Jesus vs. Paul

Have you ever noticed the difference between the Gospel according to Paul, and the Gospel according to Jesus?  Whereas Paul did a fine job of explaining the message of Jesus, I have often wondered why Jesus needed explaining in the first place.  Here I shall tackle the question of Jesus vs Paul...



THE MESSAGE OF PAUL
Paul is responsible for writing two-thirds of the New Testement.  In his famous letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul sets up the doctrine of Justification, reasoning his way through Jewish religion, and showing how Jesus fulfilled the law.  Even the letter to the Hebrews (for which the author is unknown) is intensely doctrinal/systematic, sorting through Jewish law, and pointing to Christ as the fulfillment of it all - even saying that Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath (that He is the rest that the Sabbath pointed to).  The rest of Paul's letters in the NT almost always take the time to explain what the Gospel is, and does so in creed-like form.  He wanted to establish the eternal truth that Jesus is the God who became man in order to save humanity from their sins, welcoming them into His eternal family, and he proves himself very gifted toward this end.  Thank God for Paul.

THE MESSAGE OF JESUS
However, Jesus didn't seem interested in establishing doctrines.  His mission was different.  We see this over and over when the Jewish religious leaders, and his disciples alike try to bait Him into breaking it down.  "Rabbi, what's the greatest commandment?"  "How many times must we forgive someone who wrongs us?"  Jesus seemed more interested in action than he did in establishing philisophical parameters for living, and especially more than spouting dogma.  Almost every time, Jesus' answer to people's questions involved some sort of action.  "Jesus what must we do to be saved?"  Do you remember what He told this young man?  "Go, and sell all your posessions, and give the money to the poor."  He spoke of treasure in heaven, of not worrying about even our basic needs, and he spoke of seeing death as a reward.  The Gospel that Jesus preached was a painful one at times, one that offended more people than not, and one that almost always involved helping the poor.

My purpose here is not to say that these two gospels are in contradition, nor am I trying to necessarily reconcile them in this post.  After all, Paul's message is about Jesus, and is very helpful in understanding how Christ's finished work effects us.  I think that, however, many Christians have been taught the Gospel according to Paul, but haven't spent much time pouring over the words of Jesus.  I know that this is true in my case.

Paul emphasizes grace as the basis for our works, whereas Christ simply comes, and emphasizes works.  In a sense, Jesus didn't preach the Gospel; not the Gospel as we know it (according to Paul).  And yet, Jesus' life was His loudest message.  His incarnation speaks countless sermons, and leaves us to theologize for the rest of earthly time. 

And so, here we are.  It's been over 2000 years since Christ's incarnation, death, ressurection, and assention into Heaven.  It's been that long since He preached a message that basically called His followers to bring His kingdom down to earth (as it is in heaven).  Since that time people have wrestled with His message trying to figure out it's deepest meaning.  Of course, Christ's message has been highjacked repeatedly, used and abused for profit, and twisted into images far from Christ's original message.

Miraculously, however, Christ's message has been lived out all over the world ever since, always growing (multiplying as well as evolving), and always transforming (affecting positive change).  As for Paul vs. Jesus, I tend to think of it this way:  Read Paul for the "why", and read Jesus for the "how".  After all, Jesus knew exactly what and how much to say during His short time on the earth, since He is the one who called Paul to be His missionary in the first place.  In fact, it actually makes a lot of sense that God would do it this way (live a life of action, and then commission someone to explain it's message), since one can only say & do so much within 3 years, especialy considering that it was during a time when there was no mass marketing.

APPLICATION
1.  How does this play out in our lives?
  - I think that one way is found in the dynamic between sin and repentance.  Jesus said that sin happens in the heart before in happens in the hand, but emphasized repentance as being action.  However, Paul clearly and repeatedly names specific, actionable sins, but emphasizes that repentance first happens in the heart, and is actually impossible without Christ's Spirit.  So, if you put them together, what do you get?  Any takers?

2.  Can you think of any other ways in which this dynamic plays out?

3.  How shall we reconcile the message in the NT to be culture creators, enjoying nature, culture, art, & community with Christ's call to live humble lives with the poor constantly in mind?
  - Is it actually possible to do both well, or are some people called to do either one or the other?