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Parent: JesusWordsOnly
A Better Explanation Why the Gospel Accounts Came Second
May I suggest an alternative to Lewis' view which better explains why Paul's epistles came first and then the gospels? God did not make Paul's writings come first to prove the primacy of Paul over Jesus' words. Nor did God make Paul silent on Jesus' preaching to prove how irrelevant Jesus' words were on salvation doctrine. Rather, the gospel accounts were recorded after Paul to address partly the problem of Paul's written letters. The gospel accounts were to correct Paul's views and give us Jesus ' words lacking in Paul's writings. Jesus thus was able to set forth the correct nature of salvation. That is why Jesus' views conflict so directly with Paul. Jesus says you can go to heaven maimed or hell whole in (Mark 9:42-47). Repentance from sin is crucial; belief is just one step. Jesus in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, (Matt. 25:32) et seq., also said you can do works of charity for Jesus' brethren and thus go to Heaven. Alternatively, you can fail to do so and go to Hell. There is no third option of pleading a covering of Christ and skating the personal obligation. Jesus had clearly a faith-plus-works formula as the correct teaching on salvation.
Accordingly, the Gospel accounts come after Paul precisely to remind Christians of Jesus' warnings about the coming false prophets after Jesus ' crucifixion. Jesus' warning covers the period of Paul's preaching. Jesus warned prophets would come to teach in His name but be false. (Matt. 7:15 et seq.) They would preach a-nomia, which literally means "negation of the (Mosaic) Law." Jesus says 'I will tell them on Judgment Day that I never knew you.' Jesus warns also these same preachers will do signs and wonders, and will have prophecy to deceive you into falsely trusting them. Jesus says their signs and wonders prove nothing. All that matters is that they are workers of a-nomia. If they are workers who seek to negate the Mosaic Law, flee from them, Jesus warned.
(For a full discussion on this passage, see the chapter JWO/JWO_04_01_DidJesusWarnofFalseProphetsWhoWouldNegatetheLaw__0009)
Thus, the sequence that Lewis is citing as proof of Paul's primacy is actually proof of the opposite. It is more likely explained by the problem of Paul. The gospel accounts were intended to correct Paul. Without their documentary existence, no one could expose Paul as a false apostle. No one could prove Paul was coming with another gospel than that of Jesus Christ Himself!
In fact, all this effort to dismiss the Synoptics by Luther, Calvin, C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, and Walvoord is itself proof that Paul must have come with another gospel. Otherwise, why all this effort and spin to dismiss the Synoptics? If the gospel in them were the same as Paul taught, why would one have to say Paul has primacy at all over them?
The truth is one cannot make Jesus' words serve Paul's doctrines. The effect of this primacy given to Paul over the Synoptics has destroyed the integrity of commentators. As discussed next, when confronted by a contradiction of Paul by Jesus, they presuppose Jesus must fit Paul. They admit this by the most blatant illogic.