Christianity, as we know it today, is the world’s largest religion, shaping the beliefs and cultures of billions of people. At its core is the figure of Jesus of Nazareth, a first-century Jewish preacher whose teachings inspired a religious movement. However, a compelling argument made by many historians and theologians is that the actual foundation of Christianity was not laid by Jesus himself, but by Paul of Tarsus—commonly known as the Apostle Paul. This view suggests that while Jesus may have been the catalyst, it was Paul who defined the doctrines, expanded the reach, and institutionalized the faith that became Christianity.
Jesus the Jewish Preacher
To understand this thesis, one must begin with who Jesus was historically. Jesus was born into a Jewish context, observed Jewish laws, and directed his teachings primarily to other Jews. His core message, as represented in the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), was about the "Kingdom of God"—a spiritual and social revolution where justice, peace, and God's will would prevail on Earth.
Most of his teachings—like the Sermon on the Mount—focused on ethical behavior, humility, love, and repentance. He did not claim to abolish the Jewish Law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). He was a charismatic teacher, but not necessarily the architect of a new religion.
Jesus did not leave behind written doctrines, nor did he found churches, formulate creeds, or ordain a structured clergy. After his death—by crucifixion, a punishment reserved for political insurrectionists—his small group of followers believed he had been resurrected, and they began proclaiming him as the Messiah.
Paul the Theologian and Organizer
Enter Paul, a former Pharisee who never met Jesus during his lifetime but claimed to have encountered the risen Christ in a visionary experience (Acts 9). Paul’s transformation from a persecutor of Christians to a missionary apostle is dramatic—and historically significant. It is Paul who took the fledgling Jesus movement out of its Jewish context and redefined it as a universal faith.
Paul’s letters (epistles), written between 50 and 60 CE, are the earliest surviving Christian documents—predating the Gospels by decades. In these letters, Paul outlines core theological concepts that would become the bedrock of Christian doctrine: salvation by faith, the centrality of the crucifixion and resurrection, the divinity of Jesus, justification apart from the Jewish Law, and the belief in a cosmic Christ.
It is Paul who argued that Gentiles (non-Jews) could become Christians without adhering to Jewish laws like circumcision or dietary restrictions (Galatians 2). This was a radical departure from Jesus' own Jewish-centric mission and teachings. Without Paul’s reinterpretation, Christianity may have remained a small Jewish sect.
From Movement to Religion
Paul didn’t just offer theology; he built infrastructure. He founded churches across Asia Minor, Greece, and parts of the Roman Empire. He mentored leaders, mediated disputes, and cultivated communities that would continue after his death. His letters served as guidance, rebuke, and encouragement—and later became canonical scripture.
He also introduced the idea of Jesus as a cosmic savior whose death and resurrection offered eternal life not just to Jews but to all humanity. In Romans and Corinthians, Paul presents a deeply metaphysical view of Jesus that has little parallel in the words of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels. The emphasis shifts from the teachings of Jesus to the person of Jesus as a redemptive figure.
Jesus Preached the Kingdom; Paul Preached Christ
One of the most concise ways to express the difference between Jesus and Paul is the phrase: “Jesus preached the Kingdom of God; Paul preached Jesus Christ.” Jesus’ message was about God’s reign and how people should live in preparation for it. Paul’s message was about Jesus himself—his death, resurrection, and role as savior.
Jesus rarely spoke about himself in divine terms. He used the phrase “Son of Man” ambiguously and distanced himself from claims of being God. Paul, on the other hand, unequivocally declares Jesus to be divine, calling him the “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15) and asserting that "in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (Colossians 1:19).
Was This a Betrayal or a Fulfillment?
This divergence has led some critics and scholars to argue that Paul “hijacked” Jesus' message and turned it into something Jesus never intended—a new religion focused on personal salvation and metaphysical doctrines rather than a reform of Judaism and ethical living. The Jesus Seminar, a group of biblical scholars, has suggested that much of the theology that defines modern Christianity has more to do with Paul’s influence than with Jesus' own teachings.
Others argue that Paul was not a betrayer of Jesus' vision but its natural evolution. As the message spread beyond Judea into the Greco-Roman world, adaptation was necessary. Paul, a Roman citizen fluent in Greek and Jewish thought, was uniquely positioned to bridge that gap. He made Jesus accessible to the Gentile world.
Influence on the New Testament and Christian Doctrine
The sheer volume of Paul’s influence in the New Testament supports this thesis. Of the 27 books in the New Testament, 13 are attributed to Paul. Even if scholars debate the authorship of some (like the Pastoral Epistles), the fact remains that Paul's voice dominates. His theological language—grace, faith, redemption, justification—is foundational to Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox traditions alike.
The major Christian doctrines—original sin, the atonement, justification by faith—owe more to Paul than to Jesus. The Nicene Creed, which defines orthodox Christian belief, reflects Pauline Christology more than the historical teachings of Jesus.
Conclusion
While Jesus remains the central figure of Christian faith—the object of devotion, the example of love, and the crucified and risen Lord—it is Paul who must be credited with building the structure that allowed Christianity to become a global religion. Without Paul, the Jesus movement may have died as a small, apocalyptic sect within Judaism.
So when we talk about the foundations of Christianity, it is not heretical to suggest that Paul was the architect. Jesus may have inspired the building, but Paul designed the blueprint, laid the bricks, and raised the steeple. The Christianity we know today—universal, doctrinal, institutional—bears Paul's fingerprints more clearly than it does Jesus'.
