Saturday, October 27, 2007

DID PAUL MESS UP JESUS' RELIGION?


No. Concerning love Jesus and Paul spoke with one voice: compare the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 with the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5; or think of the character of Jesus when you read 1 Corinthians 13.

Paul's conversion meant a turning from his pharisaical attitudes (which Jesus condemned so trenchantly) to living out Jesus' ideas and ideals.

Of course, because he was not Galilean, he expressed Jesus' ideas differently. It's something like viewing a valley from different hills: Paul looks/sounds different, but it's essentially the same religion.

Back to the main idea: both Jesus and Paul are strong on love. So let's practise that virtue, eh?