Paul and "Luke" diverge on a number of details about Paul's ministry.
Luke says that right after his conversion by a heavenly vision Paul went first to Damascus and then directly to Jerusalem where he was introduced to the apostles. (Acts 9)
Paul himself says that right after his vision he did not see any who were apostles before him. He went first to Arabia, then to Damascus and finally after three years to Jerusalem where he met Peter and James. (Gal. 1)
Luke mentions a second journey to Jerusalem when Paul and Barnabas brought a collection taken up among the Gentile Christians to help the church at Jerusalem. (Acts 11) He then tells of a third meeting at Jerusalem to discuss the question if the Gentiles needed to be circumcised.
Paul describes a second visit to Jerusalem, 14 years after his first, to discuss this question. (Gal. 2)
Luke describes the Jerusalem leaders, especially Peter and James, as agreeing easily that the Gentiles do not need to be circumcised. (Acts 15)
Paul says that James sent emissaries to Antioch, who frightened Peter into refusing to eat with Gentile Christians "because he was afraid of those who were in favor of circumcising them" and Paul rebuked him (Gal. 2:12) According to Paul it was at this meeting that he was asked to remember "the needy" in the Jerusalem church.
Luke shows Paul taking a tolerant view of idol worship in the past:
However, writing in Romans 1 Paul takes a quite different view:
So we could conclude ...
A. that Luke did not listen very carefully to Paul, or
B. that Paul had developed Alzheimer's by the time he wrote Galatians, or
C. along with the majority of modern critical scholars we could conclude that Luke-Acts was written a few decades after Paul's ministry by an anonymous person who admired Paul but did not know Paul or his writings very well.
Luke says that right after his conversion by a heavenly vision Paul went first to Damascus and then directly to Jerusalem where he was introduced to the apostles. (Acts 9)
Paul himself says that right after his vision he did not see any who were apostles before him. He went first to Arabia, then to Damascus and finally after three years to Jerusalem where he met Peter and James. (Gal. 1)
Luke mentions a second journey to Jerusalem when Paul and Barnabas brought a collection taken up among the Gentile Christians to help the church at Jerusalem. (Acts 11) He then tells of a third meeting at Jerusalem to discuss the question if the Gentiles needed to be circumcised.
Paul describes a second visit to Jerusalem, 14 years after his first, to discuss this question. (Gal. 2)
Luke describes the Jerusalem leaders, especially Peter and James, as agreeing easily that the Gentiles do not need to be circumcised. (Acts 15)
Paul says that James sent emissaries to Antioch, who frightened Peter into refusing to eat with Gentile Christians "because he was afraid of those who were in favor of circumcising them" and Paul rebuked him (Gal. 2:12) According to Paul it was at this meeting that he was asked to remember "the needy" in the Jerusalem church.
Luke shows Paul taking a tolerant view of idol worship in the past:
Quote:Since we are God's children, we should not suppose that his nature is anything like an image of gold or silver or stone, shaped by human art and skill. God has overlooked the times when people did not know him, but now he commands all of them everywhere to turn away from their evil ways. (Acts 17:29-30)
However, writing in Romans 1 Paul takes a quite different view:
Quote:Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all! They know God, but they do not give him the honor that belongs to him, nor do they thank him. Instead, their thoughts have become complete nonsense, and their empty minds are filled with darkness. They say they are wise, but they are fools; instead of worshiping the immortal God, they worship images made to look like mortals or birds or animals or reptiles. (Romans 20-23)
So we could conclude ...
A. that Luke did not listen very carefully to Paul, or
B. that Paul had developed Alzheimer's by the time he wrote Galatians, or
C. along with the majority of modern critical scholars we could conclude that Luke-Acts was written a few decades after Paul's ministry by an anonymous person who admired Paul but did not know Paul or his writings very well.
If you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people — House
