Quote:
Originally Posted by aron
All of this changed, of course, after Peter met Cornelius and Paul got converted. Paul's ministry stressed that non-Jews didn't have to keep the law, and had full rights and privileges in the church.
|
(What I aimed for was the notion of "the law of Christ" as presented by Paul, but I ran out of time, so will conclude here.)
Paul clearly distinguished male from female: he told wives to obey, women to cover their heads for the sake of angels, to ask questions at home, to be quiet in church, and he forbade them from teaching. Paul likewise told slaves to obey, and he once returned a runaway to his master. He had a young man circumcised because of a Hebrew parent, even while he wouldn't stand for this with gentile believers, "no, not for an instant." (Gal 2:5) Yet he was apparently unconcerned about zealous law-keepers in Jerusalem, even while vehemently opposing it in what he termed churches of the gentiles. (see, e. g., Rom 16:4)
But the law of Christ operated at another level, distinguishing none - young or old, rich or poor, male or female, slave or free, Jew or Greek. Christ died for all, and all have died in him. All distinguishing characteristics which were once so zealously guarded, cultivated, and enforced, were now passed away. All had become new. And we've seen on this thread how James and John, two principal authors of the NT, were in lockstep with Paul in their "royal law" and "new commandment", respectively.
And lastly, the "economy of God" that Paul wanted taught in all churches was a direct outflow of this royal law. Paul had written to the Corinthians to prove their love (8:7-12) by giving to those who couldn't repay them in this age, quoting Jesus' dictum, "it is better to give, than to receive".
And if you think about it, this kind of love, continually proved through consistent and deliberate action, was (and remains) an unprecedented and revolutionary of the power of God. I believe that it's why the gospel of Jesus Christ exploded across the known world in the first centuries of the common era. And it's still the most compelling narrative that I know.