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Not Paul, But Jesus
Neither, of the occurrences which took place during the course of it, nor of the mode in which it terminated, have we any more than one account; viz. the account which, speaking in his own person, is given of it by the author of the Acts.25
But, upon one part of this account – and that a part in itself in no small degree obscure – light, and that such as, it is believed, will be found to dispel the darkness, will be seen thrown, by an article of the Mosaic law: upon which article, light will be seen reciprocally reflected, by the application here recorded as having been made of it. This regards the Temple scene: – an expensive ceremony spun out for days together only to produce the effect of an Oath.
On the occasion of this visit, in spite of a universal opposition on the part of all concerned – his own adherents and dependents, as well as his adversaries of all classes included, – Paul, for reasons by himself studiously concealed, – and, if brought to light at all, brought to light no otherways than by inference, – will be seen making his entry into Jerusalem, as it were by force. In the hope of freeing themselves, as it should seem, of this annoyance, it is, – that the rulers of the Christian church, insist upon his clearing himself from certain suspicions, in the harbouring of which the whole church had concurred.26
SECTION 8.
SELF-WRITTEN BIOGRAPHY – ITS SUPERIOR VALUE AND CLAIM TO CREDENCE
On the occasion of this portion of history, it seems particularly material, to bring to view an observation, which, on the occasion of every portion of history, it will, it is believed, be of no small use to have in remembrance.
In comparison of self-written biography, scarcely does any other biography deserve the name.
Faint, indeterminate, uninstructive, deceptive, is the information furnished by any other hand, of whatsoever concerns the state of the mental frame, in comparison of what is furnished by a man's own. Even of those particulars which make against himself, – even of those motives and intentions which he would most anxiously conceal, – more clear and correct, as far as it goes, if not more complete – is the information given by him, than any which is commonly afforded, even by an impartial hand. By a man's own hand, not unfrequently is information afforded, of a sort which makes against himself, and which would not, because it could not, have been afforded by any other hand, though ever so hostile. He states the self-condemnatory mental facts, the blindness of self-partiality concealing from his eyes the condemnatory inference: or, even with his eyes open, he lays himself under the imputation: bartering merit in this or that inferior shape, for the merit of candour, or for the hope of augmenting the probative force of his own self-serving evidence, in favour of every other merit for which it is his ambition to gain credence.
CHAPTER IV
SECTION 1.
PAUL'S PROCEEDINGS BETWEEN HIS CONVERSION AND THIS VISIT. – CONTRADICTION. PER PAUL, IT WAS NOT TILL AFTER THREE YEARS SPENT IN ARABIA; PER ACTS, IMMEDIATELY
Already on another occasion, and for a different purpose, have the two accounts, between which this self-contradiction manifests itself, been brought to view: viz. on the occasion of the accounts, given or supposed to be given, by Paul, of the cause and manner of his conversion: – accounts given in the first place, in writing, and consequently, with all requisite time for deliberation, in his Epistle to the Galatians: – given, or supposed to be given, in the next place, by a speech spoken, namely, that which, in the Acts is reported as spoken by him, on the occasion of his trial, to Festus and Agrippa: – Festus, the Roman Proconsul, Agrippa, the Jewish King.
In the whole account of this matter, as given by Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians, how much of truth there probably was, and how much of falsehood or misrepresentation, – has been seen already in some measure, ch. II. i. 5, and will be seen more fully as we advance.
As to his motive for this visit, he has endeavoured to keep it to himself: but, by the result, according to the account he himself gives of it, it is betrayed. It was – to effect the so much needed reconciliation: – his reconciliation with the Apostles: – the Apostles, in relation to whom his disregard is professed, the need he had of them, no otherwise than virtually, nor yet the less effectually confessed. Without an interval of considerable length between his conversion and this visit, all such reconciliation would have been plainly hopeless. From this circumstance, the length, as alleged by him, of his abode in Arabia, receives obvious and highly probative confirmation. The confirmation is, indeed, reciprocal. The nature of his situation, proves the need he had, of an interval of considerable length, before any hope of reconciliation could be fulfilled, or, naturally speaking, so much as conceived: by this circumstance, his abode in some other country is rendered probable to us: and this other country may, for aught we know, as well have been the country mentioned by him – to wit, Arabia, as any other: and, thus it is, that this assertion, of his having been three years in Arabia, between the time of his departure from Jerusalem to Damascus, and his return to Jerusalem to see Peter, is confirmed: – confirmed, by the natural length, of the interval, requisite to the affording any, the least chance, that Peter could be induced to meet upon terms of amity and intercourse a man, in whom he beheld the murderer of a countless multitude of human beings, linked to him by the closest bonds of self-regarding interest, as well as sympathy and brotherly love.
