THE TWO SIDES OF PAUL social age, Paul promises still to hold his place as a moulder of Christian thought. The explanation of this marvel is Paul himself. At heart he was a mystic, but, unlike most mystics, he was intensely practical. This fact alone saved his theology from becoming mere vague mysticism or cold philosophy. His head was often in the clouds, but his feet were always planted squarely on earth. Faith meant everything to him, and yet in many of his writings he asserted in most practical terms that "faith without works is dead." This unique combination of mysticism and the strongly ethical and social interpretation of religion is undoubtedly the explanation of his continuous leadership. Men to-day may reject many of his theoretical doctrines, but they cannot escape the charm and inspiration of his practical ethics. This rare combination of the mystic and social teacher is due to Paul's personality and training. His peculiar type of mind and his unique psychological experiences made him a mystic. The apocalyptic tendencies of contemporary Pharisaism undoubtedly intensified this tendency. On the other hand, his early study of the Jewish law forever fixed in his mind the practical, social concept of religion. This precipitate remained long after he had rejected the ceremonial side of the law. This tendency was strengthened by his study of the ethical prophets and by his knowledge of the practical problems that were constantly arising in the lives of the Christians who looked to him for pastoral guidance. II. Paul's Reassertion of Jesus' Social Teachings. The great force, however, which made Paul a strong social teacher was his familiarity with Jesus' social teachings. Paul was intensely interested in his own theories about Jesus; but it was in the field of practical social ethics that the great apostle stands closest to his Master. That this should be true was natural, for the heart of Jesus' teachings was ethical and social. Evidently Paul had a more extensive and intimate knowledge of these teachings than is generally recognized. His opportunities for gaining this knowledge were many, for he came into intimate and repeated contact with the disciples of Jesus while the first impression of their Master's work and teachings were still upon them. Evidently Paul also had in certain respects a more extensive acquaintance with certain of Jesus' teachings than is reflected in our gospel records. This fact is obscured, however, by Paul's peculiar method of quoting. Even his direct citations from the Old Testament are rarely reproduced with absolute accuracy. It was more natural for him to paraphrase and interpret than to quote verbatim. Ordinarily he did not believe it necessary to state that he was reproducing Jesus' teachings, for he assumed that practically all that he proclaimed was based on those teachings. Also he felt the living spirit of Jesus working in his mind and prompting his every word. It was only when he was in doubt as to whether or not he was reproducing his Master's teachings, as in I Corinthians 7, that he plainly states this fact. Hence, there are good grounds for believing that in the field of social ethics Paul is simply interpreting Jesus' teachings and that he has thus preserved certain elements not found in our four gospels. This conclusion is strongly confirmed by a careful examination of Romans 12 and 13, where in a majority of the cases the underlying principle can be directly traced to the lips of Jesus. III. Paul's Restatement of Jesus' Social Ideal. Paul, like Jesus, began not with organized society but with the individual, and sought to develop socially minded citizens as the foundation for an ideal social order. Like his Master, he dealt primarily not with external acts, but with inner motives. He recognized that the individual must first be socially redeemed, transformed, and consecrated to the service of God and society. His thoughts and character must be moulded, not only by circumstances and social conventions, but above all by loyalty to the will of God and to the interests of the Christian community. After he has made this complete self-sacrifice to the service of God and his Kingdom, it is easy for each man to find his own individual task in the church and in society and to perform it efficiently. In Paul's mind the perfect social order is the "one body in Christ,” of which all his faithful followers are members. It is unimportant that individual talents differ; the one essential is that each use his own for the largest profit of the community. Here, as in I Corinthians and Ephesians, he built on the foundations laid by Jesus in his parables regarding the Kingdom of God; but the details are determined by Paul's own personal experience. The Christian communities which he had founded had given him a vision of the perfect community, bound together by the spirit and principles of Christ. In his vision he saw this ideal community growing and extending, even as the Christian church was then rapidly extending, until it included all mankind. Paul, in his loyal service to the local communities, which were the prototype of the all-embracing community of the saints to be established in the future, had himself attained personal salvation, liberty, and fulness of life. Therefore he pointed out to his fellow Christians the same sure and satisfying way of salvation and life. He declared HIS RESTATEMENT OF JESUS' SOCIAL IDEAL by implication that, instead of losing their life, they also could find it through loyalty to the ideal of the perfect community and in working for its establishment. In its glories each individual would attain the complete expression of his own highest aspirations; in its fellowship the full satisfaction of his social craving; in its service the development of his noblest gifts. This community of the socially redeemed, which Paul called the "Body of Christ," is not a mere mystical abstraction but a perfectly practical social ideal. In Paul's day each local Christian community gave to the individual Christian the field and the definite objective needed to develop his loyalty to the ideal community. Here, as always, Paul makes a complete and natural synthesis of the ideal and the practical. In so doing he has presented a working social programme as applicable to the needs of society to-day and in the future as it was in the first Christian century. IV. The Christian's Responsibility as a Member of Society. Jesus simply presented social principles; but Paul in his fervent zeal to develop efficient loyalty to the ideal community (which occupied the central place