evidence of a PRE-CHRISTIAN Joshua cult in Paul
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 10:46 pm
Why Paul met pre-Christians at Corinth:
Because he points out that he has come to Corinth to preach not simple Jesus Christ, but the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.
The Christ has not sent Paul to baptize - because they were already baptized.
1 Corinthians 1:17-18
1 Corinthians 2:2
The famous passage of 1 Corinthians 15:3-8:
...the principal claim is the following:
...but that claim assumes that his readers know already who is Christ. They only didn't know about the death of the Christ.
Hence the sense is: I passed on to you that the Christ of your knowledge died for our sins.
He has not in mind a generic definition of Christ, but the precise Christ already known by Corinthians.
In addition, Paul points out that the first information given by him was just the information of the death of the Christ:
Other evidence of a pre-christian Jesus cult is in 1 Corinthians 11:20-22:
the Lord’s Supper existed even before the arrival of Paul. The Apostle has only to remember his true meaning, in his eyes, not to create it ex nihilo.
Hence, there was a Joshua cult diffused in the Diaspora and ramified in various sectes, but this Joshua was not still connected with the Christ, even less so with a crucified Christ.
Paul was one of the early apostles to connect Joshua/Jesus with the Christ.
Because he points out that he has come to Corinth to preach not simple Jesus Christ, but the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.
The Christ has not sent Paul to baptize - because they were already baptized.
1 Corinthians 1:17-18
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
1 Corinthians 2:2
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
The famous passage of 1 Corinthians 15:3-8:
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
...the principal claim is the following:
I passed on to you that Christ died for our sins
...but that claim assumes that his readers know already who is Christ. They only didn't know about the death of the Christ.
Hence the sense is: I passed on to you that the Christ of your knowledge died for our sins.
He has not in mind a generic definition of Christ, but the precise Christ already known by Corinthians.
In addition, Paul points out that the first information given by him was just the information of the death of the Christ:
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins
Other evidence of a pre-christian Jesus cult is in 1 Corinthians 11:20-22:
So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!
the Lord’s Supper existed even before the arrival of Paul. The Apostle has only to remember his true meaning, in his eyes, not to create it ex nihilo.
Hence, there was a Joshua cult diffused in the Diaspora and ramified in various sectes, but this Joshua was not still connected with the Christ, even less so with a crucified Christ.
Paul was one of the early apostles to connect Joshua/Jesus with the Christ.