As to contradiction, contradiction cannot easily be much more pointed, than it will be seen to be, between the account in respect of time, as given in this instance by Paul, and the account given of it by his historiographer in the Acts. On a double ground, it is Paul's account that claims the precedence. Of his account, such as it is, the rank, in the scale of trustworthiness, is that of immediate evidence; that of his historiographer, no higher than that of unimmediate evidence: – evidence once removed; having, for its most probable and least untrustworthy source, that same immediate evidence. Paul's evidence is, at the same time, not only more circumstantiated, but supported by the reasons which he has combined with it. Not till three years after his alleged miraculous conversion, did he go near to any of the Apostles. – Why? – Because, though, at that time, for reasons which he has left us to guess, he had regarded himself as having considerable need of them, —till that time he did not regard himself as having any need of them. And, why was it, that, for so great a length of time, he did not regard himself as having any need of them? – The answer he himself gives us, Gal. i. 10: … "do I seek to please men? – I certify to you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me, is not after man. – For I received it not of man, nor was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. – When it pleased God, who called me by his grace, – to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen, immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: – Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were Apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. – Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. – But other of the Apostles saw I none, save James, the Lord's brother."
Thus far Paul himself. Let us now see, what is said in regard to the time, by his subsequent attendant and historiographer. Acts ix… "as he (Saul) journeyed, he came near Damascus, and, suddenly there shined round him a light," &c. – ver. 8. "And Saul arose from the earth, and … they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. – And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. – And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision … – … go into the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus… – 17. And Ananias … entered into the house, and … said, Brother Saul, the Lord … hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight… – And … he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. – And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. – And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues… – 22… and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus… – And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him. – … and they watched the gates day and night to kill him. – Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket. – And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. – But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the Apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus."
With what the historiographer says in his own person, agrees, as to the particular point now in question, what, in the studied oration, he puts into Paul's mouth. In that account likewise, immediately after the mention of what Paul did at Damascus, – follows, the mention of what he did at Jerusalem: and, as to everything done by him among the Gentiles, not only does the mention of it come after the mention of what was done by him at Jerusalem, but, between the two, comes the mention, of whatever was done by him, in any of the coasts of Judea. Acts 26:19. "Whereupon, O, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: – but showed, first unto them of Damascus, and of Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea; and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance."
Here then, according to Paul's own account, after his visit to Damascus from Jerusalem, he visited Arabia, and moreover Damascus a second time, before he made his visit to Jerusalem to see Peter: before this visit did he make both those other visits; and, in making them, pass three years, with or without the addition, of the time, occupied by his first visit to Damascus, – and the time, occupied by his abode in Arabia. According to Paul's own account then, between his second departure from, and his arrival at, Jerusalem from thence, there was an interval either of three years, or of so much more than three years. On the contrary, according to both the accounts given of the matter by his historiographer in the Acts, there was not between the two events in question, any interval other than such as the journey from the one to the other – about 130 British miles as the crow flies, say about 160, allowance made for turnings and windings, – would require.
Now, as between Jews and Gentiles, alias heathens: – to which of these two descriptions of persons, were his preachings addressed in the first instance?
According to his Epistle to his Galatians, preaching to the heathen being his peculiar destination, this accordingly is the vocation upon which he proceeded in the first place: and we have seen how probable it is, not to say certain, that, in this particular, what he asserted was true. His appointment being to "the heathen," he conferred not with flesh and blood: i. e. with the Apostles, their immediate disciples, or other flesh and blood of the Christian persuasion: for, of any such conference – of any assistance or support from any such quarter, he has, in this same Epistle, been declaring and protesting – most vehemently protesting – that he had no need. Neither then for the purpose of conference with "those who were Apostles," as he says, "before him," nor for any other purpose, went he up to Jerusalem: no, not till either three years after his conversion, or three years, with the addition of another term of unmeasurable length.
Now then, how stands this matter according to the Acts – according to the speech put into Paul's mouth by the author of the Acts? Instead of the Gentiles being the description of persons, to whom, in the first instance, he applies his labours, – it is the Jews. What he shows is "shown," in the first place, to those "of Damascus;" then "at Jerusalem;" then "throughout all the coasts of Judea;" and, not till then– to the Gentiles: of his abode in Arabia – of any visit of his to Arabia – not any of the slightest mention, or so much as allusion to it. But, all this while, for anything that appears to the contrary, Arabia was completely open to him: whereas, after the offence he had committed against the authority of the ruling powers at Judea, it was not, morally speaking, in the nature of things that he could have continued in any place coming within that description – have continued, long enough to make any sensible impression: and, in Jerusalem in particular, in this same Epistle to the Galatians, from which the above particulars are taken, – it was, as he himself declares, only in secrecy, that, even fourteen years after this, he ventured to disseminate those doctrines, whatever they were, that were peculiar to himself, 2nd Gal.: 1, 2. "Then, fourteen years after, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain."
