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Paul was a “chosen vessel.” There was a devout man named Annanias who had heard of Saul of Tarsus and the Lord appeared to him and told him to go and find Saul. Annanias was extremely reluctant but the Lord told him
:Acts 9:15 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
Most of us know about the “order of first mention” in the bible. When the Lord first talked about why He had chosen Paul, notice that first on the list there is “Gentiles.” It turns out that of all the people in your bible who were called “apostles” (and it might surprise some to know that there were more than just the twelve) on Paul is the “apostle of the Gentiles.”
Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
1 Timothy 2:7 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.
As a matter of fact, the only man in your bible who ever claimed to be the apostle of the Gentiles was Paul. Neither Peter, James or John ever did. As a matter of fact, at the time of Acts chapter fifteen, Peter and John, along with James, the Lord’s brother, (James the original Apostle had been killed by the sword in Acts chapter 12) made a “gentleman’s agreement.”
By a handshake, they agreed to NOT GO to the Gentiles, but only go to “the circumcision.” Here is the verse that tells you that:
Galatians 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
Did you know that most people in religion today do not even know that? As a matter of fact many preachers and bible teachers don’t even realize that from the time of Acts chapter fifteen onward, James, Cephas (that’s Peter), and John, had absolutely NO apostolic authority among the Gentiles. Only Paul did. Now what do you suppose that would make the letters which were written by Peter, James and John? STRICTLY JEWISH.
