One of the “good things” about the rants of anti-paulist false teachers like chuckk, Quiznos, Klutxpah and HiddenMointain who continually lie against the apostleship of Paul, is the opportunity it gives me to defend him.
One of the most satisfying duties as a believer in Jesus Christ is the God ordained opportunity to defend the gospel against heretics.
Following are some historical evidences defending the apostleship of the humble servant of Jesus Christ, Paul the Apostle
Historical Arguments
Anti-Paulists have no choice but to discard "The Acts of the Apostles" as well because it, too, contains pro-Paul statements. Luke, for example, calls Paul an "apostle" twice in one chapter (Acts 14:4, 14). The anti-Paulist says of those two verses;
"By this time in the record, Luke would have been very familiar with Paul calling himself an apostle and was no doubt in agreement with Paul's assessment of himself. By these statistics alone, it is evident that Paul is by far his own biggest fan... and his side kick Luke was his number two fan. This leaves no one else anywhere in the Bible going on record as recognizing his apostleship!"
Luke is also the only one in the Bible who goes on record to describe the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Feast of Weeks). Should we doubt that account because only Luke records it? Of course not.
According to Yeshua's words to Ananaias, Paul was specifically chosen by Yeshua to bear his name before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel (Acts 9:15). In other words, he was sent by Yeshua which is what the word "apostle" means. We see Paul's actual separation as a sent one (apostle) in Acts 13:1-4 where the Holy Spirit spoke to the prophets and teachers in the Antioch congregation.
"Now there were in the assembly that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Master, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus."
It was actually the Holy Spirit that separated Barnabas and Paul for the work. Was the Holy Spirit incorrect in doing that?
Anti-Paulists will attempt to discredit Luke and Paul by showing how the three accounts of Paul's conversion differ from one another. Acts 9:7 says the men traveling with Paul "heard a voice". Acts 22:9 says of those same men, "they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me".
I offer three possible reasons for this difference;
1) One voice spoke to Paul while a different voice spoke to the rest saying something like, "Fear not"
2) They heard the same voice, but could not hear the actual words that were spoken
3) They heard all the words, but did not understand. The Greek word for "hear" can have the meaning of "understand" as in Jn. 8:43,47. The NIV uses the word "understand" in Acts 22:9, basing it upon the Greek text which reads differently.
9:7 - akouontes men tes phones
22:9 - ten de phonen ouk ekousan tou lalountos moi
Here are the notes from Dr. James R. White (a Greek scholar) in his book entitled, "Scripture Alone", pg.160:
"First, in 9:7 akouo, the verb that means "to hear," is a nominative plural participle; in 22:9 it is a plural aorist verb.
Second, in 9:7 phone, a "sound" or "voice," is a singular genetive noun; in 22:9 it is a singular accusative noun.
Third, in 9:7 akouo precedes its object; in 22:9 it follows its object. Fourth, in 9:7 the phrase is not modified; in 22:9 it is modified by "of the one speaking to me."
Finally, in 9:7 Luke is narrating an event in Greek; in 22:9 Paul is speaking to a crowd in Hebrew or Aramaic . . ."
The context of Acts 22:9 suggests that the reason the men did not hear the voice is because the voice was speaking to Paul in Hebrew, which they did not understand. Remember, Paul said they did not hear the voice and then says, "of the one speaking to me."
That either Paul or Luke was lying is not a valid choice.
Acts 29:9-18 is the third conversion account wherein Paul goes into greater detail as to what Yeshua said to him. These differences in Paul's conversion account lead anti-Paulists to doubt his apostleship.
I don't know about you, but when I give my testimony to people, it never comes out the same. I share more info with certain people than with others based on who I'm talking to and how much time I have to give my testimony. To accuse Paul of lying to King Agrippa when giving his testimony for the third time is outrageous to say the least.
Moses and Paul did not have authority to write any new commands. The Father told Moses exactly what to write and Jesus told the holy spirit exactly what he should inspire Paul to write. And so Jesus is the **AUTHOR OF THE ENTIRE NEW TESTANEBT JUST AS THE FATHER IS THE AUTHOR OF THE ENTIRE OLD TESTAMENT !!
John 16:12-14: Jesus says, "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the Truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will **GLORIFY ME** BECAUSE IT IS **FROM ME** THAT HE WILL RECEIVE WHAT HE MAKE KNOWN TO YOU**!
And holy spirit inspired the 8 writers of the 27 books of the New Testament to write everything Jesus told him to write!!
Hebrews 12:1,2: Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fiving your eyes on **JESUS**, the **AUTHOR** and **PERFECTER** of our faith!!
Acts 26:16-18: Jesus said to Paul, "I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a **WITNESS** of what you have seen and will see of Me. I will rescue from your own people and from the Gentiles. AI am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive **FORGIVENESS OF SINS** and a place among those who are **SANCTIFIED BY FAITH IN ME**!"
Acts 22:14,15: Ananias said to Paul, "The God of our ancestors has chosen you **TO KNOW HIS WILL**and to see the Righteous One and to **HEAR WORDS FROM HIS MOUTH**. You will be **HIS WITNESS TO ALL PEOPLE OF WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN AND HEARD**!"
THE GREAT COMMISSION: Matthew 28:18-20: Jesus says, “**ALL AUTHORITY** in heaven and on ***EARTH*** has been given to **ME** {Not some RC Pope}. Therefore go and make disciples of *ALL NATIONS*...teaching them to **OBEY EVERYTHING** {The entire NT} I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very *END OF THE AGE*!”
John 12:48: Jesus says, There is a Judge for the one who does not accept My Words {Like Acts 26:16-18 above}; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the Last Day!!"
2 Peter 3:15,16: Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our **DEAR BROTHER PAUL** also wrote you with the **WISDOM THAT GOD GAVE TO HIM** He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand {For the unsaved} which ignorant unstable people {Like HiddenMountain} distort as they do other Scriptures, to their own destruction! {Eternal torment in Hell}
