Paul emphasizes his apostleship because he was God's designated apostle to the Gentiles and had to defend his God-given authority against those who called him an imposter.
Les Feldick explains that Paul had to establish his authority in every letter because people questioned him for not walking with Jesus like Peter, James, and John. Paul claimed that to him alone God revealed the great doctrines of grace, and he declared, 'I magnify mine office' (Romans 11:13).
Romans 11:13 — Paul explicitly identifies himself as the apostle of the Gentiles and says he magnifies his office.
2 Corinthians 12:11 — Paul insists he is in nothing behind the very chiefest apostles, showing his authority equaled the Twelve.
Galatians 1:20 — Paul's statement 'I lie not' shows his insistence that his apostolic message was true.
Paul's own letters show the authority he claimed. In Romans 11:13 he writes, 'For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.' In 2 Corinthians 12:11 he declares, '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.' And in Galatians 1:20 he underscores his reliability: 'Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.' These verses record Paul's own claim to full apostolic authority.
Les Feldick explains that every time Paul wrote, 'the first thing Paul had to establish to whomever he wrote was the authority that was connected to his apostleship' (Clip 1). The reason, Les says, is that 'people can readily understand the Twelve and their unique position with Christ and His earthly ministry,' but Paul was the man who had once been 'like a raging bull' against Jesus (Clip 5). Jewish believers thought he was a renegade, and others accused him of heresy and imposture because he had not walked with Jesus for those three years like Peter, James, and John (Clip 2). Yet Paul insisted he was God's designated apostle to the Gentiles, the man to whom God alone revealed the great doctrines of grace (Clip 3). Les says when Paul wrote 'I magnify my office' (Romans 11:13), he meant he was never going to back down from being God's man for the Gentile world (Clip 3, Clip 4).
Les Feldick says Paul was up against people who said, 'I don't care what Paul says. I'm going to do what Jesus said.' Jewish people thought Paul was a renegade to Judaism, and others accused him of heresy and of being an imposter because he had not walked with the Lord Jesus for those three years like Peter, James, and John (Clips 1 and 2).
Paul says in Romans 11:13, 'I magnify mine office.' Les explains this meant Paul was never going to back down from his role of being God's man for the Gentile world (Clip 3). He was going to make the most of his office (Clip 7) and never take a back seat to anybody concerning his apostleship (Clip 5).
Les says people could readily recognize the Twelve because they were with Christ in His earthly ministry, but Paul had to constantly affirm that he was not behind the very chiefest apostles (Clip 6). Paul himself wrote, 'for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing' (2 Corinthians 12:11). Les adds that Paul was not one of the Twelve; the Twelve went to Israel, and Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles (Clip 7).
Les says the first thing Paul had to establish to whomever he wrote was the authority connected to his apostleship (Clip 1). He defends his apostleship in all his letters — Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians — because even people of his day were accusing him of being a false apostle (Clip 2).
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.
Establishing Paul's Authority
Les explains that Paul had to establish his apostleship first in every letter because, in this age of grace, God speaks through Paul to the whole human race.
Paul the Target of Accusations
Les says Paul was accused by Jewish people of being a renegade and by others of heresy and imposture because he had not walked with Jesus like Peter, James, and John, so he constantly defended his apostleship.
Magnifying His Apostolic Office
Les says Paul would never back down from his role as God's man for the Gentile world, and that he magnified his office (Romans 11:13).
The Apostle of the Gentiles
Les ties Paul's authority to Romans 11:13 and notes that Paul always defended his apostleship in the Corinthian letters and in Galatians.
People Accepted the Twelve but Not Paul
Les says people readily recognized the Twelve but had trouble accepting Paul because he had once been a raging bull against Jesus, so Paul made clear he would never take a back seat.
Not Behind the Chiefest Apostles
Les shows from 2 Corinthians 12:11 that Paul knew he was nothing in himself yet affirmed he was not behind the very chiefest apostles.
Apostle to the Gentiles Only
Les explains Paul did not share his apostleship with anyone when it came to the Gentiles, and he insisted 'I lie not' because his message came from the ascended Lord.
Romans 11:13: For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
This is Paul's clearest statement that he was the apostle to the Gentiles and that he made much of that office.
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 defends his apostolic authority by claiming equality with the leading apostles while acknowledging his own nothingness.
Galatians 1:20: Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
Paul's oath-like affirmation underlines his insistence that his apostolic message was truthful and divinely given.
Les Feldick says Paul was accused of heresy and of being an imposter because he had not walked with Jesus for three years like Peter, James, and John. Jewish people also thought he was a renegade to Judaism. So Paul had to continually establish his God-given authority.
No. Les explains Paul was not one of the Twelve; the Twelve were sent to Israel, while Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. Paul said he magnified his office as the apostle of the Gentiles.
Les says it meant Paul was never going to back down from his role as God's man for the Gentile world. He was going to make the most of his office and never take a back seat to anybody concerning his apostleship.
In Romans 11:13 Paul writes, 'For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.' This is the verse Les points to as Paul's declaration of his special office.
Watch the Teaching: Caught Up to the Third Heaven — 2 Corinthians 12 Explained