A Study of His Distinctive Apostleship

There is a haunting question the church of Jesus Christ never seems  to address–one that provides the antidote for the religious confusion  all about us. It is really a very simple question: Why Paul? Exactly why  did the Lord reach down from heaven’s glory and save His chief  opponent, Saul of Tarsus, and make him Paul the Apostle?

The Scriptural answer to this question is not hard to find. One simple verse will suffice:

“For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office” (Romans 11:13).

Notice carefully that Paul says, “I magnify mine office.” Clearly  Paul was not exalting himself. Rather he magnified His God-given office  as “the apostle of the Gentiles.” Thus, far from magnifying Paul, to  speak about and magnify the fact that he is God’s chosen apostle for  today is to make much of that which God Himself magnifies: the office  that Jesus Christ gave to Paul–and the ministry and message He gave to  us through him.

Think for a moment: the Scriptures repeatedly refer to “the law of  Moses”–but who would question that it is in reality “the law of God”?  Moses was simply the one through whom the law was given to Israel. Thus  Moses boldly declared,

“Now therefore hearken, 0 Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you…”

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye  diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord  your God which I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:1,2).

Was this self-important self exaltation on Moses’ part? Would Israel  be “following man rather than God” when they “obeyed Moses”? Could it be  that our Lord was exalting Moses above Himself when He commanded the  leper to offer “those things which Moses commanded” (Mark 1:44)? Of  course not!

None of this is exalting the man Moses; rather it is a recognition of  his God-given office as the Law-giver to Israel, the instrument through  whom the Lord revealed His law to them. In like manner, Paul is the one  through whom the Lord Jesus has made known the truth of “the mystery.”  For us to recognize his special office no more exalts Paul over Christ  than Israel’s honoring of Moses’ position exalted Moses over Jehovah.

Paul’s epistles clearly set forth his position as the “Grace-giver” for the present dispensation. For example,

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

“if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

“How that BY REVELATION HE MADE KNOWN UNTO ME THE MYSTERY… (Ephesians 3:1-3).

It was by direct, personal revelation from Christ Himself that Paul  was given a new revelation about God’s secret purpose in the  dispensation of grace. Thus he writes about “the grace that is given to  me of God, that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the  Gentiles” (Romans 15:15,16).

To recognize the special place committed to the Apostle Paul in the  program of God is not to exalt the man Paul. It is simply to honor his  God-given position as “our apostle.”

CHRIST’S EARTHLY MINISTRY

During His earthly ministry, neither our Lord nor His twelve apostles  ministered to the Gentiles as such. Rather, Christ came to minister to  the nation Israel. Romans 15:8 is very clear on this point. This is a  verse that can revolutionize your understanding of God’s Word:

“Now I say that JESUS CHRIST WAS A MINISTER OF THE CIRCUMCISION FOR  THE TRUTH OF GOD, TO CONFIRM THE PROMISES MADE UNTO THE FATHERS.”

In light of this simple declaration–one which only unbelief would  gainsay-we can confidently know something: The books of Matthew, Mark,  Luke and John record the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ to the nation  Israel exclusively. He confirmed to Israel that the promises made to  their patriarchs were true. He proclaimed the good news that they were  soon to be fulfilled.

When we point out from a verse like Romans 15:8 that Christ’s earthly  ministry was exclusively to Israel, somewhere someone will rise in  objection by quoting “the world” and “whosoever” from a verse like John  3:16. This is supposed to prove that His earthly ministry had the  world-not just Israel–in view.

Unfortunately those who do so somehow ignore verses like Matthew 10:5,6:

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, GO NOT  INTO THE WAY OF THE GENTILES, AND INTO ANY CITY OF THE SAMARITANS ENTER  YE NOT:

“BUT GO RATHER TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.”

But why would Christ say, “God so loved the world” and yet forbid His  apostles from going to the world? What is going on? And there is more.  Consider the account in Matthew 15:

“And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and  cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, 0 Lord, thou son of David; my  daughter is grievously vexed with a devil” (vs. 22,23).

According to the popular view, Christ should have rushed right over  to this young girl and immediately helped her. But read on: “But he  answered her not a word” (v. 23).

Did you think the Lord would do this to someone in such obvious need?  And when His disciples interceded on her behalf, we have His plain  words:

“But he answered and said, I AM NOT SENT BUT UNTO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL” (v.24).

When we compare this verse with John 3:16 it isn’t hard to get  confused! Didn’t Christ love this lady and her daughter? Surely He did!  Then what is going on?

Unless we recognize exactly what the program of God was at the time  we will never find the answer. You see, at that point the program was  not a wholesale going out to the nations. The program in effect then was  based on the promises made to Abraham and amplified by the prophets.

