Biblical Criticism & History Forum - earlywritings.com

Hi Stephan

Porphyry's claim seems a plausible way for an anti-Christian writer to interpret the standard text of Galatians. I don't think it requires the use of an unusual text by Porphyry (who would probably have tried to use the standard text.)

Andrew Criddle

............................ And even with all this, I'm not saying that stylistic considerations of this sort are necessarily the most important. Other things could be more important, and the most fundamental question to ask of the texts is whether they are authentic correspondence or not. Then it...

It is inconsistent to name the name of Christ Jesus, and to live after the manner of the Jews. For Christianity did not believe upon Judaism, but Judaism upon Christianity, so that every tongue which believed might be gathered together unto God. ατοπον εστιν Ιησουν Χριστον λαλειν και Ιουδαιζειν. ο ...

Re-reading the Acts of Paul it may be possible to see it as based only on Paul's letters if you include the Pastorals.

In principle there might be a similar argument for Canonical Acts but it is unlikely IMO that the author of Canonical Acts had access to the Pastorals.

Andrew Criddle

Although knowledge of canonical Acts by the author of the Acts of Paul is IMO true, some scholars question it. Without knowledge of canonical Acts then yes the Acts of Paul would require a lost source for Paul's life. Why? I think a lot of the mythicist argument about the invention of Jesus is unte...

Either Acts is earlier or the author had other sources for Paul's life. Nonsense. Would you say the same thing about the Acts of Paul? IF the author of the Acts of Paul knew canonical Acts, then I would see no need for another source. (The author clearly knew the letters of Paul). Although knowledg...

To explore the other half of that dichotomy, what sources would he need? One possibility is that the 'we' sections of Acts are from a contemporary account of Paul's travels to which the author of Acts had access. Why is something like that needed? Because of geographical verisimilitude? Basically y...

I think it would be very difficult for a 2nd century writer to produce a account of Paul's life as plausible as the one in Acts with no other sources whatever than the letters of Paul. Either Acts is earlier or the author had other sources for Paul's life. Andrew Criddle To explore the other half o...

chapter 15 on internal evidence is clearly Pauline. Care to elaborate on this point? Romans 15:1-13 continues the argument of chapter 14. An ending at 14:23 is far too abrupt. Romans 15:14-32 is closely related too Romans 1:8-13 in theory this could be imitation by a later writer but it would be a ...

I think it would be very difficult for a 2nd century writer to produce a account of Paul's life as plausible as the one in Acts with no other sources whatever than the letters of Paul.

Either Acts is earlier or the author had other sources for Paul's life.

Andrew Criddle