Introduction to Paul

Paul was born in what is now present-day Turkey, and most likely never met Jesus. He says that he initially belonged to a law-oriented “Pharisee” version of Judaism, before he converted and became a member of the Jesus-movement, which he regarded as “true Judaism.” He was one among many seems preachers in the early Christian movement, but probably the most influential, spreading a Jesus-centered version of Judaism in Jewish synagogues throughout the Mediterranean world. He does not claim to be presenting the teachings of Jesus, but teachings about Jesus, mainly about his crucifixion and resurrection. His great influence on the early Christian movement shows in the fact that his letters take up more space than any other single writer in the Christian New Testament. His writings, especially the Letter to the Romans, are the only New Testament writings that give anything like a detailed account of the doctrine of Jesus-as-savior that became central to mainstream Western Christianity: The unusual ideas (1) that before the coming of Jesus mankind had existed in an inescapably “sinful” state, (2) that they could do nothing to save themselves, but (3) that God had sent his Son Jesus as savior to do what they could not do for themselves, and (4) that his crucifixion was the event that saved people from their sinful state. This is a very extraordinary set of ideas, and I think one of the main puzzles about Christian origins is: What motivated large numbers of people to believe these very unusual ideas and take them as a basis for living their lives? Paul’s Letter to the Romans chapters 6-8 presents the best answer I have found to this fundamental question. Two essays included here present my arguments and conclusions on this topic.