"Paul, an Apostle"

CONSIDERING THE CALL: 1 Timothy 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus ....

Paul's letters to Timothy have always stood out for me as reflections on the nature and meaning of the vocation of ministry with Christ's Church, and into the world. When I was a college student and again as a seminarian, they often formed the basis of my devotional reading as I considered where and how God calls to ministry, and my place in that. In these latter days as I am reflecting again on vocation, I find myself irrepressibly drawn once more to these Scriptures.

"Paul, an apostle". An apostle is one who is sent: that is the meaning of the Greek apostolos. Sent by whom he is about to answer in a minute; but one is not sent for no purpose, so we are right to ask, sent for what?

He is sent to tell. Paul always understands his first call as that of proclaiming the message of Christ crucified and raised, His cross, His power, His grace, His restoration of all things. He has a message which is the guiding principle of his life, because Christ is the central Person in his life.

He is sent to plant. Paul is a pioneer, not a settler; he sees his mission as establishing churches and then visiting again long enough to ensure that they are growing and thriving, responding to problems and conflicts as they arise. He is ambitious in his zeal for Christ, willing to endure the labor no matter how breakbreaking in a stony field, as long as the planting is done.

He is sent to serve. He is a "tentmaker" (literally! the first one!), so to outward appearances he "works for himself". But his occupation (artisan) is the support mechanism for his vocation (disciple-maker). No doubt, he wove the two together where he plied his trade; but his real labor was on behalf of the Lord's churches. He serves Christ by serving Christ's people.

He is sent to be sent. This may sound odd; but Paul went on four missionary journeys (at least, of which we have information), and they built upon one another. The more he did, the more he could do; the more he was faithful, the larger his field grew. He was sent now, not only for the needs of now, but to build the ministry scaffolding to be sent later. I dare to imagine that in God's economy, he continues to be sent, in ways which we cannot begin to dream.

"Paul". His Hebrew name, "Saul", was the name of the first King of Israel, a tall and handsome Benjaminite, the kind of alpha-male that men naturally follow and make women go a little weak in the knees. This Paul was apparently not much to look at, nor even a superb orator (witness poor Eutychus!). But his labor of planting and teaching and discipling changed lives. "Paul" -- Greek "Paulos" -- is Hellenized from the Latin "Paulus". Paulus was a Roman surname of some significance, and we know that Paul was a Roman citizen from the time of his birth in Tarsus. But the word also means "small" -- could it have been a nickname, like my uncle who was always known in the family as "Shorty"? An unremarkable presence, an unremarkable name, for a man who was made quite remarkable, set aglow by Christ.

Paul, an apostle. Not of his own doing, but by another -- for one is not "sent" by oneself. That is for later.


Prince Frederick, Maryland (Providence)