Two Places Where St. Paul’s Theology Totally Contradicts The Gospel of Matthew’s Credibility

Christians who accept the Bible (especially the New Testament) as an inspired text will have to deal with the fact that there are some major problems between St. Paul’s view of history and the Gospel of Matthew’s view of historical events.   Ironically, the dogmatic historical certainly of Paul and that of the First Gospel puts yet another nail into the coffin of Christian absolute truth and its holy theology.

Paul’s View of Events:
. . .that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve (τος δώδεκα).” (1 Corinthians 15: 4 – 5)

Matthew’s View of Events:
So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.”  (Matt. 27: 5) 

Comment:
However, contrary to the Gospel of Matthew, Judas had already hanged himself well before Jesus was even crucified, thus leaving only eleven apostles. So how could there be still have been twelve apostles as Judas was dead and Matthias was not yet chosen:  “Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.” (See:  Acts 1: 23 -26)

Paul’s View of Events:
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. / /  But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming.” (1 Corinthians 15: 20 & 23)

Matthew’s View of Events:
The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. (Matthew 27: 51b – 53)

Comment:
Paul had no knowledge of these dead saints who beat Jesus at his own resurrection game ("after Jesus’ resurrection" appears, when taken in the context with both Jesus’ death (Matt. 27: 50) and the splitting of the Temple Veil (Matt. 27: 51a), a latter apologetic interpolation to harmonize Matthew's credibility with Paul’s eschatology).  So the Christian believer is faced with the hard dilemma of either accepting the Matthean view of historical proofs or Paul’s major Christian eschatology. Either Matthew is caught in several lies, or Paul does NOT know what the hell he’s talking about  . . . or likely both!

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