I agree this is fascinating material.
Paul meets Peter & (a) John in Antioch, if we are to assume, in c.44 AD. Paul still appears to be flexibly heterodox, so his full conversion/meeting 'Jesus on the Road to Damascus' would be dubious - a known version, an opportunistic improvement? - against this later version: his confirmation as a Petrine disciple and acceptance of 'true Christianity' (Jesus Christos) after a dramatic incident at Antioch.
Presumably, Paul was 'worshipping' in the temples of
Asclepius & Hygeia or
Serapis/Isis, among the
Chrestiani (heterodox/ marginally Judaized pagans?) perhaps. But only for converts! In other words, he might have accepted or worked within a common, established and varied (Judaic-) Christos doctrine, yet remained uncertain of the novel Jesus bits. Then Peter's supremacy convinced him, and the doubter was himself fully converted. (If we are to believe this AoP.)
I assume the
Chrestiani pre-date the 'Jesus' Christiani.
Is dating the Apocalypse of Peter to c.135 AD acceptable? And please forgive my total ignorance ... who was the Archon of the 'rebel angel cult', Metatron?
Apocalypse of Peter, pp.34+ of pdf, "p.212"+
And we left our place, and he went and met the heads of the city of Antioch and spoke to them what he wished. Then he dispatched a messenger to us and called us to him. The messenger ushered us into the temple of the idols, and we entered and found Paul praying and worshipping before the idols, and suspicion entered into our mind concerning his faith. When he finished his worship he turned towards me and said: "0 man, what is your name ?" And I answered: "Peter." And he said: "Who is your God ?" I answered: "A God, one in nature and three in attributes, worshipped and glorified by His creatures and praised by His myriads. He is the creator of all rational and irrational beings. He is the Feeder, the Giver, and the Provider. He created the created beings, perfected them and endowed them with wisdom and might. He enjoined His worship upon them, but they disbelieved in Him and worshipped the Rebel and injured themselves in their services to the rebellious Archon, because they were all the time worshipping idols. And He showed forbearance to them generation after generation, but they did not fear God, the avenging Lord who fathoms the secrets of the hearts. When, however, many generations passed in this way and Satan drew to himself all mankind, this displeased the jealous Lord, and He sent His Son, the mighty Teacher, who came down to the earth and appeared in a covering which He chose to Himself from light, which He materialised and from which He spoke and performed in His world the things which He wished to Then He ascended into heaven by His power and sent us His disciples,' to all creatures by His will."
And Paul said: " When your master came down from His heaven what pious works did He do which would make Him worthy of headship?" And I replied:"He performed miracles that transcend the minds, and forgave the sins of the ignorant." And he said: "And what did this great and ancient Master of yours give you?" And I replied: He ganted each one of us to perform the wonders which He performed and to cure every man from his diseases and his ailments." And he said: " Show us something from this (power) in order that we may believe in your God Jesus Christ."
...
And Paul answered : "I will relate to you all my story dealing with the religion of Christ." When he had told all his story as narrated above the King said to him: "And what induced you after you had believed in this powerful, ancient and mighty Lord, the master and the maker of the times, to deny Him and to return to the worship of idols?" And Paul said: "I did not worship idols nor did I deny God. I meant in what I did to use a stratagem with you in order that by my soft advice to you the hardness of your nature may be mollified to your advantage. In this the Most High God gave me victory over you as He brought you to the right path."
