Paul the Apostle

“Paul, slave of Christ Jesus, called apostle, set apart for the gospel of God …”
Romans 1:1 (KNT)

After Paul clarifies his position on Christ Jesus, the words “called apostle” refer to his commission. The apostle is a messenger with a mission, or simply a “commissioner”. He is thus a bearer of news, as he notes immediately afterwards: he is “set apart for the gospel of God” (gospel = good news or “good tidings”).

A commissioner like Paul was more than a letter carrier. He was not only the bearer of the message, but he also worked on the local implementation of this message. Regularly Paul spent longer periods of time in the churches. He tirelessly contributed to the edification and realization of the Gospel in the community. He delivered the Gospel, but in such a way that the churches and believers became rooted in the message.

As soon as Paul announces himself as an apostle, his holistic mission for the church is brought before us. This is the responsibility and the task assigned to him by Christ. To this task he was “called”, and later also “set apart”.

What is an apostle?

If you ask in any church or congregation how many apostles there are, it is not uncommon to hear about the twelve apostles (Matt. 10:2-4). It is a clear indication that in these communities the focus is on the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament is less known. In the New Testament, however, there are more than just the 12 apostles. For example, Jesus is also called an apostle:

“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Jesus, faithful to Him who made Him so …”
Heb 3:1

The word “apostle” has a general meaning. Jesus was called an apostle because He too was a “commissioner and messenger.”

“Jesus said to them: If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God: for neither came I of myself, but he sent me.”
Luke 4:18; John 5:24; John 5:37; John 6:39; John 7:29; John 8:29; John 8:42; John 12:49; John 16:27; John 17:25.

But what is special about the commission of the 12 or also about the commission for Paul? This is a question with consequences for the understanding of the text. It is about authority, reliability and meaning of their statements. Paul counted himself among the last apostles (1 Cor. 4:9 gr. τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἐσχάτους). God’s word he completed (Col 1:25 gr. πληρῶσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ). It no longer needs a supplement to the Bible in terms of content.

Others may also travel as commissioners, for example, between communities. Thus, various people are called apostles who we do not typically know as “apostles.” Barnabas (Acts 14:14) and Andronicus and Junias (Rom 16:7). What they all have in common is that they are on a mission and are not self-appointed. Self-appointed apostles unfortunately still exist today and these must be exposed (Rev 2:2; 2 Cor 11:13).

Where is the difference now? Paul made it clear time and again that his commission and apostleship did not come from himself, but directly from Christ and God the Father:

“Paul, apostle, not of man, nor by any man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.”
Gal 1:1

Characteristic of the time in which he worked, he also produced the signs of an apostle:

“The signs of the apostle were indeed wrought among you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and deeds of power.”
2Cor 12,12

So the signs of the apostle were there so that he would be recognized as an apostle. What Peter accomplished in deeds of power, Paul accomplished in the same way. Similarly, as the “signs and wonders” in the Gospels pointed to the King and the approaching Messianic Kingdom, special acts of power were the signs of the apostles. With these signs you confirmed their message and task. In the book of Acts, these things are described.

Paul and the 12 Apostles

Was Paul one of the twelve apostles? No. Paul has indeed seen Jesus our Lord (1Cor 9,1). But he was not among the disciples who walked with Jesus on earth. When a replacement for Judas Iscariot was chosen, this was precisely an important criterion. Paul would never have met this criterion (Acts 1:21-22). Thus, Paul could never belong to the Twelve.

The twelve apostles were called in the land of Israel and they were entrusted with the gospel of the kingdom. The twelve apostles spoke exclusively to Jews and proselytes. Paul, however, was called outside the land (Acts 9:3-5), did not know Jesus according to the flesh (see also Paul’s note to the Corinthians in 2 Cor. 5:16), and was chosen by God for a ministry among the nations (Rom. 11:13). About this ministry Paul writes to Timothy the following:

“For one is God, and one is mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, as the witness in due time. For this I have been appointed as a herald and apostle-I speak the truth, I do not lie-as a teacher of the nations in faith and truth.”
1Tim 2:5-7

A called apostle

Paul called himself a “called apostle.” This emphasizes once again that he did not work on his own. He was a “called apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will” (1Cor 1:1; 2Cor 1:1; Eph 1:1, Col 1:1). Paul was put in this position, not because he wanted to, but it happened quite unexpectedly.

Paul was called on the way to Damascus while pursuing the church outside of Israel (Acts 9:3-5). It is a remarkable story. In his calling, it went like this: Paul did not choose Jesus, but Jesus chose Paul. That simply blew him away. The experience of grace shapes his ministry from there on.

We too are called by God (Eph 2:8-10). Vocation is very much what church is all about today. In the Greek language, the word for church is ekklesia, which means called out ones. It is God who calls, calls and calls out of this world. A vocation is always for a service. When Paul calls himself a called apostle, it refers on the one hand to the risen Christ who called him, and likewise to the commission he received as an apostle.

As a called apostle, Paul is on the road with a responsibility for the message and also for the churches. His authority derives from these two things. Because it is about a mission, this authority does not concern power, but it is a sphere of responsibility. It is not about Paul, it is about the message and about the churches. To the Corinthians Paul writes of his understanding as follows:

“Not that we have dominion over your faith, but we are fellow workers in your joy.”
2Cor 1,24

Deepening

• Three times Romans 1:1-7 speaks of a calling? Where. Who is meant?
• Read Romans 8:28. What does the promise in this verse consist of?