Thus stands the contrariety: – the contrariety, between Paul's own account of his own proceedings, and the account, which, by the author of the Acts, he is represented as giving of them, on another occasion. Says Paul himself, in his own Epistle to his Galatians – After my conversion, it was to the Gentiles that I applied myself first: to the Jews, not till afterwards; nor then, to any considerable extent. Says the author of the Acts, in a speech, which he puts into the mouth of Paul – It was to the Jews that he applied himself first, and that to a great extent: to the Gentiles, not till afterwards.
Thus stands the contrariety, taken in itself. As to the cause, it will neither be far to seek, nor dubious. In the differences of situations, occasions, and purposes in view – in the differences, that had place in respect of all those particulars – it will be found.
On the occasion, on which Paul himself speaks, what was the persuasion which it was his endeavour to produce? It was – that, for a number of years, commencing from the moment of his conversion, – with no persons, who, to this purpose, could be called Jews, had he, to any such purpose as this, had any intercourse: for, this being admitted, it followed, of course, that, if, on the subject of the religion of Jesus, he had really received the information he declared himself to have received, it was not from the Apostles, that he had had it, or any part of it. "On them (says he) I am perfectly independent: to them I am even superior. With Jesus they had no communication but in a natural way; with the same Jesus I have had communication in a supernatural way: – in the way of 'revelation.' My communication with him is, moreover, of a date posterior to theirs – to any that they can pretend to: in so far as there is any contrariety between that I teach and what they teach, it is for theirs, on both these accounts – it is for theirs, to yield to mine. From God is my doctrine: in opposition to it, if either they, or any other men presume to preserve, let the curse of God be on their heads. ver. 8. Accordingly, at the time of my first visit to Jerusalem after my conversion, no communication had I with them, for, no such communication, teaching as I did from revelation, could I stand in need of, I had already passed three years at least in Arabia, teaching to the Gentiles there my peculiar doctrine. This peculiar doctrine, as I made no scruple of teaching it to those Gentiles, as little, on the occasion of that visit of mine to Jerusalem, did I make any scruple of teaching it to Jews as well as Gentiles. True it is, I did not then teach it publicly: – I did not teach my peculiar doctrine, so publicly as they did theirs. But, as to this comparative secrecy, it had for its cause the advantage of being free from opposition; for, had the fact of my teaching this doctrine so different from theirs – been known to them, – they might have opposed it, and thus my labours might have been lost."
Whether, in the representation here given of what he says to his Galatians, there be any misrepresentation, the reader may judge.
On the occasion, on which his historian represents him as speaking, what now, as to this same matter, was the persuasion, which the nature of his situation required him to endeavour to produce? It was, that Jews were the sort of persons, with whom, during the period in question, he had, to the purpose in question, been holding intercourse: Jews, even in preference to – not to say to the exclusion of – Gentiles: so far is he from being now represented, as stating himself to have held converse with Gentiles, to the exclusion of Jews; which is, that of which he himself has been seen taking so much pains to persuade his Galatian disciples. Yes: as far as competition could have place, Jews, on this occasion, in preference, at least, to Gentiles: for, on this occasion, what he was labouring at was – to recommend himself to the favour of his Jewish Judge, King Agrippa, Acts 26:8-21, by magnifying the services he had been rendering to the Jews, his very accusers not excepted: services, to the rendering of which, close and continued intercourse, during that same period, could not but have been necessary.
On this occasion, being accused of – his historian does not choose to say what, – his defence was – that, of the persecution he was suffering, his preaching the resurrection was the only real cause: that, having been born and bred a Pharisee, – in preaching that doctrine, so far from opposing, he had been supporting, with all his might, the principles maintained by the constituted authorities: adducing, in proof of the general proposition, the evidence furnished by a particular fact, the resurrection, that had place in the case of Jesus, Acts 25:19: that when, in his conversion vision, Jesus gave him his commission, the principal object of that commission was – the instruction of the Gentiles: to wit, by informing them – that, to such of them as would believe in the resurrection, and repent of their sins, and do works accordingly, – the benefit of it would be extended: that to this mandate, it was true, he did not ultimately fail to pay substantial obedience: yet, such was his affection for his brethren the Jews, – that it was not till, for a considerable time, he had been conferring on them the benefit of his labours, that he betook himself to the Gentiles. Acts 26:19. "I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: – But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea; and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, &c. – For these causes the Jews caught me in the Temple, and went about to kill me."
