S. K. highlights three basic differences between a genius and an apostle. Genius brings forth something new, but it is eventually assimilated and advanced upon by humanity. The apostle Paul has something new to bring as well, but it can never be assimilated and advanced upon by humanity. The message of the apostle remains new for eternity. A man may have reached the age of discretion long ago, when suddenly he is called to be an apostle.
Divine authority is, qualitatively, the decisive factor.
It is not by evaluating the content of the doctrine aesthetically or intellectually. . . . Therein lies the essence of an apostle's life of self-sacrifice. . . . Intellectually speaking he is like the tireless housewife who herself hardly has time to eat, so busy is she preparing food for others. I know that I must preach the gospel as clearly and compellingly as my gifts allow, but I dare not see myself on the stage of some Christian Gong Show. The essence of all is in the authoritative, apostolic message I have been entrusted with, a message I accept, not because of the genius of St. Paul, but because God spoke through him.