cabio

In Galatians 1:6, is Paul admitting that there are other gospels, other ways to eternal life? It seems that Paul admits to the possibility of other gospels, ones that do not include Jesus. Does this mean he admits that they can save too?

Ben C Smith

We need to read the next verse, too:

6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel, 7 which is not another [gospel]; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

Paul is writing rhetorically. He is saying that the (distorted) version of the gospel that the Galatians are now hearing from certain quarters is sufficiently different from his own that it is virtually (but not really) a different gospel.

Ben.

mountainman

Dear cabio,

It may be that whoever authored the letters of Paul was compelled to allow for the historical existence of other heretical gospels. Whether or not Jesus was excluded from these heretical gospels is a separate issue. However, we are aware that the mutilated bible excludes at least the following new testament (apochryphal) gospels:

Gospel of Marcion
Gospel of Mani
Gospel of Appelles
Gospel of Bardesanes
Gospel of Basilides
Gospel of Cerinthus
Gospel of Thomas
Gospel of Peter
Gospel of Nicodemus (also called the "Acts of Pilate")
Gospel of Bartholomew
Gospel of Judas (also called the "Gospel of Judas Iscariot")
Gospel of Mary (also called the "Gospel of Mary Magdalene")
Gospel of Philip
Greek Gospel of the Egyptians (distinct from the Coptic Gospel of the Egyptians)

etc

Best wishes,


Pete

Doug Shaver

No, it doesn't.

Huon

This is the NIV translation :

a different gospel — which is really no gospel at all.

cabio, you choose the translation which fits you best ...

cabio

I am surprised at the general agreement.

The Greek word for 'another' is heteros, which is defined as "other or different: -altered, else, strange." In other words, Paul is saying that some people are falling not for another gospel with similar characteristics and capabilities to the gospel he is preaching, but for a different, altered, strange gospel or message. In no way does he admit that this other gospel has any power to save, according to his beliefs of what saves. In fact, in the very next verse, he says that it can not even be considered a gospel.

In verse 7, Paul uses a different greek word for "another." He uses allos which literally means "another of the same kind." Therefore, Paul is comparing the false gospel of "a different kind" to the true gospel "of the same kind." There is no admission to there being other gospels that could be true, like what he believed to be true.

Thanks for the help guys.

spamandham

When Paul uses the word "gospel", he does not mean something like what we call a Gospel. His usage simply refers to a religious message, not a hero biography like the Gospels in the NT.

bacht

There's mention in Acts 18-19 of another 'apostle':

Now a Jew named Apol'los, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the scriptures.
He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aq'uila heard him, they took him and expounded to him the way of God more accurately.
And when he wished to cross to Acha'ia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully confuted the Jews in public, showing by the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

While Apol'los was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.
And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism."
And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus."
On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

but n.b.

Little is known about Apelles (mid-2nd century). He was a disciple of Marcion, probably at Rome, but left (or was expelled from) the Marcionite society. Tertullian tells us (De praescriptione haereticorum 30) that this was because he had become intimate with a woman named Philumena who claimed to be possessed by an angel, who gave her 'revelations' which Apelles read out in public.

He then went to Alexandria, where he developed his doctrine, a modified Marcionism, which (according to Tertullian) admitted that Christ possessed true human flesh but continued to deny the nativity (Tertullian, Adversus Marcionem III.1.1).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apelles_(gnostic)