Did St Paul Get Jesus Right?
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Product Description
Was St Paul a distorter of Jesus' original message, or a faithful follower? Over recent years some critics of Christianity have claimed that while Jesus was a gifted teacher and a man of unparalleled kindness, St Paul was the true founder of Christianity, which he based on a delusional mistake: the idea that Jesus was God. This theory has found its way into academia, churches, newspapers, and, most recently, novels. In Did St Paul Get Jesus Right? respected New Testament scholar David Wenham looks at the historical evidence for such claims. Comparing the life and message of Jesus with the writings of St Paul, he offers a thoughtful exploration of their relationship, concluding that far from imagining Christianity, Paul was the messenger of an inherited faith.
About the Author
David Wenham is Vice-Principal of Trinity College, Bristol. Before that he spent 24 years on the staff of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He is the author of a number of books on the gospels.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
David Wenham has written three books on this theme: 'Paul: founder of Christianity or follower of Jesus' (1995); 'Paul and Jesus: the true story' (2002); and this one. Although there is, inevitably, some overlap in the argument, they are all well worth reading, and this one, as the latest, summarises his case excellently. The excellent first review of Johnny Douglas gets it spot on. Wenham despatches the conspiracy theorists through an extensive examination of the evidence, showing very clearly the extent to which St. Paul's preaching derived from his knowledge of what Christ had done and said. He, rightly, reminds us that the letters are directed to certain congregations for certain ends, which means that they deal with certain themes; that does not mean they contain the whole of Paul's teaching, or that what is not included in them but is in the Gospels was unknown to Paul. Those who wish to continue to argue that St. Paul somehow perverted the Gospel message had better avoid Wenham.
The book, like his others, in beautifully-written and very accessible.
The book, like his others, in beautifully-written and very accessible.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Did St Paul get Jesus Right? - The Gospel According to Paul
David Wenham
The last few years have seen the increasing `power' and appreciation of Philip Pullman's writing including his recent title, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ. Pullman argues that while Jesus was a great moral teacher, St Paul corrupted his message by 'imagining' his divinity. This is not a new argument, by any means. Many have called St Paul 'the founder of Christianity'. David Wenham's new book reasons against such a notion.
In an age of increasing biblical illiteracy, Pullman's claims are likely to be met with less resistance than they might have previously. In his own words, he describes the book as part novel, part history, and part fairy tale, so this new resource by a respected New Testament authority will help people untangle what scholars know about Jesus and Paul from the 'imaginations' of Mr Pullman himself. This theory has found its way into academia, churches, newspapers, and, most recently, novels. Comparing the life and message of Jesus with the writings of St. Paul, Wenham offers a pacey, thoughtful and insightful exploration of their relationship, concluding that far from imagining Christianity, Paul was the messenger of an inherited faith.
Wenham's particular pleasure in making the Bible intelligible and exciting is palpable. This debunking of the popular myth of St. Paul as the founder of Christianity produced by a respected biblical authority is attractively produced and delivered excellently by Lion Hudson. A wonderful and stretching read. Top class!
David Wenham
The last few years have seen the increasing `power' and appreciation of Philip Pullman's writing including his recent title, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ. Pullman argues that while Jesus was a great moral teacher, St Paul corrupted his message by 'imagining' his divinity. This is not a new argument, by any means. Many have called St Paul 'the founder of Christianity'. David Wenham's new book reasons against such a notion.
In an age of increasing biblical illiteracy, Pullman's claims are likely to be met with less resistance than they might have previously. In his own words, he describes the book as part novel, part history, and part fairy tale, so this new resource by a respected New Testament authority will help people untangle what scholars know about Jesus and Paul from the 'imaginations' of Mr Pullman himself. This theory has found its way into academia, churches, newspapers, and, most recently, novels. Comparing the life and message of Jesus with the writings of St. Paul, Wenham offers a pacey, thoughtful and insightful exploration of their relationship, concluding that far from imagining Christianity, Paul was the messenger of an inherited faith.
Wenham's particular pleasure in making the Bible intelligible and exciting is palpable. This debunking of the popular myth of St. Paul as the founder of Christianity produced by a respected biblical authority is attractively produced and delivered excellently by Lion Hudson. A wonderful and stretching read. Top class!
Format:Paperback
It has to be noted that the book is very short, at just over 150 pages. The basic question is that of the title of the book. The author begins by making more of a populist case than a scholarly one, by citing Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and Philip Pullman's The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ (Myths) as representing the viewpoint which Wenham sets out to oppose. He does mention a couple of more serious writers in passing, though they are not mentioned again beyond the opening chapter.
Wenham starts his answer by looking at whether or not the documents we have are the most reliable sources for our information. In this, he stays close to the orthodox views of F.F. Bruce's The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?. This orthodox theme runs through the book; so although Wenham claims he's trying to taking an impartial view, I couldn't escape the idea that his conclusions had already been reached and that the substance of the chapters was his filling out the pages.
He goes on to look at various issues, which are all pertinent. These include Paul's view on Jesus himself, ideas of apostleship, sex and the afterlife. One of the more interesting points is how little Paul directly refers to the teachings of Jesus. Though Wenham correctly points out that there may well have been a difference between Paul's letters and his preaching, I don't think the explanation that recalling Jesus' teaching was restricted to Paul's preaching which we don't have preserved, though reasonable, is not entirely convincing.
What I felt was lacking was a rigorous engagement with the views that Wenham sets out to oppose. I wouldn't quite say he was setting up a straw man; it was more a case of occasionally talking about a straw man that you couldn't examine in detail. What Wenham does present is very good and deserves serious consideration; if a writer were to put forward a case proposing that Paul was primarily responsible for the foundation of christianity, they would have to engage with Wenham's arguments and do a lot of work to cast doubt upon or refute them. Well worth a read, but it's left me wanting to read some other follow-ups.
Wenham starts his answer by looking at whether or not the documents we have are the most reliable sources for our information. In this, he stays close to the orthodox views of F.F. Bruce's The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?. This orthodox theme runs through the book; so although Wenham claims he's trying to taking an impartial view, I couldn't escape the idea that his conclusions had already been reached and that the substance of the chapters was his filling out the pages.
He goes on to look at various issues, which are all pertinent. These include Paul's view on Jesus himself, ideas of apostleship, sex and the afterlife. One of the more interesting points is how little Paul directly refers to the teachings of Jesus. Though Wenham correctly points out that there may well have been a difference between Paul's letters and his preaching, I don't think the explanation that recalling Jesus' teaching was restricted to Paul's preaching which we don't have preserved, though reasonable, is not entirely convincing.
What I felt was lacking was a rigorous engagement with the views that Wenham sets out to oppose. I wouldn't quite say he was setting up a straw man; it was more a case of occasionally talking about a straw man that you couldn't examine in detail. What Wenham does present is very good and deserves serious consideration; if a writer were to put forward a case proposing that Paul was primarily responsible for the foundation of christianity, they would have to engage with Wenham's arguments and do a lot of work to cast doubt upon or refute them. Well worth a read, but it's left me wanting to read some other follow-ups.
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