Does the passage represent an accurate historical retelling of events? I suppose one could try to mount an argument for that; however, I think Paul fabricated this origin story that he told his congregation in Corinth, and likely told the same story to the Galatians and the Macedonians as well.
Paul wrote that he had already given this tradition to the congregation. Paul presented this as a reminder in the form of a brief, stylized and formulaic outline. I suspect Paul related these same events during his initial evangelizing visit with all his congregations in much greater detail. Beyond the scriptures, these events served as Paul's source of authority, of tradition, and as an anchor for his teachings to the perception of a wider spiritual movement. Paul introduced his passage with a claim that the information was, "what I also received”. 1 Corinthians 15:3-9 ---
The events do not represent post-resurrection sightings nor spiritual visions, but rather the passage describes Paul's story of the initial discovery of Jesus Christ in the Jewish scriptures and the chronological sequence in which the new discovery of the heavenly Christ spread (then, then, then, then, and last). These people saw the light, they gained knowledge and understanding of the long-secret mysteries of Christ, as revealed in the scriptures by means of creative and generative readings. The Greek ophthe (ὤφθη, aorist, indicative, passive), is commonly translated here as "appeared" or “seen”. But the translation as "appeared" contributes to the misunderstanding. The verb, similar to the English 'to see', was also used in the sense of being in the presence of a revelation of knowledge --- not necessarily a physical seeing, not necessarily a vision, but also to perceive, to come to understand, to see with the mind. An example of this use is found in Romans 15:21, and in Isaiah 52:15 (LXX) that is cited in that verse in Romans.”For I delivered to you first of all what I also received
That Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures
and that he was buried
And that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures
and that he was seen by Cephas, then the twelve
Then he was seen by more than five hundred brothers at once
most of whom remain until now though some have fallen asleep
Then he was seen by James
then all the apostles
Last of all, as the ektroma
he was seen by me also ... because I persecuted the assembly of God"
When Paul later encountered opposition, especially among the Galatians, he used and abused these named figures in support of his teachings and authority. But initially, by creating the perception of a wider spiritual movement in far-away Judea, these figures provided Paul with a necessary anchor for his teachings about a new and easy short-cut to full participation with the chosen people of the great and ancient God of Israel.
With the available evidence, fleshing-out the details is more than highly speculative. However, the following scenario is just provided as an example of the general nature of how such a story could have been told ---
Cephas was first to make the discovery in the scriptures --- a new twist on the primacy of Peter.
The appearances follow a logical pattern for the dissemination of a new idea. Cephas took his discovery to his community leadership group --- the twelve. These are not the twelve disciples of an earthly Jesus --- that concept had not yet been invented. The Community Rule document found among the Dead Sea Scrolls describes a leadership group of twelve --- a group entrusted to "preserve the faith". I'm not implying that Cephas belonged to the DSS community, but I believe that document provides adequate evidence for such a leadership structure among some Jewish sectarians of the time.
The twelve approved of the interpretations. So next, the concept was presented to the entire community --- the 500. The use of the round number 500 shouldn't be taken literally. For example, in first century CE esoteric Jewish mysticism as found in Yohanan ben Zakkai tradition, the distance from the earth to the firmament, as well as the distance between each of the layers of the heavens, is a journey of 500 years. (J. Neusner, First Century Judaism in Crisis, 1975, p.129). It just meant a large number, perhaps with mystical significance.
To James. Continuing in chronological sequence, after a community at-large found the concept compelling, they were ready for the big-time. Cephas and company took the idea to a James, a figure to whom Paul had assigned authority (Galatians 2:9 and 2:12). James evidently accepted the idea of the Christ, and in Paul’s scenario became a de facto leader of sorts.
Much tradition about James has come down to us. I suspect these later traditions of James were the result of legend-building starting from Paul's story.
To all the apostles. Again, Paul is not talking about companions of Jesus. At the time, the Greek word just meant someone sent on a mission. This represents Paul’s claim that certain believers were assigned the role of spreading the word. At the time Paul wrote to the Galatians, he implied they were a small group entirely engaged within the Jewish homelands (Gal. 2:9).
Then, last of all, Paul. Paul described himself as "the ektroma" because he “persecuted the assembly of God”. I think Paul self-identified with Miriam, the ektroma of Numbers chapter 12. Just Like Miriam who was ignorant and sinned before she was cleansed by the grace of God, Paul was ignorant and sinned because, he claimed, he persecuted the assemblies of God in Judea (Gal. 1:13-14 and 1:22-23) before receiving grace and a revelation from God (Gal. 1:15-16). See --- viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2396
Paul claimed that it was God that revealed to him the Son (Gal 1:15-16). Yet in his letters, when Paul characterized the death and resurrection of his Jesus Christ, it was derived from the scriptures --- the redemption from the law by being hung on wood in Galatians 3:13 as derived from Deuteronomy 21:23 and 27:26, and having been delivered over for our trespasses and raised for our justification in Romans 4:25 as derived from Isaiah 53.
Paul was a self-appointed missionary. He brought his stories of a Jesus Christ deep into Gentile territory with his entrepreneurial evangelism, along with his tales of a spiritual movement in far-away Judea and his sack of scrolls.
robert j
Note: Edited on occasion to reflect evolution of my working premise.
