Paul of Tarsus and Stoicism

[DreamsofMajesty]

scribd (dot) com / nb812



[snofthndr]

I must say that the link between Paul and Stoicism is extremely thin. Although he probably was influenced by his contemporary thought, when it comes to more important details like epistemology classical Stoics (as apposed to modern stoics) tend to be much more materialistic than most Christians.

[nineteenthly]

Paul is the founder of Christianity, not Jesus. Without him, it would have been a Jewish sect. Concerning Stoicism, Paul has a clear eschatology based on a linear view of time and a personal God, both concepts foreign to the spirit of Stoicism. Even so, Stoicism was an important influence on Christianity. Paul is also too passionate to be a true Stoic.

[tube99xx]

(1) Paul and his writings are legitimate, even Peter says so in 2 Peter 3:16. (2) Jesus founded Christianity by being the Christ. (3) He sent Peter to the Gentiles to spread the Gospel and gave the Great Commission to evangelize the world. Paul and Jesus did not have two different religions. Jesus grafted in the Gentiles and made Jew and Gentile one.

[nineteenthly]

The textual style of 2 Peter is very different than that of 1 Peter, which makes me wonder about its authenticity, particularly because without it, the Pauline epistles would not be canonical.  This question is absolutely fundamental to the nature of Christianity.

I recognise that Jesus saw the Gentiles as relevant. That much is in the Gospels. I also think Paul was necessary to the spread of Christianity.