𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗔𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗘 𝗣𝗔𝗨𝗟?

Why Paul?

The church of Jesus Christ has long faced a haunting question: Why did God 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:

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

✦ Notice carefully that Paul says, “I magnify mine office.” Clearly, God gave a unique ministry and message to Paul – and He intends that ministry and message to be recognized.

✦ 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 delivered.

Deuteronomy 4:1–2 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth 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.”

✦ Was this self-important self-exaltation on Moses’ part? Of course not.

✦ Even the Lord Jesus Christ Himself instructed the leper to offer:

Mark 1:44 Those things which Moses commanded.

✦ None of this is exalting the man Moses; rather, it is a recognition of the instrument through whom the Lord revealed His law.

✦ In the same way, recognizing Paul’s apostleship is not exalting Paul – it is honoring the divine revelation committed to him by the Lord Jesus Christ.

✦ Paul repeatedly affirms that his apostleship was specifically to the Gentiles, and that it came by revelation:

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…

✦Romans 15:15–16 Nevertheless, brethren, 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…

✦ By contrast, during His earthly ministry, Christ’s mission was directed elsewhere:

Romans 15:8 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.

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.

✦ This distinction is further illustrated in Christ’s encounter with the woman of Canaan:

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:

Matthew 15:22–23 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.”
“But he answered her not a word.

Matthew 15:24 I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Matthew 15:25–26 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 to cast it to dogs.

Mark 7:27 Let the children first be filled.

Matthew 15:27 Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

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 minis” 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

✦ After Christ’s resurrection, the message expands – but still with divine order:

Acts 3:25–26 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.

Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Mark 16:15 Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

✦ Even after the resurrection, the 12 apostles expected the kingdom to Israel:

Acts 1:6 Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Acts 1:7–8 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 witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

✦ Paul, however, was given something newly revealed – kept secret since the world began:

Galatians 1:11–12 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.

Romans 16:25–26 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel…
“According to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.

Colossians 1:25–26 Whereof I am made a minister…”
“Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints.

1 Timothy 1:13–16 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy…
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.

1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery…

1 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…”

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…”

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.”
“If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

2 Timothy 1:13–14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

2 Timothy 2:1–2 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.

To be saved and sealed today, all you have to do is trust and believe 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren I declare unto you the gospel…how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures,
Romans 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus