Not Paul, But Jesus

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Bentham Jeremy. Not Paul, But Jesus

EDITOR'S PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

PLAN OF THE WORK

TABLE I

OUTWARD CONVERSION

VISION I. ACTS ACCOUNT

II. PAUL'S FIRST PERSONAL ACCOUNT

III. PAUL'S SECOND PERSONAL ACCOUNT

IV. PAUL'S ALLUSIONS

II. VISION 2. – ANANIAS'S

III. ANANIAS'S VISIT TO PAUL

CHAPTER I

SECTION I. LIST OF THESE ACCOUNTS, WITH PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS

SECTION 2. Vision I. – DIALOGUE ON THE ROAD: PAUL HEARS A VOICE, SEES NOTHING

SECTION 3. Vision II. – Ananias's

SECTION 4. ANANIAS: HIS VISIT TO PAUL AT DAMASCUS

SECTION 5. VISION III. – PAUL'S ANTERIOR VISION, AS REPORTED BY THE LORD TO ANANIAS

SECTION 6. VISIONS, WHY TWO OR THREE INSTEAD OF ONE

SECTION 7. COMMISSION TO PAUL BY JERUSALEM RULERS – COMMISSION TO BRING IN BONDS DAMASCUS CHRISTIANS – PAUL'S CONTEMPT PUT UPON IT

SECTION 8. COMPANIONS – HAD PAUL ANY UPON THE ROAD?

SECTION 9. IN PAUL'S EPISTLE TO HIS GALATIANS, – BY HIS SILENCE, ACTS' ACCOUNTS OF HIS CONVERSION ARE VIRTUALLY CONTRADICTED

TABLE II. – PAUL DISBELIEVED

INTERVIEWS, A.D. 35 (I); A.D. 52 (III)

INTERVIEW I. A.D. 35

INTERVIEW I. A.D. 35

INTERVIEW II. A.D. 43

INTERVIEW III. A.D. 52

INTERVIEW IV. A.D. 52

INTERVIEW A.D. 52

INTERVIEW V. A.D. 60

INTERVIEW V. A.D. 60

CHAPTER II

SECTION 1. MOTIVE, TEMPORAL ADVANTAGE – PLAN

SECTION 2. AT DAMASCUS, NO SUCH ANANIAS PROBABLY

SECTION 3. ON DAMASCUS JOURNEY – COMPANIONS NONE

SECTION 4. FLIGHT FROM DAMASCUS: CAUSES – FALSE – TRUE

SECTION 5. ARABIA-VISIT – MENTIONED BY PAUL, NOT ACTS

SECTION 6. GAMALIEL – HAD HE PART IN PAUL'S PLAN?

CHAPTER III

SECTION 1. TO PAUL'S CONVERSION VISION, SOLE ORIGINAL WITNESS HIMSELF

SECTION 2. COUNTER-WITNESSES, THE APOSTLES. BY THEM, THE STORY WAS PROBABLY NOT HEARD – CERTAINLY NOT CREDITED

SECTION 3. IN PROOF OF THIS, SO MUCH OF THE ACTS HISTORY MUST HERE BE ANTICIPATED

SECTION 4. TOPICS UNDER HIS SEVERAL JERUSALEM-VISITS

SECTION 5. Topics under Visit II. – MONEY-BRINGING VISIT

SECTION 6. Remarks on Visit III. – DEPUTATION VISIT

SECTION 7. Topics under Visit IV. – INVASION VISIT

SECTION 8. SELF-WRITTEN BIOGRAPHY – ITS SUPERIOR VALUE AND CLAIM TO CREDENCE

CHAPTER IV

SECTION 1. PAUL'S PROCEEDINGS BETWEEN HIS CONVERSION AND THIS VISIT. – CONTRADICTION. PER PAUL, IT WAS NOT TILL AFTER THREE YEARS SPENT IN ARABIA; PER ACTS, IMMEDIATELY

