Originally posted by JS357
"Let's put it this way. If I went back in time and found out through time travel that the gospels were fiction, I think it would be important to find WHOEVER had the wisdom and imagination to create such an imaginary character as Jesus of Nazareth . "
Leaving aside the question of whether the character written of corresponds to an existent being, or is imag played a major role? Another major role was played by the folks who defined the canon. IMO.
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Leaving aside the question of whether the character written of corresponds to an existent being, or is imaginary in whole or in part, don't you think Paul played a major role? Another major role was played by the folks who defined the canon. IMO.
I don't think it is a problem that "Paul played a major role". Jesus said that His faithful believing disciples would do
"greater" works. -
"Truly, truly, I say to you, He who believes into Me, the works which I do he shall do also; and greater than these he shall do because I go to the Father." (John 14:21)
Now we have to understand what's constitutes
"greater ... works" in the mind of Christ. I don't think it means that whereas He walked upon the water, His disciples will walk three feet above the water. The
"greater things" have to do with the propogation of His teaching to more people and establishing the churches.
Paul pioneered in the experience of Christ in consecration, service, faith and labor. So I think it is marvelous that Paul played a very significant role.
As for the canon, my view differs from that of the skeptic. I don't think the canon was invented. I think it was discovered. I don't think the canon was an authoritative list of books. I think it was a list of authoritative books.
The canon was a matter of discovery rather than concoction. It should be expected that God having "breathed out" some divine writings, His enemy and the natural religious mind would flood the world
also with material to confuse the matter.
And we must not expect that all that additional flooded out material, apochraphal, pseudopighraphal, etc. would be obviously bad stuff. A lot of it was good religious writing. A lot of it was important historical writing about the era. And of course some of it was simply bad and untruthful "jump on the bandwagon" religious hype.
From this plethora of writings, men of God detected out the canonical books. Do not mistake my meaning. Much of that additional writing may have been spiritual in the truest sense. Still they were not up to the canonical test of the inspired word of God.