In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 the Apostle Paul recalls the creedal affirmation of the early church that Jesus (1) died according the Scriptures, (2) he was buried, and (3) he was raised again on the third day according to the Scriptures. This is followed by grounding his Christ-event interpretation of the Torah on the basis that there were a series of witnesses of the resurrection to whom Paul could appeal including (1) Cephas (Peter), (2) the twelve together, (3) five-hundred disciples, some of whom are still alive as witnesses, and (4) James, the head of the Jerusalem church, and Jesus’ half-brother according to his humanity.
The Apostle then states, “…and last of all, as one untimely born, he appeared also to me” (v. 8). I am wrestling with how to read this statement by Paul. Is he making the claim that he is the last one of this sequence to see Jesus or the last one, period, to see Jesus before the eschaton. What does he mean by ἔσχατον δὲ πάντων: “and last of all these I just mentioned” or “and last all of all until the second coming“?
Throughout church history there have been a few individuals who have claimed to see the resurrected Jesus. Do we discredit those claims on the basis of Paul’s statement? If so, how should we understand such claims to be (1) simply wrong, (2) another form of a vision that does not qualify as actually seeing Jesus in the material realm as the resurrected Christ, (3) or something other? If the author of the Book of Revelation is not John the Apostle, how should we read his claims to see the risen Jesus in light of Paul’s statement?
the archives near Emmaus 
Do you think it possible that the emphasis should be put on interpreting “last” in terms of Paul’s claim that he is the least of the apostles: Ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι ὁ ἐλάχιστος τῶν ἀποστόλων. That is, he of all people was unworthy that Christ should appear to him, and that is what makes him the “last”, without prejudicing other potential appearances. Thus the meaning of last is not BDAG 2, in time; but BDAG 3, rank, value: least significant.
Peter,
That is an interesting observation that I did not take into account. I think that vv. 8 and 9 create a sort of play on concepts, rather that v.9 interpreting v. 8. Paul was “last” (significance) in that he was “last” (chronology). So in some sense my original question remains, is not Paul the last and least of the those to see Christ?
Also, does one have to see Christ to be an apostle?
Paul saying he is the last does not mean the least because in Africa we say out of sadness or attitude that in my family if there is a situation am the last to be called. Meaning he is poor financially so he is of less interest to the family or due to his character people associate less with him and in the form of humility. Or the Fear of the people of his saying.