The Truth About Saul

[JustTheFacts]

My investigation results prove the Bible is the word of God, AND false teachers have made specific and precise edits to the word of God to support their CJC coup. Their edits cause the contradictions found in the Bible. Just like all people who commit fraud, the false teachers did not want their fraud to be discovered or exposed. On the flip side, there is proof that God wanted their fraud exposed because he provided us all the details of their fraud in advance through Daniel and Revelation prophecy. God had to present the evidence in a puzzle otherwise the false teachers would have removed the documentation from the world. Through careful considerations, the breadcrumbs left help me separate the fraud documentation from the word of God.

Throughout my career I’ve found that there are always strings to pull that will unravel and expose fraud—it cannot remain hidden forever. Some of these strings exists in the words of Paul and pulling on them assists me get to the truth. From one of Paul’s letters:

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother. (Galatians 1:18-19)

The man that Paul claimed Jesus first appeared to, and the other man specifically mentioned by Paul as witnessing Jesus, James—the brother of Jesus, just happen to be the same men that were willing to meet with Paul when he first went to Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 15:3-7). Is this a coincidence or is it a connection to fraud?

It looks like a connection to fraud to me when considering the dynamics of Paul’s relationship with the disciples. After his vision and Paul started preaching, it took him three years to visit the disciples. A critical thinker should wonder why it took Paul so long to seek out those who Jesus chose to witness him and provide their testimony. In addition, a critical thinker would then see that the disciples except for Peter did not meet with Paul—a person that is preaching for Jesus for the last three years because Jesus told him to in a vision. Then there are details provided in another letter attributed to Paul that explain the disciples rejected Paul for the next eleven years (Galatians 2:1). The disciples boycotted Paul for a total of fourteen years. The men Jesus chose to spread the Good News did not welcome Paul into the Church.

Even after the disciple’s boycott of Paul apparently ended—at least according to Paul, there are indications that things were not good between Paul and the disciples Jesus chose to start his Church. Paul wrote in another letter that after that fourteen-year boycott, John, Peter, and James gave him “the right hand of fellowship.” But in that same description Paul referred to the leaders of the Church—the disciples Jesus chose—as “reputed.” That word confirmed throughout the many interpretations can only mean that Paul disputed or questioned the Church leadership of these men. Paul’s own words prove that he had a tumultuous and nearly non-existent relationship with the disciples Jesus chose to follow him and start his Church. Paul does not mention the disciple John in his letters except for the reference of him as a “reputed” leader.

Who would you take the side of, those who witnessed Jesus throughout his ministry or a man who himself claimed that Jesus appeared to him in a vision? Who would you believe, those with valid resurrection accounts, or someone who claimed resurrection appearances not validated through Jesus’ chosen eyewitnesses. There is only one reason for the disciples' boycott of Paul, and Paul’s poor relationship with them—the disciples didn’t believe Paul’s [Saul’s] story of meeting with the resurrected Jesus in a vision. Paul’s account that he was spreading didn’t match what the disciple’s had witnessed and documented.

I am wrapping up an analysis of resurrection accounts and you might find my data for Saul's claims interesting. Specifically, Paul wrote the following summary in one of his letters claiming that Jesus appeared to him:

6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also. (1 Corinthians 15:6-7)

There is no doubt that Saul who changed his name to Paul, claims that Jesus also appeared to him. Jesus’ resurrection appearance to Paul is a bit more difficult to analyze because there are three separate accounts of it in the New Testament—Acts 9:3-20, 22:6-16, and 26:12-18. I have separated similar portions of the accounts so that they can be compared and analyzed.

1. Introduction:
Acts 9:3 - As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.
Acts 22:6 - As I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.
Acts 26:12-13 - “Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.