The Old Testament abounds with promises and prophecies that salvation  would go to the ends of the earth through redeemed Israel (e.g.,  Genesis 22:17,18, Isaiah 60:1-3, Zechariah 8:13,20-23, etc.). This is  why our Lord confined His earthly ministry exclusively to the nation  Israel. They were the chosen and prophesied channel of blessing of the  nations.

God indeed loved the whole world, and His specific promise was that  salvation was to go to the world through the rise of Israel. Reading on  in Matthew 15 we discover the woman finally received the healing she  sought for her daughter. It is important to see on what basis this  blessing was bestowed:

“Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

“But he answered and said, IT IS NOT MEET TO TAKE THE CHILDREN’S BREAD, AND CAST IT TO DOGS” (vs. 25,26).

Mark 7:27 amplifies the Lord’s statement by adding His words: “Let  the children first be filled.” The ministry was first to Israel–they  must “first be filled” with God’s blessings–and then through a redeemed  and “filled” Israel salvation would go to the Gentiles. The woman’s  answer reflected her understanding of where she stood:

“And she said, TRUTH, LORD: YET THE DOGS EAT OF THE CRUMBS WHICH FALL FROM THEIR MASTERS’ TABLE” (Matthew 15:27).

When she took her place under Israel’s table, she received the  blessing which overflowed from it. In other words, she got her blessing  in the program then in effect.

This explains why our Lord was sent to none but “the lost sheep of  the house of Israel.” That favored nation was in a sad spiritual  condition. They sorely needed to repent for they were in no condition to  be a blessing to anyone.

This same program–and Israel’s same need–continued after the death  and resurrection of Christ. In Acts 3:25,26 Peter clearly sets forth the  program of early Acts. Speaking to the nation Israel, he says:

“Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God  made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, AND IN THY SEED SHALL ALL  THE KINDREDS OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED.

“UNTO YOU FIRST God, having raised up his Son Jesus, SENT HIM TO  BLESS YOU, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”

While Christ’s earthly ministry had been confined only to Israel, now  the ministry begins to expand; but it is still Israel “first.” By  comparing our Lord’s post-resurrection orders we see this clearly:

“And he said unto them, GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD, AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE” (Mark 16:15).

The world-wide revival that so many today erroneously seek will come  when this passage is fulfilled (cf. Isaiah 2:1-3; 11:9, etc.). But we  must not overtook the fact that in our Lord’s commission there is a  specifically designated order for carrying out this ministry:

“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his  name among all nations, BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM” (Luke 24:47).

Luke further develops this order in Acts 1. Let’s start in verse 6,

“When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying,  Lord, wilt thou at this time RESTORE AGAIN THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL?”

Christ had spent some 40 days teaching His apostles “things  pertaining to the kingdom of God” (v. 3). Clearly their question about  the restoration of the kingdom to Israel is a solemn testimony to what  was on their mind.

They did not ask about the beginning of the Body of Christ. They did  not seek information about a new program to begin shortly. They did not  suggest prophecy was about to give way to the mystery. On the contrary:  they fully expected Him to “restore again the kingdom to Israel.” Notice  the word “again.” It is important because it fixes the nature of the  kingdom they expected.

The only kingdom Israel ever had was a literal, physical, visible  earthly kingdom. If the Apostles somehow at this late date still  misunderstood the nature of His kingdom, now was the time for Christ to  set them straight. The fact that he does not challenge their  understanding of His teaching is forceful evidence that the kingdom is  indeed a literal, earthly one-not the spiritual Body of Christ.

What He focused on was their duty in His absence:

“And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power,

“But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon  you: and ye shall be witness unto me both IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL  JUDAEA, AND IN SAMARIA, AND UNTO THE UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH” (Acts  1:7,8).

Notice the order: Jerusalem is “first,” of course, for it is “the  city of the great King” (Matthew 5:35, Jeremiah 3:17). Next comes  Judaea-that covers the area of the southern tribes. Then Samaria–the  area of the northern tribes. These, of course, cover the whole territory  of the twelve tribes of Israel. Then and only then were they to go  “unto the uttermost part of the earth.” This is the prophetic order.

Early Acts is the record of the carrying out of this prophetic plan  through Israel. It has nothing to do with the forming of the Body of  Christ or the mystery program later revealed through the Apostle Paul.

PAUL NOT ONE OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES

While the apostles and brethren were tarrying in Jerusalem they went  about fulfilling the Scriptures, complying with the instructions therein  concerning the selection of a successor for Judas.

