Terry,
We are not exactly talking about the same topic.
You describe a possible scenario of the multiple origins of early Christian diversity. I was trying to point out how, within each one of the conflicting early Christian movements, a diversity of faith / fate, vocation / way of life, was acknowledged and dealt with, according to a quasi-economic pattern of salvific "exchange".
In Paulinism, the "apostles" work and suffer so that the (mostly Gentile) believers may be saved, theoretically by faith alone, practically through submission and respect to the "apostles".
In Judeo-Christianity, the "disciples" have to forsake everything so that the (first Jewish, then Gentile) believers may be saved, theoretically by simple observation of the Law, practically through supporting the disciples.
In each one of those "early Christian" movements "salvation" is not a simple gift / way common to all, but is worked through mutual exchange between (at least) two categories of people with a pretty different vocation or way of life. Speaking of "classes" is of course excessive (I used the word as a provocative allusion to WT theology), but I guess you see my point.
Btw the relationship between Jews and Gentiles can be described through a similar "economical" pattern, both sides of the misunderstanding.
E.g., from the Pauline standpoint, in the diplomatic statement of Romans 15:27 about the Gentile gifts to the Jews: "They were pleased to do this, and indeed they owe it to them; for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material things."
Or, from the remarkable Jewish anti-Jewish standpoint of Matthew, 8:10ff: "Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 21:43: The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom."
Ross,
I understand your reaction because this aspect of NT theology is one I only reluctantly came to, probably due to bad JW memories. However, I think it was an essential part of early Christianity, making it very different from modern Protestant individualism, which retained the Pauline motto "salvation by faith alone" but toned down the at least equally Pauline theology of the collective body of Christ. The idea that people are not saved alone but one through another, in a potentially infinite number of ways, is quite worth meditating imo, even in a post-Christian perspective such as mine.
