Correlation of New Testament Ministries

Theology
1

It is essential that we understand how the ministries of the Lord Jesus and His disciples are correlated. The Lord Jesus’ ministry was primary to the Jews. He said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (to display the Father’s special care and love for His first-chosen people—NC). Paul said of Him, “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers (Mat 15:24; Rom 15:8).

It is the same concerning Peter’s ministry. “As the gospel of the circumcision was committed unto Peter … for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision …” (Gal 2:7, 8). In the former passage the Lord Jesus is called a “minister of the circumcision,” His ministry being connected with the people of the covenant of circumcision—that made with hands. In the latter passage, Peter is also spoken of as having the “apostleship of the circumcision.” In this sense, then, Peter’s ministry was similar to that of the Lord Jesus. In both cases it was a ministry on behalf of the truth of God—a ministry of the security and establishment of the promises made to the fathers. But Peter’s ministry was rejected as that of the Lord’s had been. Individuals submitted to the Messiah and became recipients of a blessing that was according to the promise, but the nation in blindness and unbelief refused their blessings (i.e. some who believed in God - Jn 14:1 - received blessings, but not most because of unbelief—NC).

Peter had another ministry, just as the Lord Jesus did. If the Lord Jesus had a ministry in which He addressed Himself to the Jewish nation as such, He had also a ministry in which He specifically addressed Himself to the true children of God (believers in Him—NC) in the midst of the nation. In John 10 He speaks of thus ministering to the true sheep of the Jewish fold. Peter was given a ministry of like nature—a ministry specifically intended for the true believers among the circumcised. In John 21:15-17 our Lord commissions Peter to shepherd and feed His lambs and sheep.

In the early chapters of Acts we have the record of Peter’s ministry to the nation of Israel, and in his two epistles he carried out a special ministry to the persecuted and dispersed disciples—the followers of the persecuted and rejected Messiah. In speaking of Peter’s ministry in his epistles as especially intended for converted Jews, it is to be understood that it applied to all Christians; but its primary application is to believers connected with Israel wherever they have been scattered (1Pe 1:1; 2Pe 1;1).

Paul also had a double ministry: one towards the world—the nations—all men; the other towards the Body of Christ, the Church (Col 1:23, 24). In either case it was a ministry of the grace of God—a dispensing of blessings from the Father, whether to believers individually or corporately.

In the Old Testament times promises were made, but the blessings implied in the promises were not then dispensed. When our Lord was on earth He did dispense certain blessings to individuals where He found faith, He did minister the forgiveness of sins, for instance, to individuals who believed; but He did not give the full blessing that goes with the fulfillments of the promise of forgiveness (e.g. New Heaven not yet—NC); nor did He, in the days of His flesh, give the Holy Spirit.

In connection with the ministry of Peter there was both the ministration of the forgiveness of sins and of the Holy Spirit; yet Peter did not minister the fullness of blessing which is the present portion and possession of faith. In the Father’s wisdom, this was reserved for Paul. The full scope of faith’s blessings, so far as they are now bestowed in this dispensation, is exclusively through the ministry of Paul (knowledge of the Body and Church of Christ was only through Paul—NC). We have also in Paul’s ministry the blessings that are in hope—that is, what will yet be done for us and given to us as completing the blessings which redemption has acquired for us. What we find in Paul’s ministry, then, is the entire sphere of blessing in which the Father displays His wondrous grace and mercy.

— Corydon Crain (1847-1925)

MJS daily devotional excerpt for July 31

“The present and eternal ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Son; the past, present, and future ministry of the Son is to glorify the Father. Our life and ministry will bring glory to our Father to the extent that we abide in the Son, and are controlled by the Holy Spirit.” -MJS

“When one’s ministry or outreach flows from close communion with the Father, one’s influence and moral authority will be recognized. Moreover, such a workman is not carried beyond what he has received from the Lord, so that his ministry finds sanction in hearts without any pressure.” –John Nelson Darby (1800-1882)

“The object of all Christian life and ministry, of whatever kind, must surely be to bring glory to God. Any lesser motive is inferior. If this were kept in the forefront of our thinking and praying, it would have two beneficial results. The hectic strain would be taken out of our lives and service, and spontaneous fruitfulness would follow.

