Christ Sent the Gentiles One Apostle
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Acts 28

By Arthur J Licursi

Jesus was born in 4BC by our calendar. After His earthly ministry to Israel, Jesus likely died in 29 A.D. at the age of 33 years old. He rose and ascended to the Father to then have His ‘heavenly ministry.’ In that heavenly ministry Jesus appeared in heaven to Saul Paulus, a zealous Roman Jewish Pharisee, while on the road to Damascus to arrest Jewish Messianic believers and bring them back in chains. Saul Paulus was there converted to become God’s man who “laid the foundation” of today’s church (1Cor, 3:10) that he calls “the church, which is His body,” (Eph. 1:22b-23a), “the body of Christ.” We find Paul’s conversion experience in (Acts 9:1-19). Later Paul recounts that day adding more detail as seen in Acts 22:6-21 and 26:12-18. The Lord spoke of Paul’s commission that day through Ananias as follows on that fateful day wherein he was blinded.

“… the Lord said unto him [Ananias], Go thy way: for he [Saul Paulus] is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake. 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.” Acts 9:15-17 (KJV)

Earlier, those who stoned Stephen (Act 7:58) had “laid down their coats at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul [Paul].” Most scholars believe the dating of this was around 33 A.D., give or take a year. If this is the case, then Paul’s Damascus experience followed this somewhere between the dates of 34 – 35 A.D.

The Twelve Apostles were “sent” to preach Jesus’ “gospel the Kingdom” to come on earth for Israel.

  • Both ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ and His “Twelve Apostles” were sent with the “gospel of the kingdom” to a specific race of people referred to as “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (cf. Matt 15:24, 10:5-6).
  • By contrast, Paul as “the Apostle of the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13) was sent with “the gospel of the grace of God” for all men, of all races, without distinction.

It’s important to know exactly which gospel message these two sets of Apostles were given and to whom were they sent. Thereby we can establish the context for the words that these Apostles spoke.

Since Christ later sent us Gentiles a special apostle, Paul, wouldn’t you want to know and understnad his message to you more than the gospel message of Jesus and the 12 Apostles who were sent ONLY to Israel?

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, GO NOT into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But GO RATHER TO the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 10:5-6

Let’s now compare the ministries of these differently assigned ministers and Apostles in the New Testament.

  1. Jesus of Nazareth, the Apostle:

Even nominal Christians repeat the truth that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, but did you know Christ was an Apostle sent to ‘the Hebrews’ (Heb 3:1), not us Gentiles? Paul says, “Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision [Israel]” (Romans 15:8). John wrote, “He came unto his own [Israel]” (John 1:11). Recall how that Jesus had said about his ministry, “I am not sent but [except] unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision [Israel] for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers [of Israel]:” (Romans 15:8) So, when God sent “the Son of God,” He was not sent to us Gentiles, but to first century Israel only.

  1. The ‘Twelve Apostles’ Were All Outcast Galilean Jews (Acts 1:11) … Sent to the Israelites:

Most believers know that Jesus chose and sent twelve men to be His Apostles. One apostle was for each tribe of Israel (Matt. 19:28), none was for the Gentiles because the twelve apostles were not sent to minister to Gentiles. They were given apostleship only to the circumcised, Israel.

“These twelve [Apostles] Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go NOT into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But Go Rather To the Lost Sheep Of The House Of Israel.” Matthew 10:5-6

In their kingdom preaching commission, “the Twelve” were to begin at Jerusalem and Israel (Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8). But Jesus said they would ‘not get past the cities of Israel before His 2nd coming’ (cf. Matt. 10:23).

Note that at Pentecost, Spirit filled Peter addressed only the “men of Israel” (Acts 2:22). Later the believers scattered by persecution went to “none but unto the Jews only” (Acts 11:19).

Paul was commissioned “to the Jew first” during the Acts period, as instructed by the Lord. Paul being rejected by the Jews in the Synagogues, then every time he went to the Gentiles in that city. After 15 years Paul went to Jerusalem to confer with the Jerusalem Messianic Jewish church leaders (Acts 15, Gal 2:8-9). There it was decided by Peter, James, and John to limit the Jews ministry “to the circumcision only” (Gal 2:8-9), and released Paul and Barnabas to “go to the Gentiles.”

  1. The Apostle Paul’s Ministry:

Christ and the Twelve Apostles were to minister only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Paul during Acts wrote letters and served Israel during Acts until the time of Acts 15, preaching Christ as their Messiah to all, until they were loosed by agreement with Peter, James, and John, to go to the Gentiles per Galatians 2:9.

We should recognize Paul as the Moses of “the body of Christ,” as God’s special Apostle to the Gentiles.

“For I [Paul] speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am THE Apostle of The Gentiles, I magnify [honor] mine office:” Romans 11:13

“If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I [Paul] write unto you [Gentiles] are the commandments [instructions] of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 14:37

Late in in the Acts period when Paul tried to go to Jerusalem to minister to his Jewish kinsmen, the Lord told him to get out and ‘depart they of Israel will not hear you’ (Acts 22:18).

