RE: * Not the Holy Spirit but Jesus himself most likely inspired the authors to get the direct quotes right. *
In a sense you are absolutely right. God the Father is GOD. Jesus is GOD. The Holy Spirit is GOD. There is only One God, Jesus IS the Holy Spirit in substance, just not is person.
RE: * If Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, how could the Holy Spirit be of any influence on the Rabbis who as you say penned the Old Testament. *
God the Father is eternal, the Holy Spirit is eternal, Jesus is eternal.
Did the Holy Spirit come upon believers in the Old Testament ? Yes.
Did Jesus send Him then ? In a sense, yes. (see above sense)
RE: * Do you think the Holy Spirit made them write a correct creation story even before Christ sent the Holy Spirit. *
Yes. This is the same as immediately above.
And how do you account for the contradictions between the Garden of Eden story and the Creation story?
I have found no contradictions, please don’t expect me to know all of your assumptions or beliefs. I cannot read minds or between lines very easily, though I am trying desperately
RE: * It si well known that Saul at first persecuted the Christians and later after the revelation of christ changed his name and became a follower of christ. *
Paul was the LAST Apostle.
There is more than one definition of Apostle.
This LAST applies to the concise Apostle definition that includes “those that saw Jesus while on the earth”.
RE: * In learned circles it is thought that Paul actually invented christianity. Before that it was a sect of Judaism *
Does this learned circle include you ?
The Apostles were first called Christians at Antioch, and I concede that many did, and still do, think of Christianity as a sect of Judaism. Indeed, those believers who were followers of Judaism had proclivity to continue in the Judaism legalistic traditions. Much of the New Testament makes this clear and also identifies that there is a new covenant and the old is done away.
It is a privilege for me to be called Judeo-Christian, for this encompasses both, the old and new covenants, which God has made.
My love to you, brother. |