As evident from these accounts, the first account in Acts 9:3-20 is being told by someone else—“shone around him,” whereas the last two accounts have been documented by someone observing Paul describe the event—“shone around me.” The first account is second-hand or even less reliable information, whereas as the last two accounts are observations—eyewitness accounts of what Saul stated. Based on this, I will only consider the two accounts that authors recorded Saul describing what happened to him.
Contradictions:
-The Acts 22:6 states that the light was shining “around me” meaning it was focused on Paul, but the account provided to the king states that the light was on Saul AND those who were with him. The account Saul provided to King Agrippa has changed a bit from what Saul told a crowd in Jerusalem.

2. Reactions and Jesus words:
Acts 22:7 - I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
Acts 26:14 - When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
Contradictions:
-Saul at first claimed that only he fell to the ground. In the account to King Agrippa Saul claimed that “we had all fallen to the earth.”
* The account to King Agrippa has again changed a bit:
* Saul added words to Jesus’ comment in the account he gave to King Agrippa.
-Saul claimed for the first time that the words he heard were spoken to him in Hebrew.

3. Saul’s response
Acts 22:8 - I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
Acts 26:15 - “I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
There are no contradictions here.

 

[JustTheFacts]

4. Jesus response to Saul:
Acts 22:8-10 - He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.’ 9 “Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t understand the voice of him who spoke to me. 10 I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.’
Acts 26:15-18 - “He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you; 17 delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, 18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’”
Contradictions:
-Saul tells the Jews in Jerusalem that the voice claimed “I am Jesus of Nazareth.” Saul told the king that the voice simply told Saul that “I am Jesus.”
-Saul is speaking about Jesus making a resurrection appearance to him then gets sidetracked as he was stating what Jesus said to him by telling what those with him experienced. A person who just had a light shine on him and a voice telling him it was Jesus is focused on what Jesus said, not what the others were doing during this.
- The accounts are completely different. In the first account, Saul claimed he asked Jesus to explain to him why he was visiting him and Jesus told him to go to Damascus and he will be told what to do. Saul told King Agrippa that Jesus explained to him why he visited Saul and told him exactly what Saul’s commission was. Saul’s account of what took place has changed over time, and this indicates that Saul is not telling the truth. A person that experiences this life changing event remembers the exact details.

5. The conversation with the voice is over and Saul and the others are on the way to Damascus:
Acts 22:11 - When I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
Contradictions:
-Saul is there to convince the king that Jesus visited him, yet he doesn’t tell the king about how Jesus blinded him during this encounter.

6. Saul’s vision is restored through Ananias:
Acts 9:17-18 - Ananias departed and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.
Acts 22:12-14 - One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus, came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ In that very hour I looked up at him.
Contradictions:
-I included the second-hand or less reliable account of this event here because I wanted you to see the inconsistencies here too.
-The earlier account in Acts claimed that Saul immediately could see, the second account says that Saul’s vision came back to him over an hour.
-The second-hand account claimed that Ananias laid hands on Saul for him to see, but Paul's own words contradict this by reporting that Ananias was standing nearby. Note that Saul does not tell the king anything about being blind nor regaining his sight—a miracle from Jesus!

7. Ananias provides Saul his commission from God:
Acts 22:14-16 - 14 He [Ananias] said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth. 15 For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
Contradictions:
-As stated earlier, in the version to the king, Saul stated that Jesus told Saul exactly what he was to do. In the earlier version to the Jews in Jerusalem, Saul claimed Ananias provided Saul his commission from God.


In summary, Saul stated that Jesus appeared to him (1 Corinthians 15:7). Saul also stated that Jesus told Saul that it was Jesus who was appearing to Saul (Acts 26:16). Then the author of Luke wrote that Ananias, “a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus” claimed that Jesus appeared to Saul (Acts 9:17-18). Do you believe it yet? Everyone is claiming that Jesus appeared to Saul, but did you read anywhere in any of the accounts were Jesus ACTUALLY APPEARED TO SAUL? Nope, you didn’t, because Jesus didn’t appear to Saul—Saul heard a voice and said it was Jesus.

