Paul was called the apostle to the Gentiles because he was specially commissioned by God to preach the gospel to the Gentiles and establish churches in Gentile regions. Here are some key reasons why Paul had this title and calling:
1. Paul was specifically chosen by Christ to be an apostle to the Gentiles
In Acts 9, when the risen Christ appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus and converted him, He told Paul that He had chosen him “to be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard” (Acts 22:15). This commission was not limited to just the Jews but to all people, including Gentiles.
Later in Acts 22:21, Paul recounts Christ’s words to him at his conversion: “Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.” So Paul was directly chosen and commissioned by Christ to go to the Gentiles and preach the gospel to them.
2. Paul’s call to the Gentiles was affirmed by the leadership of the early church
The church leadership also recognized Paul’s calling and commission to go to the Gentiles. In Galatians 2, Paul explains how he had a private meeting with the apostles James, Peter, and John in Jerusalem. And they approved of his gospel ministry to the Gentiles and “gave the right hand of fellowship” to Paul and Barnabas, essentially endorsing their work among the Gentiles (Gal 2:9).
Later at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, James publicly declared how God had chosen Paul for a special ministry to the Gentiles: “Simon has described to us how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree…” (Acts 15:14-15).
3. Paul focused his missionary work primarily among the Gentiles
If we survey Paul’s three missionary journeys in the book of Acts, we see that he consistently traveled to Gentile regions to preach the gospel and plant churches there. On his first journey, he and Barnabas went to Cyprus and southern Galatia, which were heavily Gentile areas (Acts 13-14). On his second journey, he went to Macedonia and Greece, again Gentile regions (Acts 16-18).
And on his third journey, he spent much of his time in Ephesus, a major Gentile city, and desired to go to Rome to preach the gospel there as well (Acts 19-28). Paul’s strategy was to target major Gentile cities and regions with the gospel.
4. Paul declared his specific calling as apostle to the Gentiles
Paul himself overtly stated several times that he had been commissioned by God as a minister and apostle to the Gentiles. In Romans 11:13 he says, “I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry.” He also calls himself a “teacher of the Gentiles” in 1 Timothy 2:7 and 2 Timothy 1:11.
He further explains in Romans 15:15-16 that God gave him “the grace of apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles.” So Paul clearly understood his own calling as being sent to preach primarily to the Gentiles.
5. Paul’s ministry and letters were largely focused on Gentile churches
Most of the New Testament letters of Paul were written to Gentile churches he had established on his missionary journeys: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians. Paul was writing to provide doctrine, instruction, and encouragement to these Gentile congregations.
The exceptions were his letters to the Romans and the Corinthian church, though Corinth itself was located in Greece. So the overwhelming focus of Paul’s epistles was on teaching Gentile believers and churches.
6. Paul adapted his ministry methods to better reach the Gentiles
In order to be effective in bringing the gospel to the Gentile world, Paul adapted his approach. Though he was Jewish and often preached first in the synagogues, he dispensed with Jewish customs and ceremonies to identify more with the Gentiles. As he said in 1 Corinthians 9:20-22:
To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law…To those outside the law I became as one outside the law…I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
Paul was flexible on cultural issues so that the Gentiles could better understand and receive the gospel. He did not make them convert to Judaism first.
7. Paul was zealous to preach to Gentiles who had little previous exposure
Not only did Paul target Gentile regions, but he purposed to preach the gospel in places where it was previously unknown. As he wrote in Romans 15:20 – “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known.” Paul desired to blaze new trails in bringing the message of salvation to unreached Gentile peoples.
8. Paul battled against those insisting Gentile believers must become Jewish
Some Jewish believers insisted that for Gentiles to become Christians, they first had to convert to Judaism and place themselves under the Law of Moses. But Paul strongly opposed this idea, even confronting Peter publicly when he was carried away by this flawed thinking (Galatians 2:11-21).
Paul also dealt extensively with this error in Galatians and Romans, insisting that salvation was by grace through faith alone. The Gentiles did not have to become Jews first in order to be part of the church.
9. Paul fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about salvation coming to the Gentiles
Paul’s apostleship to the Gentiles fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies that salvation would come to all nations. Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6 prophecy about the Servant of the Lord being a “light for the Gentiles.” Paul’s ministry accomplished this.
In Romans 15:9-12, Paul quotes from the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms showing how his work among the Gentiles fulfilled God’s plan from long ago to bless all nations through the Messiah.
10. Summary of key facts about Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles
In summary, here are some key facts demonstrating why Paul was known as the apostle to the Gentiles:
- Paul was directly chosen and commissioned by Christ to be a light to the Gentiles
- The Jerusalem apostles and elders affirmed this calling of Paul
- Paul focused most of his missionary work on reaching Gentile regions
- Paul declared plainly that his calling was to minister to the Gentiles
- Most of Paul’s epistles were written to Gentile churches
- Paul adapted his methods to better connect with Gentile culture
- Paul sought to evangelize Gentiles with no previous gospel exposure
- Paul fought against the idea Gentiles must become Jews to be saved
- Paul fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about the Gentile nations coming to salvation
For these important reasons, Paul has rightfully been considered the apostle to the Gentiles. God used him mightily to bring the gospel to the nations.