Communism vs Christianity

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Ferd

same "scholars" that think Jesus was the son of Mary and a roman soldier named Tiberius Pantera?

get real. that is a load of bunk and you ought to know better! Paul had to BRIBE the Apostles so he could preach?

that is wacked out man.

While I agree with your position, I think "wacked out man" is a little strong. Many have in fact tried to make this very case.

Personally I reject the "bribe the church in Jerusalem" thesis because of Paul's words in Romans 15:25-26. He says that the Gentile churches that took up the collection did so simply because it "pleased them." They wanted to do it. In verse 27 he tells the Romans that the Gentiles are in a way spiritual "debtors" to the Jerusalem church. However in verse 31 he actually asks the Romans to pray that the saints in Jerusalem even accept the money.

It doesn't really appear to be a pro-quid-quo type of payment that occurred. Rather it seems like the Gentiles may have been using the economic distress of the Jerusalem church as an opportunity to "heap coals of fire" upon the heads of their erstwhile brethren.

Originally Posted by pelathais

While I agree with your position, I think "wacked out man" is a little strong. Many have in fact tried to make this very case.

Personally I reject the "bribe the church in Jerusalem" thesis because of Paul's words in Romans 15:25-26. He says that the Gentile churches that took up the collection did so simply because it "pleased them." They wanted to do it. In verse 27 he tells the Romans that the Gentiles are in a way spiritual "debtors" to the Jerusalem church. However in verse 31 he actually asks the Romans to pray that the saints in Jerusalem even accept the money.

It doesn't really appear to be a pro-quid-quo type of payment that occurred. Rather it seems like the Gentiles may have been using the economic distress of the Jerusalem church as an opportunity to "heap coals of fire" upon the heads of their erstwhile brethren.

Also, if you read Acts... when Paul returns from Galatia nothing is ever mentioned of this offering... However, a riot does occur because the Jerusalem church forces Paul to go to the temple to finish a Nazarite vow and the Jews riot because they think Paul took Timothy (a gentile who was not living the law at all) into the temple with him.... Which wasn't true (wonder where they got that idea from??)

The issue with what we have is that Luke never wrote anything bad... He mentions things when they are good, but ignores things when they go bad... But if you read in Paul's letters you can tell that there is a lot more tension between Paul and James (Antioch and Jerusalem) than is let on in Acts... and, in the end, Paul won... That's why we have all of Paul's writings....