What is true of “ambassador” is also true of Paul as apostle, a more frequent self-designation. An apostle brings to mind an envoy, a representative of a higher authority and who is to be received accordingly (Jn 13:20). In the New Testament, Christ himself is described as the envoy (“sent one”) by God; the Twelve are sent by Jesus; Paul is an envoy of God or Christ; people like Timothy and Titus serve as envoys of Paul; and individual church communities send emissaries. In Paul’s case, his sense of vocation comes from the conviction that he had been called by God and sent to the Gentiles (Rom 1:4-5).
