Difference between revisions of "Apostles"

<p> In the Gospels Matthew used the term “apostles” only at &nbsp;Matthew 10:2 , introducing the list of twelve apostles. Otherwise, he wrote only of the “twelve” (&nbsp;Matthew 11:1; &nbsp;Matthew 20:17; &nbsp;Matthew 26:14 ,Matthew 26:14,&nbsp;26:20 ,Matthew 26:20,&nbsp;26:47; compare &nbsp;Matthew 19:28 ). Mark used “apostles” only once (&nbsp;Mark 6:30 ) as they returned from their mission trip (&nbsp;Mark 6:7-11 ). He, too, referred more often to the twelve (&nbsp;Mark 3:14; &nbsp;Mark 4:10; &nbsp;Mark 6:7; &nbsp;Mark 9:35; &nbsp;Mark 10:32; &nbsp;Mark 11:11; &nbsp;Mark 14:10 ,Mark 14:10,&nbsp;14:17 ,Mark 14:17,&nbsp;14:20 ,Mark 14:20,&nbsp;14:43 ). Apostles appears only once in John in the general statement “he that is sent (Greek, <i> apostolos </i> ) (is not) greater than he that sent him” (&nbsp;John 13:16 ). </p> <p> Luke is the Gospel of the apostles, especially when read in light of its continuation in Acts. Compare &nbsp;Luke 6:13; &nbsp;Luke 9:10; &nbsp;Luke 11:49 . The apostles asked Jesus for increased faith (&nbsp;Luke 17:5 ) and participated with Him in the final [[Passover]] and the first Lord's Supper (&nbsp;Luke 22:14 ). Finally, the women had to tell the news of the resurrection to the apostles (&nbsp;Luke 24:10 ). </p> <p> Thus in the Four Gospels, the word “apostle” does not play a strong role. The Twelve is the preferred term (&nbsp;Luke 6:13; &nbsp;Luke 8:1; &nbsp;Luke 9:1 ,Luke 9:1,&nbsp;9:12; &nbsp;Luke 18:31; &nbsp;Luke 22:3 ,Luke 22:3,&nbsp;22:14 ,Luke 22:14,&nbsp;22:47; compare &nbsp;Luke 22:30 ). </p> <p> In Acts “Apostles” is an important concept in Acts. Jesus chose the apostles through the [[Holy]] Spirit and instructed them concerning their missionary mission which the Holy Spirit would empower them to carry out (&nbsp;Acts 1:2-8 ). They had a forty-day instruction period with the risen Lord before the ascension, but still they could not know “the times or seasons” of the full restoration of the kingdom (&nbsp;Acts 1:3-7 ). They were eyewitnesses of the ascension (&nbsp;Acts 1:9 ) and heard the angelic promise of His future return (&nbsp;Acts 1:11 ). They understood the betrayal by Judas as fulfillment of Scripture (&nbsp;Acts 1:16 ) and felt the need to replace him to keep their number at twelve. Qualifications for an apostle were clear: participation in Jesus' earthly ministry beginning with His baptism and a witness of the resurrection (&nbsp;Acts 1:21-22 ). At [[Pentecost]] people asked the apostles' leadership in how to respond to Peter's sermon (&nbsp;Acts 2:37 ). New converts remained in “the apostles' teaching” (&nbsp;Acts 2:42 [[Niv, Nas, Nrsv]] ) The apostles did signs and wonders &nbsp; Acts 2:43; &nbsp;Acts 5:12; compare &nbsp;Mark 6:7-13 ). They both preached the gospel (&nbsp;Acts 4:33 ) and directed social ministry to the poor (&nbsp;Acts 4:35 ). Even time in jail did not keep them from preaching the gospel (&nbsp;Acts 5:18 ,Acts 5:18,&nbsp;5:29 ). Gamaliel, a member of the Sanhedrin, managed to gain freedom for the apostles, but they still suffered a beating (&nbsp;Acts 5:33-40 ). The apostle reacted with rejoicing at the opportunity to suffer for Christ (&nbsp;Acts 5:41 ) and continued to preach (&nbsp;Acts 5:42 ). </p> <p> The twelve led in the selection of the first deacons to minister to the needy (&nbsp;Acts 6:2 , the only use of “the twelve” in Acts). See &nbsp;Acts 6:6 ). See &nbsp;Acts 8:1 ). They sent Peter and John to represent them in Samaria, see the result of evangelistic work there, and pray for the Holy Spirit to come upon the new converts (&nbsp;Acts 8:14-15 ). When the apostles laid their hands on the converts, they received the Spirit (&nbsp;Acts 