Now，atlast，theMessiahorChristhadcomeasasecondAdam，andbeingwithoutsinhadbeenraisedbyJehovahoutofSheolandtakenupintoheaven，astestimonytomenthatthepowerofsinanddeathwasatlastdefeated。ThewayhenceforthtoavoiddeathandescapetheexiletoSheolwastolivespirituallylikeJesus，andwithhimtobedeadtosensualrequirements。Faith，inPaul’sapprehension，wasnotanintellectualassenttodefinitelyprescribeddogmas，but，asMatthewArnoldhaswellpointedout，itwasanemotionalstrivingafterrighteousness，adevelopingconsciousnessofGodinthesoul，suchasJesushadpossessed，or，inPaul’sphraseology，asubjugationofthefleshbythespirit。Allthosewhoshouldthusseekspiritualperfectionshouldescapetheoriginalcurse。TheMessiahwasdestinedtoreturntotheearthtoestablishthereignofspiritualholiness，probablyduringPaul’sownlifetime1Cor。xv。51。ThenthetruefollowersofJesusshouldbeclothedinetherealbodies，freefromtheimperfectionsof“theflesh，“andshouldascendtoheavenwithoutsufferingdeath，whiletherighteousdeadshouldatthesametimebereleasedfromSheol，evenasJesushimselfhadbeenreleased。
Tothedoctrineoftheresurrection，inwhichethicalandspeculativeelementsarethushappilyblendedbyPaul，thenewreligiondoubtlessowedingreatpartitsrapidsuccess。IntoanaccountofthecauseswhichfavouredthespreadingofChristianity，itisnotourpurposetoenteratpresent。Butwemaynotethatthelocalreligionsoftheancientpaganworldhadpartlydestroyedeachotherbymutualintermingling，andhadlosttheirholduponpeoplefromthecircumstancethattheirethicalteachingnolongercorrespondedtotheadvancedethicalfeelingoftheage。Polytheism，inshort，wasoutgrown。Itwasoutgrownbothintellectuallyandmorally。Peoplewereceasingtobelieveinitsdoctrines，andwereceasingtorespectitsprecepts。Thelearnedweretakingrefugeinphilosophy，theignorantinmysticalsuperstitionsimportedfromAsia。Thecommandingethicalmotiveofancientrepublicantimeshadbeenpatriotism，——devotiontotheinterestsofthecommunity。ButRomandominionhaddestroyedpatriotismasaguidingprincipleoflife，andthusineverywaythemindsofmenwereleftinasceptical，unsatisfiedstate，——cravingafteranewtheoryoflife，andcravingafteranewstimulustorightaction。Obviouslytheonlytheologywhichcouldnowbesatisfactorytophilosophyortocommon-sensewassomeformofmonotheism；——somesystemofdoctrineswhichshouldrepresentallmenasspirituallysubjectedtothewillofasingleGod，justastheyweresubjectedtothetemporalauthorityoftheEmperor。Andsimilarlytheonlysystemofethicswhichcouldhaveachanceofprevailingmustbesomesystemwhichshouldclearlyprescribethemutualdutiesofallmenwithoutdistinctionofraceorlocality。ThusthespiritualmoralityofJesus，andhisconceptionofGodasafatherandofallmenasbrothers，appearedatoncetomeettheethicalandspeculativedemandsofthetime。
Yetwhatevereffecttheseteachingsmighthaveproduced，ifunaidedbyfurtherdoctrinalelaboration，wasenhancedmyriadfoldbytheelaborationwhichtheyreceivedatthehandsofPaul。
PhilosophicStoicsandEpicureanshadarrivedattheconceptionofthebrotherhoodofmen，andtheGreekhymnofKleantheshadexhibitedadeepspiritualsenseofthefatherhoodofGod。TheoriginalityofChristianitylaynotsomuchinitsenunciationofnewethicalpreceptsasinthefactthatitfurnishedanewethicalsanction，——acommandingincentivetoholinessofliving。
Thatitmightaccomplishthisresult，itwasabsolutelynecessarythatitshouldbeginbydiscardingboththeritualismandthenarrowtheoriesofJudaism。Themeredesireforamonotheisticcreedhadledmanypagans，inPaul’stime，toembraceJudaism，inspiteofitsrequirements，whichtoRomansandGreeksweremeaningless，andoftendisgusting；butsuchconversionscouldneverhavebeennumerous。JudaismcouldneverhaveconqueredtheRomanworld；norisitlikelythattheJudaicalChristianityofPeter，James，andJohnwouldhavebeenanymoresuccessful。Thedoctrineoftheresurrection，inparticular，wasnotlikelytoproveattractivewhenaccompaniedbythepictureoftheMessiahtreadingtheGentilesinthewine-pressofhisrighteousindignation。ButherePaulshowedhisprofoundoriginalityThecondemnationofJewishformalismwhichJesushadpronounced，Paulturnedagainsttheolderapostles，whoinsisteduponcircumcision。Withmarvellousflexibilityofmind，PaulplacedcircumcisionandtheMosaicinjunctionsaboutmeatsuponalevelwiththeritualobservancesofpagannations，allowingeachfeeblebrothertoperformsuchworksasmightticklehisfancy，butbiddingalltakeheedthatsalvationwasnottobeobtainedafteranysuchmechanicalmethod，butonlybydevotingthewholesoultorighteousness，aftertheexampleofJesus。