because quoting what Christ actually said doesn't go very far when trying to excuse intolerance and bigotry

Answer 2

Paul was significantly different from all the other apostles, beginning with his having never met Christ.

Most significant is that Paul was a highly educated, especially in the religious arts, Upper Class Israeli. The rest of the Apostles were all lower, working class, Israelis, with no education, period, let alone in the religious arts.

As Saul, he was a firm believer that the early Christians were nothing more than a new Jewish sect or cult. He actively supported efforts to stop the door to door work, as these Christians creating their own scriptures, and telling people that the rituals and holidays, dating back centuries, were no longer valid. Based on his advanced education, he knew that only the Jews were the true people of God. It took being blinded for him to see the light.

Answer 3

Because but for Paul Christianity would be nothing more than a side note in history now. A little sect that never made it. With the sad symbol of a fish the only sign that they ever existed. Pall should be given the credit he deserves. He made the Christian religion what it is today. An Atheists view, Paul was much greater than Christ.

Answer 4

I've quoted Jesus plenty of times. Paul gets quoted a lot because he taught what Christian doctrine is in his letters to the churches. Many of the questions that get asked about Christianity have to do with Doctrine and theology. People don't generally ask questions about Jesus as far as what He did and said. Then the answers would come from the Gospels.

Answer 5

...The Bible is one cohesive whole; it is the Word of God; men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit spoke from God (2 Peter 1:20-21), which means God specially inspired over 40 men from all walks of life in a period of about 1600 years to pen the Bible.
...Jesus looked the Bible as authoritative; in 2 Peter 3:16, the apostle Peter calls Paul's writings Scripture.
...All of the Bible is God's Word, and the Christian's guidebook and authority for life. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says,
...16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
...17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.
(Acts 16:31)
...Whosoever will, may come.

Answer 6

well if some one had a PHD in art thay would refer to the greatest artist to affirm the souce of aquired knowledge. Many refer to the letters of paul becuase he is in the top ranks of the same belief the christian study about Jesus the christ. God in diverse time revealed himself to few by granting them mighty healing maricales. Paul is record to be a example of total submition to christ therefore giving his writing creditiblity valid of use by God the father of christ Jesus.
As a result pure enough to be refered to by the followers of the christ son of God

Answer 7

Paul came on the scene AFTER Jesus had died.
He was persecuting Christians, and as a Jew, thought he was doing the right thing.
Jesus, from his position in heaven, must have detected some good in Paul which resulted in Jesus, from heaven, speaking directly to Paul. Acts 9;4
Because of this, Paul changed his entire persona, and from that moment on, became one of Jesus', and thus the " Good News" biggest supporters.
Paul must have been doing exactly what Jesus wanted because he was granted the privilege of writing 14 bible books.

Answer 8

When Christ says, Love one another -John 15:12
And Paul tells us, Without Love I am nothing -1 Corinthians 13:13
I do not see a conflict.
It is the same Gospel being preached.
Paul had Peter (and others) that he had to justify everything that he preached to.
He did not exist in a vacuum, his testimony was tested. Paul's doctrines are those of Christ himself, they do not conflict.
Good enough for me.

Answer 9

Paul explained a lot of what Christ had said, so he is easier to understand for people who haven't actually met Christ and seen the things that he did.

Answer 10

Not sure what you mean here. The letters of Paul as opposed to what Paul said? Those two things are same to mean, please clarify.

EDIT If you mean quoting Paul instead of quoting Christ, I quote both a lot, actually. Christ told us how to PERSONALLY become Christians, Paul told us how to ACT like Christians in regard to the Church and relations. Hope this helped.

Answer 11

Your question is a little unclear. My assumption is that by "himself" you mean Jesus. In that case I'm with you.

I think that dark souls are unable to comprehend the wisdom of Jesus (that's kinda' why he died); I also believe that those who understand the teachings of Jesus see no need to go to church about it. There's no use in defending a belief, only explaining ones perception of it and why it is viable. Should that wisdom fail, one needs to find out why.