¶ … features topic significance understanding New Testament. This a short research paper include introduction, thesis, body, conclusion. Jesus and Paul -- compare/contrast

Both Paul and Jesus are largely considered to be two of the most influential individuals in Christian history. Even though Paul was an apostle, many consider him to be equal to or even more important than Jesus, taking into account his contribution to early Christianity. Paul is widely regarded as being the founder of Christianity, but there is much controversy regarding his understanding of Jesus' teaching, as he provides a relatively different account concerning the Messiah's life. Many Christians actually denounce Paul on account of him having modified Jesus' word with the purpose of shaping the Christian world and having Christians appreciate him more than they did at the time when he became a Christian.

Body

It is impossible to provide solid data supporting the fact that either Jesus or Paul were born on a particular date. The New Testament provides two different accounts (Matthew and Luke's) about the life of Jesus and it would be unfeasible for both of them to be true. "Hence, what they have in common is important, because one confirms the other" (Jesus and Paul: Parallel Lives 1). While Matthew was concerned about providing society with an impressive account concerning Jesus' life, Luke concentrated on describing a succinct story in order for people to have a complex understanding of the Messiah's background. "Matthew felt that it was his right as a storyteller not merely to retell what had been passed on to him but to make it more attractive and to give it greater impact by filling...

The story involving Herod the Great's massacre of innocents was largely Matthew's attempt to emphasize the danger Jesus was in across his life.
Whether considering Matthew's more magical account or Luke's succinct story regarding Jesus' life, one is likely to agree that the Messiah was a simple individual who was generally concerned about assisting people experience a reawakening process. Although both Matthew and Luke refer to Jesus as paidiou (child), it is left for readers to assume that they are referring to Jesus being a child at a time that was close to Herod's death. Paul wrote a letter to Philemon when he was in prison and this makes it possible for individuals to understand that the fact that Paul's contemporaries referred to him as a presbytes (an elderly individual who is about 60) at the time meant that he was born approximately at the same time as Jesus (Jesus and Paul: Parallel Lives 8).

One of the most intriguing aspects about the way that Paul and Jesus taught Christians relates to how the former focused on emphasizing justification by faith while the latter concentrated on preaching with regard to the kingdom of heaven. This is certainly surprising, taking into account that it would seem more logical for things to be the other way around. Many individuals are inclined to choose sides because they are confused about whether it would be better for them to focus on Jesus, on Paul, or on the connection between the two.

Individuals are often inclined to believe that Jesus and Paul come from different generations and that this is one of the principal reasons why many of their teachings differ. "Jesus…