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Was Paul and Apostle?
There is much on the Internet
about Paul not being an apostle.
The view seems to be that we can
ignore whatever he wrote.
We have to be careful that we do
not ignore all that Paul wrote,
as he wrote many things that are
very helpful to us.
The word ‘Apostle’ means
‘Messenger, ‘one that is sent forth’.
652 apostolov apostolos ap-os’-tol-os
from 649;
TDNT-1:407,67; n m
AV-apostle 78, messenger 2, he that is sent 1; 81
1) a delegate,
messenger, one sent forth with orders
1a) specifically
applied to the twelve apostles of Christ
1b) in a broader
sense applied to other eminent Christian teachers
1b1) of Barnabas
1b2) of Timothy
and Silvanus
We can say that there are two categories of apostle.
There are the 12 apostles whom Christ hand picked and when Judas
killed himself there were 11 remaining.
Their names are found in Acts 1
13 And when they were come in, they went up into
an upper room,
where abode both
1. Peter, and
2. James, and
3. John, and
4. Andrew,
5. Philip, and
6. Thomas,
7. Bartholomew, and
8. Matthew,
9. James the son of Alphaeus,
and
10. Simon Zelotes, and
11. Judas the brother of James.
There they were led to choose a replacement for Judas.
However, this person had to meet certain qualifications shown below as (a) (b) (c)
They choose two people who qualified and then cast lots to decide which
of the two
it was to be.
Acts 1:20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let
his habitation be desolate,
and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
21 Wherefore of these (a) men
which have companied with us all the time that
the
Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 Beginning (b) from the baptism of John, unto that
same day that he was taken up from us,
must one be ordained to be
(c) a witness with us of his resurrection.
23 And they appointed two, Joseph called
Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which
knowest the hearts of all men,
shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
25 That he may take part of this ministry and
apostleship,
from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own
place.
26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot
fell upon Matthias;
and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
The apostle Paul did not meet these qualifications,
therefore he was not one of the 12 apostles.
These twelve apostles were the twelve foundation stones of the New
Jerusalem
which is built on Christ.
Revelation
21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve
foundations,
and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
This however, does not mean that he was not one that was ‘sent forth’, a
messenger
as we have seen that this is a definition of the word, and therefore in
that sense an apostle.
He certainly met that criteria.
These are the words of the Eternal regarding Paul.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel
unto me,
to bear my name before (a)
the Gentiles, (b) and kings, and (c) the children of Israel:
We see not only that Paul was sent forth, but the Eternal tells us who
Paul was being sent to.
Therefore in that sense Paul was an apostle.
End End End
End End End
The only way
out of this dilemma is Jesus Christ.
He is the only way of escape.
Praise the Lord.
Come
soon Lord Jesus.
Amen.
(Bible Explanations,
Messages of Life, Hope
& Encouragement)