In the passages below from the Gospel of Luke and Paul's first epistle to Timothy, Paul quotes a short passage from the Gospel of Luke. The Pauline epistles are usually considered the earliest Christian writings. But we aren't really sure about this timing. In this case, this particular letter must have followed Luke's writing of his Gospel as Paul quotes a saying of Jesus in it as "Scripture". This shouldn't be too surprising. Luke and Paul were friends and associates. At any rate, it's an example of Paul's knowing enough about Jesus to quote him. He did this one or two other places in his epistles though I can't recall just where now. If I have to I'll research that. But anyway, this proves the point that your atheist website's claim that Paul "knew nothing about Jesus" is nonsense.
1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
Luke 10: 1-7
17The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages."
1 Timothy 5: 17, 18
From the New International Version. |
