For a broader, more equitable consideration about Saul of Tarsus' claims or accounts of his "authority" in his Epistles and Acts (not the only 2 sources).... There is another well substantiated argument about where Saul’s “zeal” originates, was nurtured (educated), and continued through his life aside from his epilepsy. Based on what we and Jewish scholars know without doubts or caution are the stark differences between Bet Hillel and Bet Shammai (teachings) in the last century BCE to 2nd-century CE (Gamaliel’s grandfather was Hillel) the two most famous antagonistic schools prior to, during, and after Jesus’ and Saul’s lives and that according only to Saul’s/Paul’s ascribed letters was a self-described ‘prolific’ student and that Acts commentates about. Remember to keep margins of error/veracity on these sources. Nonetheless, since Saul claims an education by Hillel and Gamaliel we can certainly compare the two competing schools/masters with the extant sources of Saul’s/Paul’s writings. From the Talmud we know Bet Hillel (and its founder) were acclaimed for their patience, composure, peace-loving kindness, and accommodating to circumstances and cultures of the time. This also meant friendly to Hellenism. Gamaliel is known to have been quite lenient and tolerant of new Messianic Movements (such as Jesus’ “The Way”; there were several) essentially teaching ‘if the movement is from God then it cannot be stopped, if it is not then it will not succeed.‘ Gamaliel was reflecting the Hillel tradition of non-violence, allowing God to deal with parties that were against the Jews. Bet Shammai, on the other hand was well known for the opposite, stern, unbending, ill-tempered, and extremely patriotic to Israel not bowing to any foreign powers. Shammaites advocated the opposition of any and all intercourse with those who either were Romans or in any way contributed toward and allied with the perpetuating of Rome, including Hellenist Jews. [Talmud references can be supplied if need be] Now, prior to Saul’s seizure/vision on the Road to Damascus, and based upon what he himself admits how horribly he treated Jesus’ Jewish followers, Saul actually sounds a lot more like a Shammaite “zealot” than a peaceful Hillelite. And remember too his claim to be of the tribe of Benjamin cannot be proven and is highly suspect if not bogus.
The rest of the speakers just babbled about nothing. These are degreed scholars who rambled on and on without any substance. How on earth were they chosen to interact with Wright's work? Abysmal.
The system is compromised. Everything is about pumping our minds with a bunch of nothing so we stay in a state of consumerism, not believing there's anything more than what we are fed.
