Book Comment: What Paul Meant

Thomas Jefferson called Paul "the first corrupter of the doctrines of Jesus," substituting his highly intellectual theology for Jesus' simple message. Friedrich Nitezsche said Paul had "a genius for hatred." Some say he created a new religion, Christianity, which was more Paul than Jesus.

Garry Wills, the author of What Paul Meant, says that Paul was a combination of football coach, janitor, mystic, intellectual, street fighter, peacemaker, and teacher. He points out that Paul never thought of himself as a convert to a new religion. He saw his teachings as a continuation and fulfillment of the Jewish religion. "What Paul meant was not something other than or contrary to what Jesus meant." What was new was that Jesus, who was the Messiah, died for our sins and rose from the dead, in accordance with the holy scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

"I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, [of] the tribe of Benjamin." Romans 11:1.

So far so good. Then Willis begins to slip from traditional orthodoxy into acceptance of much of modern criticism. He agrees that of the thirteen letters ascribed by the Bible to Paul, only seven were indeed written by him (1 Thessalonians, Galatians, Philippians, Philemon, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, and Romans).

Willis believes there has been a "massive misreading of Paul" and defends the apostle against charges that his teachings lead to attacks on women, marriage, homosexuals and Jews. He decides that Paul was more concerned with societies, saving an entire race, than with individuals. "Paul meant what Jesus meant, that love is the only law."