“We can aim to meet the needs of people as a primary objective, and fret because so many of our efforts prove abortive. We may secretly pride ourselves on our ability to minister, or on our efficient service, and reap nothing but frustration. It is only when our whole outlook is made radiant by His glory, because we are hungry to do His will and that only, that our activities will be quickened into new life, and others be truly blessed.” -J.C.M.

1 Like
2

In Antioch St. Peter and St. Paul effectively split duties. However Antioch was a fully integrated community. This is why Paul rebuked Peter when Peter hypocritically refused to eat with the Gentiles when the group from Jerusalem came to visit.

The Apostles all preached the same message. As there is only one Gospel. And while Paul’s primary calling was to preach to the Gentiles, he still preached to his fellow Jews. And Peter, likewise, preached the Gospel to Gentiles. Because it’s the same Gospel.

The entire Apostolic message was, from Jesus Christ, for the whole world. Jesus did not exclude the Gentiles from this Apostolic mission–but it did take time for the Apostles to get it through their heads.

The Lord had said “Make disciples of all nations” and also “You will be My witnesses … to the whole world” But in the beginning the Apostles stuck to Jews and Samaritans. Until finally God sent Peter a vision, and Peter went and preached in the household of Cornelius. This set off a chain of events which led to the first Church Council, in Jerusalem as described in the Acts of the Apostles.

St. Paul didn’t have a different message or a distinct message. He had the same message that was preached from the beginning, he taught what all the Apostles taught. All the Apostles taught the same thing.

To suggest otherwise is a very dangerous idea. It would suggest separate gospels, separate ministries, separate teachings, separate preaching for different groups of people. As though the Jews are to hear one thing, and Gentiles another. But what the Holy Church of Jesus Christ proclaims, from the beginning, is the everlasting Gospel of God’s love and grace through the Messiah, won for the whole world by His life, death, and resurrection.

The Church, therefore, proclaims the kingdom of God through the Crucified and Risen Messiah, now seated on His throne with everlasting glory and dominion, at the right hand of the Father. As Daniel foretold long ago, the Son of Man was taken up into the heavens and given kingdom and everlasting dominion–when our Lord ascended, He was enthroned as King Messiah over all things. This is what the Apostle means in Philippians about God has highly exalted Him. Jesus Christ, being Himself God, already has the fullness of the Divine Glory because He is the fullness of Deity, being God the Eternal Son and Word. The exaltation of Jesus is not that Jesus attains a divine glory He did not already have; it is the enthronement of the Messiah, the fulfillment of the prophetic promises that the Messiah would come and sit on the throne of his father David forever. The religious teachers of Jesus’ day mistakenly thought that when Messiah came, He would establish an earthly kingdom based out of Jerusalem, and in order to achieve that would have to accomplish a Maccabean-like revolution against the foreign occupational force (Rome). Jesus refused this constantly–His kingdom was not of this world, He came to bear with Him the greater kingdom, the everlasting kingdom, accomplished not by might, but by weakness, through the suffering and weakness of the Cross–by which He made a public spectacle of all the powers and principalities of this fallen world, and conquered death by rising from the dead. And now seated in the heavens, enthroned, as King Messiah–King of kings, Lord of lords–He reigns and, at the time when God alone knows, He shall come. He shall come not to establish an earthly kingdom, but to judge the quick and the dead, destroy entirely the entire system of death by raising all the dead, and the fullness of the kingdom shall be everywhere: New heavens and new earth, for all things shall be restored and set to rights.

This is the preaching of Christ’s Church. It is what the Apostles proclaimed, and gave to all whom they taught and discipled, so that through all generations the Church should proclaim the victory of God through the Crucified and Risen Lord Jesus–and by His atoning work He reconciles the world to God.

