Romans 1:1
1 Paul [Paulos], a servant [doulos] of Jesus [Iesous] Christ [Christos], called [kletos] to be an
apostle [apostolos], separated [aphorizo] unto [eis] the gospel [euaggelion] of God [theos], KJV-Interlinear
1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ
Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, NASB
The name Paul, is the Greek version of his name,
meaning small or humble. His original
name was Saul, which is Hebrew, meaning asking or he who persistently asks. Thus just the name change represents a huge
change reflecting his attitude and behavior toward life and toward Christ.
Pauls calling was to bring the gospel of Christ to
the gentiles.
He refers to himself here as a servant, ‘doulos,’
meaning slave or one under subjection of another, one who is not free, one who
has a master. And that master is of
course Jesus Christ, and the service is voluntary.
Called, ‘kletos,’ means appointed by another. Paul did not self-appoint himself into the
service of Christ, but was appointed by God for the purpose of a specific
mission.
Apostle, ‘apostolos,’ means one who is sent, and in
this case it was Paul who was sent to, not only spread the gospel of Christ to
the gentiles, but also the deeper concepts of doctrine to all Christians,
regardless of whether they are Jew or gentile.
Anyone in our present day, who uses the title
apostle, does so with a bit of presumption and disrespect for something that is
Gods right and privilege to do. Better
terms for today’s usage are pastor, preacher, instructor, teacher and so forth.
But too, we can learn the principle of appointment,
in that, God appoints everyone for some purpose in life, from the moment of their
birth as well as from the moment from their re-birth in salvation.
From birth, it was Pauls destiny to teach and
write, several books of the New Testament.
Paul did not fall into that destiny until he was well over thirty years
of age, the age of which Jewish males entered into their adult career or mission,
if you will. Jesus did not begin His ministry
until He was thirty.
Paul was not called to be an inventor, or a
businessman, or an employer, or a world leader, or a doctor, ort a ditch digger
or anything else. Many people are called
into this world for many and various functions in life.
Most people never function in the manner intended
for them by God, because they never get with their spiritual program. They are either indifferent, pretend too
much, or simply never get with their daily study from instruction. This life or lifestyle is more important to them
than their God given obligations to others.
In any case, very few people do pursue their
spiritual growth and therefore settle into their spiritual assignment.
Every person has typically two assignments. One to function within their logistical needs
for life, and the second to support to promote the gospel and/or doctrine by
some appropriate means available to them.
And this calling is an assignment, by God to Paul,
as well as the individual spiritually growing believer.
One of the saddest things in life is the believer
who has a God given assignment, but never realizes it and never fulfills it
because they are simply too opinionated or presumptuous or self-absorbed, or just
plain never learn their role and responsibilities and obligations in life.
Separated, ‘aphorizo,’ means separated unto, to be
designated, to mark out with fixed boundaries or limits. And here, Paul was separated out in name,
separated from the Jewish background which he grew up in, separated from the
Mosaic Law under which he was raised, and thus separated out from this world of
works, and into faith through Christ.
The spiritual life is a separation.
It is not a mixture, not a compromise, not a
blending. You are either functioning within
Gods defined spiritual parameters, or you are not.
And here Paul was called for the specific purpose
of, and assigned to, the writing and spreading of the gospel, which includes
all concepts of doctrine, of God.
God here is Jesus Christ, the one and only God and
savior. There is no other person who
possesses those titles or identities.
