Preface: This was written for my Theology Essentials class when I was a student of Bible & Ministry and submitted February 1, 2000.
Thirteenth Apostle?
All of us would agree that Paul was an apostle. However, we would not all agree on whether he was the 13th apostle or one who stood on his own to deliver a separate message. When reading the Bible, we must decide how we, as members of the Body of Christ, choose to interpret it. There are two hermeneutical (Greek for interpretation) options. The first one is the more literal of the two interpretations, eliminating any symbolic meanings, and is actually the more commonly chosen view. The second one has a much more symbolic, or nonliteral, definition to it. This latter is also the view that creates the majority doubt in the Word, I believe, as all objectivity is removed adding a further discussion as to who decides what the “correct” symbolic meaning really is. This directly affects my aforementioned question: “Is Paul the 13th apostle or an apostle with a separate message?” The first view, a literal hermeneutic, also results in a person who recognizes and agrees with the dispensationalist view of the Bible. By holding to dispensationalism, you will also find it very clear that Paul was definitely an apostle for a separate message, and program. The separate message refers to our current dispensation; the program is either the Prophetic or the Mystery, the latter being our current program.
“Our God is a God of division.” (Paul M. Sadler, ‘Exploring the Unsearchable riches of Christ’) He divided the waters (Gen1: 7), the oceans and land (Gen1: 9,10), the day from the night (Gen1: 14), and the Heavens and the Earth (Gen1: 1). The Heavens and the Earth also help us relate to the two programs he created. The Earthly program is also known as the Prophecy and the Heavenly program is defined as the Mystery. A few of the differences are that the Prophecy requires the fulfillment of the Old Testament through the law, faith and works, and also has time frame used with regards to it. The Mystery does not require the fulfillment of the Old Testament, as it is not prophesied (Eph3: 5), the law or works (Gal3: 11-12), and it is also free from any mention of time, as it is the Mystery and unknown. The Prophecy is very clearly the program for the 12 Apostles; which are also clearly named one by one in Matthew 10:2-5; in which Paul is not named. The Prophetic program gives a different message and also is directed to Israel solely, different than the people in the Mystery Program, the Gentiles. Therefore, if Paul is not included in Matthew 10:2-5 as one of the twelve to speaks to the Jews, then who is he for? His purpose was to provide the Word to the Gentiles during the Mystery, our current program. Thus, so far proving that he was indeed not a 13th apostle, but rather an Apostle to the Gentiles for the Mystery Program, juxtapositional with the Dispensation of Grace.
A dispensation simply defined is: “a period of time during which man is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God.” There are many dispensations in the Bible; the actual amount is also a disputed point. However, it is seemingly agreed that there is only one dispensation that coincides directly and exclusively with the Mystery Program, which is the Dispensation of Grace, our current dispensation. Each dispensation, also known as administration or oikonomia (Greek), changes whenever there is change in the way God deals with us. For example, the first administration was “The dispensation of Innocence” which ended when God had to change the way he was dealing with Adam and Eve when they ate the forbidden fruit; thus, changing to the next dispensation. Remember though that all of the dispensations, excluding the current one, fall under the Prophetic Program. Meaning that each oikonomia had a set of rules and/or works to live with, other than the Ten Commandments, which will always apply, under that program; but as we are under the Mystery, or Musterion (Greek), program the only rule we have is to believe that Jesus died for all of us and rose again. So how do we know that Paul is the Apostle to this program? As said in Eph 3:2 by Paul, “ If you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward,” and it is obvious that Paul has the message that we as the members of the Body of Christ need to listen to.
There are many differences when comparing the 12 Apostles and Paul. Looking at the Twelve Apostles first we should note that there was a necessary participation in the fulfillment of the Prophecy (Acts2: 14-20), that the justification was only through faith and works (James2: 14,20), and the hope was that of an Earthly one (Mat5: 5). Also, baptism was through water (Acts22: 16) and spirit (1Peter3: 21), salvation was conditional (2Peter1: 4-10), the eschatology (Greek word is eschatos for last or farthest; in relation to the final events of the world within the various Christian Doctrines) was the second coming, and since their hope was earthly, their final place would be on Earth-a ‘new’ Earth (Isa65: 17, Rev22: 2) for those of Israel. Israel was the only focus of the 12 Apostles (Mat10: 5-6), as it was given the name “the Bride of Christ.”(Rev22: 17). In contrast to that, Paul delivers the message of Grace, under the Mystery (Eph3: 3), which does not require participation or fulfillment of any prophecy. Justification is solely through faith, irrelevant of works (Eph2: 8-9); there is a heavenly hope (Phil3: 20), baptism is acquired through spirit only (Eph4: 5), and salvation is unconditional (Eph1: 13). The eschatological view is also that of the Rapture, which is heavenly (1Thes4: 16-17) for all. The focus for Paul and his message of God’s grace is for the Jews and the Gentiles and all those in between equally (Gal3: 28) as we are the Church (Eph1: 22-23) which is “The Body of Christ” (1Cor12: 27) rather than the “Bride of Christ.” Another point to mention is that there seems to be a numerical similarity between the Twelve Apostles and Paul. The Prophesy mentions 12 in many areas, the number of the governmental authority stamped on the house of Israel, 12 sons of Israel, 12 tribes, 12 portions of land, 12 princes, 12 thrones, 12 foundations in the New Jerusalem (Rev21: 14) and 12 Apostles. The Mystery is consistent with the number one. One Body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one Faith, one baptism, one Father, and one Apostle (Eph4: 4-6).
Paul’s message began when the Prophetic program was put on hold when Jesus died for our sins and allowed for us to be saved purely by faith through the grace of God. The abolition of the law occurred the day that Christ died (Col2: 14), with exception to the 10 Commandments. No longer being under the law, not needing works to be saved there is only faith left, which is included Paul’s message of grace. Grace is not easily understood nor easily definable, as we will never fully comprehend it until we are Heaven. What God says through Paul in the Bible about grace should be enough of a motivation to live with faith in him. I believe that once you believe that we are indeed under the Dispensation of Grace, whether or not the concept is fully grasped, it should be obvious that it will all come down to your relationship with God. We as humans will never repay what God has done for us as stated in Heb2: 9 “that he (Jesus) by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” All Paul wants to do is help us understand that this immeasurable gift from God is not hindered by sins, nor attained by works, and is paired with truth. Do we as members of the Body of Christ need all of the writings Paul has given us to see how easy it is to life and enjoy this gift? Maybe so, but don’t let this gift of grace go dusty on your shelves at home. Use it, feed it, share it and it will grow and become a cyclical part of your life, as the more you use it and feed it-the more you can share it and allow it to grow. Colossians 1:3-6 says “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus…whereof you heard of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; …since the day you heard of it, and knew of the grace of God in truth.” We know of the grace which God through which Paul tells us about in his messages and it is all we needed to compliment our faith in the Trinity. Are we being active or passive Christians? I challenge you to follow Christ’s message to Paul. Or as a final thought, of William A. Ward from James1: 22; “It is not enough to own a Bible; we must read it. It is not enough to read it; we must let it speak to us. It is not enough to let it speak to us; we must believe it. It is not enough to believe it; we must live it.”
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© 2001 Shannon Yáñez
