Paul claims to be called to be an apostle in each of the undisputed letters (Rom 1:1, 1 Cor 1:1, 2 Cor 1:1, Gal 1:1) as well as several other letters (Eph 1:1, Col 1:1, 1-2 Tim, Titus). In addition to the headings of these letters, Paul refers to his apostleship in several other contexts. In Rom 11:13 he calls himself the “apostle to the Gentiles” and in 1 Corinthians 9 Paul defends his status as an apostle on a par with Peter or Barnabas. But Paul never claims to be one of the Twelve. With the exception of Matthias, the replacement for Judas, this group were chosen by Jesus before the crucifixion.
In fact, in Galatians 1 Paul emphasizes his commission as an apostle but distinct from the Twelve. An “apostle” is someone who is sent as a representative of another, usually some kind of a group. Most lexicons suggests the English “ambassador, delegate, messenger” for the Greek concept of an apostle. Most scholars now associate the Greek apostolos (ἀπόστολος) with the Hebrew shaliach. A person who was sent as a representative or agent acts on the same authority of the sending group.
For example, when the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to Antioch, it is possible he was send as a shaliach or apostle of the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:22). He would have acted as their representative on the scene should questions arise. Paul is not an apostle sent by the church of Antioch to the churches of Galatia, nor is he an agent sent out by the Jerusalem church. He never claims to be one of the Twelve Apostles, in fact Galatians 1-2 make it clear he is not part of that particular group. Paul’s claim in Galatians is that is an apostle of Jesus Christ and God the Father.
In 1 Corinthians 15:9 Paul alludes to his status as an apostle in his discussion of the resurrection. Paul was not a follower of Jesus until his encounter in Acts 9. As is well known, he was a persecutor of Jesus’ followers prior to the resurrection appearance of Jesus. Paul claims in in 1 Cor 15 to be an eye-witness to the resurrection, albeit one with different credentials than Peter or James since he did not know Jesus before the resurrection.
This experience was like an “untimely birth” (ESV). This word (ἔκτρωμα) is used for a stillborn child or a miscarriage. Many commentators think this is an insult Paul faced in his ministry, he is not just a “Johnny-come-lately” or someone who is trying to “jump on the band-wagon,” or that he has some spiritual deficiency disqualifying him from being considered a “real apostle.” Rather than responding to an attack, Paul is simply listing himself as the final witness because he was the final witness, and his experience is unique among the apostles. But again, he does not claim to be one of the Twelve; like James, the Lord’s Brother, he is commissioned by the resurrected Jesus to be an apostle, but NOT one of the Twelve.
In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul sarcastically refers to his opponents in Corinth as “super-apostles.” But since this rare word can mean superior, it is possible the opponents considered themselves to be superior to Paul and described themselves as his superiors to the members of the Corinthian church. Some have argued this is a reference to the apostles in Jerusalem, but it seems unlikely Paul would refer the Twelve with this snarky title (like added “so-called” to something to question its authority). More likely the super apostles are Greeks in Corinth who have accepted the Gospel but are now behaving like Greek intellectuals. Like many of the other issues in Corinth, Paul is dealing with a pagan worldview in the church.
By way of summary, there was a group called the Twelve who were apostles, and a few other people who were commissioned by Jesus after the resurrection (James and Paul) and were therefore also considered apostles. There were others who claimed to be apostles, like the super apostles mentioned in 2 Corinthians who claimed authority as apostles but were not commissioned by the resurrected Jesus.
What is Paul claiming when he calls himself an Apostle? What does it mean for a letter like 1 Thessalonians, where he does not use the title but then says he could have made demands as an apostle of Christ?
Acts 22:17-21, Acts 26:16-18, Acts 9:15-16 are all versions of the sending, or making of an apostle. John 13:20 is a very important verse in this regard, because in it the Lord Himself states very clearly who we are accepting or rejecting when we do so with one who is sent by Him. All of these references are “red letters” in red-letter Bibles.
Even though Paul never calls himself an apostle, I think it is fair to confirm that he still acted as one and was still called by Christ in a unique way to do a unique task; preaching the gospel to the gentiles. Looking at his conversion/calling in Acts 9, we see that the voice of Jesus doesn’t specifically call him an apostle nor give him his specific task yet. Instead he uses Ananias to reveal him his mission. In Acts 9:17, Ananias himself uses the word apostello (in greek), our english word sent, when revealing his mission; to reveal Paul’s mission. The 12 apostles were different in that they were with Jesus from the beginning, and their original intended mission was different; preaching the gospel to the Jews, not gentiles. This makes Paul kind of a unique apostle; not one of the 12, but still sent on a mission.
