jgreen44

Do the epistles contain interpolations?

mountainman

The letters of Paul to Senecca are 4th century fabrications. By that time the Christians - perhaps in retribution of the destruction of the Jewish temple - had already started destroying the Graeco-Roman temples.

How on Earth could Gandalf the Grey become Gandalf the White unless he fell into the abyss fighting the Balrog only to rise again on the third moon in order to fulfil ancient Hobbit Lore? How could Tolkien suggest such a thing? But more importantly, why are we obliged to believe Tolkien and disbelieve Paul?

dog-on

Indeed they did. My point is that I do not believe that it was Jews that invented Christianity.

Perhaps a group that was more comfortable with polytheism.

The Romans.

spamandham

Why would Jews *in Rome* be uncomfortable with polytheism?

jgreen44

Because Constantine and Eusebius would have us believe that Paul (unlike Tokien) was writing non-fiction?

dog-on

Because they were Jews.

spamandham

Orthodox Judaism did not yet exist. The spectrum of what was considered "Jew" was quite large - no different than what passed for Judaism throughout the OT, which is filled with endless chastisements against Jews who worshiped foreign gods.

ElectEngr

I have thought that maybe Judaism started as a off shoot of Akhenaten's monotheism. Those that followed monotheism under Akhenaten left Egypt after the old order was returned.

Not a mass migration (individuals and small groups) following the trade routes.


Just my thoughts.

Later,
ElectEngr

bacht

It's not a new idea but the dates don't work.

My speculation is that if the Egyptians were experiencing a cultural "renaissance" in the 7th C (the Saite or Late Period) maybe their history was being studied around the eastern Mediterranean. Then the Judahites may have encountered Akhenaten's ideas for the first time.

mountainman

IMO not just Paul, but legions and legions of fabricated "non-fiction" authors were sent into battle in the field of literature:

Jesus of Nazareth (0-33) [Author of the Agbar Letter], Judas (0-40), Simon Magus (0-50), Jude (0-60), Barnabas (0-61), Paul (20-65), Matthew (0-70), Mark (0-70), Luke (0-70), John (0-70), Peter (0-70), Clement of Rome (18-98), Ignatius of Antioch (40-117), Aristides the Philosopher (70-134), Basilides (120-140), Marcion (130-140), Papias (110-140), Quadratus (70-140), Agrippa Castor (90-145), Aquila of Sinope (of Pontus) (90-150), Aristo of Pella (130-150), Polycarp (110-155), Valentinus (120-160), Epiphanes (130-160), Marcion of Sinope (110-160), Justin Martyr (150-160), Isidore (140-160), Carpocrates of Alexandria (80-160), Minucius Felix (140-170), Melito of Sardis (165-175), Dionysius of Corinth (165-175), Excerpts of Theodotus (150-180), Athenagoras of Athens (175-180), Apelles (160-180), Apollinaris Claudius (120-180), Julius Cassianus (160-180), Hegesippus (110-180), Heracleon (150-180), Ptolemy (140-180), Pinytus of Crete (130-180), Rhodon (175-185), Theophilus of Caesarea (175-185), Tatian (135-185), Theophilus of Antioch (180-185), Irenaeus of Lyons (175-185), Apollonius (136-186), Anonymous Anti-Montanist (193-193), Maximus of Jerusalem (185-195), Polycrates of Ephesus (130-196), Victor I (189-199), Mathetes (130-200), Diognetus (130-200), Clement of Alexandria (182-202), Apollonius (200-210), Pantaenus (190-210), Serapion of Antioch (200-210), Tertullian (197-220), Bardesanes (180-220), Caius (200-220), Hippolytus of Rome (180-230), Ammonius Saccas (155-245), Octavius of Minucius Felix (160-250), Alexander (of Cappadocia,Jerusalem) (150-250), Cornelius (of Rome) (200-253), Cyprian of Carthage (200-258), Novatian (201-258), Dionysius (of Alexandria) the Great (200-264), Dionysius of Rome (210-268), Gregory Thaumaturgus (212-275), Paul of Samosata (200-275), Hermias (210-280), Malchion (of Antioch) (220-290), Anatolius of Laodicea in Syria (222-290) Victorinus (bishop) of Petau (240-303), Arnobius (245-305), Phileas (Bishop) of Thmuis (250-307), Pamphilus (250-309), Peter of Alexandria (250-311), Methodius (250-311), Miltiades (Pope 311-314) (270-314)

These non-existent "authors" were sent down the time tunnel in the 4th century.