Paul and the other epistle writers know nothing of the gospel story, the temple action, Pilate, Mary, they were written after Paul was dead. None of the epistle writers mention disciples.
Forget my last post about the above..... it was stupid. I claim tiredness.
I scanned through the letters last night, and 1 Cor was most interesting. I don't think that Paul wanted to include (or mention) anybody who could claim to be of more importance in his new religion than himself. This includes Jesus.
Paul actually reduces all the abilities attributed to Jesus through the oral-tradition, and with subtlety promotes some for himself into the minds of readers without actually making any claims. Just in case that does not work he promotes an ability that all can share above the powers of Jesus.
Rather like G-John (and others) not wishing to raise John the Baptist too high (Should not you be baptising me?
)
See how Paul makes sure that other qualities (such as his own position as 'ordained' apostle) are still popped in before any powers of Jesus. Read and enjoy......
12:28} And God hath set some in the church,
first apostles
(like me!), secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after
that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments,
diversities of tongues. ..................
He then goes on to promote 'charity' above all of those virtues. But the idea is being settled upon the reader.
He does this often, it seems....... look at his order of importance? There's only two 'things' that Paul wanted out of Yeshua's life, mission and following...... his (Hellenised) name and his (Hellenised) title.
I think that Paul knew the oral tradition and stories about Yeshua's mission, but his blinding idea did not need more than a figurehead already followed by many. Then it just needed to be taken over, developed and merged with his own ideas.
He had to give Cephas recognition, because Cephas would not go away or retreat into the shadows.