He does call himself an apostle several times, see Galatians 1:1, for example. Luke only calls him an apostle once.
But you point about Ananias is excellent, the verb “to send” in Acts 9 is certainly the same idea, he is God’s representative to the Gentiles.
With the way, Paul starts many of his letters it is clear that he is an apostle. He was not one of the 12 who walked and talked with Jesus, however, he received a perhaps more clear revelation of who Jesus really was, Just as Peter did in Matthew 16:16. So even though Paul did not walk alongside Jesus he still received a revelation of Jesus Christ. I think having that encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus helped consider him to be an apostle. For he saw Jesus in His radiance. Now I think there is validity in Paul being sent by God through the disciple Ananias. Paul’s mission was clear now that he was not only to preach the Gospel to the Jews but also to the Gentiles.
I find it noteworthy that in l Corinthians 15 Paul says ” For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.” and that He, “labored more abundantly than they all-” (v 9-10). I think this takes down the proposed insult of “super-Cristian”.
Though Paul does not record that he is an apostle in l Thessalonians, he, however, does walk with the authority of Jesus Christ and as an ambassador carrying out the mission and representing Jesus with His very own authority.
I would also like to point out that Peter mentions that it is hard for him to understand some of Pauls letters. I personally believe this is because Paul was in deeper into the depth of God’s wisdom and knowledge. So it can be misleading to say that the 12 were more intimate and knowing of Jesus Christ simply because they walked with Him.
Lastly, I would propose that Paul was in Thessalonica for awhile and perhaps he did not have to let them know that he was an apostle? According to Thinking Through Paul, it says, “It is unclear how long Paul’s founding visit to Thessalonica lasted.” later saying that he likely forged good relationships with the people and that he worked as a leather worker. (TTP, 61).
After reading this post my thoughts go right to the concept that if an individual is a leader with a specific title, it does not mean they are not capable of what another leader, who has another title, can do. What I mean by this, from my own understanding, is coming from a personal experience. I am a Team Lead at Chick-Fil-A and I have been working there for over two years now. I got promoted with the intentions that the next leadership position for me would be Team Lead. The experience I had, and familiarity brought me to a point where I started being trained on the things a manager would do. Currently I am a Team Lead, but I could fall into the role of a manager because of my experience.
When I think about Paul and his journey of calling himself an apostle, but not being one of the twelve, it is as if we would say he is qualified to be because of his experience. God had a very specific calling on his life through ministry. Paul does not call himself an apostle because he is choosing to be humble. Apostles are recognized for having walked with Jesus and perhaps he does not think he is worthy of that calling. For Paul during his time of ministry it could have been more of a personal preference. God may have spoke to him regarding being an apostle. Paul is used as a perfect example of turning from his wicked ways and into the glory of God. God used him to show that where he was in ministry was enough for him and that, that was exactly where He wanted Paul to be. In 1 Thessalonians Paul’s encouragement to the Thessalonians is how he is recognized as an apostle. The way he carried himself and how he spoke, was a direct assumption that he very likely could be a part of the twelve. In 1 Thessalonians Paul allows us to believe and trust in his leading as an apostle. “.. and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith” (1 Thess. 3:2). Paul as a leader is training up others in the way God also wants them to go. Without having to say it in this chapter, Paul is an apostle and has been given the ability to lead others. Just as Jesus led the disciples and prepared them the best He could for His death and resurrection. Paul uses his calling for ministry to proclaim what Jesus has left and that Jesus will return.
At Chick-Fil-A, it is not the same as Paul’s ministry, but I see it as part of my ministry right now. Just as God choice Paul to be an apostle, He has called me to be a leader. At times we can be considered more than what meets the eye and that is okay. Jesus sees us and not everyone needs to see every little thing we do to serve. At the end of the day, we are all serving the same God and all glory goes to Him.
