Maybe it's just me, but lately it seems like there is a trend (well, moreso than usual in any case) of saying that Paul is somehow of a different mind than Jesus and that the teachings of the two contradict each other. While I can see where having a JW background can easily bring this type of thinking around, most especially since they extol the teachings of Paul and completely ignore Christ, most of you are no longer under the power of the Watchtower...er, you aren't are you? And as such, you should be free of most, if not all, of the brainwashing to occurrs. You are now free to think for yourselves. And yet, forgive me if I'm off base here, I get the impression that you disregard what Paul has to say because the Watchtower used his 'clarifications' so harmfully, and you connect that harm with Paul. While this is completely understandable, that doesn't make it right.
Before I get too far in, I'll just say that there was a point when I too had the exact same impression of Paul. I didn't get why everybody in the denomination I grew up in was so focused on the Epistles of Paul and the other disciples. Also, I had formed the idea that they were not focused enough on Christ and spending far too much time and reading much too far into what the apostles had to say. While I still hold to the later, my perception has changed over the years as I have matured, Biblically. Having thrown aside the tinted glasses of any form of 'organized' religion, I was free to study as I was of a will and free to see what the Bible had to say for itself and not what others had to say for it.
Furthermore, I too, held the impression that Jesus, as God, was one we should follow, and Paul, as a man, was one who should be taken with a grain of salt. However, I was disregarding the simple fact that the the Epistles are held to be Divinely inspired. Now I know that many scoff at that thought, but bear with me. While many people bring up the Council of Nicaea and extrapolate various theories from there, I think many overlook the fact that most, if not all, of the documents brought to the table, as it were, were in existence well before the council occurred. We are now 2,000 years or so removed from such things; who do you think would have a better idea of what is Divinely inspired, and what isn't?
Anyway, I don't want to get into areas where I'm not as knowledgable as others, so I will leave well enough alone in that regard. I'm more of a Bible student than a Bible history student.
What grabbed my attention and prompted me to write what I have, besides what I mentioned at the start, is what I just read in Philippians 2.
"Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:1-5
What struck me, is that if Paul really does contradict what Jesus taught, why does he always bring things back to Him? I think the only way that Paul would be able to contradict what Jesus taught is if he was looking for some personal gain and not the glory of his Savior and the blessing of others (1 Corinthians 10:33). If that was truly the case, you'd think that if Paul was looking for some gain for himself, he'd try to bring the focus on himself, and away from Christ. And yet he doesn't...ever. Another portion that gives an example of how true Paul was to Christ and therefore to all others, is found in 1 Corinthians:
"But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment. For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that...But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her." 1 Corinthians 7:6-7 & 12
Paul made it abundantly clear when he would mention something that were his ideas and not necessarily commandments (inspiriation) from Christ. Seems rather odd for one to say something like that if he truly was voicing his own ideas (contradicting Christ), does it not?
Anyway, just something for you to ponder. As I said before, I had similar feelings until I truly began to delve into the Bible and gain a greater understanding of things.
slappy