Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. (1 Co 9:1–2).
Once again, there's a shift in focus. Paul has already addressed a range of issues, including divisions within the church, sexual immorality, marital status, divorce, and matters concerning food sacrificed to idols. It appears he's methodically working through a predetermined list of topics. Now, his attention turns to his own apostleship. This is evident in verse 3 when he states, "My defense to those who examine me is this."
It's apparent that Paul's apostleship is being questioned by some within the church. This scripture is interesting in the context of the ongoing discussion about the existence of modern-day apostles. We've consistently made the point that, in our study of the question, there is no clear biblical case for the cessation of apostles or prophecy. However, we would argue that if someone were to claim the title of "apostle," it would logically follow that they should meet the biblical criteria, which includes a personal and public call by Jesus Christ. Paul begins this passage by asking three rhetorical questions:
"Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?"
This series of questions serves as an opening statement to address the underlying challenge. Paul confronts it head-on, almost as if he's saying, "Let's tackle the question of my apostleship directly and settle it."
"Am I not free?" At first glance, the question of freedom may appear unrelated to apostleship. However, Paul employs it to assert his rights and privileges as an apostle. This counters any doubts regarding his authority and his entitlement to financial support, as he argues for compensation in his apostolic ministry. Essentially, it's a rhetorical device that underscores his legitimacy and apostolic authority.
"Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?" This is a crucial point. The original apostles were personally appointed by Jesus, and they were witnesses to His resurrection. The apostles who meet the standard of being directly appointed by Jesus, witnessing the resurrection, having authority and sign gifts, playing a foundational role in teaching, and being commissioned to make disciples include: Peter, James (the son of Zebedee), John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew (also known as Nathanael), Matthew (also known as Levi), Thomas (often referred to as Doubting Thomas), James (the son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus (also known as Lebbaeus or Judas, son of James), Simon the Zealot (also called Simon the Cananaean), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed Jesus and was replaced by Matthias), and the Apostle Paul.
While not one of the original twelve, Paul had a direct encounter with the resurrected Jesus and was appointed by Jesus to be an apostle to the Gentiles. This reinforces his apostolic legitimacy and underscores that his calling met the same standard as the original twelve apostles.
Paul encounters the resurrected Jesus.
“Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest. and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
As he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads." So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?"
Now, as we delve into the text, it's crucial to emphasize that Paul's experience wasn't a subjective, isolated event. What happened to Paul cannot be equated to someone charismatic who claims to be an apostle based on personal visitations, prophecies, dreams, or peer declarations. We must be brutally honest in this regard.
What happened to Paul was a very public event, and for several significant reasons (though we won't delve into those reasons here). Let's underscore that Paul's experience was not solely subjective, and to do this, let's refer to the following passage within the same text.
Paul's Commission by Jesus
"Then the Lord said to him, 'Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.' And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank."
From our best efforts, we have listed the biblical standards for being an apostle according to the text of the New Testament:
Direct Appointment by Jesus
Apostles were those chosen personally by Jesus during His earthly ministry. This was a significant criterion, setting them apart from other early church leaders like elders or deacons. The original twelve apostles, as you can find in passages like Matthew 10:1-4, Mark 3:13-19, and Luke 6:12-16, were the ones directly handpicked by Jesus.
Witness to the Resurrection
A fundamental aspect of being an apostle was to be an actual witness to Jesus' resurrection. This was crucial because they were the ones responsible for spreading the message about this extraordinary event. For instance, the Apostle Paul had a unique encounter with the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus, as he recounts in 1 Corinthians 15:8.
Authority and Sign Gifts
Apostles possessed a unique authority and had the ability to perform remarkable "signs and wonders" to demonstrate their apostleship. This authority distinguished them from other church leaders, as described in 2 Corinthians 12:12.
Teaching and Foundational Role
Apostles served as the foundation of the early church, significantly shaping the church's beliefs and teachings. They established the very doctrinal foundation of the church through their teachings, as stated in Ephesians 2:20.
Commission to Make Disciples
Apostles were not passive figures; they had a mission. They were sent out to make disciples and spread the Gospel message far and wide. Their role included taking this good news to the ends of the earth, as seen in passages like Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8.
Are you not my work in the Lord?
In today's context, the matter of whether there are modern apostles can be quite intricate, as it's challenging to rely solely on the New Testament to assert that apostles no longer exist. However, it's reasonable to argue that if contemporary apostolic figures do exist, they should ideally align with the same criteria as the original apostles. This entails having had a personal encounter with Christ and receiving a public appointment from Him.
As we delve into this biblical passage, it provides a compelling case for the potential existence of modern apostles in some capacity. In this context, Paul underscores that even if his apostleship faced some skepticism, there was undeniable evidence—the birth of the Corinthian Church. To him, the Corinthians were akin to his spiritual children. When Paul initially arrived in Corinth, he engaged in a trade, likely crafting leather and making tents, all while zealously spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the Roman world, a mission that was consistent with Christ's calling for him.
From this perspective, it becomes evident that within contemporary Christianity, certain individuals are acknowledged as "apostles." These could be men and women, and even couples, who have devoted their lives to serving the kingdom. These people feel a divine calling to specific places and have established Christian communities or churches. Although it is likely that these people do not meet the New Testament criteria for apostleship. They have earned the respect of an apostle among those whom they minister. We have personally encountered people like this over the years and we have personally been impacted in a positive way by such people.
We are talking about men and women with a profound love for the kingdom of God and the individuals they guide. We've witnessed men who, despite being recognized as apostles within their respective circles, have selflessly assisted others, even in the pouring rain, without expecting them to attend church the next day. Their driving force is love for people, not the pursuit of titles or personal gain.
During one of our ministry trips to the UK, we shared a hotel room with a man esteemed as an apostle or prophet within his circle. Upon entering the room, it immediately became apparent that one of us would have a more comfortable night's sleep than the other. The apostle/prophet promptly said, "I'll take the couch."
When a person embodies Christ-like sacrificial thinking, profound love, and values even the smallest acts of service, they exemplify apostolic qualities. Those they serve genuinely regard them as apostles and prophets because their service is marked by authentic humility and a lack of expectation to be served in return.
Conversely, there are individuals who claim to be apostles but exhibit behaviors contrary to the apostolic spirit. They engage in practices that include commercializing God's work, making boastful and arrogant promises, and sometimes guilt-tripping people into financial contributions, with an apparent appetite for opulent lifestyles. This is not a new phenomenon; it has been present from the early days of Christianity. Consequently, the writers of the New Testament cautioned believers to "test those who claim to be apostles."
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