8:17 ). They taught Simon, one of the Samaritans, that apostolic power could not be purchased with money (&nbsp;Acts 8:20 ). [[Barnabas]] introduced Paul to the apostles in Jerusalem (&nbsp;Acts 9:27 ), thus apparently giving apostolic acceptance of Paul's preaching ministry. Peter's mission to [[Cornelius]] and the [[Gentiles]] at [[Caesarea]] (&nbsp;Acts 10:1 ) caused division among the apostles (&nbsp;Acts 11:1-2 ) until Peter's explanation caused them to give God glory (&nbsp;Acts 11:18 ). &nbsp;Acts 14:4 ,Acts 14:4,&nbsp;14:14 introduces Paul and Barnabas as apostles, using the term for persons outside the twelve. In &nbsp; Acts 15:2 “elders” join the apostles in hearing the case against Paul and Barnabas at the “Jerusalem Council.” See &nbsp; Acts 15:22 ). The Jerusalem representatives—Judas [[Barsabbas]] and Silas—completed their task and returned to the apostles (&nbsp;Acts 15:33 ). Paul and Timothy distributed the decrees of the apostles and elders to the Gentile churches (&nbsp;Acts 16:4 ). Here the word “apostles” disappears from Acts, not appearing in the last twelve chapters. </p> <p> In Paul's [[Letters]] Paul opened his letters by introducing himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ (&nbsp;Romans 1:1; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 1:1; &nbsp;2 Corinthians 1:1; &nbsp;Galatians 1:1; &nbsp;Ephesians 1:1; &nbsp;Colossians 1:1; &nbsp;1 Timothy 1:1; &nbsp;2 Timothy 1:1; &nbsp;Titus 1:1 ). Paul's apostleship is a calling (&nbsp;Romans 1:1 ) by God's will (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 1:1; &nbsp;2 Corinthians 1:1; &nbsp;Ephesians 1:1; &nbsp;Colossians 1:1; &nbsp;2 Timothy 1:1 ). Human authority had nothing to do with his apostleship, for it came through Jesus Christ and God the Father (&nbsp;Galatians 1:1 ), through the “commandment of God our Savior” (&nbsp;1 Timothy 1:1 ). Elsewhere, Paul defended his authority and position as an apostle, equal with other apostles. He was the apostle for the Gentiles with a heart for the [[Jews]] (&nbsp;Romans 11:13-14 ). He, along with other apostles, appeared on the scene late as poor fools for Christ to be an example over against the pride of the Corinthians (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 4:9 ). Indeed, existence and ministry of the [[Corinthian]] church sealed Paul's apostleship, showing he had done the work of an apostle. He also qualified because he had seen the risen Christ (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 9:1-2 ). He compared himself and Barnabas to the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and [[Cephas]] (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 9:5-6 ). Apostles had the right to marriage and to being paid for their ministry (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 9:5-6 ). Paul was the least of all apostles because he persecuted the church and was the last to see the risen Lord (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 15:6-11 ). Still, he considered himself “not in the least inferior to these super-apostles” (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 11:5 , NRSV). </p> <p> Those who opposed Paul's claim to apostleship simply sought to be his equal but in reality were “false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ” (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 11:13 , NRSV). Paul had performed the signs and miracles which were “the signs of a true apostle” (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 12:12 ), along with his life of patient endurance, preaching, and suffering for Christ. Paul claimed he did not have to go to Jerusalem to other apostles to get his apostolic mission and authority (&nbsp;Galatians 1:17 ). He did meet Peter and James, eventually, but the church at Jerusalem glorified because of Paul's ministry of evangelistic preaching (&nbsp;Galatians 1:18-24 ). Ultimately Paul proved his apostleship not by asserting personal authority or demanding praise from other people. Rather, he tenderly ministered among the churches (&nbsp;1 Thessalonians 2:5-8 ). </p> <p> When speaking of apostles apart from defending his own role as an apostle, Paul emphasized that acting as an apostle was one of the spiritual gifts which must be done in love (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 12:28-13:13 ). Such a gift is to equip other saints for ministry (&nbsp;Ephesians 4:11-12 ). The apostles represent the foundation of the church along with the prophets (&nbsp;Ephesians 2:19-20; compare &nbsp;Ephesians 3:5 ). Peter's apostleship could be distinguished from Paul's as an apostleship to the Jews as contrasted to an apostleship to the Gentiles (&nbsp;Galatians 2:8 ). Others were also apostles, precisely [[Andronicus]] and [[Junias]] (&nbsp;Romans 16:7 ), possibly a husband and wife team. </p> <p> In the [[Epistles]] Hebrews refers to Jesus as “the Apostle” (&nbsp;Hebrews 3:1 ). Peter identified himself as an apostle in the introduction of each of his letters (&nbsp;1 Peter 1:1; &nbsp;2 Peter 1:1 ). He also called his readers back to the authority of the prophets and of the apostles (&nbsp;2 Peter 3:2 ). &nbsp;Jude 1:17 echoes this. </p> <p> In Revelation John commended the church at [[Ephesus]] for proving some who claimed to be apostles to be liars (&nbsp;Revelation 2:2 ). He called heaven, the prophets, and the holy apostles to rejoice at the fall of [[Babylon]] (&nbsp;Revelation 18:20 ). The names of the twelve apostles will be engraved on the twelve foundations of the new Jerusalem (&nbsp;Revelation 21:14 ). </p> <p> The Twelve The first three gospels and Acts list the twelve with some variations: </p> <p> Peter heads all the lists. Simon, James, John, Andrew, and Philip with differing orders compose the first five in all lists. Matthew is apparently also known as Levi (compare &nbsp;Matthew 9:9; &nbsp;Mark 2:13-14; &nbsp;Luke 5:27-28 ). As “son of Alphaeus” (&nbsp;Mark 2:14 ), Levi may be brother to James, “son of Alphaeus.” Luke has a second Judas, where Matthew and Mark list [[Lebbeus]] or Thaddeus. Most modern translations follow Greek texts which do not include Lebbeus in Matthew's list, reading only Thaddeus. </p> <p> [[Thaddeus]] and Judas, brother of James, are apparently the same person, though some scholars suggest that some sections of the early church had slightly different lists of the apostles' names. </p> <p> Summary The New [[Testament]] has taken a common Greek word from naval and commercial language and made it a technical term for a messenger Jesus sent on a mission and more specifically for the twelve whom Jesus selected to follow Him from His baptism onward. To them He gave the special commission to lead the church into worldwide mission. They functioned as leaders of the church in the early chapters of Acts mainly from a base in the church at Jerusalem. The number twelve in some way identified them as continuing God's work through the twelve tribes of Israel. They had the spiritual gift of functioning as an apostle in giving leadership to the church and training others for ministry. They maintained and transmitted the teachings of Jesus to the early church. Having fulfilled their mission of leading the church's missionary activity and preserving the teachings of Christ, the twelve apostles passed from the scene. They did not occupy an office which they could hand on to others or which the church had the power to fill. Interesting to note is that Paul apparently argued with representatives of the Jerusalem church who claimed apostolic authority for themselves and that Paul had to defend his right to be an apostle. Paul also pointed to others outside the twelve and himself as apostles. Thus the term, at least for Paul and apparently for others, had both the narrower meaning of the twelve and a wider meaning. Otherwise, Paul could not have been included. </p>

