Was Paul a false prophet

Answer 1

Paul was a man who very faithfully spread the word of God throughout the nations.

(Separate answer)

Paul (Saul of Tarsus) was a pharisee who was at times a chief scribe for Annus and perhaps Caiphus. He persecuted the people of the New Jewish /Christian movement violently, by his own admission. He supposedly had a miraculous conversion on the road to Damascus, in Syria, where he saw and spoke to Jesus. After this he began to preach the gospel throughout Greece, Turkey and much of the Empire.

There is much controversy around the story and the man. James brother of Jesus) and Peter both agreed his ministry might work well for the polytheistic Greeks, but they also both believed many of Paul's teachings, like faith without works, were contrary to Jesus' teachings. In Peter and James writings they quite often contradict things written by Paul to the various churches and in Acts, they both have accounted disagreements with him.

It is now widely considered that about half of the writings attributed to Paul, may have been written by someone else because of Paul's contradictions with his own teachings. Also the contradictions of Paul may be explained by the fact that he gave certain instructions to one church at one time and different ones to another because of any particular issues unique to that church. in any case, most of the writings of Paul were geared to only those churches and only that time period and not for the ages.

Other than Paul's own claim that he was commissioned by Jesus, there is no proof at all that he was. Whereas there was proof in the form of many witnesses that he left the ministry to primarily Peter and secondarily to his younger brother, James.

Additional material

In addition to the above there are also actually some good points about Paul that may balance out the (almost!) character assassination above. Whereas all of the above is absolutely true, one must never forget that Paul was also a very learned man in theology - taught by the great Gamaliel, despite being a common tradesman - a tent maker - by profession. He was instrumental in founding many churches across the Roman Empire thanks to several missionary journeys where he was attacked, imprisoned, beaten up and even shipwrecked. His letters to the churches that he founded (and some that he didnt found) are still held up as masterpieces of theology, teaching, encouragement and sometimes chastisement despite there being (very very few) inconsistencies across some of the letters - inconsistencies that some scholars have put down to Paul maturing in his theology in later years or in adapting his theology to suit particular societies at particular times.

Paul suffered a great deal for his faith, suffering even to the point of execution in Rome (by beheading with a sword rather than crucifixion as he was a Roman citizen as well as a Jew). Therefore his conversion on the Damascus Road was not, as a result, a 'supposed' meeting with Christ, but the evidence points to a real, life-changing experience that affected Paul so much that he gave up everything - his livelihood, his standing in society, his Jewishness, his friends and colleagues, his freedom and even his life in order that his Lord should be honoured and followed.

Additional answer: An Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin and an apostle of Jesus Christ. (Eph 1:1; Php 3:5) Though perhaps having both the Hebrew name Saul and the Roman name Paul from childhood (Ac 9:17; 2Pe 3:15), this apostle may have chosen to go by his Roman name in view of his commission to declare the good news to the non-Jews.-Ac 9:15; Ga 2:7, 8.

Paul was born in Tarsus, a prominent city of Cilicia. (Ac 21:39; 22:3) His parents were Hebrews and evidently adhered to the Pharisaic branch of Judaism. (Ac 23:6; Php 3:5) He was a Roman citizen from birth (Ac 22:28), his father having perhaps been granted citizenship for services rendered. Paul probably learned the trade of tentmaker from his father. (Ac 18:3) But, at Jerusalem, he received instruction from the learned Pharisee Gamaliel, suggesting that Paul was from a prominent family. (Ac 22:3; 5:34) Languagewise, Paul was versed at least in Greek and Hebrew. (Ac 21:37-40) At the time that Paul traveled as a missionary, he was unmarried. (1Co 7:8) During this general period, if not already earlier, he had a sister and a nephew who resided in Jerusalem.-Ac 23:16-22.

It was the apostle Paul's privilege to write more books, or letters, of the Christian Greek Scriptures than anyone else. He was given supernatural visions (2Co 12:1-5) and, by means of the holy spirit, was enabled to speak numerous foreign tongues.-1Co 14:18.

Persecution, Conversion, Early Ministry. The Biblical record introduces Saul, or Paul, as the "young man" at whose feet the false witnesses who stoned Christ's disciple Stephen laid their outer garments. (Ac 6:13; 7:58) Paul approved of the murder of Stephen and, because of misdirected zeal for tradition, began a campaign of vicious persecution against Christ's followers. When they were to be executed, he voted against them. At the time of their trial in synagogues, he endeavored to force them to recant. He extended his persecution to cities other than Jerusalem and even procured written authorization from the high priest to search out disciples of Christ as far N as Damascus, in Syria, and to bind them and bring them to Jerusalem, probably for trial by the Sanhedrin.-Ac 8:1, 3; 9:1, 2; 26:10, 11; Ga 1:13, 14.

As Paul neared Damascus, Christ Jesus revealed himself to Paul in a flashing light and commissioned him to be an attendant and a witness of the things he had seen and would yet see. Whereas those with Paul also fell to the ground because of this manifestation and heard the sound of someone speaking, Paul alone understood the words and was blinded, necessitating his being led by the hand to Damascus. (Ac 9:3-8; 22:6-11; 26:12-18) For three days he neither ate nor drank. Then, while praying in the house of a certain Judas at Damascus, Paul, in vision, saw Christ's disciple Ananias come in and restore his sight. When the vision became reality, Paul was baptized, received holy spirit, partook of food, and gained strength.-Ac 9:9-19. Insight On the Scriptures Jehovah's Witnesses official website

Answer 2

Some would say yes, but most would say no, he was an Apostle. See below:

1 Corinthians 12:28-29

New International Version (NIV)

28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?

Answer 3

Yes. He was. He fit every criteria. He even saw Jesus.

Because of his obedience to God. The message was spread though the Roman Empire. He started many churches including the one in Rome.

Answer 4

Paul never referred to himself as a prophet, nor did he claim in any of his epistles to be able to foretell the future. However he did refer to others, who appeared to be from other Christian sects or who taught a "different Christ", as false apostles and false brethren. Perhaps they, in turn, referred to Paul as a false prophet, but we have no record of this.

Answer 5

Paul often tells us that he was an apostle. For example:

Romans 1:1: "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God"

Romans 11:13: "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office"

1 Corinthians 1:1: "Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God ..."

ANSWER 2:

One of the apostles...as in 'one of the 12 apostles/disciples'? No. Read Matthew 10:1-10 and Acts 1:21-26.

The Apostle Paul is the Apostle of and to the gentiles; our Apostle. He is a distinct Apostle, and he was the first member of the church which is the body of Christ, so the body of Christ started in Acts 9, when he was saved. Paul didn't start it, God did.

Answer 6

A:

The gospel accounts of Jesus never mention Paul. However, intriguingly, the author of the first New Testament gospel, now known as Mark's Gospel, appears to have been familiar with Paul's Epistle to the Romans and 1 Corinthians, so could have mentioned Paul had he wished to do so.

Answer 7

Yes. An apostle of Christ is one who has been sent forth directly by Jesus. The Bible gives the account of how the resurrected Jesus approached Paul and called him to be an apostle. (Acts 9:1-22) Paul also identifies himself as an apostle of Christ on several occasions, including in the opening remarks of the letters of Romans and 2 Timothy.

Answer 8

Known previously as Saul of Tarsus, the Apostle Paul was the specific apostle to the Gentiles.