Yes—Paul claimed an authority that came from direct revelation and insisted he was not one whit behind the chiefest apostles.
Paul had not walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry, and his opponents used that against him. But Paul insisted that his apostleship was genuine because God revealed the great doctrines of grace to him and him alone. He called himself the apostle of the Gentiles, magnified his office, and refused to back down from that divinely given role.
2 Corinthians 11:5 — Paul explicitly says he is not one whit behind the chiefest apostles, directly showing his claim to parity of authority.
Romans 11:13 — Paul identifies himself as the apostle of the Gentiles and says he magnifies his office, showing the distinctive basis of his authority.
In 2 Corinthians 11:5, Paul writes, “For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.” He claims parity with Peter and the other leading apostles. In Romans 11:13, he states, “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.” In Galatians 2:6, Paul writes that those who “seemed to be somewhat” added nothing to him, because God accepts no man’s person. And in 1 Corinthians 9:5, he defends his right, as an apostle, to “lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas.” These passages show that Paul clearly presented himself as an apostle with authority that stood alongside—and in his Gentile commission, uniquely—before the original Twelve.
Les Feldick repeatedly stresses that Paul’s apostleship was unique because God revealed the doctrines of grace to him alone for this present age of grace. Paul constantly defended that apostleship because he was accused of being a renegade and an imposter—he hadn’t walked with Jesus for three years like Peter, James, and John. In 2 Corinthians, Les points out that Paul, by Holy Spirit inspiration, said he was “not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles” and wouldn’t let Peter have an advantage. Les also observes that the original apostles’ authority was already slipping away, and in God’s view Peter was no greater than anyone else. For believers today, Les concludes, Paul is the man God designated to take salvation to the Gentiles, and he is the one through whom God speaks in this age of grace.
Les explains that Paul faced the same accusations we still hear—people saying, “I don’t care what Paul says, I’m going to do what Jesus said.” Paul was accused of heresy and of being an imposter, especially by the Jewish community, because he didn’t actually walk with the Lord Jesus for three years like Peter, James, and John did. That is why he is always defending his apostleship in his letters. He had to establish the authority connected to his apostleship, because for believers in this age of grace, Paul is the one through whom God was speaking.
Les says Paul—writing under Holy Spirit inspiration—said, “I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles,” meaning he was not letting Peter have even half a foot advantage. At the same time, Les shows from Galatians that the apostles who “seemed to be somewhat” no longer had the kind of authority they had in the early years; it was slipping away. And whatsoever they were, it made no matter to Paul, because “God accepts no man’s person.” In God’s view, Peter was no greater than anybody else.
In Romans 11:13 Paul wrote, “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.” Les says Paul magnified his office because he was never going to back down from his role as God’s man for the Gentile world. This role is the basis of his authority, and it is why Paul refused to let anyone treat him as just another apostle.
Caught Up to the Third Heaven — 2 Corinthians 12 Explained
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Paul's Authority in the Age of Grace
Les explains that Paul established the authority of his apostleship because, in this age of grace, God was speaking through Paul; he had to defend that against people who preferred Peter or the words of Jesus.
Revelation Given to Paul Alone
Les insists that Paul claimed God revealed the great doctrines of grace to him and him alone; any reading that makes Paul just another apostle destroys his position. Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles and magnified his office.
Not a Whit Behind the Chiefest Apostles
Paul, by inspiration, said he was “not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles,” and Les applies this directly to Peter—Paul was not letting Peter have half a foot advantage over him.
Paul's Defense Against the Imposter Charge
Les shows that Paul, though accused of being an imposter because he didn't walk with Jesus as Peter and the others had, claimed, “I AM an Apostle. I AM the one who has received all these revelations.” God designated Paul to take salvation to the Gentiles.
Apostleship Proven by Converts
Les highlights the criticism that Paul was not one of the Twelve and didn't walk with Jesus for three years, and shows Paul proving his apostleship by his converts as he defends his apostolic rights alongside Peter.
The Original Apostles' Authority Was Passing
Les notes that the original apostles' authority was slipping away; quoting Galatians, Paul said their status made no difference to him because God accepts no man's person. In God's view, Peter was no greater than anyone else.
Apostle of the Gentiles — The Basis of His Authority
Paul called himself the apostle of the Gentiles, used the words “I magnify my office,” and never backed down from this role—for Les, this is the foundation of Paul's apostolic authority.
2 Corinthians 11:5: For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
Paul directly claims equality with the leading apostles.
Romans 11:13: For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
Paul names his distinctive office and says he magnifies it.
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 downplays the superiority of the Jerusalem apostles.
1 Corinthians 9:5: Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
Paul defends his apostolic rights on equal footing with the other apostles, including Peter.
No. According to Les, that was precisely the accusation against Paul—he hadn't walked with the Lord Jesus for three years like Peter, James, and John. Paul's opponents used this to call him an imposter, which is why he had to keep defending his apostleship in his letters.
Les says Paul, by Holy Spirit inspiration, wrote that he was “not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles” and wouldn't let Peter have an advantage. At the same time, the authority of the original apostles was passing away, and in God's view Peter was no greater than anyone else.
Les points to Romans 11:13, where Paul says, “I magnify mine office.” Paul was the man God designated to take salvation to the Gentiles, and God revealed the doctrines of grace to him alone for this age.
Watch the Teaching: Caught Up to the Third Heaven — 2 Corinthians 12 Explained