Yes — Paul's role is to be God's chosen vessel and the apostle of the Gentiles.
In Acts 9:15 the Lord tells Ananias that Saul is a chosen vessel to bear His name before the Gentiles, and Paul himself declares in Romans 11:13, "I am the apostle of the Gentiles." Les Feldick emphasizes that Paul is not merely one of many but THE apostle to whom Gentile believers must look for their basic doctrines.
Acts 9:15 — Records God's direct commission for Saul as a chosen vessel to bear His name before the Gentiles.
Romans 11:13 — Paul's own inspired statement that he is the apostle of the Gentiles.
The book of Acts directly records Paul's commissioning. When Saul of Tarsus, breathing out threatenings and slaughter against believers, was on the road to Damascus, the Lord sent Ananias to him. Ananias protested, recounting how much evil Saul had done to the saints at Jerusalem and that he had authority from the chief priests to bind all who called on the Lord's name. The Lord answered, "Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel" (Acts 9:15). Paul himself confirms this role in Romans 11:13. Writing to Gentile believers in Rome, he says, "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office." This verse plainly identifies Paul as the apostle of the Gentiles — a unique, God-given role that he never shrank from.
Les Feldick teaches that after Israel rejected and crucified Christ, God brought the gospel to the Gentiles without using the nation of Israel as a whole. Instead, God raised up one little Jew — Saul of Tarsus — saved him by grace on the road to Damascus, and revealed to Ananias that Saul would be a chosen vessel to take the word to the Gentiles. Les emphasizes that Paul is not one of many apostles to the Gentiles but THE Apostle. Quoting Romans 11:13, Les shows that Paul's apostleship was primarily to the Gentiles, while Peter was the apostle to Israel. Paul's letters and Paul's letters alone are written to the Church, and for Gentile believers not steeped in the Mosaic system, Paul is the man we have to listen to for our basic doctrines.
In Acts 9, Ananias was afraid of Saul because he had heard how much evil this man had done to the saints at Jerusalem and had authority from the chief priests to bind everyone who called on the Lord's name. The Lord's answer was direct: "Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles" (Acts 9:15). Les Feldick notes that this was "something unheard of in the Jewish culture." Jewish readers knew the prophets had spoken of Israel being a light to the Gentiles, but they did not expect it in their own generation.
Paul writes in Romans 11:13, "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office." Les Feldick points out that Paul was not the apostle of Israel as Peter certainly was; rather, Paul's apostleship was to the Gentiles. Paul had a heart for the nation of Israel, but his God-given responsibility was primarily toward non-Jewish people, and he never shrank from that responsibility.
Les Feldick teaches that when Israel missed their opportunity to be a kingdom of priests and bring the Gentiles to God, God did not stop. Instead of taking the whole nation of Israel, He raised up one other little Jew — Saul of Tarsus — saved him by grace on the road to Damascus, and sent him far hence to the Gentiles. As Les puts it, God brought the gospel to the Gentiles without Israel by bringing on the scene this one man. At the same time, Paul insisted Israel had not stumbled so completely that they would be removed.
Les teaches that Paul is not one of many apostles to the Gentiles, but THE Apostle. Paul is the one to whom we must go for our basic doctrines, and his letters and his letters alone are written to the Church. For those of us as Gentiles who have not been steeped in the Mosaic system, Les says the Apostle Paul is the man we have to listen to, and Romans 11:13 is a small yet significant verse that "means everything."
Saul's Commission to Bear God's Name
Les recounts Acts 9, where the Lord tells a fearful Ananias that Saul is a chosen vessel to bear His name before the Gentiles.
Paul's Self-Description as Apostle of the Gentiles
Les points to Romans 11:13 where Paul plainly says, "I am the apostle of the Gentiles," and notes that Paul's letters alone are written to the Church.
Paul Is THE Apostle of the Gentiles
Les emphasizes that Paul is not one of many but THE Apostle — the one to whom we must go for basic doctrines.
The Gospel to the Gentiles Without Israel
After Israel rejected and crucified Christ, God brought the gospel to the Gentiles through one little Jew, Saul of Tarsus, and revealed to Ananias that Saul would take the word to the Gentile.
A Stunning Commission in Jewish Culture
Les stresses that sending a chosen vessel to the Gentiles was unheard of in Jewish culture — they knew the prophets spoke of it but did not expect it in their generation.
Paul's Apostleship Contrasted with Peter's
Les contrasts Peter as the apostle to Israel with Paul as the apostle to the Gentiles, citing Romans 11:13 and Paul's magnifying his office.
God Raised Up One Little Jew
God raised up Saul of Tarsus and saved him by grace primarily for the Gentiles, and Israel's stumbling did not mean complete removal.
The Man Gentile Believers Must Listen To
For Gentile believers not steeped in the Mosaic system, Paul is the man we have to listen to — Romans 11:13 means everything.
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 Israel:
God's direct commission to Ananias concerning Saul's role as a chosen vessel to the Gentiles.
Romans 11:13: For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
Paul's own inspired declaration that his apostleship is specifically to the Gentiles.
According to Les Feldick, Paul is THE apostle of the Gentiles for Scripture and Church doctrine. While others like Barnabas and Silas may have been considered apostles in that period, Paul's letters alone are written to the Church, and he is the one to go to for basic doctrines.
The Lord told Ananias, "Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles" (Acts 9:15). This was shocking to Ananias because Saul had been persecuting believers and had authority from the chief priests to bind them.
Paul says, "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office." Les Feldick emphasizes that this verse means everything for Gentile believers because it reveals Paul's unique God-given role.
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