Who, In your opinion, was the greatest apostle?

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H. Richard

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The Law came through Moses but grace came though Paul.

Galatians 2:6-10
6 But from those who seemed to be something — whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man — for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me.
7 But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter
8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles),
9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.
NKJV

Ephesians 3:7-11
7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;
10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,
11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
NKJV
 

VictoryinJesus

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Who, in your opinion, was the greatest apostle? You asked for an honest "opinion".

God shows personal favoritism to no man — for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me.

Judas. A man despised. A man hated. A man rejected. No one wants to be Judas. His seat was given up to another. Everyone wants to sit at the table. Question is, did Judas sit at the table or did Judas serve? Did Judas add anything to the Lord?

Luke 22:23-27
[23] And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.
What thing? Betray the Master.

[24] And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. [25] And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. [26] But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. [27] For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.


Matthew 26:25
[25] Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
 

JesusIsFaithful

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Maybe you should ask what the Bible says if we should even consider who is the greatest apostle?

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

1 Corinthians 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase..........21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's; 22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's; 23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

1 Corinthians 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

So nobody is going to brag about how many times they have said the rosary prayer. Nobody is going to brag about their commitment to follow Christ. Nobody is going to brag about keeping the law. Nobody is going to brag about how many times they had received the Holy Spirit. Nobody is going to brag about praying in tongues more than any one else. Nobody is going to brag about keeping the sabbath day over other believers.

Pride comes before the fall as those things have nothing to do with the faith in Jesus Christ.

Many unrepentant believers are going to find themselves left behind at the pre great trib raptured event as in excommunicated from the Marriage Supper table to be received later on as vessels unto dishonor in His House for not departing from those iniquities.

Even Jesus testified that all believers will be greater than John the Baptist in spite of him bring prophesied as the voice in the wilderness to come.

Matthew 11:10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

So even unrepentant believers left behind are greater than John the Baptist, but they will miss out on the firstfruits of the resurrection for not looking to Jesus for help in discerning and departing from iniquity before the Bridegroom had come. So pray today to be ready.
 

101G

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the one who is always the greatest and will always be......... the "Lord Jesus". Hebrews 3:1 "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus".

can't get any greater than him.

PCY
 

Armadillo

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Who promoted a new faith, Christianity, the Messiah has come and people thought he was crazy? Who promoted the Good News and a resurrected Jesus living inside you? Over and over in his Epistles is Christ in you, the hope of glory and He is alive. If it wasn't for the Apostle Paul, we would be more sin conscious than Savior conscious and if more preachers preached like him, there would be far fewer people wallowing in their sins and keeping God at a distance.
 
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FHII

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What G101 said is true! I was thi king on the same lines as he was... I knew Jesus was calked an apostle at least once... Just didn't remember where.

If we are speaking of the 12 chosen then it reminds me of the conversarion I am having with another member. I don't believe God sees on as being greater than the other.

But that wasn't the question. While I realize that none are greater than the others, personally I would give the nod to Paul. But again... We need them all. Even guys like Simon the Zealot and Thaddaeous who get little press in the Bible.
 

Helen

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Fun OP ... @H. Richard
Who in my opinion....is the greatest? It just has to be Paul.
I have leaned on him and learned from him more than the others.
I love to read them all...but he tops the heap for me. :)
 
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Helen

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@VictoryinJesus Interesting...
Well , if this thread is a slow one...and there is 'room' , I for one would like to hear just what you have learned from Judas. :)
I have always felt sorry for Judas and in debates I root for him...doing a job that he was prophesied to be doing...what back in Psalms etc.
But " greatest"? No, sorry I can;t go there with you. x

Bless you...Helen
 
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VictoryinJesus

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@VictoryinJesus Interesting...
Well , if this thread is a slow one...and there is 'room' , I for one would like to hear just what you have learned from Judas. :)
I have always felt sorry for Judas and in debates I root for him...doing a job that he was prophesied to be doing...what back in Psalms etc.
But " greatest"? No, sorry I can;t go there with you. x

Bless you...Helen

Yeah it may have been a stretch. God always refers to the least esteemed, he would be the least esteemed. I wouldn't want to be Judas.
 
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mjrhealth

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Luk 22:24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
Luk 22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
Luk 22:26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
Luk 22:27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

None of them, they where men just like us, doing something new and incredible. So much for them, to get there heads around.
 
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bbyrd009

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Yeah it may have been a stretch. God always refers to the least esteemed, he would be the least esteemed. I wouldn't want to be Judas.
i love the parable though, mostly bc "turned Jesus over to authority, with a kiss" is so obviously a metaphor for most believers today, yet this is completely hidden i guess. "Put Jesus in a position where He might surely accept an earthly crown" is also prevalent, pretty much goes with the first concept i guess, but this is also hidden. I don't see anyone discussing it? Who does Judas represent? Even the "metaphysical" interps just don't ring any bells, at least for me. "Judas reps those who first loved Jesus, and then came to hate Him" is bent yack imo, if that were true he would have enjoyed his 30 pieces right
 
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Helen

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Yes, I agree bbyrd009 I expect to see him in the kingdom... :)
 

pia

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Luk 22:26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
Seems to be a really sore point among the Christian people...We have preachers who claim to serve, all the while they are fleecing the flock, others go about trying to make people really afraid of God and on it goes......Made me recall when I first noticed that Peter, even after Jesus had showed them in no uncertain terms when He washed their feet, forgot very quickly indeed what Jesus had called them to do, since Peter suddenly thought himself too important to help serve the people who had come under their new belief system ( Book of Acts)....It is stated there that Peter thought he was beyond that serving thing lol.....Stating that he should spend his time with the words of God, which is probably why the original religion is based this way......some serve, others just sit and read and try to tell everyone else how to live and serve the Lord.......So silly that, wanting to follow after men, rather than following after Jesus
 
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