Featured Paul mentions that “more than 500” saw the risen Jesus in a single early letter, but included this in no other letters. Why ? ?

[Multicolored Lemur]

Bible Gateway passage: 1 Corinthians 15 - New International Version

The Resurrection of Christ - Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what...

www.biblegateway.com

“3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas [ Peter], and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”

— NIV

==========

Okay, so the verse in question is 1 Corinthians 15:6. And this is verbally pronounced “First Corinthians.”

And Yes—

This seems like a really big deal!

Why did Paul not give more of the details. For example, why didn’t Paul write something like: I was told by ________ , a believer I have the highest respect for. And he had long, heartfelt discussions with __ different persons who were there. And although we might sometimes wish for more, to have heart-to-heart discussions with __ is better than superficial discussions with a greater number.

But there’s nothing like this.

We just get the sparse claim of “After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, . . “ No time, no place, no name or a person. And in other places in his writings, Paul does include the names of persons.

1 Corinthians was written perhaps as early as 50 AD. And I think this was one of the three earliest letters of Paul. Two questions —

Why so sparse?

Why did Paul not include this claim in any of his later writings?

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

My answer, I think Paul had real doubts himself about this particular claim.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Paul writes like a modern essay writer. He really tells you what he thinks. He keeps coming back to his main issue, which is that he’s saved and redeemed through his faith in Jesus.

So, it’s not like he’d hold back.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Pauline epistles - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Seven letters (with consensus dates)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauline_epistles#cite_note-6"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a> considered genuine by most scholars:

• Galatians (c. 48 AD)
• First Thessalonians (c. 49–51)
• First Corinthians (c. 53–54) <—
• Second Corinthians (c. 55–56)
• Romans (c. 55–57)
• Philippians (c. 57–59 or c. 62)
• Philemon (c. 57–59 or c. 62)

==========

So, at least 4 more letters, and not that another mention of the “more than 500.” Yes, it raises an eyebrow.

And maybe more letters of Paul’s. I think a number of Christians believe a total of 13 letters were written by Paul.

 

[Scooter]

My answer, I think Paul had real doubts himself about this particular claim.

You think? Again, you are free to believe whatever you want to. But what you think is not evidence. Just because Paul does not write what you think he should, does not mean his claim is untrue. What is the evidence to support your claim that there were not 500 people who witnessed the risen Jesus? I’m asking for real evidence, not just what you think.

 

[Scooter]

So, at least 4 more letters, and not that another mention of the “more than 500.” Yes, it raises an eyebrow.

It only raises the eyebrow of those who don't understand the purpose of Paul's letters. Paul was not writing in order to win people to Christ or to convince them of Jesus' resurrection. Paul was writing to believers. His epistles were written to churches and individual believers in order to encourage and edify them, as well as to address incorrect practices. A better understanding of the Bible will lower your eyebrow.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

You think? Again, you are free to believe whatever you want to.

I have active intelligence and free will. I’m guessing you think because of a gift of God. I think because of an “emergent property” of a long process of evolution.

• as an example of an emergent property, a water molecule has properties such as polarity which the constituent hydrogen and oxygen atoms don’t have

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Look, I’m here to try to give people a soft landing who are leaving religion. Or, at least give them some tools, so they can make their own soft landing.

You’r here to take one last chance at them! At least it seems that way to me.

It’s your hand to play,

but I think when a Christian apologist uses “more than 500” in summary as if there’s a whole lot behind it, he or she does baby Christians a disservice.

because if that new Christian looks this up to shore up their faith, he or she may end up feeling cheated, in that the summary is pretty much all there is

 

[Scooter]

I have active intelligence and free will. I’m guessing you think because of a gift of God. I think because of an “emergent property” of a long process of evolution.

• as an example of an emergent property, a water molecule has properties such as polarity which the constituent hydrogen and oxygen atoms d

That’s all fine and well, but it has absolutely nothing to do with evidence for your view. I understand how Bernoulli's principle creates lift that allows airplanes to fly, but that has no relevance to the resurrection of Jesus. So I will conclude that you can offer no evidence to contradict Paul’s claim that 500 people saw the risen Jesus other than your own personal bias.

 

[Scooter]

Look, I’m here to try to give people a soft landing who are leaving religion. Or, at least give them some tools, so they can make their own soft landing.

You’r here to take one last chance at them! At least it seems that way to me.

It’s your hand to play,

but I think when a Christian apologist uses “more than 500” in summary as if there’s a whole lot behind it, he or she does baby Christians a disservice.

because if that new Christian looks this up to shore up their faith, he or she may end up feeling cheated, in that the summary is pretty much all there is

That is very noble of you trying to provide a soft landing. But please be honest in doing so. What you “think” or “believe” is not evidence. It is simply your uneducated, unsupported, biased opinion. Again, feel free to believe whatever you want. But if you present your beliefs as facts, I will challenge your claims.

As a side note, I do not need to take a last shot to rescue anyone leaving religion. Born again believers can never lose their salvation. I’m here to honestly discuss beliefs and to correct false claims.