PAUL'S MESSAGE

 

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes.

 

     Paul introduces himself as three things in this first verse.  He is called.  Paul had an experience on the Damascus Road where Jesus Christ knocks him down and spoke to him about the direction of his life.  It was here he received his call to go and speak to the gentiles.  Paul has a clear calling to the gentiles.  Next, he is an apostle.  Jesus Christ commissioned Paul as he did the other apostles before him.  Apostle also means sent one.  Jesus Christ is the object and essence of Paul’s message and call.

     Paul then discloses that this call to be an apostle was the will of God.  Paul was only doing the will of his father and the will of God.  It was a clear, concise, and precise call.  Paul could nothing but obey the call which ultimately lead to his death.

     Paul would also introduce, Sosthenes who was “the leader of the synagogue” (Acts 18:17) in Corinth. He could be either beaten by Gallio’s men or by the unruly mob, which was angry that they couldn’t kill Paul. Because they wanted to beat somebody, they took it out on Sosthenes.