Thursday, January 28
​

I am the least of the apostles, and I am not worthy of being called an apostle.

—1 Cor. 15:9.
​

The 12 apostles followed Jesus during his earthly ministry, but the apostle Paul did not become a Christian until after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Although he was eventually appointed to be “an apostle to the nations,” Paul did not qualify for the special privilege of becoming one of the 12 apostles. (Rom. 11:13; Acts 1:21-26)

Rather than envying those 12 men and the close association they had enjoyed with Jesus, Paul remained content with what he had. If we are content and humble, we will be like Paul and show respect for the authority that Jehovah has given to others. (Acts 21:20-26)

He has arranged for appointed men to take the lead in the Christian congregation. Despite their imperfections, Jehovah considers them “gifts in men.” (Eph. 4:8, 11) When we respect these appointed men and humbly follow their direction, we stay close to Jehovah and enjoy peace with our fellow Christians.

w20.02 17 ¶13-14​

 

"we will be like Paul and show respect for the authority that Jehovah has given to others. (Acts 21:20-26)"


Although the commentary is extremely concise, (alot of info in a few sentences) it contains an insidously subtle slight of hand.


A dirty sandwich by a 5 star chef.

To suggest that Paul was 'unqualified' to be one of the 12 is misleading.

Was the betrayer qualified ?

The 12 could possibly have been made up of men, other than those Christ ultimaely picked, this actually increases the privilege.

Paul could possibly have been one of the 12, it simply didnt happen that way. Jesus guided Paul's convertion with heavenly power. This does not mean Jesus 'the human' would have been unable to impress Paul.

This is a terrible assumption.


It is difficut to know how exactly Jesus accomplished his greatest act, what it took for a man who never once experienced feeling guilt, to sacrifice his own life as if he were guilty of something. We know it was love. Christ lived for years with the 12 and the closeness and love developed, key to how Christ went through his personal great trials and tribulation. The love he had for them helped him achieve his greatest of all accomplisments.


So therfore as the commentary correctly states it was very special to be one of the 12.


However the commentary makes a complete mistep when it equates the unique privilege directly with 'Authority'.


'be like Paul and show respect for the authority that Jehovah has given to others.'


When Paul is stating he is 'the least' of the apostles he is exhibiting humility 'of deservedness' not lack of authority. Several times Paul explains specifically where he had not made reports to the apostles of his work. Also Paul had rejected certain behaviors from even Jesus' closest apostles.

(Paul had at times defered to the collective experience of the apostles, not because he recognised them as having greater individual authority. Rather because of the value of thier group experience.)


Its a very slight thumb on the scales by the watchtower commentator. Entirely unneccesary.


This commentary attempts to establish that a single person couldn't over reach the authroity of the group of leading men. Yet in Act's a never formerly mentioned christian prophet called 'Agabus' has information which can save the entire group of apostles.


Paul states that he is least [worthy] of the apostles, and an assumption is made that he has the least authority.

 

I have to, of course, be crazy-brief and try to type this out quicklike (spent my morning replying to our brother's questions in a separate topic):

I believe it presumptuous to exclude Paul from the 12, as the Watchtower asserts.

According to the inspired record, Matthias was chosen to fill the vacant spot left by Judas through the casting of lots:

Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.— Acts 1:26 Berean Study Bible

However, the disciples (including Judas) were chosen by Jesus— not by a casting of lots— as verifiable by John 15:16.

Saul, on the road to Damascus, was chosen by Jesus to become the replacement for the spot left among the Twelve following Judas' suicide. (Cf Acts 9:4-6; 1 Corinthians 15:9).

This seems to be all the more certain, given that we never hear of or about Matthias after the casting of lots between Matthias and Joseph.

It ventures into speculation, I admit, but it's a curious thing that Judas became an apostate among the Twelve for his betrayal of the Way, and his place among the Twelve was filled with Paul, who started as an apostate of the Way, became a believer, and then was blessed to become the apostle to the Gentiles and to compose the majority of epistles preserved for us down to our day.

Okay, late for work...!

—Timothy