Were the twelve apostles sent to the Jews while Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles?
Yes. The twelve apostles were apostles of the Jew, while Paul was specifically the apostle of the Gentiles. Paul wrote Romans declaring, 'I speak to you Gentiles inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles,' and Ephesians identifies him as the apostle for you Gentiles.
Les explains that the twelve apostles were apostles of the Jew, but Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles, and he warns not to lose sight of that distinction. He points to Romans, where Paul says, 'For I speak to you Gentiles inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles.' He then goes to Ephesians 3:1, reading, 'For this cause I Paul, Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,' and calls Paul 'the apostle for you Gentiles.' He also reminds his audience not to lose sight of the Matthew verse that the Kingdom of Heaven was in the midst of the Jew, in the person of Christ.