Paul defended his apostleship because his authority was under constant attack — especially from Judaizing Jews who branded him an imposter.
Les Feldick shows that Paul's critics pointed out he had not walked with Jesus for three years like Peter, James, and John, and they said he had no letters of commendation or badge of authority. Paul had to keep answering, 'But I AM an apostle. I AM the one who has received all these revelations.' God had chosen Paul to reveal the Church Age and take the gospel to the Gentiles, so his authority had to be established.
1 Corinthians 9:1-2 — Paul's direct defense of his apostleship to the Corinthians — the passage Les points to in the evidence.
Romans 11:13 — Paul identifies himself as the apostle of the Gentiles, the role he defends throughout his letters.
Paul's own letters show that his apostleship was in question. 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' (Romans 11:13). In the opening of his defense in 1 Corinthians, he asks, 'Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?' (1 Corinthians 9:1). Then he adds, 'If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord' (1 Corinthians 9:2). The biblical record therefore includes Paul's repeated and direct defense of his apostleship.
Les Feldick repeatedly emphasizes that Paul had to defend his apostleship in all of his letters. The reason, Les says, is that Paul was under constant attack — especially from the Judaizing Jews — who claimed he was an imposter who had 'drummed all this up himself' and had no badge of authority or letters of commendation. Because he had not walked with the Lord Jesus for three years like Peter, James, and John, his critics said, 'Who do you think you are?' Paul had to come back again and again and say, 'But I AM an Apostle. I AM the one who has received all these revelations' (Clips 1, 4, 5). Les even says Paul would have to defend his apostleship again today if he were alive, because many conservative Christians still will not give him the time of day (Clip 2).
Les says Paul was under constant attack, especially from the Judaizing Jews, who claimed he was an imposter and had 'drummed all this up himself.' They pointed out that he had no badge of authority, no letters of commendation, and could not claim to have walked with Jesus for three years like Peter, James, and John (Clips 1, 4, 5). In Corinth, the Jewish element challenged him directly: 'Who do you think you are? You're just an imposter' (Clip 5). Paul was constantly falsely accused and had to keep his conduct blameless so his critics could not gloat (Clip 3).
The believers at Corinth were still carnal and divided. Some said, 'We follow Paul,' others said, 'We follow Apollos,' still others 'We follow Peter,' and some even said they followed Christ. In that kind of environment, Les explains, Paul had to defend his apostleship and establish that his authority came from God. He went first to the Jew in his early ministry, which only increased the Jewish opposition (Clips 5, 6, 7).
Les emphasizes that the Church Age was never revealed until the apostle Paul, so there is nothing of the Church in the Old Testament or the Gospels. Doctrinally, the Church must go to Paul's letters for faith and practice. In the age of grace, Paul is the authority through whom God is speaking to the whole human race, which is why he had to establish that authority wherever he wrote (Clips 0, 7). Paul himself wrote to the Romans, 'I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office' (Romans 11:13).
The Church Age Revealed to Paul
Les shows why Paul's apostleship matters: the Church Age was hidden until Paul, so the Church must look to Paul's letters for doctrine.
Paul's Defense Against Charges of Heresy
Les explains that Paul defended his apostleship because critics accused him of being an imposter and a heretic for not walking with Jesus; Paul responded, 'I AM an apostle.'
Paul Defending His Apostleship in All His Letters
Les notes Paul had to defend his apostleship in all his letters and would still have to today, pointing to Romans 11 and Paul's role as apostle to the Gentiles.
Paul Constantly Falsely Accused
Les shows that Paul was constantly falsely accused and had to keep his conduct blameless so the world could not gloat over his failures.
The Judaizing Attack on Paul
Les explains that Judaizing Jews attacked Paul as an imposter who had no badge of authority and no letters of commendation.
Defending Apostleship to Carnal Corinth
Les describes how Paul defended his apostleship to carnal Corinthian believers, with the Jewish element calling him an imposter who never walked with Jesus.
Divisions at Corinth and Paul's Authority
Les connects Paul's defense of his apostleship to the divisions at Corinth and to Paul's pattern of going first to the Jew.
Paul's Authority in the Age of Grace
Les says Paul had to establish the authority connected to his apostleship first, because Jewish people saw him as a renegade to Judaism and believers divided over which leader to follow.
Romans 11:13: For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
Paul identifies himself as the apostle of the Gentiles — the office he was constantly defending.
1 Corinthians 9:1: Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
Paul directly defends his apostleship by asking whether he is not an apostle and has not seen the Lord.
1 Corinthians 9:2: If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
Paul tells the Corinthians that the seal of his apostleship is their own conversion.
Les explains that Paul's critics said he had not walked with Jesus for three years like Peter, James, and John. They also claimed he had no letters of commendation and had drummed up his message himself (Clips 1, 4).
Les says Paul was under constant attack from the Judaizing Jews, and that the Jewish element in Corinth also said, 'Who do you think you are? You're just an imposter' (Clips 4, 5).
The Corinthian believers were carnal and divided, following Paul, Apollos, Peter, or Christ. In that setting, Paul had to establish his authority and defend his apostleship (Clips 6, 7).
Les paraphrased Paul's constant refrain as 'But I AM an Apostle. I AM the one who has received all these revelations' (Clip 1), showing Paul's insistence that his office and revelations were genuine.
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