I love the aspects and concepts that you presented within this post. The aspect of you making the ideas within the blog more personal to help get your point across. By you providing this personal experience helps to better understand the point your trying to get across. I totally agree with your idea of how Paul was experienced in terms being qualified as an apostle. Paul being called in a unique way to embark on a unique journey to minister specifically to the Gentiles, kings and son’s of Israel is a pivotal part to his experience (Acts 9:15). Being an experience individual in God’s word is what separates some people as Christians on different levels. For example, one who has been recently baptized and saved by God cannot go and start ministering His word the same day. I’m not saying like this sort of accusation or example is impossible but it is highly unlikely to reach people. Such as, if one was trying to connect to individuals who haven’t accepted Christ yet it would be very hard for them to accept what that person was trying to say due to the lack of experience. Many people who are uncertain about things want credible research among accepting something. Therefore, one who doesn’t have that much experience in some cases are lacking credibility in the eyes of some people. That’s why experience is so vital in terms to reach others and we see this idea through Paul. Paul’s experience all in all makes him a credible source that would make individuals want to follow him and what he is trying to say.
Probably less suffering at Chik-Fli-A! But I do appreciate this point, being a humble servant at any job is a form of ministry. God brings people into your life even in that context.
Throughout Paul’s ministry, people recognized him as an apostle. However, in Paul’s eyes, he did not see it that way. The following message comes from 1 Corinthians 5:19, “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (NIV). In essence, Paul is acting humbly in this moment, and recognizing that his actions should disqualify him being an apostle. At the same time, however, he is also making the case that he is not an apostle because he has not honored God throughout his life, which is the result of his past persecution of the Church. Moreover, it is also clear that Paul is proclaiming such a statement in relationship to the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. According to Longenecker, “Ultimately shattering the coalition of spiritual forces intent on wresting God’s good creation out of his hands” (Longenecker, p. 133). In other words, Paul is acting in a humble manner in this part of 1 Corinthians, which is about something bigger than him. Also, it is transparent that Paul’s actions represent the will of the one true God.
In my opinion, Paul should definitely be considered an Apostle. Though he is not considered one of the twelve disciples that are famously known and considered, Paul’s missionary work, along with his missionary purpose definitely qualifies him to be an Apostle. To address the first question, when Paul calls himself an Apostle, I believe he is referring to his call to mission work. In the first couple weeks of this course, we learn about Paul’s missionary work in Thessalonica and Galatia. I view 1 Thessalonians 1 as an example of Paul displaying how he views about his missionary work in Thessalonica and how it was necessary and critical. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 mentions that this missionary work in the city of Thessalonica was done for the “sake” of the Thessalonians. I believe Paul views his missionary work as a call. One of the highly debated topics of Paul was whether or not he was “called” to Christianity or whether he was “converted” to Christianity after his Damascus Road experience. Whether or not one views Paul’s commitment to a life with Christ as the result of a call or a conversion, it is clear that Paul’s experience on the Damascus Road and his commitment to Christ becomes a motivating reason for him to conduct this missionary work. Therefore, rather than Paul being an Apostle sent from Antioch or another city of his time, I believe Paul is claiming that he is an Apostle for Christ Jesus or from Him.
Paul had a distinct relationship with Jesus Christ. His experience on the Damascus Road is a clear testament to that notion. Because of that distinct relationship with Jesus Christ, along with his missionary work in cities, Paul is qualified to be considered an Apostle even though his is not one of the main twelve.
When it comes to the question about whether or not Paul is an apostle, I would say yes. I know there are many people who will disagree with Paul’s status. However, just like it is mentioned in the post the term apostle means, “Ambassador, messenger, and delegate”. So, when we look back at Paul’s Journey and mission there is no denying the works he did and completed in God’s name. Ever since he met Jesus and underwent his conversion, Paul, dedicated his life to becoming a messenger of God. He was faithful to God and His Kingdom ever since that pivotal moment of his life. No, Paul may not be considered one of the twelve, but he is still one of the most influential people in the Bible that we know about. We cannot take away everything he accomplished within the New Testament. Paul, did the work many people during biblical times and now would never do. As Paul talks about being an apostle I believe he was referring to the term of an ambassador. Everywhere he went his main goal was to preach to God children and pray that they would find salvation before it was too late. Now, when referring to 1 Thessalonians I think he did not use the title for a specific reason. My thought is that he wanted the people of Thessalonica to know that they were not beneath him. I think this made him become more personable/approachable when people saw him as another person and not just as an apostle. Usually, when people hold honorary or high titles like, King, Chief, Lieutenant, and President etc… They can be pretty intimidating to listen to and get to know.
When it comes to the question about whether or not Paul is an apostle, I would say yes. I know there are many people who will disagree with Paul’s status. However, just like it is mentioned in the post the term apostle means, “Ambassador, messenger, and delegate”. So, when we look back at Paul’s Journey and mission there is no denying the works he did and completed in God’s name. Ever since he met Jesus and underwent his conversion, Paul, dedicated his life to becoming a messenger of God. He was faithful to God and His Kingdom ever since that pivotal moment of his life. No, Paul may not be considered one of the twelve, but he is still one of the most influential people in the Bible that we know about. We cannot take away everything he accomplished within the New Testament. Paul, did the work many people during biblical times and now would never do. As Paul talks about being an apostle I believe he was referring to the term of an ambassador. Everywhere he went his main goal was to preach to God children and pray that they would find salvation before it was too late. Now, when referring to 1 Thessalonians I think he did not use the title for a specific reason. My thought is that he wanted the people of Thessalonica to know that they were not beneath him. I think this made him become more personable/approachable when people saw him as another person and not just as an apostle. Usually, when people hold honorary or high titles like, King, Chief, Lieutenant, and President etc… They can be pretty intimidating to listen to and get to know.
I think that Galatians 1:1 is a great example of what Paul is claiming by calling himself an Apostle. With this designation, Paul is making a statement of authority for his message. Because he is an apostle (or “ambassador” as you mentioned) of God rather than man, his message should naturally hold more weight and be trustworthy. Furthermore, Paul is able to claim that he is an apostle because he was called by God to go to the apostles in Acts 9:15-16.
I find it interesting that Paul does not introduce himself as an apostle to the Thessalonians. I wonder if at least part of this reason is because there was some suspicion in Thessalonica about whether Paul was a faithful follower of God or merely a glory seeker or swindler as is indicated in Paul’s defense of his ministry in 1 Thessalonians 2. After all, it could make sense for someone who wanted quick fame to declare themselves the apostle of God Himself with new, exciting revelation or for someone who wanted some extra wealth to make demands or suggest “charitable donations” which Paul could have done as indicated in verse 6. For this reason, it could make sense for Paul not only to restrain from making too big of a deal about his apostolic authority while in Thessalonica but also when he writes to them.
As I examine the concepts and thoughts provided in this blog there were numerous things that open the eye to the importance of being a follower of Christ. A pivotal element that came to mind with this blog is that of repentance, and we see this through Paul’s “apostleship”. Such as, when Paul calls himself an apostle he meant not being a part of chosen twelve but being actually being an apostle in his own writing. This is because Paul actually went through and met the different qualifications or events that it takes to be an apostle. Those distinct qualifications consist of being personally called by Christ, taught by Him directly for several years, and have seen him alive after his resurrection (Acts 1: 17-25). Paul went through these in his own unique way and was ultimately sent by God. Paul felt as if his apostleship was unique because he was sent directly by Christ on his road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-31). This allowed for us to see how the idea of repentance comes into place. This idea of repenting is something that Paul went through to cleanse his soul and accept Christ. This idea of repentance and accepting Christ is pivotal to understanding why Paul didn’t use the title of being an apostle in 1 Thessalonians. Paul didn’t utilize his God given title because he felt as if it wasn’t necessary for them to know he was an apostle. As doubt about certain things concerning the teachings of Christ in Thessalonica circulated Paul wanted them to know the exact truth of things. He wanted them to know that he was once like them until God intervened in his life and he repented. In which God could do the same within their life. Furthermore, Paul didn’t want to pull rank and make it seem as if they should follow what he said because of his title but more so following what he said because it is right.
Paul was not one of the 12 apostles, which is clear in scripture such as Luke 6:13-16, “When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor”. However, this does not mean that Paul was not an apostle at all, and I think it is evident that he in fact did have the role of an apostle. The role of an apostle was to be sent out to spread teachings of Christ, and Paul fulfilled this role greatly. After converting to Christianity, Paul spread the gospel to the gentiles, and is noted by many as one of the most prominent Christian leaders/teachers of his time. For all of the work he did, and the teachings he gave throughout the Mediterranean, I think it is clear that he was in fact an apostle of Christ.