<p> <strong> APOSTLES </strong> . Apostle, ‘one commissioned,’ represents a Heb. word which signified not merely a <em> messenger </em> but a <em> delegate </em> , bearing a commission, and, so far as his commission extended, wielding his commissioner’s authority. ‘The Apostle of any one,’ says the Talmud, ‘is even as the man himself by whom he is deputed.’ The term was applied by Jesus to the twelve disciples whom He attached to Himself to aid Him in His ministry and to be trained by the discipline of His example and precept for carrying it on after His departure (&nbsp; Luke 6:13 , &nbsp; Matthew 10:2 ). Cf. &nbsp; John 17:18 ‘Even as thou didst <em> commission me </em> unto the world, I also <em> commissioned </em> them unto the world’ (where ‘commission’ is the verb cognate to ‘Apostle’). </p> <p> Jesus appointed twelve Apostles corresponding to the twelve tribes, thus intimating that their mission was meanwhile to Israel (cf. &nbsp;Matthew 10:5-6 ); but by and by, when He was setting out on His last journey to Jerusalem, He ‘appointed other seventy and commissioned them’ (&nbsp; Luke 10:1 ), thus intimating the universality of His gospel, inasmuch as, according to [[Jewish]] reckoning, mankind was composed of seventy nations. </p> <p> After the Lord’s departure the Twelve were the Apostles <em> par excellence </em> (cf. &nbsp; Acts 6:2; &nbsp; Acts 6:6 ). They were the men who had been with Jesus, and their peculiar function was to testify of Him, and especially of His [[Resurrection]] (&nbsp; Acts 1:21-22; cf. &nbsp; Acts 1:8 and &nbsp; Luke 24:48 ). But they were not the only Apostles. The title was given to Barnabas (&nbsp; Acts 14:4; &nbsp; Acts 14:14 , &nbsp; 1 Corinthians 9:5-6 ) and Andronicus and Junias (&nbsp; Romans 16:7 ). It may be that it was extended to men of [[Apostolic]] character, but then why was it withheld from one like Timothy (&nbsp; 2 Corinthians 1:1 , &nbsp; Colossians 1:1 )? If Barnabas, as tradition declares, and Andronicus and Junias, as [[Origen]] suggests, belonged to the order of the Seventy, it may well be that those others besides the Twelve who were styled ‘Apostles’ were the Seventy. It is true the title is given to James the Lord’s brother (&nbsp; Galatians 1:19 , &nbsp; 1 Corinthians 15:7 ) and to Paul, who belonged neither to the Twelve nor to the Seventy. But theirs were exceptional cases. It was natural that James, who was recognized as the head of the Church at Jerusalem, should be accorded the dignity of Apostleship, as well for his extreme sanctity as for his relationship to Jesus. And as for Paul, his Apostolic title was bitterly contested; and he triumphantly defended it on the double ground that, though he had not companied with Jesus in the days of His flesh, he had seen Him after His glorification on the road to [[Damascus]] (&nbsp; 1 Corinthians 9:1 ), and though he was not one of the original Apostles, his Apostleship had the Lord’s own sanction (&nbsp; 1 Corinthians 9:2 , &nbsp; 2 Corinthians 12:12 ). Perhaps it was his example that emboldened others outside the ranks of the Twelve and the Seventy to claim Apostleship on the score of Apostolic gifts, real or supposed (&nbsp; 2 Corinthians 11:13 , &nbsp; Revelation 2:2 ). See also Disciples. </p> <p> David Smith. </p>