Paul the Apostle
PAUL THE APOSTLE (d. 62 CE), also called Paul of Tarsus, known to Jewish Christians as Saul, was a Christian apostle and saint. A controversial missionary, Paul provoked intense opposition both during his career and after. His letters, which make up a substantial portion of the New Testament canon, stimulated diverse reactions and attracted problematic adherents to his beliefs. Modern research has uncovered the efforts of the post-Pauline church to soften his legacy of theological radicalism.
Some of Paul's letters, such as 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians, were edited a generation after Paul's death in an effort to mold them in directions suitable for the conservative consolidation of Christianity. Other letters, for example, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus, were composed in Paul's name to serve the same purposes. In addition, several interpolations, such as 1 Corinthians 14:33b–36 and Romans 16:17–20, skew Paul's message in authoritarian and sexually chauvinistic directions. Acts of the Apostles also presents a conservative picture of Paul.
The result is that the indisputably genuine letters (Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, Philemon, 1 Thessalonians, and, with less unanimity, 2 Thessalonians) have traditionally been interpreted in light of the later writings. This has resulted in serious confusions concerning Paul's theology, his relations with his churches and with other early Christian leaders, his outlook on major ethical issues, and the chronology of his life.
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