Saul provided no description of Jesus in any of his accounts because he didn’t witness Jesus resurrected. There was no Jesus in disguise, and there is no description from Saul what Jesus appeared as. Jesus proved himself resurrected to his disciples by having them witness the wounds on his hands, feet, and side. If the account by Saul were valid, Jesus would have had Saul witness Jesus hands, feet, and side to prove that it was him.

Now that I have proven Saul’s account of an alleged appearance by Jesus to him to be a fabrication, I want you to consider the name change from Saul to Paul. Why and how was Saul’s name changed to Paul? That’s a valid question because when Simon met Jesus, Jesus changed his name to Peter. To find out who and why Saul’s name was changed, you have to review the following verse:

But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him, (Acts 13:9)

From this point forward, Saul becomes Paul—he is transformed into a new man. Prior to this verse, Saul was always referred to by his name “Saul.” But after this verse there are over 150 references to Paul, but only three to Saul—and those are when Paul described his stated encounter with Jesus (Acts 22:7, 13, and 26:14). What we are told is that the transition from Saul to Paul was complete—Saul is no longer a persecutor of Christians, he has been commissioned by Jesus to help start the CJC and spread the word of God through Jesus.

But I want you to closely examine the details surrounding Saul’s name change and when you do, you will find it embedded in a peculiar story of a false teacher who is known by another name. Paul’s name change becomes official in the middle of a story about a false teacher who is also known by another name. The story of the sorcerer named Bar Jesus also called “Elymas the sorcerer,” who was confronted by Paul (Acts 13:6-11), contains Saul’s name change embedded in that story. Coincidence or connection?

 

[Lamb]

You reject all of Paul's writings as being canon then?

 

[JustTheFacts]

You reject all of Paul's writings as being canon then?

What are your thoughts based on the evidence presented?

 

[Lamb]

What are your thoughts based on the evidence presented?

I believe that you've tossed out a great deal of God's Word.

 

[JustTheFacts]

I believe that you've tossed out a great deal of God's Word.

Is Paul's word the word of God? I stated a long time ago that I couldn't find evidence that Paul's words were the word of God and I have requested feedback from anyone to prove that they are. This is a theology forum and I'm having problems with some theology and searching for feedback. I'm still waiting for that proof so I can evaluate it. Do you have some evidence that you can share?

I reviewed what is written, performed my usual forensic analysis to search for inconsistencies, contradictions, and fraud. I just completed this analysis today, presented the results, and now I am looking for feedback. Have you found problems or errors in my analysis, conclusions, and/or logic that you would like to share? If so, I will gladly consider them.

 

[atpollard]

Just as a point of trivia, Saul never actually CHANGED his name to Paul. Hebrew has an “s” sound so Jewish people can pronounce his name so it sounds something like the English letters “Saul” (that’s called transliteration, when you try to copy the sound of a word into a new language rather than translate its meaning). In Greek, they have no “s” sound, so the Greek speakers trying to say his name pronounced it so it sounds something like the English letters “Paul”. That is why the Bible says “Saul who is also CALLED Paul”.

I just found that an interesting point of trivia.

 

[atpollard]

The Acts 22:6 states that the light was shining “around me” meaning it was focused on Paul, but the account provided to the king states that the light was on Saul AND those who were with him. The account Saul provided to King Agrippa has changed a bit from what Saul told a crowd in Jerusalem.

No, it didn’t change except in your imagination. Paul just provided more details to King Agrippa.
If the light (which only Paul saw) engulfed Paul and his companions and everything in a 50 foot radius sphere, then was Paul stating the truth when he claimed that the light engulfed him? Was he stating the truth when he claimed that the light engulfed Paul and his companions? Would Paul be telling the truth if he said the light engulfed the entire vicinity?

Your claim that the light was only focused on Paul, is 100% just your opinion. The contradiction is YOUR fabrication.

