Baley wrote: ↑Fri Mar 11, 2022 6:08 am
True, we can't rule this out. It just seems more likely in my eyes that any Jewish messiah movement around this time would be quite nationalist and anti Roman (and therefore antithetical to Paul) in order to be succesful.
I think there were Jewish messiah movements like that and they gravitated to a military leader and his militia to establish his rule by force of arms. But there are few indications Jesus had that kind of idea whatsoever. All the gospel accounts go against it. What is left is a spiritual concept of the messiah, and personal salvation not national salvation. I just think it was more likely for Paul to emerge from such a group than a failed warrior messiah. Then it isn't a complete change of direction for Paul to go off in his own direction. What I mean is there were many interpretations of what the messiah was, it isn't clear that the 'traditional' idea of the messiah as the warrior king was the only one around and why should we assume that? Assuming that means not questioning the orthodox understanding of the messiah and so projecting back an idealistic understanding which Jesus could not have strayed from but he could have if he felt like it