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Paul and Jesus: the true storyExploding mythsPAUL AND JESUS: THE TRUE STORY Dr. David Wenham is an Anglican minister and a well-known biblical scholar who teaches at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He is one of those rare, gifted individuals who can write at both an academic and a popular level. Indeed, on the general area covered by this present book, he has already written an academic volume: Paul, Follower of Jesus or Founder of Christianity? (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994). This present book, however, is at a popular level. The footnotes are few and far between, although there are some helpful notes at the end of each chapter, which will help those readers who want to explore further any of the issues raised. The purpose of the book is to explore the relationship between Paul and Jesus and to explode some of the myths which have been allowed to build up concerning Paul's supposed misinterpretation of Jesus. It also demonstrates the historical and theological compatibility (and continuity) between what we find in the Acts of the Apostles and what we find in Paul's letters. The book is in three main sections. The first section is entitled 'Beginnings' and deals with the earliest days of Paul's Christian experience and the start of his ministry. The second (and longest section) deals with 'Paul's Missionary Journeys and Letters', looking particularly at the stories of Paul in the Acts of the Apostles and how these can be reconciled with what we find in several of his letters, notably, Galatians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians. He opens up the meaning and inner structure of these letters by setting them firmly in their context and demonstrating their main concerns. The third and final section of the book is entitled 'Finishing the Story'. It is very short and outlines some of what happened to Paul after his time in Ephesus. The author is quite clear that the Acts of the Apostles gives a true picture of Paul and provides the important backdrop against which his letters can be better understood. He notes that there are some differences of emphasis between the teaching of Jesus and that of Paul but insists rightly that these do not contradict one another. Rather, he argues they are the result of Paul's historical context as one who was ministering and writing after the death and resurrection of Jesus and after Pentecost. More specifically, Paul must be understood as one who was seeking to bring the Christian message to a Gentile audience. Although written at a popular level, this book is not for the casual reader. It presents carefully constructed arguments and, indeed, it is quite demanding in parts, calling the reader to serious study and engagement with the text of Scripture. The rewards for doing so, however, are considerable and those who work hard will find their faith strengthened and their knowledge increased. Professor A.T.B. McGowan,
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