 

[atpollard]

Acts 22:7 - I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
Acts 26:14 - When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
Contradictions:
-Saul at first claimed that only he fell to the ground. In the account to King Agrippa Saul claimed that “we had all fallen to the earth.”
* The account to King Agrippa has again changed a bit:
* Saul added words to Jesus’ comment in the account he gave to King Agrippa.
-Saul claimed for the first time that the words he heard were spoken to him in Hebrew

Does Acts 22 say that the others did not fall to the earth?
Again, your contradiction is actually an argument from silence. You are claiming “foul” for what is NOT WRITTEN rather than an actual contradiction.

Was the story merely tailored in its details for the audience, one focusing on Paul’s personal experience from Paul’s perspective and the other being a more detailed, accurate and complete record of events for a Royal Court?

 

[JustTheFacts]

Just as a point of trivia, Saul never actually CHANGED his name to Paul. Hebrew has an “s” sound so Jewish people can pronounce his name so it sounds something like the English letters “Saul” (that’s called transliteration, when you try to copy the sound of a word into a new language rather than translate its meaning). In Greek, they have no “s” sound, so the Greek speakers trying to say his name pronounced it so it sounds something like the English letters “Paul”. That is why the Bible says “Saul who is also CALLED Paul”.

I just found that an interesting point of trivia.

Thanks for the interesting comment, but your explanation doesn't explain why the term "Saul" was exclusively used prior to his stated vision, but never again afterwards except for one description of what he said happened that day. There is "Saul" prior to the stated name change then there is "Paul" afterwards--there are no exceptions or a back and forth because of Hebrew interpretations. Who changed his name? Saul! When was it changed? Embedded in a story about another man with two names who was a false teacher. How do you explain that with the Hebrew interpretation consideration?

 

[JustTheFacts]

No, it didn’t change except in your imagination. Paul just provided more details to King Agrippa.
If the light (which only Paul saw) engulfed Paul and his companions and everything in a 50 foot radius sphere, then was Paul stating the truth when he claimed that the light engulfed him? Was he stating the truth when he claimed that the light engulfed Paul and his companions? Would Paul be telling the truth if he said the light engulfed the entire vicinity?

Your claim that the light was only focused on Paul, is 100% just your opinion. The contradiction is YOUR fabrication.

Thanks again for the comment, because I went back and checked and Saul actually did claim that the light shone on everyone in both versions.

Acts 22:9 - "Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t understand the voice of him who spoke to me."
Acts 26:13 - "at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me."

Thanks for your comment which had me review that point again. I will change that as it is not a contradiction.

But that doesn't eliminate the other contradictions. You've claimed that Paul provided more details to King Agrippa. Why did Paul not mention to the King that he was blinded? This is a very important miraculous event proving that God was involved. Why did Paul provide an expanded conversation that he had with Jesus when it CONTRADICTED his previous account? Paul claimed that Jesus provided him his commission, yet earlier he explained to the Jews that Ananias did. Someone experiencing something this profound, does not change a very important detail such as this. It's the reason for the so-called "appearance" and nobody would forget what God said to them and what God didn't say to them, then change their story. It just doesn't happen! The fact is that Saul's story had changed and this is a sign of deception.

You also didn't explain the fact that Paul's own documentation proves that he was rejected by the disciples.

 

[JustTheFacts]

Does Acts 22 say that the others did not fall to the earth?
Again, your contradiction is actually an argument from silence. You are claiming “foul” for what is NOT WRITTEN rather than an actual contradiction.

What is omitted from testimony is just as important as what is stated. In the first account from Saul he stated that he was blinded, but then he reported that everyone fell to the ground. How did Saul witness this if he was blinded? Saul didn't write that the others told him they all fell down. In his second account, Paul did not claim he was blinded and he did not claim that the other also fell to the ground. These are two accounts from the same man who claimed that Jesus appeared to him. Jesus didn't "appear" to him and his accounts do not match. These are the facts from an analysis of Saul's testimony.

Was the story merely tailored in its details for the audience, one focusing on Paul’s personal experience from Paul’s perspective and the other being a more detailed, accurate and complete record of events for a Royal Court?