Some have accused Peter of mistakenly leading in the selection of  Matthias, but this simply cannot be true. Three facts conclusively  eliminate Paul from the ranks of the twelve:

First, he did not qualify for the post. Acts 1:21-23 set forth the  basic requirements as having “companied with us all the time” beginning  from John’s baptism until the ascension (cf. John 15:27). This, of  course, was not true of Paul.

Second, Paul did not work under the same commission as the twelve. In  I Corinthians 1:17 Paul says, “Christ sent me not to baptize.” In light  of Matthew 28:19’s “Go ye … baptizing,” one of the twelve could never  have said this. No one, in fact, working under Christ’s  post-resurrection instruction could say such a thing.

Third, in I Corinthians 15:5,8 Paul clearly distinguishes himself  from “the twelve.” He writes, “And that he [Christ] was seen of Cephas,  THEN OF THE TWELVE… last of all he was seen of me also.” For those who  regard the inspired Word of God as the final authority, these verses  settle the issue conclusively. The twelve were present to see the  resurrection of Christ-and Paul was not one of them!

It is a simple, Scripture fact that Paul’s ministry was completely separate and distinct from that of the twelve.

PENTECOST NOT THE BODY OF CHRIST

The coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost is generally  accepted as the reason for believing that the Body of Christ began at  that time. Again, however, Scripture teaches otherwise. In fact, the  coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is one of the great proofs that  the Body of Christ did not begin in Acts 2. The fact is that the Apostle  Peter, filled with the Spirit and speaking as He gave him utterance,  declared the Spirit’s coming to be the fulfillment of prophecy. In Acts  2:16 Peter explains what was happening by saying:

“But THIS IS THAT WHICH WAS SPOKEN BY THE PROPHET JOEL.”

Now compare this with Ephesians 3:2-5.

“if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

“How that, BY REVELATION HE MADE KNOWN UNTO ME THE MYSTERY…”

“WHICH IN OTHER AGES WAS NOT MADE KNOWN UNTO THE SONS OF MEN…”

This is a comparison you should learn to make: the distinction is  between prophecy and mystery. Joel knew about, prophesied about and  wrote about the coming of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit definitely knew  what He was doing at Pentecost and He inspired Peter to declare, “This  is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” He was fulfilling  prophecy, carrying out the next step in the long prophesied kingdom  program.

But Ephesians 3 is equally clear that Joel knew nothing about the  Body of Christ. He thus did not prophesy or write about it. Now: if (a)  Joel knew about, prophesied about and wrote about what happened at  Pentecost and yet (b) he did not know about, prophecy about or write  about the Body of Christ, then (c) the forming of the Body of Christ  could not have been what was taking place on the day of Pentecost.

The same is true of the program following Pentecost. Acts 3:21 is  clear that what was happening was that which was: “spoken by the mouth  of all His holy prophets since the world began.” This is the opposite of  “the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began” (Romans  16:25).

Passages such as Acts 3:25,26; 5:31,32; 8:1 demonstrate the program  was still to Israel first. In fact, as late as Acts 11:19 we read that  they were “preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.”

Sad to say, the nation Israel rejected Christ–first in His earthly  ministry and then in His resurrection witness through the “little flock”  under the leadership of the twelve. Israel even persecuted those who  preach Christ, and Saul of Tarsus became the leader of that persecution.

It was in this crisis that God interrupted the prophetic program and  saved Saul, making him Paul the Apostle, so that He might unfold His  secret purpose of grace to him and through him to us.

Paul spelled it out this way:

“Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but …  the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant … that IN ME FIRST JESUS  CHRIST MIGHT SHEW FORTH ALL LONGSUFFERING, FOR A PATTERN TO THEM WHICH  SHOULD HEREAFTER BELIEVE ON HIM TO LIFE EVERLASTING” (Timothy 1:13-16).

PAUL’S OWN CLAIMS

Paul’s epistles set forth his inspired claims for the distinct  character of his Apostleship and message. The following sampling leaves  no doubt about the matter:

Romans 11:13:

“For I SPEAK TO YOU GENTILES, INASMUCH AS I AM THE APOSTLE OF THE GENTILES, I MAGNIFY MINE OFFICE.”

Romans 15:15,16:

“…I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of THE GRACE THAT IS GIVEN TO ME OF GOD,

“THAT I SHOULD BE THE MINISTER OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE GENTILES…”

Romans 16:25,26:

“Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to MY GOSPEL,  AND THE PREACHING OF JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO THE REVELATION OF THE  MYSTERY, WHICH WAS KEPT SECRET SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN,

“BUT NOW IS MADE MANIFEST…”

Galatians 1:11,12:

“…I CERTIFY YOU, BRETHREN, THAT THE GOSPEL WHICH WAS PREACHED OF ME IS NOT AFTER MAN,

“FOR I NEITHER RECEIVED IT OF MAN, NEITHER WAS I TAUGHT IT, BUT BY THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.”

Ephesians 3:1-3:

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

“If ye have heard of THE DISPENSATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD WHICH IS GIVEN ME TO YOU-WARD:

“HOW THAT BY REVELATION HE MADE KNOWN UNTO ME THE MYSTERY…”

Colossians 1:25,26:

“…I AM MADE A MINISTER, ACCORDING TO THE DISPENSATION OF GOD WHICH IS GIVEN TO ME FOR YOU, TO FULFIL THE WORD OF GOD:

“EVEN THE MYSTERY WHICH HATH BEEN HID FROM AGES AND FROM GENERATIONS, BUT NOW IS MADE MANIFEST TO HIS SAINTS.”

I Timothy 2:5-7:

“For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus:

“Who gave Himself a ransom for all, TO BE TESTIFIED IN DUE TIME.

“WHEREUNTO I AM ORDAINED A PREACHER, AND AN APOSTLE, (I SPEAK THE  TRUTH IN CHRIST, AND LIE NOT;) A TEACHER OF THE GENTILES IN FAITH AND  VERITY.”

Titus 1:2,3:

“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

“But hath IN DUE TIMES MANIFESTED HIS WORD THROUGH PREACHING, WHICH  IS COMMITTED UNTO ME according to the commandment of God our Savior.

I Corinthians 15:3:

“FOR I DELIVERED UNTO YOU FIRST OF ALL THAT WHICH I ALSO RECEIVED…”

I Corinthians 11:23:

“FOR I HAVE RECEIVED OF THE LORD THAT WHICH ALSO I DELIVERED UNTO YOU…”

I Corinthians 15:51:

“Behold, I SHEW YOU A MYSTERY…”

These–and the list could go on and on–are Paul’s own words on this  matter. Since he writes by inspiration they are also God’s Word on the  subject. Scriptures teach as a fact that Paul’s Apostleship and message  are absolutely separate from that of the twelve before him. This means,  of course, that we must go to Paul’s writing to find what God has to say  to us as members of the Body of Christ.

This is what the church in general has refused to accept. Confusing  God’s prophesied kingdom program with the mystery committed to Paul for  us in this present dispensation results in spiritual catastrophe. Just  look around to see it on every hand. Who can honestly doubt that the  confusion and division that so grips the Church of our day is connected  with the warning in Galatians 1:8,9:

“BUT THOUGH WE, OR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN, PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL UNTO  YOU THAN THAT WHICH WE HAVE PREACHED UNTO YOU, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.

“AS WE SAID BEFORE, SO SAY I NOW AGAIN, IF ANY MAN PREACH ANY OTHER  GOSPEL UNTO YOU THAN THAT YE HAVE RECEIVED, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.”

You can’t avoid it: failure to honor the distinct ministry and  message our Lord committed to Paul results in great loss. It certainly  did for the Galatians. They had been drawn away from Paul and his grace  message, causing him to write to them:

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel” (1:6).

“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey  the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set  forth, crucified among you?” (3:1).

“WHERE IS THEN THE BLESSEDNESS YE SPAKE OF?…” (4:15).

Departure from Paul’s God-given message results in the loss of the  joy and blessedness that standing in grace brings. Friend, the only path  to true revival and spiritual health is through a renewed interest in  what God has said to us. It is not in praying for revival, nor in  fasting, confessing or even making special sacrifices. No, the only path  that will lead us–whether the church in general or you and me  individually–to true spiritual vigor is to honor His message for us  today. This is the one great need of the church today.

Paul’s words to Timothy are important for us too:

Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 1:13

“THAT GOOD THING WHICH WAS COMMITTED UNTO THEE KEEP BY THE HOLY GHOST which dwelleth in us” (II Timothy 1:13,14).

“Thou therefore, my son, BE STRONG IN THE GRACE THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS.

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the  same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others  also” (II Timothy 2:1,2).

This is the attitude we are to have toward Paul’s distinctive message  and ministry: Hold on to it, protect it, keep it, guard it and, most of  all, pass it on to others. It is the message of Jesus Christ to the  world today.

May God use His Word to speak to our hearts and make us faithful in  His service. If any slight suffering comes our way, we shall receive  rich rewards–grace upon grace! May we have open hearts to receive the  truth and open mouths to proclaim it to others, “that through us the  preaching might be fully known, and all nations might hear”.