in his vision of the future) lays down many definite laws and commands. He also sets forth his specific social teachings in systematic order and in a most condensed yet forceful form. In Romans 129-16 he defines the Christian's responsibilities to the members of the Christian community. Verse 14 clearly belongs with the next section (17-21), which describes the Christian's obligations to those outside the community. In 131-7 he discusses the Christian's obligations to civil authorities. In verses 8-10 he stresses the underlying and all-comprehending principle of love. Love is indeed the golden strand that runs through all of Paul's social teachings. He begins with the command, "Let love be without hypocrisy," and ends with the quotation, "Love is the fulfillment of the law." His social teachings as a whole are simply a practical, detailed application of the Golden Rule to the problems of the individual in his relation to society. Jesus' beatitude, "Happy are the peacemakers," becomes on the lips of Paul a definite command: "Think in harmony one with another." "Happy are the humble" and "Happy are the poor in spirit" are also transformed into the definite commands: "Strive not for the high things but associate with the humble" and "Do not be self-conceited." The Master's command, "Love your enemies," on the lips of Paul becomes, "Bless those who persecute you, bless and curse them not.” Paul also concludes his recapitulation of the Christian's responsibilities with the powerful, positive command: "Be not conquered by evil, but conquer evil by doing good," which is a splendid summary of the principles which underlie both Jesus' social teachings and method. Throughout Paul's discussion of the Christian's obligations to organized society we recognize the influence of Jesus' broad principle: "Render to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's and to God the things that are God's." In the concluding sentence Paul quotes almost verbatim the words of his Master, expanding them freely, however: "Render to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, taxes to whom taxes, respect to whom respect and honor to whom honor is due." In his interpretation of Jesus' principle Paul shows the influence of his Roman citizenship, of his cosmopolitan training, and of his practical statesmanship. His assertion of the divine authority of rulers is in striking contrast with Jesus' rather contemptuous estimate of the men who play the tyrant over their subjects. The context implies that Paul had in mind simply those rulers who proved by their acts that they were "servants of God." His aim is evidently to deliver the Christians from conflict with the pagan authorities, but the working principles which he lays down are intensely practical through all ages. Nowhere can one find in such condensed form a more exact statement of a theory of government, of its obligations to the individual citizen, and of the duties of a citizen to the state. V. The Christian's Duties of Toleration and Consideration for Others. It has been asserted that Paul's "outlook is almost devoid of social elements" and that the hope of the speedy second coming of Jesus destroyed his interest in society. Carried to its logical conclusion, this result would seem to a superficial reader inevitable; but exactly the opposite effect is discernible. Instead of encouraging his converts to sit with idle hands awaiting the great consummation, which he, as an heir to the Jewish apocalyptic hopes, regarded as imminent, Paul encouraged them to discharge all their social obligations with the greatest care and consideration. His belief that the "night is far advanced and that the day is near" only intensified his social consciousness. The explanation is that he regarded the Christian church already established and rapidly expanding as the foundation of the new world-wide community that was to be perfected at the second coming of Jesus. Paul's breadth is also revealed in the principles which he laid down regarding toleration toward others. The man of weak faith, whom he TOLERATION AND CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS had in mind, was the one limited by the conventional conceptions of religion. It was the type of man who regarded the observation of certain ritualistic forms and of days of feasting or fasting as absolutely essential. Evidently Paul himself did not share these beliefs; but he contended as earnestly for the liberty of personal judgment for the man with whom he did not agree as he did for his own. Each man, as he convincingly argues, is simply responsible to God. Here again it seems probable that Paul is standing squarely on principles proclaimed by Jesus and implied, though not recorded, in our gospels. It was this principle which determined the attitude of Jesus, as well as Paul, toward the ceremonial institutions of Judaism. Underlying Paul's command not to criticise nor look down upon a brother Christian one sees clearly Jesus' teaching: "Judge not that you be not judged." Also his command not to put a stumbling-block or hinderance in a brother's way is but Paul's free paraphrase of Jesus' words: "Woe to you who cause any of these little ones to stumble." With rare effectiveness and felicity Paul lays down the comprehensive Christian principle that the larger responsibility to show toleration and consideration to the brother of more limited vision rests upon the man of broader faith and outlook. He is the one who should be supremely governed by the law of love. The context also implies that the significant saying: The Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, came directly from the lips of Jesus. VI. The Christian's Obligation to Men of All Races. In conclusion Paul suggests the Christian's larger missionary obligations to the Gentile world. He presents this responsibility, not in the form of a direct command, but first by pointing out the fact that Jesus' work was done that Gentiles as well as Jews "might glorify God for his mercy." He then adds that his own primary aim as an apostle has been to bring the Gentiles into harmony with God's purpose. He declares that his great ambition has been to preach the Gospel where before Christ's name had not been mentioned. Paul wisely leaves to each individual Christian the application of the principle so nobly illustrated by his own example and by that of his Master. Thus, Paul's teachings regarding the social responsibilities of each Christian may be briefly summarized under six heads: (1) To give himself completely to the service of his divine Master. (2) To use each |