Testimony is not tailored for an audience. I hear the same nonsense theology used in an attempt to explain Gospel documentation. Testimony is the presentation of facts, not the telling of stories. We can't have both--testimony and story telling. We need to choose and based on my analysis I find that the Gospels Matthew [Nicodemus], Mark [James}, and John are testimony rather than passed down stories recorded by others.

 

[BruceLeiter]

My investigation results prove the Bible is the word of God, AND false teachers have made specific and precise edits to the word of God to support their CJC coup. Their edits cause the contradictions found in the Bible. Just like all people who commit fraud, the false teachers did not want their fraud to be discovered or exposed. On the flip side, there is proof that God wanted their fraud exposed because he provided us all the details of their fraud in advance through Daniel and Revelation prophecy. God had to present the evidence in a puzzle otherwise the false teachers would have removed the documentation from the world. Through careful considerations, the breadcrumbs left help me separate the fraud documentation from the word of God.

Throughout my career I’ve found that there are always strings to pull that will unravel and expose fraud—it cannot remain hidden forever. Some of these strings exists in the words of Paul and pulling on them assists me get to the truth. From one of Paul’s letters:

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother. (Galatians 1:18-19)

The man that Paul claimed Jesus first appeared to, and the other man specifically mentioned by Paul as witnessing Jesus, James—the brother of Jesus, just happen to be the same men that were willing to meet with Paul when he first went to Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 15:3-7). Is this a coincidence or is it a connection to fraud?

It looks like a connection to fraud to me when considering the dynamics of Paul’s relationship with the disciples. After his vision and Paul started preaching, it took him three years to visit the disciples. A critical thinker should wonder why it took Paul so long to seek out those who Jesus chose to witness him and provide their testimony. In addition, a critical thinker would then see that the disciples except for Peter did not meet with Paul—a person that is preaching for Jesus for the last three years because Jesus told him to in a vision. Then there are details provided in another letter attributed to Paul that explain the disciples rejected Paul for the next eleven years (Galatians 2:1). The disciples boycotted Paul for a total of fourteen years. The men Jesus chose to spread the Good News did not welcome Paul into the Church.

Even after the disciple’s boycott of Paul apparently ended—at least according to Paul, there are indications that things were not good between Paul and the disciples Jesus chose to start his Church. Paul wrote in another letter that after that fourteen-year boycott, John, Peter, and James gave him “the right hand of fellowship.” But in that same description Paul referred to the leaders of the Church—the disciples Jesus chose—as “reputed.” That word confirmed throughout the many interpretations can only mean that Paul disputed or questioned the Church leadership of these men. Paul’s own words prove that he had a tumultuous and nearly non-existent relationship with the disciples Jesus chose to follow him and start his Church. Paul does not mention the disciple John in his letters except for the reference of him as a “reputed” leader.

Who would you take the side of, those who witnessed Jesus throughout his ministry or a man who himself claimed that Jesus appeared to him in a vision? Who would you believe, those with valid resurrection accounts, or someone who claimed resurrection appearances not validated through Jesus’ chosen eyewitnesses. There is only one reason for the disciples' boycott of Paul, and Paul’s poor relationship with them—the disciples didn’t believe Paul’s [Saul’s] story of meeting with the resurrected Jesus in a vision. Paul’s account that he was spreading didn’t match what the disciple’s had witnessed and documented.

I am wrapping up an analysis of resurrection accounts and you might find my data for Saul's claims interesting. Specifically, Paul wrote the following summary in one of his letters claiming that Jesus appeared to him:

6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also. (1 Corinthians 15:6-7)

There is no doubt that Saul who changed his name to Paul, claims that Jesus also appeared to him. Jesus’ resurrection appearance to Paul is a bit more difficult to analyze because there are three separate accounts of it in the New Testament—Acts 9:3-20, 22:6-16, and 26:12-18. I have separated similar portions of the accounts so that they can be compared and analyzed.

