Paul's suffering during his apostolic ministry was more frequent and severe than that of the original apostles, who did not endure the same hardships until their deaths.
Les Feldick points to Paul's own list in 2 Corinthians 11 — labours, stripes above measure, frequent prisons, and deaths often — and says that Peter, James, and John never knew the likes of it. While all the Twelve except possibly John eventually died as martyrs, Paul's suffering ran through his entire ministry and ended in beheading under Nero.
2 Corinthians 11:23-27 — Paul lists the hardships he endured, giving the direct scriptural evidence for why his suffering exceeded that of the Twelve.
Paul's apostolic credentials in Scripture are inseparable from suffering. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-27, Paul writes, 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. He then catalogs Jewish scourgings, beatings with rods, stoning, three shipwrecks, perils of every kind, and constant hunger, thirst, cold, and nakedness. Paul also describes the present condition of himself and those laboring with him: Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace... we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day (1 Corinthians 4:11-13). And he explains his own lowliness: For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God (1 Corinthians 15:9). The passages given in this lesson do not present a parallel inventory of Peter, James, and John's daily hardships during their ministries. The comparison centers on Paul's own list, which Les Feldick uses to show that Paul's suffering was unique.
Les Feldick places Paul's suffering in a category above that of Peter, James, and John. He points directly to 2 Corinthians 11 and says Paul was more in labour, more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prison more frequent, in deaths often, and suffered for the Gospel the likes of which Peter, James and John never did (Clip 2). Paul had to defend his apostleship because the Corinthians were resisting him, and even his statement, I am become a fool in glorying, ye have compelled me, showed that he would rather not boast about his credentials (Clip 2). Paul nevertheless was ahead of the chiefest apostles, becoming the primary apostle with further revelations (Clip 0). Les also explains that God had the perfect candidate to take all the abuse because Paul had handed out so much abuse himself as a persecutor (Clip 1). Paul sorrowed over the day he persecuted Jewish believers, and he considered himself the least of the apostles because of it (Clip 3). Les further notes that all twelve apostles, except perhaps John who may have died a natural death while in exile on the Isle of Patmos, died martyr's deaths, and that Paul himself was beheaded at the behest of Nero (Clip 4). Paul's hardships were not reserved for the end of his life; they characterized his ministry, with beatings, shipwrecks, hunger, cold, nakedness, and the burden of unreached millions (Clips 6, 7).
Paul detailed his own resume of suffering in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27: abundant labours, stripes above measure, frequent prisons, and in deaths oft. He added that he was beaten with rods, stoned, shipwrecked, in danger from robbers, countrymen, heathen, cities, wilderness, sea, and false brethren, and often in weariness, painfulness, hunger, thirst, cold, and nakedness. Les Feldick says this was suffering the likes of which Peter, James and John never did (Clip 2). Paul also described apostles generally as hungry, thirsty, naked, buffeted, homeless, and made as the filth of the world (1 Corinthians 4:11-13).
The Corinthians were resisting Paul's authority, so he was compelled to bring up his own credentials. Paul says 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. Les explains that the Holy Spirit repeats this point several times in the space of a chapter because Paul had to prove he was not behind the very chiefest apostles — Peter, James, and John — and was even ahead of them, becoming the primary apostle with further revelations (Clip 0).
Les Feldick says all twelve of the apostles, except perhaps John who may have died a natural death while in exile on the Isle of Patmos, died a martyr's death. The apostle Paul the same way — he was beheaded at the behest of Nero. Paul was ready to give it all up; Les recounts that in the last few yards to the chopping block Paul literally ran.
Before his conversion, Saul put his fellow Jews in the position of blaspheming the name of Jesus or being put to death. After he discovered that the One he persecuted was his Old Testament Jehovah, it beat him down and he never got over it. Les says God had the perfect candidate to take all the abuse because Paul had handed out so much himself, and that carried him until his execution.
Paul's Apostolic Authority Over the Chiefest Apostles
Les explains that even though Paul had not walked with Christ as the Twelve did, he received further revelations and became the primary apostle, ahead of Peter, James, and John, and he was compelled to defend this to the Corinthians.
God's Perfect Candidate to Bear Abuse
Les says Paul was perfect to take abuse because he had previously given out abuse as a persecutor, and Paul was ready to give his life, running to the chopping block at the end.
Paul's Suffering Exceeded That of Peter, James, and John
Les teaches that Paul was more frequently in labor, stripes, prisons, and deaths than the others, and that his suffering for the Gospel was the likes of which Peter, James, and John never experienced.
Paul's Sorrow Over Persecuting the Church
Les shows that Paul/Saul had persecuted believers to the point of forcing blasphemy or death, and after realizing Christ was his Old Testament Jehovah, he sorrowed and considered himself the least of the apostles.
The Martyrdoms of the Apostles and Paul
Les notes that all twelve apostles except perhaps John died martyr's deaths, and Paul was beheaded at the order of Nero.
Apostolic Hardships in 1 Corinthians 4
Les explains that Paul and those with him were hungry, thirsty, naked, buffeted, and homeless, working with their own hands and being made as filth and offscouring.
Paul's Suffering for the Unreached
Les describes times Paul thought he would not live, yet carried the burden of unreached millions, enduring beatings, shipwrecks, cold, hunger, and nakedness for the Gospel.
Paul as Bond Slave of Jesus Christ
Les says Paul suffered imprisonment, beatings, shipwrecks, cold, heat, and nakedness not to serve men but because he was the bond slave of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:23-27: 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. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Paul's own accounting of his suffering provides the core comparison in this lesson.
1 Corinthians 4:11-13: Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
Paul describes the ongoing present hardships of apostles, not just a final martyrdom.
1 Corinthians 15:9-10: For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Paul's past as a persecutor shaped his view of himself and his apostolic calling.
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.
Paul reluctantly defended his apostleship because the Corinthians resisted his authority.
2 Corinthians 11:5: For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
Paul saw himself as not behind the chiefest apostles, which Les uses to show his unique authority.
According to Les Feldick, yes. Paul says he was in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, and in deaths often (2 Corinthians 11:23), and Les states this was suffering the likes of which Peter, James, and John never experienced during their ministry.
Paul was carrying the burden of unreached millions, he was the bond slave of Jesus Christ, and, as Les explains, God had the perfect candidate to take abuse because Paul had handed out so much abuse himself before his conversion.
Les says all twelve apostles, except perhaps John who may have died a natural death in exile on Patmos, died martyr's deaths. Paul was beheaded at the behest of Nero, and Les recounts that Paul was ready to give it all up, even running the last yards to the chopping block.
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