“And saw him [Jesus ‘the just one,’ v14] saying unto me [Paul], Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they [the Israelites at Damascus] will not receive thy testimony concerning me.”  Acts 22:18 “he [The Lord] said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence Unto The Gentiles.” Acts 22:21

At the End of the 35-year Acts period, Paul turns from Israel to exclusively form the Gentile “body of Christ,” which consist of all races, including individual Jews. In Acts 28:28 Paul declared;

“For the heart of this people [Israel] is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 28 [So] Be it known therefore unto you [Israel], that the salvation of God is sent unto THE GENTILES, and that they will hear [heed] it.” Acts 28:27-28 (KJV)

The only reason there is the testimony of Christ at all today coming from Gentiles is because the Lord sent Paul as a special Apostle… directly to us Gentiles… NOT through Israel’s legalistic program.

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for YOU GENTILES, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:” Ephesians 3:1-2

Yet, most Christians Today do NOT Listen to Paul as Their Apostle for this Age. Why?

Undeniably, Christ sent Paul as a special Apostle to us for today. If this is true, which it is, then why won’t Christians listen to Paul? Instead, today Paul is largely marginalized as ‘just one of the Apostles.’ Paul is often erroneously discounted and hedged out by the ministries of Jesus and The Twelve Apostles who were sent to apostate Israel. Yes, ‘Jesus died for the sins of all mankind,’ ultimately providing “everlasting resurrection life” to all men of all ages who have believed the words of God made known in their age. But as we’ve seen Jesus and The Twelve were not sent to us Gentiles. See https://artlicursi.com/series/justification-available-every-age

  • So, when it comes to the faith versus works controversy, Paul is contradicted by an epistle written by James to the Twelve Tribes, saying; “… faith without works is dead?” James 2:20. Only Paul who makes clear that “ye are not under the law but under grace” - Romans 6:14 and that it is “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. - Ephesians 2:8-9
  • Regarding when the Gentle “the body of Christ” first began, it began with Paul as “the Apostle to the Gentile” church that is called “the body of Christ,” (Eph. 4:12), yet he is largely ignored… in favor of the prophetic fulfillment of the Holy Spirit who ministered to Israel at Pentecost (Acts 2), when Peter addressed “ye men of Israel.” (Acts 2:22). Pentecost is not the start of “the body of Christ.” but rather the continuation of Luke’s promise of the Holy Spirit for Israel (cf. Luke 24:49).

Sadly, entire denominations name themselves after John the ‘Baptist’s ministry to Israel. John died years before Paul was saved and years later sent as “the Apostle of the Gentiles” with his new of “the mystery [secret] now revealed.” Do you realize that if John the Baptist were alive today he would never attend any of the estimated 211 splintered Baptist church denominations today that bear some form of his name… called ‘Baptist’? John’s call to water-baptism was for Israel's ONLY as the mark of their repentance.

Would John the Baptist go to a ‘Baptist’ church? NO! This is because so-called ‘Baptist’ churches and all Christian churches today are filled with ‘Gentiles,’ as it should be. John, as a Jew, would not associate with Gentiles who as Jesus said were considered “dogs” (read Matt. 15:24-26).

The fact is that John was never sent to the Gentiles. John was sent to Israel. He was a law-observant law-teaching Jew (John 1:31) and John as a Jew was not permitted to be with or speak with a Gentile. “… how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation [Gk. ethnos, ethnic race] …”  Acts 10:28

Thanks to Paul we know God in today’s today sees ALL men, Jews, and Gentiles, as either Lost Gentiles or Saved Gentiles. There is no other distinction among humans today.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek [Gk. ethnos, Gentiles], there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” - Galatians 3:28

Today we Gentiles are to study ALL Scripture but we get our doctrine from our Apostle, Paul, by reading his thirteen epistles written especially to us in the books of Romans through Philemon.

Since Christ called, saved, and sent us Gentiles Paul, as a special Apostle, don’t you think we ought to give his message and epistles priority over any other Apostles in the ‘so-called’ New Testament? The fact is that unless you are a first century Jewish believer looking for Israel’s promised kingdom to come on earth, Paul is your One special Apostle. Wherever true Christianity is found today, it is a result of Christ sending Paul as a special Apostle with ‘the truth for today’ for all men of all races and genders.

Have you ever noted how that Paul declares at the outset of each of his church epistles that he is an Apostle, sent by Jesus Christ as seen below?

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an Apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,” - Romans 1:1

“For I [Paul] suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles [to Israel].” – 2 Corinthians 11:5

“…our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I [Paul] am appointed a preacher, and an Apostle, and a teacher of the GENTILES.” 2 Tim 1:10-11

“Unto me [Paul], who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the GENTILES the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery [secret]…” Ephesians 3:8-9

“If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I [Paul] write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.” - 1 Corinthians 14:37

Paul as the ‘Prototype Christian’ is our “Pattern” whereby the vilest sinner can be forgiven and saved by Grace through believing, just as Paul did.

“And I [Paul] thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief [Gk. protos, the PROTOTYPE].

16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that IN ME [Paul] FIRST Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a PATTERN to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” 1 Timothy 1:14-16