Did Paul "the founder of Christianity" believe that Jesus was a real person?

Question

Many scholars point out that Paul, and the first Christians, thought of Jesus as a mystical figure to emphasize inner virtues and values. The uninitiated and more simplistic masses decided to take the mysteries as literal truth and they eventually won over Rome etc...
Were they right?

Au contraire lindaflowers,
it's a very serious question. Look it up actually.

Answer 1

Whether Christ was a real person or not you are right to say that the early Christians saw him as a mystical figure, an expression of the Divine Man.

Its complicated. Paul clearly did believe Christ was a real person but you have to remember that Christians gave him divine status. So he was seen as both a real person and a cosmic figure - that's the whole essence of Christianity. Paul claimed that Christ appeared to him after his death once he had been converted and had taught him the inner teachings he had taught the apostles.

Interestingly, there's a book by Elaine Pagels which shows how the Gnostics believed that Paul was one of them ie that his vision of Christ was essentially mystical, as theirs was.

It is the endless problem between mystical truth and literal truth. In every world religion there has been a tension and interplay between these two strands of belief. Judaism & Kaballah, Islam & Sufism, Hinduism & Vedanta etc. For me, the richest element is the Mystical, as it is non-legalistic, visionary and spiritually enlightening. But Mysticism is individualistic, Organised Religion is not. One encourages personal development, the other encourages consensus and social stability. The danger of the first is anarchy, the danger of the second is repression.

That's the story of the human race... and not just with religion but politics too...

Answer 2

What? Which scholars espouse this idea? Can you point me to a book or a website?

No, Paul did not believe Jesus was a mystical figure. If you read his writings, you would see that he most DEFINITELY believed Jesus was real. It's the same with the entire New Testament. They write as though it was ALL REAL. They even say that they witnessed it.

And don't forget that the New Testament was written within the lifetime of other eyewitnesses, who would have only been too happy to point out if the authors were wrong. And yes, the writings did circulate. That much is obvious, because there are manuscripts in many different languages dating back to the early second century.

Answer 3

Paul didn't reject the physical world. He didn't meet Jesus in person before he died, but he did meet Jesus after his resurrection, which is why it appears to you that he 'renounced any knowledge of Jesus through human sources'. He was just being honest about how he met him. As for things seen and unseen, Paul isn't rejected this life (he has plenty to say about it), but he's refuting the idea that this life is all there is. This life has to be viewed in the light of our eternal destiny, and that's when things are going to be perfect and completed (rather than in this life). But Paul rejected any ideas that the physical world didn't matter. His writings are full of his arguments against that notion. So of course Paul would have accepted the walking, talking, real life Jesus. That's the Jesus he preached.

Answer 4

The scholars this and the scholars that. Paul changed his life's work and suffered greatly to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul was a convert to Christianity and not the Founder of it, although his writing are very important to the church.

I doubt this answer will change your mind, but then this is just another loaded question.

Answer 5

Prayerfully read the letters written by Paul. You will find that Paul thought of Jesus as a real person. What is confused as myth is simply Paul's use of analogies to teach truths about Jesus that are beyond human understanding because Jesus is fully man and fully God.

Answer 6

Mnay scholars don't deserve to be called scholars.

The truth of the matter has been known for 2000 years and it's never changed.

Find some new "scholars".

Answer 7

and are these schloars biblical scholars or scholars with a new age approach. st paul wasn't the founder of christianity. from scripture we see st paul seek approval from st peter to begin his missions, st peter being the first pope approved and therefore what st paul taught was in concordance with the word of god, not his own personal view of what christianity should be. jesus began christianity and he passed his authority to the papacy. try www.scripturecatholic.com

Answer 8

Scholars know of at least a dozen historians who lived at the time of Jesus and in the same general area. However not a single one took the time to mention that God was walking around at that time. This leads many to believe there was no historical Jesus.

None of the new testament was written during the time of Christ.

Answer 9

Paul of Tarsus who became St Paul, knew personally THE LORD JESUS CHRIST and he saw HIM in person (1Cor 9:1) while in Jerusalem. And being a converted christian, he declared that THE LORD JESUS CHRIST is our LORD and our GOD. Also Mohammad of the Islam when he was brought to heaven by archangel Gabriel, saw THE LORD JESUS CHRIST standing at the right hand of GOD while Mohammad stayed with the audience together with his fellow Prophets . Similarly, St Stephen in a vision saw THE LORD JESUS CHRIST at the right hand of GOD. Additionally, the Prophet Daniel (7:9-14) saw THE FATHER GOD coronating THE LORD JESUS CHRIST- THE SON OF MAN as THE GOD and LORD of this universe purposely created for men, having received power, glory and dominion. These are all literal truths and not abstracts. THANKS GOD; FEAR GOD; PRAISE GOD; GORIFY GOD; HONOR GOD; LOVE GOD AND WORSHIP GOD.

Answer 10

Not a serious question, right? So, I won't give a serious answer. Have a good night.