Let us begin with this. Paul was certainly a disciple of our Lord Christ Jesus. However, he was not trained by our Lord Christ Jesus as the other appointed apostles were. Paul was instead accompanied by the Apostle Luke who wrote about all of the trials and travails that Paul endured. It seems that Luke was along to help Paul carry out his mission of evangelizing to the pagan people. Luke did very little to interfere with Paul's efforts. In fact, Luke usually wrote in the third person, as if he were there to only record what transpired in Paul's ministry. However, there is always the possibility that Luke was also teaching Paul our Lord Christ Jesus' ways. Paul was also guided through his ministry by The Holy Spirit. Luke, who was his constant companion having written the Book of Acts and the Book of Luke, knew all about what Paul had actually done during his missions throughout the Mediterranean Sea. I am sure our Lord Christ Jesus sent Luke with Paul to help him and assist where possible as well. After Paul was jailed in Roman and remained there for two years, that is when Luke, who was with Paul much of the time Paul was in prison, then departed and took his report back to our Lord Christ Jesus, so that Christ Jesus would know what Paul had accomplished.
Paul was considered an outsider by most believing Christians of that time and many refused to consider him an apostle of our Lord Christ Jesus. They knew Paul's reputation of a severe persecutor of Christians at that time, and Paul had actually partaken in the execution, if you would call it that, of many Christians during his time as a Pharisee. Paul was also not fond of women, which we can find throughout his writings. So, Paul did not have an auspicious beginning to his discipleship as did the true apostles.
Other Christians at the time, did not accept Paul due to his dislike of women. This was largely women who objected to Paul. The Gospel that Paul so often quoted scripture from taught that women were not to be trusted with the word of our Lord God, and that they were somehow subservient to man. However, that scripture did not apply to Christians, since they were taught to live by Faith and to not rely on laws to guide you to heaven. In addition, many Christians thought of 12 as a Holy number, and if Paul, who claimed to be an apostle were truly an apostle, that would bring the total number of apostles to 13, instead of 12, which was the original number appointed by our Lord Christ Jesus. In addition, Paul performed few miracles on behalf of our Lord Christ Jesus. However, even Christians who were not considered apostles, were able to perform miracles by invoking the name of our Lord Christ Jesus. Still, he was well respected and much more has been found written about Paul, up to this point. It must be that there are many scrolls concerning the apostles of Christ Jesus that remain buried to this day.
I will now present some additional information proving that Paul was not an apostle of our Lord Christ Jesus. Let me begin with the following. Twelve in the Holy Scriptures is a Holy number, is it not? Sure, it is! For instance, there are twelve apostles of our Lord Christ Jesus, and there are twelve tribes of Israel, and there are twelve foundation stones in the New Jerusalem, each containing twelve precious stones. As well as twelve gates and twelve angels guarding the gates of New Jerusalem. Plus, the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the gates. All of which you will find in Chapter 21 of the Book of Revelations. It is a short chapter, so pick up your Holy Scripture and read of it, if you please. In Chapter 22 you will find an additional reference to twelve, with there being the Tree of Life in the New Jerusalem, which bares twelve different kinds of fruit each month.
Also, in Revelations 12:1 it reads, "Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of 12 stars on her head." So, you see, 12 is of great significance in the Holy Scripture. And, of course there are many other examples of the use of 12 in the Holy Scriptures that I could mention; however, I think I have made my point.
Now, let us look at Paul in a new light. There is no doubt that Paul was a great disciple of our Lord Christ Jesus and Paul started many Churches in the name of Christ Jesus and helped them get a foothold in the ancient world. Still, he was just a disciple who was indeed motivated by his love for our Lord Christ Jesus. He suffered through many hardships and many brutal beatings, and was even killed at one point. You will find this in Acts 14:19. In this verse, the Jews believed they had stoned Paul to death. However, Paul was lifted up by our Lord God after being stoned so severely that the Jews thought him to be dead. Paul then walked back into the city to the surprise of his own companions and the Jews. All those who witnessed Paul walk back into the city after being stoned so severely that he actually did die, then felt compelled to listen to Paul's message of the Good News. Notice that Paul did not come limping back into the village; however, instead he walked straight and tall and even Barnabas was surprised to see Paul walking without any sign of having been stoned to death just minutes before. Barnabas had walked away from Paul's lifeless body, as had everyone else.
Still, Paul continued to preach until the next day when he and his companion Barnabas, would leave Lystra. Both had suffered under the persecution of the local Jewish synagogue, and yet somehow, through the grace of our Lord God, they were able to survive these brutal attacks time and time again. Nothing could stop Paul from doing his utmost to spread the Word of our Lord Christ Jesus. He was indeed an amazing man who suffered more than any other disciple of our Lord Christ Jesus. It is assumed that Paul died in Rome, possibly by being beheaded, this during the time of Caesar Nero, who was alleged to have watched Rome burn while he played his fiddle. This of course, is only a legend.
My final argument about disciple Paul not being an apostle of our Lord Christ Jesus now begins. You can find the following Holy Scripture in the Book of Revelations 21:14 and it reads, "The wall of the city had twelve foundations stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." Enough said, do you not think? There were only 12 apostles appointed by our Lord Christ Jesus, and only they received the full message of His coming. Our Lord Christ Jesus taught His apostles and disciples both day and night while He was with them, until the time that Christ Jesus sent them out on their own. Even when our Lord Christ Jesus sent out 72 disciples all at the same time, not one of them was an apostle, only disciples of our Lord Christ Jesus.
Let us conclude with this. Our Lord God is the greatest of engineers. In fact, our Lord God constructed the New Jerusalem entirely by Himself and it will of course work perfectly. Since our Lord God laid the foundation stones for this incredible city called the New Jerusalem, He surely must have known that there were only 12 apostles of His Son Christ Jesus. And, now you know that it is surely set in stone of their only being 12 apostles and no more and no less.
Should you want further information on the exquisite engineering of our Lord God, please refer to my essay title, "The New Jerusalem." You will find it on my Facebook author page. https://www.facebook.com/trinityinsightspub/ Please scroll down until you find it, if you please.
The following essay was inspired by our Lord Christ Jesus.