Who Is Your Apostle?
A Berean Bible Church Bible Study
The Church That Preaches What The Bible Teaches
According to Ephesians 3 we live in what Paul calls the "dispensation of the grace of God". In this "dispensation" God has given us a pattern to follow, this pattern is Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles. The purpose of this Bible study is to help you to distinguish the difference between the 12 Apostles sent to Israel and the one Apostle, Paul, sent to the Gentiles.
Fill in the blank with the Bible answer.
To whom were the 12 apostles sent? (Matt. 10:5-6)
To whom were the 12 NOT sent? (Matt. 10:5-6)
To whom were the 12 apostles sent after the resurrection? (Matt. 28:19)
How far did the 12 get in their commission? (Acts 8:1 & 11:19)
After the final rejection of Christ by the Jews, to whom was Paul sent? (Acts 22:21)
In the following verses, to whom does Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit, say he was sent?
Romans 11:13
Galatians 2:7-8
Ephesians 3:1,2,8
Colossians 1:25-27
1Timothy 2:7
2Timothy 1:11
Who does Paul say we (Gentiles) are to follow?
1Corinthians 4:15-16
1Corinthians 11:1
1Thessalonians 4:1
1Timothy 1:16
2 Timothy 1:13, 2:2
Clearly the Word of God teaches that the 12 were sent to the 12 tribes of Israel and Paul to the Gentiles. We follow the Lord Jesus Christ as we follow Paul.
By Pastor Doug Dodd s.b.g.
A4C,
Just a minor point, actually it may be a major one depending on how you see the significance of the issue at hand.
Paul, took the Gosple first to the Jews, after, his conversion, he went in the synagogues to preach the gosple, it wasn't until many years later when he returned to Jerusalem (some 16 years after his conversion) , the second time, that the
Holy Spirit seprarated him and Barnabas, (acts 13:2-3) for a work He (The Holy Spirit called them out to do), and it was at verse 46 of chapter 13 in Acts after having preached the Gosple at Antioch
the jews rejected the preached gosple and it was here that Paul and Barnabas said to them;
"said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles."Paul was not sent to the gentiles until well after, the other 11 were sent to the nations of the world to make disciples of every creature (Mk 16:14-16).
Clearly, there was a reluctance by the 11 to go into the world, preaching the Gospel in accordance with the Lords command, we read at Acts 8:1 .......there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria,
except the apostles.It appears Philip was the first to go to "down to the city of Samaria" (vs. 5) and preach Christ unto them, and when they heard at Jerusalem that Samaria has received the Word of God, they sent Peter and John, who returned back to Jerusalem, after they had prayed that the Holy Spirit be given them, preaching the gosple in many villages of Samaria.(vs. 25).
Philip was then led of the Spirit to the Ethiopan eunuch.
The only point I want to make is that, at Mat 10:1-6, Jesus, sent the 12 to the Lost sheep of the House of Isreal, while He was alive before His death and resurrection, however the great commission was given after His resurrection and glorification at Mat 28:18-20 and Mk 16:15-16.
So in the context of the great commission, which is the last command given to the 12 (I include Paul) because Paul says that He was called out to be
"an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,".......; there is no difference in his apostleship and theirs.
If anything, he (Paul) was more responsive to the command than Peter was, since it is clear that the command to evangelize every creature was perfectly understood by Peter when the sheets were "let down to earth" which contained "were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air." and a voice instructed him, to kill and eat (Acts 10:1-16.
He later testified that it was through this vision that came the revelation, which he revealed at the Council at Jerusalem, that,
"Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe." (Acts 15:7)
And yet, he chose to go only to the Jews, while Paul, dusted his feet, after the jews rejected the good Word at Antioch, and took the Gospel of Grace to the Gentiles.
It is crystal clear, Paul is numbered with the eleven and is the Apostle chosen by Jesus, and confirmed to us by the Holy Spirit, his (Paul's) works testifying to this very thing.
Mathias, was chosen by men, sadly this is the truth of the matter..He is an apostle in his own right, but one can hardly teach that he was numbered with the 11, as a replacement to judas Iscariot.
We understand, the rest were responsive to the command, in the end. But it is clear Philip, followed by Paul and Barnabas (another apostle) was the one that led the charge.. to preach the Gospel to every creature.
Blessings
Petro
Poll
