Bible. New Testament -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.; Christianity -- Origin; Paul, the Apostle, Saint
"Division," says he, "among you:" in this phrase may be seen the style
of modern royalty. Towards a will so intimately connected with the
divine as the royal, no such temper of mind, so intolerable as
opposition, is ever to be supposed: were it on all occasions equally
known--known to all, and alike interpreted by all, no division could
have place: but, some put one interpretation upon it, some another: in
some eyes, this course is regarded as best adapted to the giving effect
to it; in others, that: hence that division, to which, on every
occasion, it is the duty of all to put the speediest end. Now then as to
Paul. This same assumed fatherly affection, under the name of
elder-brotherly--this desire of seeing concord among brethren--what was
it in plain truth? Answer, love of power. Would you have proof? Take in
hand this same Epistle of his to his Corinthians, or, if at verse the
tenth, it will be to this purpose early enough, and read on, till you
come to chapter iv. verses 15, 16. "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and
that there be no divisions among you: but that ye be perfectly joined
together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.--For it hath been
declared unto me," and so forth, as above. Read on, and at length you
will come to the essence of all this good advice, 1 Cor. 4:15. "For,
though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ," says he, "yet have
ye not many fathers; for, in Christ Jesus, _I have begotten you_,
through the Gospel.--Wherefore, I beseech you, _be ye followers of me_."
At this time, it should seem that, on the occasion of this his courtship
of the Jews of Corinth, not only was the name of Peter an object of his
declared rivalry, but the name and person of his own sub-disciple
Apollos, an object of his jealousy. "For, while one saith," 1 Cor. iii.
4, "I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not," says he,
"carnal?--Who then," continues he, "is Paul, and who is Apollos, but
ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?--I
have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.--Now he that
planteth and he that watereth are one; and every man shall receive his
own reward according to his own labour." Fifteen verses after comes a
flourish, in which Apollos is spoken of for the last time. "Whether
Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things
present, or things to come, all are yours;--23. And ye are Christ's, and
Christ is God's." At the word _Cephas_ ends, it may have been observed,
common sense: what follows being dust for the eyes: dust, composed of
the flowers of Saulo-Paulian eloquence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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