Dictionary of Bible Themes Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5070 Individuals in OT and NT » 5107 Paul » 5109 Paul, apostle to Gentiles Paul saw his encounter with the risen Christ as a call to apostleship, with a special mission to proclaim the gospel to the Gentile world. Paul's complete dedication to Jesus Christ made his own personal weaknesses a vehicle for the power of God. Paul's calling as an apostle: origins and implications His calling began with his encounter with the risen Christ Galatians 1:15-16 See also Acts 9:3-19 pp Acts 22:6-16 pp Acts 26:12-18; 1 Corinthians 9:1 His calling involved his being sent to the unevangelised Gentile world Galatians 2:9 See also Acts 22:21; Romans 15:18-21; 2 Corinthians 10:13-16; Ephesians 3:7-9 His calling put him under an obligation to preach the gospel 1 Corinthians 9:16 See also Romans 1:14-15; 2 Corinthians 5:11-14 Paul's commitment to his apostolic calling He supported himself in order to present the gospel free of charge 1 Thessalonians 2:6-9 See also 1 Corinthians 9:3-18; 2 Corinthians 12:13 He put the gospel before everything else 2 Corinthians 4:5 See also Romans 9:1-3; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23; Philippians 1:12-26 He boasted in his weaknesses 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 See also 2 Corinthians 4:7-10; Corinthians 6:3-10; Corinthians 11:21-29 He experienced God's power at work through him 2 Corinthians 12:11-12 See also Acts 13:6-12; Acts 19:11-12; Romans 15:18-19; 1 Corinthians 2:4-5; 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 He had a confident attitude to death Philippians 3:10-11 See also 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Philippians 1:20-24; 2 Timothy 4:6-8 Paul and the example of Jesus Christ His appeal to Jesus Christ as an example to the churches 2 Corinthians 8:9 Paul here uses the example of Jesus Christ in order to encourage the Corinthians in their giving. See also Romans 15:1-3; Philippians 2:5-11 His own exemplary imitation of Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 11:1 See also 1 Corinthians 4:14-17; Philippians 3:12-17; Philippians 4:8-9; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-9 His sharing of Jesus Christ's sufferings Colossians 1:24 Paul is not suggesting here that there is any deficiency in Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice. Rather, there are some aspects of suffering which Christ could not experience because they arose only as a result of people preaching the message of the cross and suffering because of it. See also 2 Corinthians 1:5-9; Corinthians 4:7-12; Galatians 6:17 Paul and the churches His integrity in dealing with the churches 2 Corinthians 1:12 See also Acts 20:17-21; 2 Corinthians 2:17; Corinthians 4:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12 His love for the churches Philippians 1:8 See also 2 Corinthians 11:7-11; Corinthians 12:14-15; 1 Thessalonians 3:12 His prayers for the churches 1 Thessalonians 1:2 See also Romans 1:8-10; Ephesians 1:15-19; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 His dependence on the prayers of the churches 1 Thessalonians 5:25 See also Romans 15:30-32; Ephesians 6:19-20; Phm 22 Paul's imagery of apostleship As Jesus Christ's ambassador 2 Corinthians 5:20; Ephesians 6:19-20 As a builder Romans 15:20; 1 Corinthians 3:10 As a farmer As a father 1 Corinthians 4:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 As a mother Galatians 4:19; 1 Thessalonians 2:6-7 As God's captive 1 Corinthians 4:9; 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 Paul portrays God as a victorious Roman general, with himself as a captive, bringing up the rear of the triumphal procession. As Jesus Christ's slave The word translated “servant” in these verses commonly meant “slave”: Romans 1:1; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1 Paul's successors were to safeguard the truth of the gospel after his death 2 Timothy 2:1-2 See also 2 Timothy 1:13-14; Timothy 3:10-4:8 See also
1416 miracles |
|