"Paul, that was probability not in Galilee during Jesus’ public life, "does not say he met the historic Jesus personally," explained the Pontiff during the general audience catechesis today. He got to know Him "through the first Christian community, namely through the mediation of the Church" which "played a double role": a first witness towards which Paul was intransigent and then the transmission, already received, of the ‘good news’ which Paul proclaimed unceasingly." "We can perceive three forms of reference to Jesus on earth in Paul," continued Benedict XVI. "First of all, there are some direct and explicit references." Secondly, "we can see in some sentences of St. Paul’s Letters a number of references to the tradition recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, even though there is no explicit reference to Jesus and the Lord." Finally, "we can see there is a striking harmony of themes between Paul’s thought and Jesus’ teachings, even when the Apostle didn’t make any reference to Him and their language may be different," the Pontiff said.