1. Introduction:
Acts 9:3 - As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.
Acts 22:6 - As I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.
Acts 26:12-13 - “Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.

As evident from these accounts, the first account in Acts 9:3-20 is being told by someone else—“shone around him,” whereas the last two accounts have been documented by someone observing Paul describe the event—“shone around me.” The first account is second-hand or even less reliable information, whereas as the last two accounts are observations—eyewitness accounts of what Saul stated. Based on this, I will only consider the two accounts that authors recorded Saul describing what happened to him.
Contradictions:
-The Acts 22:6 states that the light was shining “around me” meaning it was focused on Paul, but the account provided to the king states that the light was on Saul AND those who were with him. The account Saul provided to King Agrippa has changed a bit from what Saul told a crowd in Jerusalem.

2. Reactions and Jesus words:
Acts 22:7 - I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
Acts 26:14 - When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
Contradictions:
-Saul at first claimed that only he fell to the ground. In the account to King Agrippa Saul claimed that “we had all fallen to the earth.”
* The account to King Agrippa has again changed a bit:
* Saul added words to Jesus’ comment in the account he gave to King Agrippa.
-Saul claimed for the first time that the words he heard were spoken to him in Hebrew.

3. Saul’s response
Acts 22:8 - I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
Acts 26:15 - “I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
There are no contradictions here.

@JustTheFacts, why don't you just summarize your "facts" for us? My opinion is that your so-called "facts" rely on your suspicions of fraud that you look for in the Bible but that they aren't really there. Your assumption that the false teachers altered Scripture has made you look for contradictions that aren't really there and can be easily explained.

For example, much of ancient history is written anonymously in the third person, and then when someone is being quoted, in the first person. You have let your fraud-detection go to your head by imposing it on the Bible, when there are no real contradictions there.

 

[JustTheFacts]

@JustTheFacts, why don't you just summarize your "facts" for us? My opinion is that your so-called "facts" rely on your suspicions of fraud that you look for in the Bible but that they aren't really there. Your assumption that the false teachers altered Scripture has made you look for contradictions that aren't really there and can be easily explained.

How can I be any more simple than what I've presented. Go through it point by point and show describe to me what you object to and I'll address it.

For example, much of ancient history is written anonymously in the third person, and then when someone is being quoted, in the first person. You have let your fraud-detection go to your head by imposing it on the Bible, when there are no real contradictions there.

I'm not looking at ancient history, I'm looking at what's written in the Bible. The Bible is full of documents that are either valid or fraud. That's what I do and I'm good at it--I evaluate documents and systems to see if they are valid or fraud. You keep throwing pie in the sky stuff out there, but you fail to address any points I've made in anything I've written. It's clear most object to my conclusions about Paul and his resurrection account. OK, so point out where I went astray in my analysis.

 

[BruceLeiter]

My investigation results prove the Bible is the word of God, AND false teachers have made specific and precise edits to the word of God to support their CJC coup. Their edits cause the contradictions found in the Bible. Just like all people who commit fraud, the false teachers did not want their fraud to be discovered or exposed. On the flip side, there is proof that God wanted their fraud exposed because he provided us all the details of their fraud in advance through Daniel and Revelation prophecy. God had to present the evidence in a puzzle otherwise the false teachers would have removed the documentation from the world. Through careful considerations, the breadcrumbs left help me separate the fraud documentation from the word of God.

Throughout my career I’ve found that there are always strings to pull that will unravel and expose fraud—it cannot remain hidden forever. Some of these strings exists in the words of Paul and pulling on them assists me get to the truth. From one of Paul’s letters:

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother. (Galatians 1:18-19)

The man that Paul claimed Jesus first appeared to, and the other man specifically mentioned by Paul as witnessing Jesus, James—the brother of Jesus, just happen to be the same men that were willing to meet with Paul when he first went to Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 15:3-7). Is this a coincidence or is it a connection to fraud?

