SECTION 2 -- Reiterating the Thesis; Addressing Other Issues
1.a.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Paul's first Jesus encounters are given in three contradictory versions: Version 1--Acts 9:4,5,7,9; Version 2--Acts 22:7-9,11; and Version 3--Acts 26:13-16.
In addition, Paul also tells us that he had Jesus appear to him while awaiting trial (Acts 23:11). But a prior, alleged, interaction was when he was in a "Trance" (ekstasis) in Acts 22:17, 18 wherein "Jesus" tells him, "Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me." How strange. Jesus could appear to the Apostles and other disciples to dispel doubt and concerns they had about his own resurrection in the Gospels (Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:14-18, Luke 24:13-35, Luke 24:36-49, John 20:19-23, John 20:24-29, John 21:1-14)--note, these appearances are before the ascension. The following question needs answering: Why couldn't the "same" Jesus do something similar on Paul's behalf? Because the true Jesus had ascended prior to Paul "encountering him" and said he wouldn't be seen again until the End of Time! Why couldn't Jesus enter, or appear in a vision, before the 12 and tell them of Paul and his plan for him beforehand and introduce the parties, dispelling all doubt for them and us? Because the true Jesus had ascended prior to Paul "encountering him" and said he wouldn't be seen again until the End of Time! See the witnesses to the fact that Paul was "around" three years too late!
1. William L. Lane, The Gospel of Mark (New International Commentary on the New Testament): Lane dates the Ascension of Jesus to around 30 AD and considers Paul's conversion around 33-36 AD, suggesting a gap of 3-6 years between the two events.
2. F.F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free: Bruce agrees that the Ascension likely took place around 30 AD. He places Paul's conversion between 33-36 AD, with the event occurring approximately 2-3 years after Jesus' ascension.
3. N.T. Wright, Paul and the Faithfulness of God: Wright suggests that Paul's conversion occurred around 34-36 AD, a few years after the Ascension, which he dates around 30 AD. This places the time between 2-4 years after the Ascension.
4. John Stott, The Message of Acts (The Bible Speaks Today): Stott dates the Ascension of Jesus to around 30 AD, based on historical context.
5. James D.G. Dunn, The Theology of Paul the Apostle: Dunn places the Ascension of Jesus around 30 AD and suggests Paul's conversion occurred around 33-35 AD.
6. E.P. Sanders, Paul and Palestinian Judaism: Sanders, known for his scholarly work on the Second Temple Judaism supports a timeline where the Ascension of Jesus occurred around 30 AD and Paul's conversion occurred around 34-36 AD.
7. The New International Commentary on the New Testament (General Consensus): This commentary generally agrees with the 2-3 years timeline between Jesus' ascension (around 30 AD) and Paul’s conversion (around 33-36 AD).
These all confess that Paul is technically a late-term "Apostle," but they don't understand the implications: that, regardless of whether in a vision or in some sort of "physical manifestation," based on Jesus' warning of post-ascension, pre-return close encounters of the third kind in Matthew 24, Paul wasn't seeing the true Jesus. Paul may have seen an extraterrestrial (a demon) for all we know because it wasn't the true Jesus (Possibility #3).