Daily Devotions
Ephesians
"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God."
Text: Ephesians 1:1
NOT AN EASY THING TO CLAIM APOSTLESHIP
Paul was obviously not one of the original Twelve Apostles. Nowhere in the Scriptures do we read of his commissioning as an apostle! How could he claim apostleship?
DEFENSE OF PAUL’S APOSTLESHIP
Paul found himself, from time to time, questioned with reference to his claim of apostleship. The following texts are collated to form a strong defense for his claim to be an apostle.
1. Claim of direct appointment from God Himself.
In his letter to the Galatians, Paul vigorously declared that he had received a personal commission from none other than the Lord Himself.
“But when it pleased God, who separated me
from my mother’s womb
and called me through His grace, to reveal
His Son in me, that I might
preach Him among the Gentiles…”
GALATIANS 1:15-16A
2. Recognition by the Apostles and other Leaders in the Jerusalem Church
Paul asserted that Peter, James the brother of the Lord Jesus, and other outstanding pillars of the faith recognized his apostolic authority in ministry.
“But on the contrary, when they saw the
gospel for the uncircumcised
had been committed to me, as the gospel for
the circumcised was to Peter
(for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the
circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles),
and when James, Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars,
perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me
and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we
should go to the
Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”
GALATIANS 2:7-9
3. Miraculous Signs and wonders
One of the most powerful proofs that Paul adduced to defend his right to be called an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ was the fact that God especially empowered him.
“Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you
With all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.”
2 CORINTHIANS 12:12
In another epistle, Paul highlighted the place of signs and wonders in his ministry among the Gentiles.
“In mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God,
so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum
I have fully preached
the Gospel of Christ.”
ROMANS 15:19
These three claims more than confirm Paul’s appointment as an apostle (2 Timothy 1:11)!