The Apostles, even Paul
Introduction.
Some Jews, and even Gentiles, claim Paul was lawless, or "the lawless one", because of his words concerning the Law. I disagree. I wanted to speak more of this in my own words as a new introduction to the full study where scriptures are presented below.
I know Paul's words. He was not antichrist, he was forchrist, he confessed with his mouth that the one we call "Jesus" in English, or "Yeshua" and "Yehoshua" in Hebrew, or "Iesous" in Greek, was the Messiah, the Christ, the son of God, born of a human woman, Mary, being manifest into the flesh.
That Paul knew the words of the prophets of ol' well, and believing in Messiah whom they spoke of, in understanding and in confession he spoke of Jesus as the One man who fulfilled the law, not abolishing it, but fulfilling it by lifting the curse of the law up from the earth when he was hung up from the earth on a cross and rose from the dead, ascending to his throne of Glory. That Paul knew the law was fulfilled through Christ does not mean he was lawless.
Paul understood how that by One man, Adam, sin entered into the world, and by One man, Christ, sin was taken away from the world. In disobedience born of deception came death, but in obedience born of truth came life, and God raised him from the dead. By One man, mankind was banished from the Tree of Life, and by One man, the Tree of Life is freely offered to all, Jew and Gentile.
What Paul said is similar to what John the baptiser said when he seen Jesus, that Jesus is The One who takes way the sins of the world. What Paul said in all concerning the law was basically this; we who are delivered from the curse of the law are not free to break the law. Blessed are they that do his commandments.
The unclean spirits hated Paul. The old serpent even bit his hand once, but it didn't even swell, and he lived, and his Christian companions were amazed. That is because as a young man he held the coats of those who stoned the blessed Stephen, as the wind of the breath of God was coming forth from his mouth. And he persecuted Christians with zeal. And before that he was a Pharisee, a real stickler for the law, a worker of lifeless bread for the house of Israel, a companion of the old serpent in more ways than one you see, but then he began working for Messiah! For, not against! Imagine the hatred Satan had for him.
Messiah told Paul that if he went out preaching of the gospel of the kingdom of God to the Gentiles, as he was instructed, how much he would have to suffer for his names sake. Paul went anyway. This was as a thorn in his side. Look at the pain caused from that thorn...
2Co 11:24 Five times I received forty stripes minus one from the Jews.
2Co 11:25 I was flogged three times; I was stoned once; I was shipwrecked three times; I have spent a night and a day in the deep.
2Co 11:26 I have been in travels often, in dangers of rivers, in dangers of robbers, in dangers from my race, in dangers from the
nations, in dangers in the city, in dangers in a wilderness, in dangers in the sea, in dangers among false brothers,
2Co 11:27 in hardship and toil, often in watchings, in hunger and thirst, often in fastings, in cold and nakedness,
2Co 11:28 besides the things outside conspiring against me day by day, the care of all the assemblies.
Paul was very busy, preaching all over the place, far and wide, reading the scriptures of Old, and writing letters to assemblies he and other Apostles had established. He worked real hard. He had a deep understanding of the words of the prophets of ol'. The man was deep. His words were often misunderstood, and still are to this day.
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Paul and others had spent a lot of time in Asia Minor. These were newly built Christian Churches, and Christian assemblies in homes, places where Jewish converts also assembled. Some were hardened, but everyone heard the gospel of the kingdom of God, and of the Christ who had come.
(LITV)
Act 19:8 And going into the synagogue, he (Paul) spoke boldly over three months, having reasoned with them, and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.
Act 19:9 But when some were hardened, and did not obey, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, departing from them, he separated the disciples, conversing day by day in the school of a certain Tyrannus.
Act 19:10 And this happened over two years, so as all those living in Asia heard the Word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
(KJV) Colossians 1:21-23 "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister".
Paul was preaching all over, and many did not like it, many Jews plotted against him:
Act 20:1 And after the ceasing of the tumult, having called the disciples, and having greeted them, Paul went away to go into Macedonia.
Act 20:2 And passing through those parts, and exhorting them with much speech, he came into Greece.
Act 20:3 And spending three months there, a plot by the Jews having occurred against him, being about to sail into Syria, he was of a mind to return through Macedonia.
