Have you ever wondered how Christianity, the biggest religion in the world, centered around the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, received its theology from the Apostle who never met Jesus, who wasn’t his disciple, and never witnessed Jesus’ resurrection? Have you ever been suspicious of where the authority of Paul comes from? Apostle Paul was not part of the original 12 disciples; he did not witness Jesus’ resurrection, he never learnt from Jesus, he was simply not there yet having such authority in early Christianity. How come?
The legitimacy of Paul has been a topic of debate ever since his appearance as a self-proclaimed Apostle to the Gentiles. As with every doctrine or belief, it is important to examine the founder of Christianity and see where his authority comes from. Because if the authority of Paul is false, then that would mean Christianity as we know it is built on a false foundation. However, it is also important to challenge the foundation of religious system regardless of personal attachments or bias.
As I went through the facts that Christianity is based on the letters and theology of the Apostle Paul and I examined Paul’s conversion story, in this chapter I wanted to examine Paul’s claims of being legit and having authority.
Who gave Paul this authority?
Apostle Paul rose to power after Jesus’ resurrection, however contrary to what many people believe, he never met Jesus. His claim to have met Jesus was only through his vision and supernatural encounter. However, this was a private event that had no witness testimonies, apart from the words of Paul. There were a few people involved in the post-vision events, like Ananias of Damascus, however we have to be careful and suspicious if he was involved in Paul’s plan to convince others of this encounter.
After Paul’s conversion from hateful Pharisee towards Christians to the “chosen by Jesus to be the “light to the Gentiles”, Paul convinced Gentiles that he was in fact selected by Jesus himself. This was questionable, because not only Jesus warned his disciples that he would not appear after His departure and especially not in the places that Paul claimed to have seen Jesus.
Interestingly, the letters of Paul happened before any writings of the Gospel, therefore Paul didn’t know what Jesus warned about his disciples. Moreover, Paul never quoted Jesus in any of his writings, but his theology revolved more around his interpretation of the events of crucifixion and resurrection. Paul convinced Gentiles that he was chosen as their leader and the light to the Gentiles, however, as I explained in my previous chapter, this was about the Daughter of Zion.
“But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,
And my Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
And not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Surely they may forget,
Yet I will not forget you.
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me.” Isaiah 49: 14-16
Therefore, according to Paul, his authority came from his private vision of Jesus and was confirmed by the scripture from the book of Isaiah, however, this was only Paul’s assumption.
Later, his authority grew through expanding communities of Gentiles that viewed Paul as their teacher, whom they could rely on. In this aspect, Paul acted more as an opportunist, using the situation of uneducated Gentiles who had no knowledge of the Torah and his willingness to travel and expand the message.
In addition, Paul’s intellectual and cultural background equipped him uniquely for this role. As a Jew familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures and a Roman citizen immersed in Hellenistic culture, Paul was able to translate the message of Jesus into categories that made sense to a broader audience. He used philosophical language, rhetorical skill, and theological argumentation to communicate ideas that could cross cultural boundaries. This adaptability helped Christianity take root in diverse contexts.
Paul’s writings also played a crucial role in shaping his influence. His letters that were addressed to specific communities dealing with real issues, were preserved, circulated, and eventually included in the New Testament. These texts provided theological frameworks for understanding Jesus’ death and resurrection. Concepts like grace, justification, and salvation, acted as a practical guidance for Christian living.
Over time, they came to be regarded as authoritative Scripture alongside the Gospels. The fact that these letters were written earlier than the Gospels also contributed to their foundational role in forming Christian theology. Paul’s letters emerged relatively quickly after Jesus’ resurrection, as if Paul wanted to solidify his Apostleship and steer the direction of the Christian movement. Before people had a chance to read the Gospels and understand it for themselves, they already had their views shaped by the teachings of Paul.
Moreover, three Gospels were strongly influenced by the teachings of Paul, making the New Testament Canon in majority influenced by Paul with one theological view. Critically, some scholars and modern readers question whether Paul’s theology represents a true message of Jesus or departure from the teachings of Jesus. They point out that Paul never really quoted Jesus directly and seemed more focused on the meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection rather than on his ethical teachings. From this perspective, Paul could be seen as reshaping Christianity into something distinct from the message of Jesus himself.
Others argue that Paul is not contradicting Jesus but interpreting his significance in light of the resurrection, drawing out implications that were not fully addressed during Jesus’ ministry. We have to look at the facts, that once the Gospels were written and other letters of different apostles emerged, we can see strong contradictions in their messages and the messages of Paul. This, undoubtedly, creates contradictions within the New Testament books between the Gospels, the teachings of James, Paul, and John. Therefore, if Christianity is based on the teachings of Jesus, then Paul’s letters have no basis. If, however, Christianity is a religion about Jesus, but interpretation comes from Paul, then perhaps it shouldn’t be called Christianity and mislead people.
What is also important to mention is the fact that Paul’s letters and his view on the new covenant and end of the Law meant that many people saw New Testament contradicting the Old Testament. There wasn’t much of a cohesion and people questioned why God would first select Moses to bring the Law to then send Jesus to end the Law.
This gave birth to many different eschatology views, like dispensationalism, that claimed God had a different plan for Jews and for Gentiles and people viewed the Church as a “mystery” or detour in God’s plan.
Ultimately, Paul’s influence and legitimacy can be explained by two factors: his claimed and alleged encounter with the spirit of Christ, however, with no witness testimonies and his early letters expanding the movement to the Gentiles. Both of those claims have no words of Jesus about selecting someone for the role when he was alive, no scripture from the Old Testament, and no witness testimonies.
Therefore, his legitimacy holds no scriptural or Godly authority, only his own words. The early and widespread circulation of his letters, and his ability to articulate a coherent and adaptable theology, gave him the advantage to convince Gentiles of his legitimacy. Whether we view his role as faithful development or significant transformation depends largely on personal bias.
Therefore, the authority of Paul in shaping Christian thought does not rest on experience with Jesus’ earthly life, but on his supposed vision, early writings, and formation of communities. His work shows how religious movements are often shaped by those who interpret, expand, and transmit the message to new contexts. This does not mean they have to be based on the truth, but more on the influence and how people perceive it and adapt it. Ultimately, it comes down to the question, do you believe God’s words, or do you believe a man whose influence shaped the religious system that contradicts the words of God?
By Dagmara Z.