Paul’s proclamation of being an “apostle” offers an interesting concept when one understands the actual definition of the word “apostle”. As explained in the blog post by Phil Long, most scholars believe that the Greek word apostolos can be associated with the word shaliach – a representative or an agent that was sent out to give a message with the same authority as the sending group. Although Paul was not a selected member of the twelve original apostles – Peter, James, John, Andrew, Bartolomeu, James, Judas (later Mattias), Jude, Matthew, Phillip, Simon, and Thomas – he saw himself as an apostle, and claimed himself to be one, because he had been called on a similar mission as to the members of the original twelve through Jesus Christ – to carry out the message of Jesus Christ to the gentiles. An example of this distinction is admitted by Paul in Galatians 1:1 where he says, “Paul, an apostle – not from man nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead – and all the brothers who are with me.” Personally, I believe that Paul means that he has been tasked with a mission by Jesus when he gives himself the “apostle” title. I also think as Christians, although most of us lack the revelation of Jesus speaking to us directly, we can also take on the role of being an apostle – whether that be through our church, individually on a mission’s trip, or even speaking to people about God in our social lives – we can take upon the example set by Christ and be our own unique “apostle.”
Even though Paul was not considered to be one of the twelve apostles, it’s safe to say he claimed himself as one. He explained himself as a different kind of apostle though, a better one. Like Professor Long stated in his post: “An apostle is someone who is sent as a representative of another, usually some kind of a group.” Paul had a personal calling and mission from God. Galatians 1:11-12 goes to show that Paul was taught by God which helps to back his words of being an apostle. In Thinking Through Paul, Longenecker makes an interesting point that: “Paul’s interpretations sometimes wryly remark that if the apostle had been asked in the midst of his ministry to state the number of the journey he was presently undertaking, he would not even have understood the question.” (Longenecker, 38) This just goes to show how hard Paul worked to spread God’s word and work. If you take time to look at everything Paul did during his journey you may also call him an apostle. “His journey” started when he accepted Christ as his God. Paul could also have been seen as an ambassador like Long stated in his post. He wanted to help save as many people as he could. Always obeying and pleasing to God, Paul was a committed and religious man to Him. Paul presented himself as an apostle many times, but I questioned why Paul would not have introduced himself as an apostle to the Thessalonians. I know he spent a lot of time in Thessalonica, which may have led people to see he was an ambassador to God by the way he preached and acted. The thought also crossed my mind that Paul wanted the Thessalonians to think he was just like them or not superior to them. By creating this relationship it allows for people to hear you out more and to not disregard what you have to say so quickly. He wanted to reach new people without having a “label” as an apostle.
My first thoughts when clicking on this blog post was; what is the definition of an apostle; back doing the days of Paul and today. I was delighted to see that Dr. Long described what an “apostle” was; “being someone that was as a representative of another, usually some kind of a group.” Today we would call those people messengers or missionaries. I do not think we have to look further to discover if Paul was an apostle or not. Paul was inspired by God to write 13-14 books of the Bible. We know that God put the words Paul wrote into his heart and was the one that moved him to go on several missionary journeys. So yes, I think Paul is an apostle; a representative of the creator of the universe; preaching the news wherever he was. I am not saying that Paul was one of the 12, Dr. Long makes that abundantly clear in his post; rather he really was the “Apostle of the Gentiles” as he claims to be in Galatians 1. In a similar way to Paul, we are called by Jesus to be apostles for what he has done. Matthew 28:19-20 says, “ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” We may not become like Paul, going on third different missionary journeys, but we can share the good news and God’s love to those who we come in contact with everyday of our lives even when the odds are stacked against us.
The question of ‘Was Paul an Apostle?’ is a question that many people have been wondering as it is uncertain on what they really mean by apostle. All throughout Paul’s letters he refers to himself as an apostle, but he never claims to be one of the Twelve, which I found to be quite interesting to learn. Rather an apostle is someone who is sent as a representative of another, usually for a sort of group while on the other hand it can be related to Shaliach which is Hebrew for a person who was sent as a representative or agent acts on the same authority of the sending group. In short, many people are uncertain of what Paul means by Apostle but rather he is not of the twelve but just a messengers and lived their lives for Christ.
Paul did some wonderful things for the kingdom of God I think we can all agree on that. At the end of the day to me why does it matter if he was or wasn’t one of the 12 apostles. He still influenced a lot of people and impacted lives for Christ. One thing that dawned on me when reading this though is it seems as though the apostles had a little bit more authority than other just followers of Christ. Maybe that is the reason that people talked about being an apostle so much, and wanted to be part of that group.
