Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-11-15
JESUS OR PAUL?

Mr., Welnstock a Jewish author, In
his book entitled Jesus the jew" en-
deavors to prove that the great Nazar-
enc did not found new sect but that
lie lived and died a Jew His disciples
worshiped In the synagogue and OBJ
served the Mosaic laws and ordinances,
Paul. on the other hand, conceived the
idea OF spreading Judaism among all
nations In order to do this, he had to
abandon many of the forms OF worship
and insist only upon the spirit. He
ola so and became the real founder Of
Christianity Says Mr.. weinstock;
1T was Paul's genius which concelv-
ed the idea OF breaking away from the
encrusted traditions Of the Jew, and
going forth to convert the Gentile TO
give his strength and his heart, his
mind and his soul TO uplift his brethren
outside of his faith, and to bring them
nearer to the God of Israel. He saw
clearly that the Jews were preaching
universal truths but made no effort to
the faith of his fathers TO accomplish
lts hlgh purpose there must be teach-
Ing and preaching among non believers
ana In foreign lands: and 50, alone and
unaided except for the presence and
help of God, he set out on his heroic
task, preaching the beautiful Jewish
utterances set forth by Jesus, whom he
had accepted as his Master Thus Paul
began a missionary work that In time
reNolutonlzed the religious spirit Of the
world and which Is destined to contln-
ue moving onward as long as clviliza-
tion shall stand"
This view Is by no means new. II has
been set forth from time to time, and
someone has even said that when Paul
became a convert, the world was saved
for the second time. But 1t Is never
theless one-sided. Paul labored more
than some of his co-workers; he under
stood clearly the fundamental principles
of the teachings OF the Master. but to
say that he went further than the Mas
ter IN the application Of those principles,
Is simply TO state an unsupported sup
position
The fact is that Paul taught only
that which he received, by revelation,
from the Master. The Pauline doctrine
was accepted at the conference In Jer-
usalem acts XVI and Peter and James
were as emphatic In their declarations
in favor Of the spirit of the law, as
against the letter. as were Paul and
Barnabas. It was Peter who asked:
Now therefore why tempt We God. to
put yoke upon the neck OF the dis
clples, which neither our fathers nor we
were able to bear?" And James, refer
ring to the purpose of God to visit the
Gentiles. to take out OF them a people
for His name" pointed out that, ito
this agree the words Of the prophets"
There was therefore no distinct Pauline
Christianity, different from that Of the
other followers OF the Nazarene. They
all unanimously declared that the
gentiles should not be burdened with
compliance to the Mosaic law, as a pre-
liminary to the acceptance OF the Cos
pei. What Paul preached, and what
the others preached. was that which
they had been taught by the Master,
aud which the Holy Spirit further
brought to their minds.
OF course Christianity was Judaism
true Judaism, cleansed from the impur-
tiles and abnormitles that had been
added to II during the long ages Of err
ror. 1t was Judaism developed from
a beautiful bud into a fun grown, frag-
rant flower. 1t was the fulfillment, the
completion OF the law. the next step in
the universal plan Of salvation. The
disciples so understood 1t, and therefore
they became the messengers to every
creature" TO all nations.