When most people hear the word Apostle, they think of the twelve Apostles who were selected by Jesus to accompany Him during His three-year earthly ministry here on this planet.

Part of the stories of these Apostles are recorded in what has become the New Testament of our Holy Bible. Another Apostle, Saul, who later changed his name to Paul, meaning “Little One,” wrote most of this New Testament Bible.

Paul was also called by Christ to be an apostle. Although Paul did not write The Acts of the Apostles, it includes much about his early ministry. Saul enters our drama when Stephen, a “Spirit-filled” waiter, was stoned to death for his radical blasphemy against the acceptable Jewish belief system in the Roman provincial city of Jerusalem.

Acts 7:59 And they stoned Stephen as he called [God] and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Acts 8:1 Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church that was in Jerusalem; and all were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Saul was going to round up or trap the followers of Jesus, the radical who was held responsible for misleading many devout Jews. Acts 26: 9 “Surely I myself thought that I should do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 “This also I did in Jerusalem, and shut up many of the saints in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were executed, I cast my vote against [them.] 11 “And I punished them many times in every synagogue and forced them [them] blaspheme; and being greatly enraged against them, I pursued them [them] even to foreign cities. 12 “While he was engaged in this, while traveling to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

Called Saul of Tarsus, he was blinded by a light, knocked off his donkey on the road to Damascus. Acts 9: 4 he Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?

Acts 9:14 “And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew tongue, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? [It is] It’s hard for you to kick against the goals. 15 Then I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you persecute. 16” But get up and stand on your feet, because for this I have appeared to you, to make you a minister and witness of the two things that you have seen. and of the things that I will yet reveal to you. [Jewish] people as well as [from] Gentiles, to whom I am sending you now, 18 to open their eyes, [in order] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified through faith in me.’

Saint Paul (circa AD 3-62), Christendom’s greatest missionary and its first theologian, is often called the Apostle to the Gentiles. However, the other believers did not immediately embrace Paul.

Acts 9:26. And when Saul got to Jerusalem, he tried to join his disciples; but they were afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.

With all due respect, I suggest that Paul was the first “Apostle of modern times.”

After Judas hanged himself, before Saul’s conversion and calling, the Lord’s Apostles chose a disciple Acts 1:26 And they cast lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Paul was by no means the last Apostle to be called. He introduces himself as

Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called [to be] an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God

So how does an Apostle fit into the body of Christ?

1 Cor 12:28 And these God placed in the church, first apostles, then prophets, thirdly teachers, then those who do miracles, then those who heal, those who help, those who administer, the gift of tongues.

In reference to Jesus, Ephesians 4:11 And he himself gave some [to be] apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

Hebrews 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus,

This series, “Modern Apostles,” will focus on who and what the apostles are and what they are called to do. Posted by author Rascal, the series should provide new information to be considered.

Additional Ezine articles ~that may be of interest to readers~ are published as author Russ Miles. They are easily accessible through my website and are in the “Free Rascal Reprint Articles” section.

~Rubit “The Apostles of Modern Days series appears”~

Rascal