Who was/is the 12th Apostle? Was it Matthias (Acts 1:26) or was it Paul (Romans 1:1). Did there have to be a twelfth Apostle?
The Lord called 12 men to follow and work with him during his earthly ministry:
Matthew 10:1-4 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
Matthew 26:47 And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, …
Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, …
One of them, Judas, betrayed him and was lost, leaving 11. After the resurrection, he had to be replaced so the message of the kingdom could be fulfilled. The apostles were to rule from 12 thrones over Israel.
Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Acts 1:15-25 Peter declared (according to Scripture) that there should be a twelfth apostle named. Speaking of Judas “his bishoprick let another take”.
Then he lists the prerequisites for the selection:
⟹ had to be with them from the beginning of Jesus ministry (1:21),
⟹ from the beginning of John the Baptist unto the resurrection, must have witnessed the resurrection (1:22). (kind of disqualified Paul).
Matthias became the twelfth Apostle for Israel. Paul was a special Apostle for the Church (gentiles).
Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
Called by the Lord to go to the Gentiles Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
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