Thank you for the question relating to Paul’s teaching dependent on the Four Gospels, “To what extent are the contents of the four gospels [Matthew Mark Luke John] affected, impacted, shaped, or influenced by the sermons, doctrines, views, beliefs, interpretations and teachings of Paul (from say 34 to 50 AD)?
As one reads the Book of Acts, the dating of the four Gospels are critical based on the question. For one’s consideration on the reliance on the Gospels by Paul.
A. The Gospel of Luke.
Luke 1 writes that many have undertaken to write an account of the life of Jesus or aspects of his life. His purpose was to investigate and give an orderly account to Theophilus, not to a church. The commonly accepted date is between 59–63 CE. This makes it unlikely that Paul relied on the Gospel of Luke.
If Luke was able to ascertain his information by careful investigation in his later date, couldn’t or wouldn’t Saul/Paul of Tarsus be able to ascertain that same information from others? It is unlikely that Paul didn’t rely on Luke’s Gospel in his teachings.
B. The Gospel of John.
The dating of the Gospel varies from as early as 50 to 85 CE. One would think that the Apostle John would have mentioned the Fall of Jerusalem in his writing or he presumed that it was common knowledge if it was written after 70 CE. In either case the dating of the Gospel of John would have meant that Paul couldn’t have relied on John’s writing. The Apostle Paul was martyred probably about 65/66 CE.
C. The Gospel of Mark.
It is presumed that John Mark wrote this Gospel under the guidance of the Apostle Peter. The Apostle Peter was martyred around 67 CE in Rome. As one reads the Gospel of Mark, his letter does not contain significant teachings of Jesus but rather contains the actions of Jesus. Mark gives a history of the life of Jesus beginning with John the Baptist. In my viewpoint, it appears this was a rush dictation of the life of Jesus. Can it be that Peter dictated this writing under some trying circumstances? It is unlikely that Paul relied on the Gospel of Mark for his teaching.
D. The Gospel of Matthew.
Scholars date the Gospel of Matthew between 50 to the 60’s. If the dating is correct, it would assume that Paul had immediate access to Matthew and Mark’s Gospel on relying on his writing. This is highly unlikely for the Paul was a missionary preaching the Gospel to predominately Gentiles. When he arrived in Rome, the Jews had only heard rumors about him. They wanted to know more about his views and people are talking against this sect (Acts 28:21–23).
B. The formation of Saul of Tarsus beliefs.
As one further ponders the question, the Gospels were not written earlier than 50 CE. Thus one’s question is about how did the Apostle Paul arrived at his theology. If I may suggest that Paul’s discussion and participation in the early church helped him rethink his learning as a Pharisee and as a disciple of Jesus. Here are some key thoughts:
A. It is likely that as a student under the teaching of Gamaliel that Saul of Tarsus would have heard about the “unlearned” teacher from the priests and being in the Temple when Jesus spoke to the crowds. That is an assumption on my part and a reasonable one for who can ignore Jesus and the uproar he was making in Jerusalem. Saul didn’t need the Apostles to teach him the Old Testament. He knew it better than any of them!
B. It is likely that as a student that he heard about the events on the Day of Pentecost whereby even priests believed Peter’s message (Acts 2). Saul’s hearing of the message from Peter or indirectly from others that Jesus of Nazareth is the risen, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus being Lord and Christ.
The foundation of Saul/Paul’s message is the resurrected Lord and the coming of the Holy Spirit upon and in the believers (Acts 4:4–12).
C. The Apostles preached daily in the Temple court area about the Good News that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 5 says this, “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah” (NIV).
Did the Pharisees listened to find fault with the Apostles’ message? Did the men and women who heard asked questions about this Jesus? It is reasonable that men and women asked questions to the Apostles about Jesus. Did Saul of Tarsus listened even as Gamaliel advised not to interfere with them.
