[marbren]

There are two main reasons Paul wasn't chosen as the 12th Disciple. The first is that, in order to be chosen, one would have to have "companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection." Acts 1:21. They had to choose between the two men which had met those qualifications. "They were Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias." Acts 1:23. Obviously Paul did not follow Jesus when He walked on this earth, so he could not have qualified. The next reason is found in Acts 9. When Paul is saved by the risen Christ. Ananias is told by Jesus Christ to go to Paul. Ananias at first questions this because he knows how much evil Paul had done to the saints at Jerusalem. But Christ said to Ananias "Go thy way; for he is a CHOSEN vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will SHEW him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake." Acts 9:15. He could not have been the 12th disciple for this reason, either. He was chosen by Christ to be His chosen vessel to the gentiles. By direct revelations from Jesus Christ, Paul was given a different commission than the 12. As can be read in Romans through Philemon.

WoW! Cool! You may be right!

Up until your post here was or is my idea. I am more than willing to trash it.

Paul is the 12th apostle. Matthais was picked using common sense of the group. Not using God's will.

[smvoice]

But remember, the 12 were told that what they bound on earth was bound in heaven. If they chose from the two, the one they chose was bound in heaven, also. God respected the decision. And Paul was never even part of the discussion. As he wasn’t saved until Acts 9, how could he have been?