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Forms of the word apostle
occur 83 times in 80 verses, all of which are in the New Testament. They are: Matthew 10:2; Mark 6:30;
Luke 6:13; 9:10; 11:49; 17:5; 22:14; 24:10; Acts 1:2, 25-26; 2:37, 42-43; 4:33, 35-37; 5:2, 12, 18, 29, 34, 40; 6:6; 8:1, 14, 18; 9:27; 11:1; 14:4, 14; 15:2, 4, 6, 22-23, 33; 16:4; Romans 1:1, 5; 11:13; 16:7; 1Corinthians 1:1; 4:9; 9:1-2, 5; 12:28-29; 15:7, 9; 2Corinthians 1:1; 11:5, 13; 12:11-12; Galatians 1:1, 17, 19; 2:8; Ephesians 1:1; 2:20; 3:5; 4:11; Colossians 1:1; 1Thessalonians 2:6; 1Timothy 1:1; 2:7; 2Timothy 1:1, 11; Titus 1:1; Hebrews 3:1; 1Peter 1:1; 2Peter 1:1; 3:2; Jude 1:17; Revelation 2:2; 18:20; 21:14.
There is much doctrinal dispute about the position of apostle
. Many commentators say different things. Some commentators agree with other commentators and quote them. Some commentators disagree with other commentators and criticize the position of the other commentator. Thus, we have a variety of opinions expressed, which reflects the doctrinal disputes about this word and office within the church. Since an apostle
is pretty much considered to be the highest human authority within the church below Christ, there are a lot of people who want to change the requirements for holding this office. That allows them, or their chosen leader, to claim this office and authority. Unfortunately, many who claim this office do not fulfil the position any better than Judas Iscariot did. Therefore, everyone should carefully look at the character and life of anyone who is said to be an apostle
.
I will make one simple observation and then go on. 1Corinthians 15:5-8 lists the people who physically saw Christ
. This list ends with Paul writing And last of all he was seen of me
. Either the Bible lies, and Paul was not last
, or living people who claim to be an apostle
are either liars or very badly mistaken and have no business being a leader of saved people if they make so basic of a mistake.
In addition, to differences of opinions amoung commentators, there are some things said by commentators which go directly against the Bible. For example, one commentator claims that one of the requirements to be an apostle
is that 'It was essential that they should be infallibly inspired, and thus secured against all error and mistake in their public teaching, whether by word or by writing'. While that sounds good, there is a problem with the claim that they be 'secured against all error and mistake in their public teaching'. Peter was definitely an apostle
and Galatians 2 tells us how Paul rebuked Peter for preaching doctrinal error. Therefore, we can agree about this claim for the 'writing' that ended up in the Bible, but not for anything else.
While the information from several dictionaries is included later within this Study, that is not to be taken as an endorsement of all that is claimed. Rather, that information is included for the Bible student to know what is claimed and to be ready to prove or disprove such claims.
Unlike other Word Studies, this Study will not provide a summary of the doctrine within the Bible. It is too easy for people to look at the summary and ignore all of the detail which supports that detail. While, in most cases, I don't worry about such actions, in the case of this highly contentious and emotional subject, I am afraid that people will judge all of my work based upon an emotional reaction to a summary when they have not done their own detailed analysis and can't be bothered to read mine. So shoot me for suspecting lots of people (not all) of having a sinful nature. The fact is that people who will read the detailed analysis presented here should be able to draw a correct conclusion from the truths presented. Those people who will not, or can not, read the detailed analysis will not have the ability to make their own judgment and will, eventually, rely upon the opinion of someone else. Rather than antagonize such people up front, I hope to get them to at least read some of the details and learn some of the truths that are within the Bible. In addition, while those who believe doctrinal error will not like the evidences found here, those people who believe the truth will like the evidence found here. They also can find support to increase their own belief and to help others. Therefore, this Study will not present a summary section.
The one (claimed) exception (that I know of) to the position of apostle
being the highest position within the church is the Catholic Pope. Many claim him to be above Christ and many claim him to be Christ in the flesh. Either way, these people claim the Catholic Pope to be greater than any of the apostles. They claim that the exception is Peter, whom they claim to be the first Pope and to have passed his power and authority on to current Popes. This claim has many problems with it. I will only deal with two of them. First, Peter said that We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
(2Peter 1:19-20). The context of this statement by Peter is he is comparing his highest personal spiritual experience and revelation to the written Bible. Since Peter said that the written Bible had greater authority than personal relegation, the Catholic claim that the personal relegation of Popes is greater than the written Bible goes against the authority that they base all of their other claims upon. In addition, Galatians 2 tells us how Paul rebuked Peter for preaching doctrinal error. Therefore, the Pope can not be inerrant in matters of doctrine if he inherits his authority from Peter and the Pope can not claim authority to correct the writings of Paul that are found within the Bible. Therefore, without going further, we can see many problems with this claim.