SECTION 2. GROUNDS OF PAUL'S PROSPECT OF RECONCILIATION ON THIS OCCASION WITH THE APOSTLES AND THEIR DISCIPLES

SECTION 3. OCCASION OF THIS VISIT, AS PER PAUL'S OWN ACCOUNT

SECTION 4. OCCASION, AS PER ACTS ACCOUNT COMPARED WITH PAUL'S

SECTION 5. CAUSE OF THE DISCORDANCE BETWEEN THE TWO ACCOUNTS

SECTION 6. LENGTH OF THIS VISIT – PAUL'S EMPLOYMENT DURING IT

SECTION 7. MODE AND CAUSE OF ITS TERMINATION

CHAPTER V

SECTION 1. AT ANTIOCH, AGABUS HAVING PREDICTED A DEARTH, MONEY IS COLLECTED FOR THE JERUSALEM SAINTS

SECTION 2. BARNABAS AND PAUL DISPATCHED WITH THE MONEY TO JERUSALEM

CHAPTER VI

SECTION 1. OCCASION OF THIS VISIT

SECTION 2. THE DELEGATES HOW RECEIVED. – COUNCIL OF APOSTLES AND ELDERS

SECTION 3. DEBATES – COURSE CARRIED BY JAMES AGAINST PETER

SECTION 4. RESULT, SUPPOSED APOSTOLIC DECREE AND LETTER TO ANTIOCH, WHICH, PER ACTS, PAUL CIRCULATES

CHAPTER VII

SECTION 1. CONTEST AND PARTITION TREATY, AS PER ACTS, AND PAUL'S EPISTLES

SECTION 2. PARTITION-TREATY – PROBABILITY GIVEN, BY THE FINANCIAL STIPULATION, TO PAUL'S ACCOUNT OF IT

SECTION 3. TIME OF THE PARTITION TREATY, MOST PROBABLY THAT OF VISIT I

CHAPTER VIII

SECTION 1. PAUL'S ACCOUNT OF THIS INTERVIEW QUOTED. – ACTS ACCOUNT OF WHAT FOLLOWED UPON IT

SECTION 2. PAUL DISAGREES WITH PETER – AND BARNABAS – QUITS ANTIOCH, TAKING SILAS FROM THE APOSTLES

SECTION 3. THE PARTITION TREATY, AND THE PROCEEDINGS, IN RELATION TO IT, DOWN TO THIS PERIOD, REVIEWED

SECTION 4. PETER AND THE APOSTLES JUSTIFIED AS TO THE FINANCIAL STIPULATION IN THE TREATY, AND THE SUCCEEDING MISSIONARY LABOURS OF PETER AMONG THE GENTILES

CHAPTER IX

SECTION 1. MOTIVES TO THIS VISIT

SECTION 2. THE VISIT ANNOUNCED BY PAUL AND DEFERRED

SECTION 3. THE DESIGN INDEFENSIBLE

SECTION 4. OPPOSITION MADE TO IT BY HIS OWN ATTENDANTS AND OTHER ADHERENTS

SECTION 5. OPPOSITION MADE TO IT BY THE APOSTLES AND THEIR DISCIPLES

SECTION 6. PLAN OF THE APOSTLES FOR RIDDING THEMSELVES OF PAUL

CHAPTER X

SECTION 1. AT JERUSALEM, PAUL IS RECEIVED BY THE ELDERS AND JAMES, BUT BY NO OTHER APOSTLE

SECTION 2. LOW TONE ASSUMED BY HIM ON THIS OCCASION

SECTION 3. POSTERIOR TO ALL HIS SUPPOSED MIRACLES, HIS SILENCE PROVES THEM UNREAL

SECTION 4. ACCUSED BY THE DISCIPLES, HE COMMENCES, AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE APOSTLES, AN EXCULPATORY OATH IN THE TEMPLE