Act 20:4 And Sopater, a Berean; and Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia accompanied him as far as Asia.
All heard, but not all believed. Those in Asia who believed gathered in assemblies in Asia. Here, Paul writes from there:
1Co 16:19-21 The assemblies of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, with the assembly in their house. The brothers all greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. The greeting with my hand, Paul.
The Jews in Asia were not happy about the Christian assemblies. Not only did they persecute Paul, they constantly disputed with and lied about many apostles and disciples of Christ who were sent to Asia and did help Paul establish Christian assemblies in that area:
Act 21:27 But when the seven days were about to be completed, having seen him in the temple, the Jews from Asia stirred up all the crowd, and they laid hands on him,
2Co 1:8 For, brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant as to our affliction having happened to us in Asia, that we were excessively burdened beyond our power, so as for us even to despair of living.
Act 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, was doing wonders and great signs among the people.
Act 6:9 But some of those of the synagogue called Libertines, rose up, also some Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some of those from Cilicia and Asia Minor, disputing with Stephen.
Why were they so angry with Paul?
Act 19:26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
Act 19:27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at naught; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
Act 19:28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Now you know why! How angry were they?:
2Co 11:24 Five times I received forty stripes minus one from the Jews.
2Co 11:25 I was flogged three times; I was stoned once; I was shipwrecked three times; I have spent a night and a day in the deep.
2Co 11:26 I have been in travels often, in dangers of rivers, in dangers of robbers, in dangers from my race, in dangers from the nations, in dangers in the city, in dangers in a wilderness, in dangers in the sea, in dangers among false brothers,
2Co 11:27 in hardship and toil, often in watchings, in hunger and thirst, often in fastings, in cold and nakedness,
2Co 11:28 besides the things outside conspiring against me day by day, the care of all the assemblies.
Act 9:16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of My name.
PART TWO: THE TWELVE APOSTLES
Act 9:15 And the Lord said to him, Go, for this one (Paul) is a chosen vessel to Me, to bear My name before nations and kings and the sons of Israel.
Act 23:11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
Paul was an "apostle" in every sense of the word. Here the Apostle Paul writes to Christian assemblies in Ephesus:
Eph 1:1-2 Paul, an *apostle (G652) of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (Read the whole chapter!)
"Apostle"; Strong's Concordance *G652
ἀπόστολος
*apostolos
ap-os'-tol-os
From G649; a delegate; specifically an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ (“apostle”), (with miraculous powers): - apostle, messenger, he that is sent.
(KJV Dictionary)
apostles, 53
Mat_10:2, Mar_6:30, Luk_6:13, Luk_9:10, Luk_11:49, Luk_17:5, Luk_22:14, Luk_24:10, Act_1:2, Act_1:26, Act_2:37, Act_2:43, Act_4:33, Act_4:36, Act_5:12, Act_5:18, Act_5:29, Act_5:34, Act_5:40, Act_6:6, Act_8:1, Act_8:14, Act_9:27, Act_11:1, Act_14:4, Act_14:14, Act_15:2, Act_15:4, Act_15:6, Act_15:22-23 (2), Act_16:4, Rom_16:7, 1Co_4:9, 1Co_9:5, 1Co_12:28-29 (2), 1Co_15:7, 1Co_15:9, 2Co_11:5, 2Co_11:13, 2Co_12:11, Gal_1:17, Eph_2:19-20 (2), Eph_3:5, Eph_4:11, 1Th_2:6, 2Pe_3:2, Jud_1:17, Rev_2:2, Rev_18:20, Rev_21:14
apostle, 19
Rom_1:1, Rom_11:13, 1Co_9:1-2 (3), 1Co_15:9, 2Co_1:1, 2Co_12:12, Col_1:1 (3), 1Ti_1:1, 1Ti_2:7, 2Ti_1:1, 2Ti_1:11, Heb_3:1 (2), 1Pe_1:1, 2Pe_1:1
apostles’, 5
Act_2:42, Act_4:35, Act_4:37, Act_5:2, Act_8:18
sent, 2
Joh_13:16 (2)
messenger, 1
Phi_2:25
messengers, 1
2Co_8:23
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The Twelve Foundation Stones:
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
As there are only twelve foundation stones, there were fifteen in the NT who were rightfully called an "Apostle", including Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14:14). To say "Apostle", that is to say; "delegate", a "messenger", one commissioned by God personally, having miraculous powers even (as the Greek word reveals). Besides these rightfully called "apostles" in the first century, there were others who had crept in who truly were not "messengers" of God, or "apostles" as they claimed to be:
(KJV)
Rev 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
Rev 2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.
Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Rev 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
This was a newly established Christian assembly in Asia Minor, There were Jews and Gentiles, and there were some claiming to be Jews, but were not, and some claiming to be Apostles, but were not. Such seducing spirits had crept in unaware, in all the assemblies in Asia, and like Ephesus, many were in opposition to Paul (see above), to Christ (see above), and of the true gospel of the kingdom of God. There were many false prophets in those days, many claiming to be speaking for God, but not all were called by the LORD!
"Some had risen up in this church that pretended to be not ordinary ministers, but apostles; and their pretensions had been examined but found to be vain and false"- Matthew Henry.
These are those who claimed to be apostles, but were not! I have heard some accuse Paul of not being a true "Apostle" of Jesus Christ. That is a lie from the devil.
There were false prophets galore in those last days before the war began, and even as the persecution Christ warned of came in it's fullness:
"Now there was then a great number of false prophets suborned by the tyrants to impose on the people, who denounced this to them, that they should wait for deliverance from God" - Wars of the Jews, book 6 ch. 5
"Thus were the miserable people persuaded by these deceivers, and such as belied God himself; while they did not attend nor give credit to the signs that were so evident, and did so plainly foretell their future desolation, but, like men infatuated, without either eyes to see or minds to consider, did not regard the denunciations that God made to them."- - Wars of the Jews, book 6 ch. 5
So that leads us to this question; Who are the twelve apostles named as "foundation stones" of the new Jerusalem?
Which twelve were personally called by the LORD, even Jesus?
Judas was among the twelve personally called by Jesus, but after Judas betrayed Christ he was replaced by Matthias:
Act 1:26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
It is VERY unlikely Judas Iscariot is numbered among the 12 sitting on thrones of judgment, because Jesus said this, and this is not to be taken lightly, this is serious business, Jesus said "woe to that man", and a "woe" is not a good thing coming from the mouth of the strong arm of the LORD, it probably would have been a good thing had Judas never been born:
Mar 14:21 The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.
Matthias was not personally called by Jesus, but was lotted in by the eleven. For men to present a choice of only two to the LORD, or to cast lots for a throne of judgment in the highest heaven decreases the value as I see it. So no offense to Matthias, but this is how I see it:
Paul was personally called by the Lord Jesus, and there is witness:
Acts 9:3-6 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Acts 9:10-16 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
Since Paul was called by the Lord personally, and sent out as a "delegate", a "messenger", an "apostle", the Lord Jesus verified this with Ananias saying "for he is a chosen vessel unto me", and since Paul suffered for the name sake of Christ, even 39 lashes upon 5 occasions, imprisonment, and even a physical death, just as all the other apostles were informed, and who suffered for His name sake, as I see it, these are the twelve promised a throne and judgment, the twelve precious foundation stones, worthy, workmen and founders of the new Jerusalem that was not made with the hands of men, she is the bride of Christ, the mother of us all:
1. Peter (a.k.a. Simon)
2. Andrew (Peter's brother.)
3. James (Son of Zebedee, a.k.a. 1 of the "Sons of thunder", He and his brother John.)
4. John (Son of Zebedee, a.k.a. 1 of the "Sons of thunder", He and his brother James.)
5. Philip
6. Bartholomew
7. Thomas
8. Matthew
9. James (Son of Alphaeus)
10. Lebbaeus (a.k.a. Thaddaeus)
11. Simon
12. Paul
The wrap
My testimony to you all: The throne of David was established before the throne of God in the highest heaven. Jesus, He reigns in the kingdom of God. His reign has no end, He reigns forever. As surely as Christ sits at the right hand of the power of God now and forever, having been crowned King of Kings, the twelve Apostles have received their thrones of judgment in a place of honor, and all blessed early workers of Christ have received their reward for preaching the gospel, first to preach, first to die. And so it is, because eternal life is the promise, there is no more death.
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