When Paul is claiming to be an Apostle he is just claiming to be called by God. It is very easy to get the apostles confused with the disciples since the disciples were also called by God which makes them apostles. When some say that they are called by God they mean through the feelings that God gives them, but Paul on the other hand was literally called by God. Paul was given a message of what to do directly by God, which makes him an Apostle.
Paul would be claiming that he was chosen by the resurrected Jesus to be one of his representatives. As you clarified, he never claimed to be one of the Twelve, those who Jesus commissioned while he was alive. Paul would also be claiming he is the representative of Jesus for the Gentiles. Paul’s plan was “carrying the gospel primarily to Gentile city dwellers and forming converts into Christ-shaped communities” (Longenecker). That being said, I have an idea as to why Paul might have skipped over sharing his apostle title with them. To me, it seems like the church in Thessalonica was doing pretty well, as Timothy reported to Paul, in 1 Thess. 3:6. Not to say they were without faults, they needed reassurance and some minor tweaking, but overall, Paul had great joy in hearing their report. Paul might not have used his apostle card because he didn’t feel like he had to. There were two key themes I saw as I scanned the letter. One was that of encouragement, Paul being encouraged by the Thessalonians faithfulness, 1 Thess. 1:2-3, encouraging them to encourage one another, 1 Thess. 5:11. Paul felt uplifted by their zeal, of the non-knife variety. Secondly, the Thessalonians were looking forward to Jesus’ second coming, something Paul is also looking forward to. I don’t think Paul flaunted his apostleship to the Thessalonians because he didn’t have to. There weren’t any issues of false prophets, and it seemed like they knew who he was and what authority he had when he first visited them, 1 Thess. 1:5. Additionally, Paul might have seen them as peers. I don’t have a better way of explaining that other then he saw them as family, or people who had the same goal in mind as him, and it wouldn’t have felt right to demean them by expressing his authority. That’s my thought as to why he didn’t invoke his apostle title into the letter.
Yes, Paul was an apostle, (Galatians 1:1). He was not considered one of the twelve disciples, because his calling was different. Also, Jesus had already chosen His disciples before Paul was saved. Paul persecuted followers of Jesus before He was saved. As stated in the blog, “apostle is someone who is sent as a representative of another, usually some kind of a group,” (Long, 2019). Paul was picked by God to be a light to people, He also wrote quite a few books of the Bible. Which God inspired Paul to write. Paul was diffidently not apart of the twelve disciples, although he was a Christian leader in that century. Paul wrote letters his coworkers and churches to encourage and give advice as they went through hard trials. For example, 1 and 2 Timothy is about the issues coming up in the churches and the practical ways to live for Jesus Christ, (ESV Study Bible, Introductions). God revealed His goodness to us through Paul’s life. In the beginning of Paul’s life, he persecuted and killed Christians and later on he become saved and started to share the gospel with people. God forgave Paul and made him his child. I cannot imagine what Paul was feeling to be saved and also to know that he had been previously killing believers in Christ. The grace of God filled Paul which allowed him to humble himself and become a servant of God. Paul was an apostle because he was a follower of Jesus Christ, he shared the gospel and became a traveling missionary. Paul is an encouragement and humble example of what it means to have a change of heart and follower of Jesus Church.
Paul wasn’t a ‘sent one’ (Apostle) of Jesus? Acts 9? I guess I separate an ‘Apostle of the Lamb’ from people like Matthias (who was selected by Jesus’ Apostles to replace Judas) and Barnabas (who was sent by the church in Antioch). Revelation 21:14
The question was Paul an apostle is a recurring question as many people are often confused. As we know, Paul is not one of the twelve apostles, which has been clearly stated in this blog post. We also know that Paul calls himself an apostle in many letters, which were shared in this blog post as well. So was he an apostle or not? As stated in the post, “An “apostle” is someone who is sent as a representative of another, usually some kind of a group.” So when Paul calls himself an apostle, he is simply saying that he has been called by God. When Paul was on his way to Damascus, he “saw the risen Jesus in a vision” (Longnecker, 34) which Jesus then called him to preach the gospel. This can answer our question, was Paul an apostle? Yes, he was, as an apostle is something who is sent or called and Paul was clearly called and sent to spread the gospel. This does not make him one of the twelve apostles, in fact, Paul never claims to be one of the twelve. When Paul calls himself an apostle, he is simply saying that he has been called by God. Paul is a great example of someone who can have a change of heart, trust the Lord, and ultimately follow God no matter what their past may look like.