SECTION 5. THE DESIGN OF THIS RECOMMENDATION JUSTIFIED

SECTION 6. DRAGGED OUT OF THE TEMPLE BY JEWS OR CHRISTIANS, HE IS SAVED BY A GENTILE, NAMELY, A ROMAN COMMANDER

CHAPTER XI

SECTION 1. GENERAL PROOF OF THE PERJURY FROM THE ACTS

SECTION 2. PROOF FROM THE EPISTLES

CHAPTER XII

SECTION 1. RESURRECTION-WITNESSES MULTIPLIED

SECTION 2. FALSE PROPHECY, – THAT THE WORLD WOULD END IN THE LIFETIME OF PERSONS THEN LIVING

SECTION 3. DISORDER AND MISCHIEF PRODUCED BY THIS PREDICTION

SECTION 4. PAUL'S REMEDY FOR THE DISORDER, AND SALVO FOR HIMSELF. – ANTICHRIST MUST FIRST COME

CHAPTER XIII

SECTION 1. OBJECTIONS, APPLYING TO THEM IN THE AGGREGATE

SECTION 2. SUPPOSABLE MIRACLE I. – ELYMAS THE SORCERER BLINDED. —Acts 13:6 to 12

SECTION 3. SUPPOSABLE MIRACLE II. – AT LYSTRA, CRIPPLE CURED. —Acts 14:8 to 11

SECTION 4. SUPPOSABLE MIRACLE III. – DIVINERESS SILENCED. —Acts 16:16-18

SECTION 5. SUPPOSABLE MIRACLE IV. – AT PHILIPPI, AN EARTHQUAKE: PAUL AND SILAS FREED FROM PRISON, A.D. 53

SECTION 6. SUPPOSABLE MIRACLE V. – AT CORINTH, PAUL COMFORTED BY THE LORD IN AN UNSEEN VISION, A.D. 54. —Acts 18:7-11

SECTION 7. SUPPOSABLE MIRACLE VI. – AT EPHESUS, DISEASES AND DEVILS EXPELLED BY FOUL HANDKERCHIEFS. —Acts 19:1-12

SECTION 8. SUPPOSABLE MIRACLE VII. – AT EPHESUS, EXORCISTS SCEVAS BEDEVILED. —Acts 19:13-20

SECTION 9. SUPPOSABLE MIRACLE VIII. – MAGICAL BOOKS BURNT BY THE OWNERS. —Acts 19:19, 20

SECTION 10. SUPPOSABLE MIRACLE IX. – AT TROAS, EUTYCHUS FOUND NOT TO BE DEAD. —Acts 20:7-12

SECTION 11. SUPPOSABLE MIRACLE X. – ON SHIPBOARD, PAUL COMFORTED BY AN ANGEL

SECTION 12. SUPPOSABLE MIRACLE XI. – AT MALTA, A REPTILE SHAKEN OFF BY PAUL WITHOUT HURT. —Acts 28:1-6

SECTION 13. SUPPOSABLE MIRACLE XII. – AT MALTA, DEPUTY PUBLIUS'S FATHER CURED. —Acts 28:7-10

SECTION 14. CONCLUSION: THE SUPPOSABLE MIRACLES CLASSED AND SUMMED UP

CHAPTER XIV

SECTION 1. BY THE FALSE PARTS, THE GOSPEL NOT AFFECTED: MOST PARTS TRUE

SECTION 2. TIME BETWEEN RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION – ACTS CONTRADICTS LUKE

SECTION 3. AS TO ASCENSION, ACTS IS INCONSISTENT WITH LUKE

CHAPTER XV

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION

SECTION 2. TRIAL I. PLACE, JERUSALEM TEMPLE. – JUDICATORY, THE MIXED MULTITUDE. —Acts 22:1 to 21

SECTION 3. TRIAL II. JUDICATORY, JERUSALEM COUNCIL-BOARD. —Acts 23:1 to 10

SECTION 4. TRIAL III. PLACE, CÆSAREA. —Acts 24:1-23

SECTION 5. TRIAL IV. PLACE AGAIN, CÆSAREA. —Acts 25:1-12

SECTION 6. TRIAL V. AND LAST. – PLACE, STILL CÆSAREA

CHAPTER XVI

SECTION 1. PAUL'S DOCTRINE WAS AT VARIANCE WITH THAT OF THE APOSTLES

SECTION 2. OF CONFORMITY, USE MADE OF THE NAME OF JESUS NO PROOF

SECTION 3. PAUL, WAS HE NOT ANTICHRIST?

Отрывок из книги

Illustrious, in the church of Jesus in general, and in the church of England in particular, is the name of Conyers Middleton. Signal was, and is, the service rendered by him to the religion of Jesus. By that bold, though reverend, hand, it now stands cleared of many a heap of pernicious rubbish, with which it had been incumbered and defiled, by the unhallowed labours of a succession of writers, who, – without personal intercourse with the founder, any more than we have now, – have, from the mere circumstance of the comparative vicinity of their days to those in which he lived, derived the exclusive possession of the imposing title of Fathers of the Church, or, in one word, The Fathers.

So able, so effectual, has been this clearance, that, as it has been observed by the Edinburgh Reviewers, – speaking of course of protestants, and more particularly of English protestants, – till one unexpected exception, which it mentions, had presented itself, they had thought that in no man's opinion were those writers any "longer to be regarded as guides, either in faith or morals."

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On the supposition of falsity, – quere the use of this circumstance? Answer. To afford support to the conception, that memory and not imagination was the source from which the story was derived. True it is, that, instead of support, a circumstance exposed to contradiction would be an instrument of weakness: if, for example, on the supposition that Paul had no companions on the road, names indicative of really existing and well-known persons had been added, to the intimation given in the Acts, of the existence of such companions. But to no such hazard was the story of the scales exposed: not to any great danger, on the supposition of the existence of Paul's Ananias: not to any danger at all, upon the supposition of his non-existence.

But, upon this occasion, now again once more present themselves – present themselves to the mind's eye – Paul's companions. That they were blinded at all can scarcely, it has been seen, be believed, if on this matter the historian himself is believed. For, per Acts ix. 8, "they led him by the hand: " so, per Paul 1st, Acts xxii. 11, "When I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those that were with me, I came unto Damascus." But if, notwithstanding so it was that they too were blinded, – how was it with their eyes? Had their eyes scales upon them? did these scales ever fall off? – if so, by what means were they made to fall off? their evidence would have been not much, if anything, less impressive, – and it would have been much less open to suspicion, – than Paul's evidence, supposing him to have spoken of these scales – which the historian, to whom, if he is to be believed, their existence is so well known, did not take upon him to represent Paul as saying that he did. But if so it was, that, though rendered blind as Paul's, no scales were superinduced upon, nor consequently made to fall off, the eyes of those nameless and unknown persons, – how came they to be superinduced upon and made to fall off from the eyes of their singularly favoured principal? If, for a length of time more or less considerable, they really were made blind, – it was, if the historian is to be believed, by the same cause by which, in the instance of Paul's eyes, this same effect was produced: – the same cause, to wit an extraordinary light at noonday. If, whatsoever was the matter with them, the eyes of these ordinary persons could be set to rights without a miracle, what need could there be of a miracle for the producing the same desirable effect in the person of this their leader or master, extraordinary as this same leader or master was?

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