But, you, right here, say they were supposed to only listen to Paul..... not what they thought they already knew from years and years of studying and living the Scriptures. You see, Paul was just another man preaching at them. None of the disciples were anywhere near as respected as their teachers. They did not have a leather-bound book like we have, telling the who the good guys were, and who the bad guys were.
We get terribly confused by grabbing pat phrases like, "walk with Jesus"...... when saying that very thing to the people He preached to, would have meant absolutely nothing in their religion. I get flabbergasted that we seem so unable to understand that these were devout people who did their best to listen to and follow what they thought was the word of the Lord.
Today, we should know better because we have the Bible they never had.... but still we try to go back to Law as they also thought was proper and Godly.
I know which is why Paul said FOLLOW ME as I FOLLOW CHRIST...
No one should be following Paul...But Paul as the overseer of the BODY which CHRIST so powerfully at work in him directed by HIS SPIRIT was not wanting men to follow him...that was clear when he had to remind another baby believing BODY which he never stayed with forever that who is Paul, who is Cephas, who is Apollos...
But they were babies and highly influenced. So, when Paul was away from the BODY...lies swept in and these were clearly not fully IN CHRIST to begin with...Paul always prayed that GOD would give these babies the SPIRIT of wisdom and knowledge that they might BETTER UNDERSTAND the MAGNITUDE of THEIR GREAT SALVATION in CHRIST...but men came in while Paul was gone and offered other ways...
Further, as Paul understood and was clearly trying to teach these babes, No man can be baptized into a man no matter how great their understanding is...Paul, Cephas or Apollos did NOT die for them...and Paul, Cephas, or Apollos will not live forever to lead them, nor will they be pouring out their spirit upon them...
All must believe and follow THE LORD...and those who do, are baptized into HIM and risen IN HIM by HIS LIFE GIVING, LIFE LEADING SPIRIT.
Which is what each of these baby believing BODY should have FIRSTLY understood.
And the fact that they went outside of THE TRUTH clearly showed that they didn't understand who they are IN CHRIST JESUS and HIM ALONE!