Question: Why did the Apostle Paul take the simple moral message of a teacher like Jesus and turn it into such a complex theological system?

My Answer: There are a number of writers who assert the view found in this question. Their perspective seems to be that Jesus was merely a moral teacher, perhaps with a prophetic cast to his ministry, who presented a message of love and ethics. Then along comes Paul and turns Jesus into a demigod, and takes his moral philosophy and turns it on its head by rejecting the Law of Moses and making salvation the result of some mysterious thing called grace. Continue reading →