D. Saul of Tarsus was a witness to the testimony and stoning of Stephen.
Although Saul of Tarsus didn’t agree with Stephen’s testimony, he heard it. He knew what the followers of Jesus believed about him (Acts 7). After his conversion, Saul must have thought about the testimony of Stephen and the promises made to the nation of Israel, even his own stubborn heart.
Thus prior to Saul of Tarsus’ conversion on the Road to Damascus, he already knew something about this man who is called Jesus and the Apostles claim of his resurrection. Saul didn’t believe it, but he knew the message.
The centrality of the Saul/Apostle Paul’s message is Jesus who is the Savior and the Messiah/the Christ. The appearance of Jesus to Saul challenged his disbelief of a resurrected Jesus.
D. The Reflection of Saul of Tarsus in Damascus.
As one reads the passages following Saul’s conversion, he stayed in Damascus. It is likely here that he began learning more about the person and work of Jesus. His information was second hand from Ananias (Acts 9). In the three days of blindness, Saul fasted and meditated on what he heard from others and the Scriptures that he knew. Ananias confirmed that his vision was not an illusion or delusion but that Jesus appeared to him.
E. The meetings of the Apostles and Elders.
In Acts 9:26, Saul meets Barnabas who introduced him to some of the Apostles. It is Barnabas who mentored Saul. It is likely that Barnabas shared about Jesus’s life and works before he met the Apostles. The meeting of the Apostles confirmed what he had heard from Barnabas. Saul was able to move freely in Jerusalem during this time period and would meet with the Apostles.
F. The Testimony of Peter.
In Acts 10–11 with Peter’s testimony of sharing the Good News with the household of Cornelius and the coming of the Holy Spirit upon them, this may have become the beginning of Saul’s changing to the salvation by faith apart from works as he heard this account from Barnabas. Cornelius and his household didn’t earn salvation nor did they earn the right to have the Holy Spirit come upon them. It was a gift from God.
Acts 11 says this, “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with[a] water, but you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.’ 17 So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life” (NIV).
G. The mentoring by Barnabas.
In Acts 11, Barnabas finds Saul and they spent together in making disciples of Jesus. Saul knew the Old Testament while Barnabas knew the life of Jesus. It was this combination, in my opinion, that enable Saul to learn about Jesus’ words and works. The days and weeks that Barnabas and Saul met with the new believers and their questions about the Old Testament and the life of Jesus enabled Saul to grow in his understanding of Jesus.
In Paul’s letter, he does not recount the life of Jesus for as a Pharisee he knew that his witness would only be second hand, not first hard, except for his conversion experience.
H. The Council of Jerusalem.
The events prior and the aftermath of the Council of Jerusalem confirmed Paul’s belief that salvation is by grace through faith apart from works. Some of the Jewish believers who taught that Gentile believers must obey the Law, Paul vehemently disagree with them since he attempted to live that righteous life as a Pharisees. The first step of circumcision by the Gentiles as the first step of salvation was contested by Barnabas and Saul. If he could not live a perfect life for salvation, then the Gentiles could never do it. It had to be by grace through faith apart from works.
The conclusion by the Council of Jerusalem with the Jerusalem letter affirmed his teaching to the Jews and Gentiles. Acts 15 says “Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.” 6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are” (NIV).
The Apostle Paul didn’t develop his theology from the Gospels. The Apostle Paul developed his theology through the testimonies of his own salvation, of hearing about Cornelius and Peter, about the salvation of the Gentiles, and even from his own experience that his salvation was a gift from God. It is for that reason that he writes to the Galatian and Ephesian church that righteousness of God is obtain by grace, not by works (Eph. 2:8–9). He developed his understanding of the Old Testament as he reflected on the Scriptures, the words of Barnabas as he recounted the events and words of Jesus. Paul already had a defined theology when the Gospels were written from the Apostles and the followers of Jesus.
SUMMARY: Paul didn’t rely on the Four Gospels for his theology, but rather he heard the testimonies of the Apostles and church leaders who affirm that salvation is by grace through faith and the coming of the Holy Spirit on believers. The Good News became the core of Paul’s teaching to the Gentile and Jewish believers.
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