Thinking of the Apostle Paul, I find I regard him in similar terms as Sir Winston Churchill’s description of Russia: “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”.
On the one hand, Paul provides us with such wonderfully insightful statements as his hymn to love in 1st Corinthians 13, his affirmation of the unity of Christians in last week’s lesson, and his listing of the fruit of the Spirit in today’s lesson: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
On the other hand, Paul was also a fiery and often bitter controversialist, which can be seen in the material which the lectionary compilers have thankfully omitted from today’s lesson, in which Paul expresses his wish that some people with whom he is involved in a theological argument would engage in self-harm (Galatians 5:12).
Paul can be a mass of contradictions.
So can we.
Perhaps that’s why he’s so useful to read.
Rev Bob Faser
Retired Minister