Lots of people like when someone picks on Catholics and the Pope but don't like it when the same criteria are applied to them. Isaiah 14 tells us that the Devil tried to make himself greater than God. We see what happened to him and all of his followers. Then he tempted Eve by telling her that if she ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil
that she would be like gods
(Genesis ). A tree of knowledge
is a formalized set of knowledge. The formalized set of knowledge of good and evil
is called religion. Therefore, Original Sin was believing that if we received religion we could tell God our opinion was as good as God's Word. It didn't work for Satan and his followers. It condemned all of the descendants of Adam and Eve to be born sinners on their way to Hell. Obviously, this is not a plan that results in good things. Therefore, it is a bad idea to disagree with God's written word when we consider who meets the requirements to be an apostle
and what their rights and responsibilities were/are.
One consideration that few people make is that different apostles had different levels of authority and power. However, we see a direct proportional relationship between the level of authority reported within the Bible and the demonstrated level of power. Further, we see that a lot of claims for the authority of an apostle
come from people or groups where the claimed apostle
lacks the demonstrated power with God. Therefore, the simplest way to deal with a lot of these arguments is to reject all claims until after repeated proofs of the person having the proportional power with God.
Webster's 1828 defines apostle
as 'n. L. apostalus; Gr. to send away, to sent. A person deputed to execute some important business; but appropriately, a disciple of Christ commissioned to preach the gospel. Twelve persons were selected by Christ for this purpose; and Judas, one of the number, proving an apostate, his place was supplied by Matthias. Acts 1. The title of apostle is applied to Christ himself, Heb. 3. In the primitive ages of the church, other ministers were called apostles, Rom. 16; as were persons sent to carry alms from one church to another, Philippians 2. This title was also given to persons who first planted the Christian faith. Thus Dionysius of Corinth is called the apostle of France; and the Jesuit Missionaries are called apostles. Among the Jews, the title was given to officers who were sent into distant provinces, as visitors or commissioners, to see the laws observed. Apostle, in the Greek liturgy, is a book contained the epistles of St. Paul, printed in the order in which they are to be read in churches, through the year.'
Smith's Bible Dictionary defines apostle
as '(one sent forth), in the New Testament originally the official name of those twelve of the disciples whom Jesus chose to send forth first to preach the gospel and to be with him during the course of his ministry on earth. The word also appears to have been used in a non-official sense to designate a much wider circle of Christian messengers and teachers See 2Corinthians 8:23; Philemon 1:25 It is only of those who were officially designated apostles that we treat in the article. Their names are given in Matthew 10:2-4 and Christ's charge to them in the rest of the chapter. Their office.--
(1) The original qualification of an apostle, as stated by St. Peter on the occasion of electing a successor to the traitor Judas, was that he should have been personally acquainted with the whole ministerial course of our Lord from his baptism by John till the day when he was taken up into Heaven.
(2) They were chosen by Christ himself
(3) They had the power of working miracles.
(4) They were inspired. John 16:13
(5) Their world seems to have been pre-eminently that of founding the churches and upholding them by supernatural power specially bestowed for that purpose.
(6) The office ceased, a matter of course, with its first holders-all continuation of it, from the very condition of its existence (cf. 1Corinthians 9:1), being impossible. Early history and training.--The apostles were from the lower ranks of life, simple and uneducated; some of them were related to Jesus according to the flesh; some had previously been disciples of John the Baptist. Our Lord chose them early in his public career They seem to have been all on an equality, both during and after the ministry of Christ on earth. Early in our Lord's ministry he sent them out two and two to preach repentance and to perform miracles in his name Matthew 10; Luke 9. They accompanied him in his journey, saw his wonderful works, heard his discourses addressed to the people, and made inquiries of him on religious matters. They recognized him as the Christ of God, Matthew 16:16; Lu 9:20 and described to him supernatural power Lu 9:54 but in the recognition of the spiritual teaching and mission of Christ they made very low progress, held back as they were by weakness of apprehension and by national prejudices. Even at the removal of our Lord from the earth they were yet weak in their knowledge, Lu 24:21; Joh 16:12 though he had for so long been carefully preparing and instructing them. On the feast of Pentecost, ten days after our Lord's ascension, the Holy Spirit came down on the assembled church, Acts 2; and from that time the apostles became altogether different men, giving witness with power of the life and death and resurrection of Jesus, as he had declared they should. Lu 24:48; Ac 1:8, 22; 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 13:31. Later labors and history.--First of all the mother-church at Jerusalem grew up under their hands, Acts 3-7, and their superior dignity and power were universally acknowledged by the rulers and the people. Ac 5:12. ff. Their first mission out of Jerusalem was to Samaria. Ac 8:5-25. where the Lord himself had, during his ministry, sown the seed of the gospel. Here ends the first period of the apostles' agency, during which its centre is Jerusalem and the prominent figure is that of St. Peter. The centre of the second period of the apostolic agency is Antioch, where a church soon was built up, consisting of Jews and Gentiles; and the central figure of this and of the subsequent period is St. Paul. The third apostolic period is marked by the almost entire disappearance of the twelve from the sacred narrative and the exclusive agency of St. Paul, the great apostle of the Gentiles. Of the missionary work of the rest of the twelve we know absolutely nothing from the sacred narrative.'
