“That’s an interesting opinion, but you might want to read your Bible....”
Hmmmm, let me understand this. You say that because Paul had “visions” of Jesus that means that He actually met Jesus in the flesh?
I guess I’ve met him too.
I don’t Jesus ever met Paul. They certainly knew of each other, same as Wellington probably never met Napoleon.
[1] If I must glory (it is not expedient indeed), but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. [2] I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not, or out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up to the third heaven. [3] And I know such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I know not: God knoweth), [4] That he was caught up into paradise, and heard secret words, which it is not granted to man to utter. [5] For such an one I will glory; but for myself I will glory nothing, but in my infirmities. [6] For though I should have a mind to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I will say the truth. But I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth in me, or any thing he heareth from me. [7] And lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt me, there was given me a sting of my flesh (2 Cor. 12)
While Paul is self-effacing in this passage, one thing is clear: whether the meeting took place "in the body, or out of the body" did not matter to him, nor should it matter to us. What does matter is
be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:11, 4:16, cf John 20:21).The reality is the fact that the Holy Apostles and the prelates of the Church today are sent by the Holy Spirit as Christ to us.
No, not in that distant sense. Jesus spoke directly to Paul, as He met with and spoke to Moses in the same way. As I commented before, Paul learned his doctrine from the risen Jesus, not from the Eleven, nor even from Peter alone (Galatians 1).