Harmonizing Faith and History

Ralph Di Fiore co332@freenet.toronto.on.ca
Sun, 21 Feb 1999 08:26:36 -0500 (EST) (00919625196, Pine.3.89.9902210809.A7581-0100000@queen) 

On Sat, 20 Feb 1999, Jim McClain wrote:


> I am looking for a thoughtful reponse to the following taken from Daniel P.

> Fuller’s book _Easter Faith and History_ (1965, Eerdmans). Here I can pass

> along little more than his conclusions, but could supply more if you have

> not heard this one before and cannot locate the book.

> 

> "Somehow it must be understood how Paul, who remained completely loyal to

> the basic tenets of orthodox Judaism, could nevertheless cease to glory in

> the Jewish distinctives.  No motivation residing in Paul nor deriving from

> his background as a Pharisee can account for his doing this in heading up

> the Gentile mission, for his pride in these distinctives had been so great

> that he had been as zealous to persecutor the church as the Jews were now

> zealous to persecute him.  The explanation for the Gentile mission must,

> therefore, derive from something apart from Paul and his background.  It

> must derive from something outside the natural sphere. Paul's explanation

> is that the risen Jesus appeared to him, and since no explanation from the

> natural sphere is possible, and since the only proposal for an explanation

> deriving from the supernatural sphere is the resurrection of Jesus,

> therefore this is the explanation for the Gentile mission that is to be

> accepted" (p. 219).

> 

	Ralph:  Trying to judge the motives of Paul, one can speculate till 
the camels come home.  The implied point is that Jesus spoke to Paul, 
therefore Jesus was who he claimed to be and the whole new testament is 
the truly inspired word of god.  
	We cannot uncover the true motives of Paul.  The fallacy of the 
above argument is that Paul's one and only motive had to be that Jesus 
came back and spoke to him.  Knowing human nature, Paul could have had 
numerous motives in mind, not the least of which would be self glory in 
leading a new sect.  Of course Paul would never state this...
	If only life was as one dimensional as the above author makes it seem. 

	Ralph D.

>