Did Paul have the authority to issue commands?

[tonychanyt]

I believe so. The Lord told Ananias to deliver a message to Paul in Acts 9:

15 But the Lord said to him [Ananias], “Go, for he [Paul] is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

Paul claimed authority as an apostle appointed by Jesus in Gal 1:

1 From Paul, an apostle (not from men, nor by human agency, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead)

Paul claimed divine authorization in 1 Corinthians 14:

37 If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.

Paul had the authority of an apostle. 1Th 2:

7 although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ; instead we became little children among you. Like a nursing mother caring for her own children

The Thessalonians accepted Paul's authority:

13 We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers.

2Th 3:

14 But if anyone does not obey our message through this letter, take note of him and do not associate closely with him, so that he may be ashamed.

2 Corinthians 13:2-3

I have already warned those who had been sinning when I was there on my second visit. Now I again warn them and all others, just as I did before, that this next time I will not spare them. I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak in his dealings with you; he is a mighty power among you.

Peter confirmed Paul's authority in 2 Peter 3:15-16

And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him, speaking of these things in all his letters. Some things in these letters are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures.

Did Paul have the authority to issue commands?

I think so. Paul was chosen by Jesus to be an apostle. He wrote with authority. Local Christian communities recognized his authority. Peter confirmed his authority. Paul was instrumental in organizing the nascent church and its doctrines.

 

[trophy33]

To Christians from Gentiles, yes. That was his mandate from Christ and from the original apostles.

When he began to teach authoritatively also the Christians from Jews (for example that keeping the Law was temporary and not needed anymore), he got into some kind of clash with other apostles, namely James and Peter. James then writing the famous contradictory epistle about the salvation from works.

Paul taught that even Christians from Jews are free from the Law, which was not liked by some more traditional apostles and Jerusalem groups. Paul was actually arrested (and later sent to death) when he wanted to appease to some Jewish Christians by being publicly seen in the Jerusalem temple and so showing that he still cares about the Law.