The Information in Paul's Letters

Although Paul had never met or even seen the earthly Jesus, his surviving letters show that he had some knowledge about Jesus' ministry and message. To be sure, no letter includes anything like a summary of Jesus' earthly activities or teachings. But from the bits and pieces about Jesus' earthly life that do show up, it is possible to put together the following summary on Paul's behalf.

1. Jesus was born under the law (Gal 4:4), a Jew of David's line (Rom 1:3).

2. Jesus had more than one brother (1 Cor 9:5), one of whom was named James (Gal 1:19; 2:9, 12; 1 Cor 15:7).

3. Jesus had twelve special associates. One of them was Cephas (Gal 2:1–14, etc.), who was sometimes called “Peter” (Gal 2:7, 8); another was John (Gal 2:9).

4. Jesus taught that anyone who preached the gospel should be provided a living from the gospel (1 Cor 9:14). He also taught that neither partner in a marriage should seek a divorce (1 Cor 7:10–11).

5. One night, dining with his closest followers, Jesus spoke about his own death as something beneficial for them (1 Cor 11:23–25). Thereafter, he told them, they should break bread and drink wine in his memory. They were to regard the loaf as a token of his body and the cup as a token of “the new covenant” in his blood.

6. On that same night Jesus was betrayed (1 Cor 11:23).

7. […]