Deity of Christ
Paul invented the idea that Jesus is God.
Short answer
The evidence shows Jesus was worshiped before Paul's letters and independent of him. Paul quotes worship material that already existed, the Gospels present Jesus doing what only God does, and the Jerusalem apostles who knew Jesus personally endorsed Paul's message.
In simple words: Jesus' friends worshiped him before Paul ever became a Christian. Paul learned about Jesus from them.
Response
Paul did not start the Christian movement; he joined one he had been persecuting. And he persecuted Christians precisely because they were already making astonishing claims about Jesus. Stephen, as he was being stoned with Paul watching, prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" (Acts 7:59). He was praying to Jesus.
Paul's letters quote material that was already in use. Philippians 2:6-11 is widely regarded as an early hymn, and it applies to Jesus words from Isaiah 45 about bowing to God alone. In 1 Corinthians 16:22 Paul writes an Aramaic prayer, "Maranatha" ("Come, Lord!"). Paul was writing in Greek to Greeks; the Aramaic shows the prayer came from the earliest Jewish believers in Judea, who were already calling on Jesus as Lord.
Paul's message was checked by the apostles who knew Jesus. Paul met Peter and James in Jerusalem (Galatians 1:18-19), and later Peter, James, and John gave him "the right hand of fellowship" (Galatians 2:9). The early church argued fiercely about circumcision and the law, but there is no record of a debate over whether Jesus should be worshiped.
Finally, the Gospels and other New Testament writings, not written by Paul, present the same Jesus: forgiving sins (Mark 2), walking on the sea (Mark 6), receiving worship (Matthew 28), the Word who was God (John 1), the Son whose throne is forever (Hebrews 1), and the Lamb worshiped by all creation (Revelation 5).
Key evidence
- Stephen prayed to Jesus before Paul's conversion (Acts 7:59).
- Philippians 2:6-11 likely quotes an earlier hymn applying Isaiah 45 to Jesus.
- "Maranatha" (1 Corinthians 16:22) is an Aramaic prayer from the earliest Jewish believers.
- Peter, James, and John endorsed Paul's gospel (Galatians 2:9).
- Non-Pauline writings (Gospels, Hebrews, Revelation, 2 Peter) all present Jesus as divine.
Bible passages
- Acts 7:59-60 Stephen prays to Jesus.
- 1 Corinthians 16:22 "Come, Lord!" (Maranatha)
- Galatians 2:1-10 The Jerusalem apostles affirm Paul.
- Philippians 2:6-11 Early hymn: every knee will bow to Jesus.
- 1 Corinthians 15:11 "Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach."
Discussion questions
- Why is Stephen's prayer in Acts 7 important for this question?
- Why does it matter that "Maranatha" is in Aramaic?
- Why do you think there was debate about circumcision but not about worshiping Jesus?