Replies

I see a common misconception about "The Bereans" often.

Turning it around backwards is not going to help.

It was all true because Paul had that authority, not the Bereans.

That puts the cart before the horse.

Paul wrote to the Bereans not from standpoint of claim for his own personal authority --- or else there would be no reason for the Bereans to search the Scriptures to see if what he said was true.

They in no way had authority to rule on whether what Paul taught about the Messiah was true or not.

That is doubly false. First, in that the issue is not as to anyone having authority over another, and by "authority" be able to pronounce judgement over whether what they were being taught was true or not.

What Paul was telling them was true -- NOT because Paul himself was saying so, but more primarily because what he was telling them was true, and that could be well enough adduced by Scripture.

In yet another place Paul wrote to the Galatians indicating to them that it is the Gospel message itself which had been preached which should be trusted;

Galatians 1

6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Paul was not arguing for "authority of the Church" to then be able to go about altering, adding to, and attaching qualifiers to the gospel, but that such things be precluded. Even if it came from himself and the rest of the "church" of his own time or else an angel from heaven.(!)

I would encourage everyone to take Paul's advice and search the scriptures daily.

If Paul had authority to properly and correctly preach & teach, then that same is not nullified by the twisting and wresting of those who come along later trying to confuse people, and obscure and alter the gospel from what once had been preached.

I have standing to say these things, for I stand not on my own personal authority or claims of my own authority, but upon as it is written.