PAUL after his conversion, explained many of the sayings of Christ Jesus as he understood them. The Christian world owes a great debt of gratitude to this profound teacher and devoted apostle. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, referred to Paul and Christ Jesus as "colossal characters," and wrote (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 360), "Theirs were modes of mind cast in the moulds of Christian Science: Paul's, by the supremely natural transforming power of Truth; and the character of Jesus, by his original scientific sonship with God."
In his first epistle to the Corinthians, Paul wrote: "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." Some Bible commentators maintain Paul's meaning to be that Jesus bought us for himself with the sacrifices which he made. Paul's exact meaning, however, must be gained by spiritually interpreting his words in the light of what he said both at this particular time and at other times. Mrs. Eddy throws interesting light on the subject in "Miscellaneous Writings" (pp. 252, 253), where, in referring to Christian Science as "the pearl priceless whereof our Master said, if a man findeth, he goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth it," she writes: "Buyeth it! Note the scope of that saying, even that Christianity is not merely a gift, as St. Paul avers, but is bought with a price, a great price; and what man knoweth as did our Master its value, and the price that he paid for it?"
Christian Science shows that Christianity, as Jesus taught it, and this Science are identical. Scientific Christianity demonstrates divine power, healing sickness and casting out error. The spiritual understanding and ability needed in the healing of sickness and sin for oneself or others "is not merely a gift." It is "bought with a price, a great price" —a price, not beyond one's present ability to pay, but one which nevertheless must be paid. Christ Jesus has shown us the way, and he does not spare us the necessity of traversing it.