“Repent and believe the Good News.”

1 Like
3

Paul’s distinct message concerned “the Church of God,” of which no other Apostle had knowledge! Jesus hinted at it (Mat 16:18) but did not want them to know until revealed by Paul.

4

Jesus Christ said to St. Peter, “On this rock I will build My Church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.”

The Church was established by Jesus Christ. When the Lord appeared to Paul, when he was still Saul, it resulted in Paul’s conversion and entering into the Church through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism (Acts 9:18).

The Apostle Paul preached the one and only Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This, again, is a perfect example of why I consider Dispensationalism to be diabolical. It is plainly contrary to the word of God and 2,000 years of clear and unambiguous Christian teaching.

5

Didn’t all of the Apostles preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus; but Paul was the sole preacher of the Church of God!

Thanks and God bless!!

6

The New Testament is clear that Paul and Peter preached the same gospel, even though they ministered primarily to different audiences and emphasized different aspects depending on their context.

The clearest passage is Galatians 2:7–9:

“On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised… and when James and Cephas and John… gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me…”

Notice that Paul does not say there were two different gospels. The Greek can be understood as “the gospel for the uncircumcised” and “the gospel for the circumcised,” referring to two different missionary spheres, not two different messages. The content is the same. Paul even warns in the same letter:

“Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:8)

There is only one saving gospel.

Peter himself affirms Paul’s message. In 2 Peter 3:15–16, he writes:

“Our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him…”

Peter recognizes Paul’s writings as authoritative, even though some things in them are difficult to understand.

Likewise, at the Jerusalem Council, Peter declares that both Jews and Gentiles are saved:

“We believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” (Acts 15:11)

That is the same message Paul preached.

There are differences in emphasis because of audience and purpose:

Peter often preached to Jews, showing that Jesus is Israel’s promised Messiah and calling Israel to repentance.
Paul often preached to Gentiles, explaining justification by faith apart from works of the Law and the inclusion of the Gentiles.

Those are differences in application, not in the gospel itself.

You can also compare their summaries.

Paul (1 Corinthians 15:3–4):

“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

Peter (Acts 10:39–43):

“They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, but God raised Him on the third day… To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

The core elements are identical:

Jesus is the promised Christ.
He died.
He was raised.
Forgiveness comes through Him.
Salvation is received by faith.

So, despite differences in vocabulary, audience, and theological emphasis, Paul and Peter preached one gospel, centered on the crucified and risen Christ.

J
.

1 Like
7

If I’m not mistaken, in the Greek the word “gospel” appears only once. Effectively saying “I had been entrusted with the Gospel to the uncircumcised, in the same way Peter had been to the circumcised”; the one Gospel, two different evangelistic demographics. Same message, two audiences.

8

No. All the Apostles preached the truth of the Holy Christian Church instituted by Jesus Christ. Not just Paul.

That’s why when Peter preached to Cornelius and his household they were received into the Holy Church through the precious Sacrament of Holy Baptism. The Holy Spirit worked faith through the preaching of the Gospel, and they were received through Baptism into the Church. The one and only Church of Jesus Christ. For there is one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

9

Yes, same Gospel, but Paul was given by Christ to reveal something nobody else was familiar with–the Church of God. This is what he fashions as “my gospel” (Rom 2:16; 16:25; 2Ti 2:8). I would recommend a couple good commentators on this subject (John Gill; Albert Barnes).

10

Amen! The sole difference between Paul and the other Apostles is that the Lord Jesus chose Paul to reveal in-depth the Body of Christ-- the Church!

His choice of Paul shows the mercy and forgiveness of the Father, as He went as far to forgive a self-proclaimed “chief” of “sinners” (1Ti 1:15).

Paul was being humble here because he knew that those reborn are no more sinners but are made righteous and “worthy” of Him (Mat 10:37, 38;
1Co 11:27, 29).

The Greek words for “I am” is “eimi” which means “I was” or “had been.”