It looks like a connection to fraud to me when considering the dynamics of Paul’s relationship with the disciples. After his vision and Paul started preaching, it took him three years to visit the disciples. A critical thinker should wonder why it took Paul so long to seek out those who Jesus chose to witness him and provide their testimony. In addition, a critical thinker would then see that the disciples except for Peter did not meet with Paul—a person that is preaching for Jesus for the last three years because Jesus told him to in a vision. Then there are details provided in another letter attributed to Paul that explain the disciples rejected Paul for the next eleven years (Galatians 2:1). The disciples boycotted Paul for a total of fourteen years. The men Jesus chose to spread the Good News did not welcome Paul into the Church.

Even after the disciple’s boycott of Paul apparently ended—at least according to Paul, there are indications that things were not good between Paul and the disciples Jesus chose to start his Church. Paul wrote in another letter that after that fourteen-year boycott, John, Peter, and James gave him “the right hand of fellowship.” But in that same description Paul referred to the leaders of the Church—the disciples Jesus chose—as “reputed.” That word confirmed throughout the many interpretations can only mean that Paul disputed or questioned the Church leadership of these men. Paul’s own words prove that he had a tumultuous and nearly non-existent relationship with the disciples Jesus chose to follow him and start his Church. Paul does not mention the disciple John in his letters except for the reference of him as a “reputed” leader.

Who would you take the side of, those who witnessed Jesus throughout his ministry or a man who himself claimed that Jesus appeared to him in a vision? Who would you believe, those with valid resurrection accounts, or someone who claimed resurrection appearances not validated through Jesus’ chosen eyewitnesses. There is only one reason for the disciples' boycott of Paul, and Paul’s poor relationship with them—the disciples didn’t believe Paul’s [Saul’s] story of meeting with the resurrected Jesus in a vision. Paul’s account that he was spreading didn’t match what the disciple’s had witnessed and documented.

I am wrapping up an analysis of resurrection accounts and you might find my data for Saul's claims interesting. Specifically, Paul wrote the following summary in one of his letters claiming that Jesus appeared to him:

6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also. (1 Corinthians 15:6-7)

There is no doubt that Saul who changed his name to Paul, claims that Jesus also appeared to him. Jesus’ resurrection appearance to Paul is a bit more difficult to analyze because there are three separate accounts of it in the New Testament—Acts 9:3-20, 22:6-16, and 26:12-18. I have separated similar portions of the accounts so that they can be compared and analyzed.

1. Introduction:
Acts 9:3 - As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.
Acts 22:6 - As I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.
Acts 26:12-13 - “Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.

As evident from these accounts, the first account in Acts 9:3-20 is being told by someone else—“shone around him,” whereas the last two accounts have been documented by someone observing Paul describe the event—“shone around me.” The first account is second-hand or even less reliable information, whereas as the last two accounts are observations—eyewitness accounts of what Saul stated. Based on this, I will only consider the two accounts that authors recorded Saul describing what happened to him.
Contradictions:
-The Acts 22:6 states that the light was shining “around me” meaning it was focused on Paul, but the account provided to the king states that the light was on Saul AND those who were with him. The account Saul provided to King Agrippa has changed a bit from what Saul told a crowd in Jerusalem.

2. Reactions and Jesus words:
Acts 22:7 - I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
Acts 26:14 - When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
Contradictions:
-Saul at first claimed that only he fell to the ground. In the account to King Agrippa Saul claimed that “we had all fallen to the earth.”
* The account to King Agrippa has again changed a bit:
* Saul added words to Jesus’ comment in the account he gave to King Agrippa.
-Saul claimed for the first time that the words he heard were spoken to him in Hebrew.

3. Saul’s response
Acts 22:8 - I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
Acts 26:15 - “I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
There are no contradictions here.

@JustTheFacts, just because someone leaves out or includes certain words doesn't make it a contradiction at all. The same basic event is being related, not denied, which would be a real contradiction.