As I read through the books that Saul/Paul I have some very basic questions that you may be able to help me understand. Saul/Paul says that he was/is an apostle, and his mission was to the gentiles. And he "ministered" to Asia among other places.
Revelations was written by John, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John." And going on to verse 10 "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."
To the church of Ephesus in 2:2.... "I know your works, your labor, and your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars."
What apostle(s) do you think was being referenced? If you read Acts one thing stands out, Saul/Paul and his disciples were not readily received in Ephesus... "And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of G*d. But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the way before the multitude..." Acts 19:8,9. Also in Acts there is another indication that Saul/Paul may not have been greeted with open arms: Acts 21; "27 When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple." Again in Timothy, Saul/Paul complains "This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me." 2 Timothy 1:15
I am trying to wrap my head around this. We have the book of Revelations, written by John, where Jesus (Yeshua) commended the church of Ephesian (created by Saul/Paul) for rejecting someone or some people claiming to be apostles. I find only one individual who claimed apostleship in the church of Ephesus.... Saul/Paul. Am I missing something?
Can anyone shed some light on this?
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