“For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favour on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.”
1 Corinthians 15:9-11 NLT
Having listed all the people who had seen the risen Jesus, Paul added his name as the last one who had experienced that wonderful privilege. But the way he had persecuted those early believers still disturbed Paul. His actions were indelibly recorded in his mind and were going to be there until the day he died. Will memories of bad things survive a believer’s grave? Although we will be made holy and perfect (1 John 3:2 and Hebrews 10:14) once we reach Heaven, we nevertheless expect that memories will survive death. Still, they will be transformed, cleansed of pain and sin, allowing for deeper, perfect relationships and understanding, not just a simple recall of earthly life, as the new reality in God’s presence overshadows former sorrows. This is good news, not just for Paul but for every believer still racked and tormented by memories of the sins they once committed, memories often referred to as the stain of sin. But here in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul still remembered those dark days when he got things so wrong.
But, rightly, Paul looked to God and his grace for the outcome in his life. He gave credit to God for turning his life around, helping him refocus his zeal from persecuting and destroying the church to building it up instead. A total U-turn if there ever was one. Paul was a driven man who would spend the rest of his life enduring privations, beatings, stonings, and more just to spread the Gospel, the Good News about Jesus. And all because “God poured out his special favour on [him]”. Paul wrote that he was “the least of all the apostles”, even questioning if he was worthy of the title “Apostle”.
Apostle – one who is sent out.
What does the word “Apostle” mean? Literally, the Greek word means “one who is sent out”. He is a messenger, envoy, or ambassador commissioned with the authority to spread the Gospel, the Good News about Jesus. But who commissioned Paul? In modern times, an apostle is a man (or woman) sent out by their denomination or church (if large enough) as a missionary to break new ground for Jesus. They could also serve as an overseer over a church or group of churches, giving them spiritual accountability for their teaching and direction, as well as for their vision for the future. Paul, however, was commissioned by Jesus Himself to spread the Gospel, just as the other twelve disciples were. We read in Acts 9:4-6, “He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do””. Ananias, a believer in Damascus, received a message, “But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake”” (Acts 9:15-16). That experience profoundly turned Paul’s life around, as Jesus Himself commissioned him to be an apostle to the Gentiles.
“The master said,
‘Well done, my good and
faithful servant“.
Paul considered himself to be the “least apostle” because he was the only one who had not spent time with Jesus. He was also the only one among the apostles who had done so much damage to the early church. Perhaps he also intuitively knew that his future would not be on the same level as the Twelve. In Revelation 21:14 we read, “The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb”. Paul would have been number thirteen. But Paul would not have been disturbed by this, because he would have heard the words that really mattered to him, “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. … ’” (Matthew 25:23a). Paul also had a priceless crown awaiting him. 2 Timothy 4:8, “And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing“.
Paul did indeed seem to have worked harder than the other Apostles. He not only undertook three recorded missionary journeys, according to the Acts accounts, but he also wrote thirteen or fourteen of the New Testament books, in the process providing us with much important theology. The least of all the Apostles? That might have been his self-assessment, but in hindsight, we pilgrims have much to thank Paul for. We remember that Paul was chosen “because God poured out his special favour on [him]”. What an endorsement!
Dear Father God. We thank You for Paul, the least of the Apostles. Please help us to be clear on what You have commissioned us to do, so that we too will one day hear those wonderful words, “well done”. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 