The repugnancy (says somebody), the repugnancy, is – not between Paul and Paul – but between Paul and the author of the Acts; and, since the facts in question are occurrences in which Paul himself was either agent or patient, to the author of the Acts, and not to Paul, is the incorrectness, wherever it be, to be imputed. Be it so: for the purpose of the argument at least, be it so: but, if so it be, what are we to think of the author of the Acts? Take away the author of the Acts, what becomes of Paul? Take away the authority of the Acts in the character of an inspired writer – writing from supernatural inspiration, after an immediate and continued intercourse, in some unexplained and inexplicable manner, with the Almighty, – what remains, then, of the evidence, on the ground of which the mighty fabric of Paul and his doctrine has been erected?
A man, who is thus continually in contradiction – sometimes with himself, at other times with the most unimpeachable authorities – what credence can, with reason and propriety, be given to his evidence, in relation to any important matter of fact? at any rate, when any purpose, which he himself has at heart, is to be served by it? Of such a man, the testimony – the uncross-examined and uncross-examinable testimony – would it, of itself, be sufficient to warrant a verdict, on a question of the most inconsiderable pecuniary import? how much less then, on questions, in comparison of which those of the greatest importance which the affairs of this life admit of, shrink into insignificance? Even, suppose veracity, and every other branch of probity, unimpeached and unimpeachable, – if such confusion of mind, such want of memory, such negligence, in relation to incidents and particulars, of too immensely momentous a nature, to escape, at any interval of time, from the most ordinary mind; – if such want of attention, such deficiency, in respect of the most ordinary intellectual faculties and attainments, are discernible in his narrative, – what solid, what substantial ground of dependence can it furnish, or even leave in existence?
Of this sort are the questions for which already no inconsiderable warrant has, it is believed, been found; nor, if so, throughout the whole remaining course of this inquiry, should they ever be out of mind.
SECTION 2.
GROUNDS OF PAUL'S PROSPECT OF RECONCILIATION ON THIS OCCASION WITH THE APOSTLES AND THEIR DISCIPLES
On this head, in addition to, and in explanation of, the sort of narrative given in the Acts, – information, of the most instructive and impressive stamp, may be seen furnished by himself: at the head of it, may be placed that, which may be seen in his Epistle to his Galatian converts.
At Jerusalem was the board-room in which sat the Council of the Apostles: of those men, to whom their bitterest enemies would not, any more than their disciples and adherents, have refused the appellation of constant companions and selected disciples of the departed Jesus. To them was known, everything that, in relation to Jesus, was known to any one else: and moreover, in unlimited abundance, particulars not capable of being known by any one else.
As to Paul, let us suppose him now a believer in Jesus; and, on this supposition, note what could not but have been the state of his mind, with relation to those select servants of Jesus.
In them he beheld the witnesses – not only of the most material and characteristic acts and sayings of their Master, but of his death, and its supernatural consequences – the resurrection and ascension, with which it had been followed.
In them he beheld – not only the witnesses of his miracles, but a set of pupils, to whom such powers of working the like miracles – such miraculous powers, in a word, as it had pleased him to impart, – had been imparted.
In their labours, he beheld the causes of whatsoever prosperity, he found the society, established by them, in possession of.
In himself, he beheld the man, who, with such distinguished acrimony and perseverance, had done his utmost, for the destruction of that society, into which, for the purposes, indication of which has been so clearly given by his own pen, he was preparing to intrude himself.
To form an ostensible cause for his intrusion, – in addition to such information, as, by means of his persecution, it had happened to him to extract from those whom he had been persecuting, what, on his part, had he? – He had his own learning, his own talents, his own restless and audacious temper, and the vision he had got up: – the baseless fabric of that vision, a view of which has just been given.
Of the representation thus given of the matter, – whether we take his own account of it, or that of the Acts, – suppose the truth to rest upon no other ground than this vision, with or without that other vision, which has been seen so slenderly tacked to it, and so strangely inserted into it, – thus slender is the ground, on which we shall find him embarking upon his enterprize, – assuming to himself, without modification or apology, the name of an Apostle, – thrusting himself into the society, and putting himself altogether upon an equality, not to say more than an equality, with the whole company of the men, whose title to that appellation was above dispute: – those of them who, among the chosen, had been the most favoured, not excepted.