Yes — Paul says he is not one whit behind the original apostles, and as a minister of Christ he says, 'I am more.'
Paul does not claim equality based on personal greatness; he claims it based on his heritage, his calling, and his direct statement that he is 'in nothing' behind the chiefest apostles. He even says 'I am more' as a minister of Christ. Les Feldick explains that although Paul never walked with Jesus like Peter, James, and John, God revealed the great doctrines of grace to him and made him the apostle to the Gentiles.
2 Corinthians 11:5 — Paul's direct claim that he was 'not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.'
2 Corinthians 11:22-23 — Paul compares his Hebrew, Israelite, and Abrahamic lineage to the original apostles and says, 'I am more.'
2 Corinthians 12:11 — The clearest statement that Paul was 'in nothing' behind the chiefest apostles, 'though I be nothing.'
Paul directly addresses the question of how he compares to the original apostles. In 2 Corinthians 11:5, he writes, 'For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.' He repeats the thought in 2 Corinthians 12:11: 'I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.' Then, in 2 Corinthians 11:22-23, Paul itemizes his credentials: 'Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.' In Galatians 2:6, he also says of those 'who seemed to be somewhat' that 'it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person.'
Les Feldick explains that the comparison had to be made because Judaizers were telling Paul's Gentile converts that Paul was not an apostle like the twelve—he had not walked with Jesus for three years or sat under His teaching. Paul therefore defends his apostleship over and over, insisting that he is 'not one whit behind the chiefest apostles,' and the Holy Spirit purposely repeated this truth. Les highlights Paul's answer to the Judaizers' objection: Paul claims the same Jewish heritage ('Are they Hebrews? so am I...') and then, by inspiration, goes further: 'Are they ministers of Christ? ... I am more.' Yet Paul never claims to be somebody of his own making—he says 'though I be nothing.' Les says that while Paul was personally nothing, as an instrument of God he was everything. Les also points out that Paul was 'the apostle of the Gentiles,' that he magnified his office, and that God revealed the great doctrines of grace to him and him alone. This is why Paul, though he calls himself the least of the apostles and had been brought down to nothing, could still say, 'I AM an Apostle.'
Les says Paul constantly defended his apostleship because, unlike Peter, James, and John, he had not walked with the Lord Jesus during His earthly ministry. People accused him of heresy and being an imposter. Paul had to keep coming back and saying, 'But I AM an Apostle. I AM the one who has received all these revelations.'
Paul wrote that he was 'not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles' (2 Corinthians 11:5) and repeated it: 'for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing' (2 Corinthians 12:11). Les emphasizes that the Holy Spirit repeats things that need to be repeated. Paul did not claim personal greatness, but when it came to being an instrument of God, he was everything.
Paul answered the Judaizers' criticism by listing his descent: 'Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? ... I am more.' Les explains that, by inspiration, Paul said he was more than those back there in Jerusalem.
Paul described himself as 'the least of the apostles,' yet he had to defend his apostleship constantly because he had been steeped in Judaism—he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, of the tribe of Benjamin. Les says that by the time God sent him out to the Gentiles three years after his conversion, Saul was a nobody, brought down to nothing. Nevertheless, God chose him as the apostle of the Gentiles, and Paul magnified that office.
Caught Up to the Third Heaven — 2 Corinthians 12 Explained
Hello, and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick, an Oklahoma rancher and farmer. Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for over 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say, time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
Paul Not Behind the Chiefest Apostles
Les shows that the Holy Spirit repeated the truth that Paul was not one whit behind the chiefest apostles, so readers would not miss it. Paul personally claimed to be nothing, but as God's instrument he was everything.
Paul's Hebrew Credentials and 'I Am More'
Les explains that Paul answered the Judaizers' attack about not being with Jesus by listing his Hebrew, Israelite, and Abrahamic descent, then declaring that as a minister of Christ he was more than the twelve in Jerusalem.
Apostle of the Gentiles
Les shows that Paul was not just another apostle: he was the apostle of the Gentiles who magnified his office, because God revealed the great doctrines of grace to him alone.
Those Who Seemed to Be Somewhat
Les teaches, from Paul's words, that the Jerusalem apostles' earlier authority was slipping away and that God accepts no man's person, so Peter was no greater than anyone else in God's view.
Paul Brought Down to Nothing
Les describes Paul's humbling: by the time God was ready to send him to the Gentiles, the former student of Gamaliel was a nobody, brought down to nothing, and not an impressive orator.
Least of the Apostles Defends His Calling
Les notes that Paul called himself the least of the apostles and constantly had to defend his apostleship, even though he had been a Pharisee of the Pharisees and was steeped in Judaism.
Paul Was an Apostle Despite Not Walking With Jesus
Les says Paul had to defend his apostleship because people accused him of being an imposter—he had not walked with Jesus for three years like Peter, James, and John—but Paul still insisted, 'I AM an Apostle.'
2 Corinthians 11:5: For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
Paul's direct claim that he is in no way inferior to the leading apostles.
2 Corinthians 11:22: Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
Paul matches the original apostles in Jewish descent and heritage.
2 Corinthians 11:23: Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
Paul claims to be even more abundant as a minister of Christ.
2 Corinthians 12:11: I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
The clearest statement comparing Paul to the chiefest apostles while acknowledging his personal nothingness.
Galatians 2:6: But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
Paul says the reputations of the leading apostles had no bearing on God's acceptance—God accepts no man's person.
Paul said he was not behind the very chiefest apostles and, as a minister of Christ, 'I am more.' Yet he also said 'though I be nothing,' meaning his confidence was in his divine calling, not his personal greatness.
Paul's converts were told that he had never walked with Jesus or spent three years with Him. Les says Paul was accused of heresy and being an imposter, so he repeatedly insisted, 'I AM an Apostle' and that he had received the revelations.
Les explains that Paul was referring to the twelve back in Jerusalem and that the Judaizers compared Paul to them. Paul answered by saying he was a Hebrew, Israelite, seed of Abraham, and a minister of Christ.
Paul recognized that personally he was nothing—he had been brought down from his high position in Judaism to being a nobody. But as an instrument of God, he was everything.
Watch the Teaching: Caught Up to the Third Heaven — 2 Corinthians 12 Explained