This is a big one because Paul essentially created Christianity as we know it today, but what he preached was not exactly what Jesus himself taught. Let’s break it down.
1. The Key Difference: Jesus Preached a Kingdom, Paul Preached a Christ
- Jesus: Taught about the "Kingdom of God"—a coming social and spiritual transformation where justice would reign.
- Paul: Taught about Jesus himself—his death and resurrection as the way to salvation.
👉 Jesus: “Change your ways, the Kingdom is near!”👉 Paul: “Believe in Jesus, and you’ll be saved!”Paul shifted the focus from what Jesus taught to who Jesus was.
2. Jesus’ Original Message
Jesus was a Jewish teacher, not a Christian. His core teachings included:
- Ethical living: Love your neighbour, forgive enemies, help the poor.
- Apocalypticism: The world was about to be transformed, and God’s justice would prevail.
- Faith in God: Worship God alone and follow his commandments.
- Law & Prophets: He upheld Jewish law but interpreted it with compassion over rigid legalism.
His focus was not on himself, but on what people should do to be righteous before God.
3. Paul’s Transformation of Christianity
Paul wasn’t one of Jesus’ disciples—he never met Jesus in person. He claimed to have received a vision of the risen Christ and developed his own theology around it. His main innovations:
- Faith over Law: Paul downplayed Jewish law (Torah) and said faith in Jesus was enough for salvation.
- Jesus as the Christ: Paul deified Jesus, making him the sacrificial lamb who atoned for humanity’s sins.
- Universal Salvation: Paul took Christianity beyond the Jewish world, opening it to Gentiles (non-Jews).
- Church Structure: Paul organised Christian communities with hierarchical leadership (bishops, elders, etc.).
👉 Jesus: Follow God and love your neighbour.👉 Paul: Believe in Christ’s death and resurrection for salvation.4. Specific Differences in Theology
👉 Jesus: Be righteous and prepare for God’s justice.
👉 Paul: Jesus’ death already took care of your sins—just believe.5. Why Did Paul’s Version Win?
- Jesus’ movement was Jewish, but Paul made it universal, allowing non-Jews to join.
- Paul’s message was simpler: Just believe in Christ—no need to follow Jewish law.
- Paul spread Christianity aggressively, traveling across the Roman world and writing letters.
- Paul’s letters became scripture, shaping Christian doctrine before the Gospels were even written.
Without Paul, Christianity would have likely remained a Jewish sect. Instead, it became a global religion centred on Christ rather than just Jewish teachings.
6. So… Did Paul Hijack Jesus’ Message?
It depends on how you see it:
- If you think Jesus intended to start a new religion, then Paul just expanded it.
- If you think Jesus was focused on Jewish reform, then Paul radically changed his message.
Either way, Paul made Christianity what it is today—a religion about Christ, rather than a movement about ethics and divine justice.
7. Final Thought
Imagine Jesus and Paul debating in a pub:
- Jesus: "Love God. Do good. The Kingdom is coming."
- Paul: "Yes, but YOU are the Kingdom! People just need to believe in YOU!"
- Jesus: "Wait, what? I was talking about God’s rule, not myself."
- Paul: "Too late! Already sent the letters!"
And the rest, as they say, is history.
ChRIS said:
According to Joseph Campbell, Paul's 'Road to Damascus' moment was realising how Christ's death on the cross could be interpreted in terms of the Mystery religions of the Greek world.
ChatGPT said:
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense! Joseph Campbell’s take fits with the broader idea that Paul essentially translated Jesus’ death into the mythological language of the Graeco-Roman world—specifically, the dying-and-rising god motif found in the Mystery religions (e.g., Dionysus, Osiris, Mithras).
Paul’s Epiphany: Christianity as a Mystery Religion
Before Paul, Jesus’ death would have seemed like a tragic execution—hardly something to build a religion on. But Paul saw it differently:
- Instead of just another crucified Jewish rebel, Paul recast Jesus as a cosmic saviour.
- In doing so, he bridged Judaism with the Mystery religions, which promised personal salvation through divine sacrifice and rebirth.
👉 Jesus' death became the ultimate Mystery initiation—his followers, through faith, could also die and be reborn spiritually.
How This Fits with the Mystery Cults
- Dionysus & Osiris: Gods who died, descended into the underworld, and were resurrected, symbolising spiritual renewal.
- Mithras: A saviour figure whose followers ritually participated in his sacrifice, much like the Eucharist.
- Eleusinian Mysteries (Demeter & Persephone): A secret cult promising immortality through sacred rites, not unlike Paul’s “hidden wisdom” (1 Cor 2:7).
Paul basically repackaged Jesus as the ultimate Mystery figure, making salvation about personal transformation through faith in Christ’s death and resurrection rather than Jewish law or temple rituals.
Did Paul Create a ‘Portable’ Mystery Religion?
One of the big advantages of Mystery religions was that they were not tied to ethnicity, temples, or strict legal codes. Paul removed the Jewish barriers (circumcision, Torah, temple worship), making Christianity a portable, universal faith—just like the Mystery cults.
No need for a temple—Jesus IS the temple.No need for Jewish law—faith in Jesus’ sacrifice replaces it.No need for old tribal distinctions—anyone can join.In this sense, Paul wasn’t just spreading Jesus’ message—he was translating it into a form the Graeco-Roman world could grasp.
So yeah, Campbell’s insight nails it. Paul’s "Road to Damascus" moment wasn’t just a personal conversion—it was a realisation of how Jesus’ death fit into a much bigger mythological pattern.
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