American Tract Society Dictionary defines apostle
as 'A messenger or envoy. The term is applied to Jesus Christ, who was God's envoy to save the world, Heb 3:1; though, more commonly, the title is given to persons who were envoys commissioned by the Savior himself.
The apostles of Jesus Christ were his chief disciples, whom he invested with authority, filled with his Spirit, entrusted particularly with his doctrines and services, and chose to raise the edifice of his church. They were twelve in number, answering to the twelve tribes. Matthew 19:28, and were plain, unlearned men, chosen from the common people. After their calling and charge, Matthew 10:5-42, they attended their divine Master, witnessing his works, imbibing his spirit, and gradually learning the facts and doctrines of the gospel. After his resurrection, he sent them into all the world, commissioned to preach, to baptize, to work miracles, etc. See Joh 15:27; 1Corinthians 9:1; 15:8; 2Corinthians 12:12; 1Th 2:13. The names of the twelve are, Simon Peter; Andrew, his brother; James, the son of Zebedee, called also "the greater;" John, his brother; Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew, or Levi; Simon the Canaanite; Lebbeus, surnamed Thaddeus, also called Judas or Jude; James, "the less," the son of Alphaeus; and Judas Iscariot, Matthew 10:2-4; Mr 3:16; Lu 6:14. The last betrayed his Master, and then hanged himself, and Matthias was chosen in his place, Ac 1:15-26. In the Acts of the Apostles are recorded the self-sacrificing toils and sufferings of these Christlike men, who did that which was "right in the sight of God" from love to their Lord; and gave themselves wholly to their work, with a zeal, love, and faith Christ delighted to honor-teaching us that apostolic graces alone can secure apostolic successes.'
Easton's Bible Dictionary defines apostle
as 'a person sent by another; a messenger; envoy. This word is once used as a descriptive designation of Jesus Christ, the Sent of the Father (Heb 3:1; Joh 20:21). It is, however, generally used as designating the body of disciples to whom he intrusted the organization of his church and the dissemination of his gospel, "the twelve," as they are called (Matthew 10:1-5; Mr 3:14; 6:7; luke 6:13; 9:1). We have four lists of the apostles, one by each of the synoptic evangelists (Matthew 10:2-4; Mr 3:16; Lu 6:14), and one in the Acts (Ac 1:13). No two of these lists, however, perfectly coincide.
Our Lord gave them the keys of the kingdom,
and by the gift of his Spirit fitted them to be the founders and governors of his church (Joh 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27; 16:7-15). To them, as representing his church, he gave the commission to "preach the gospel to every creature" ( Matthew 28:18-20). After his ascension he communicated to them, according to his promise, supernatural gifts to qualify them for the discharge of their duties (Ac 2:4; 1Corinthians 2:6, 7, 10, 13; 2Corinthianso 5:20; 11:2). Judas Iscariot, one of "the twelve," fell by transgression, and Matthias was substituted in his place (Ac 1:21). Saul of Tarsus was afterwards added to their number (Ac 9:3-20; 20:4; 26:15-18; 1Ti 1:12; 2:7; 2Ti 1:11).
Luke has given some account of Peter, John, and the two James (Ac 12:2, 17; 15:13; 21:18), but beyond this we know nothing from authentic history of the rest of the original twelve. After the martyrdom of James the Greater (Ac 12:2), James the Less usually resided at Jerusalem, while Paul, "the apostle of the uncircumcision," usually travelled as a missionary among the Gentiles (Ga 2:8). It was characteristic of the apostles and necessary (1) that they should have seen the Lord, and been able to testify of him and of his resurrection from personal knowledge (Joh 15:27; Ac 1:21-22; 1Corinthians 9:1; Ac 22:14-15).
(2.) They must have been immediately called to that office by Christ (luke 6:13; Ga 1:1).
(3.) It was essential that they should be infallibly inspired, and thus secured against all error and mistake in their public teaching, whether by word or by writing (Joh 14:26; 16:13; 1Th 2:13).
(4.) Another qualification was the power of working miracles (Mr 16:20; Ac 2:43; 1Corinthians 12:8-11). The apostles therefore could have had no successors. They are the only authoritative teachers of the Christian doctrines. The office of an apostle ceased with its first holders.
In 2Corinthians 8:23 and Philippians 2:25 the word "messenger" is the rendering of the same Greek word, elsewhere rendered apostle
.'
Fausset's Bible Dictionary defines apostle
as '("one sent forth".) The official name of the twelve whom Jesus sent forth to preach, and who also were with Him throughout His earthly ministry. Peter states the qualifications before the election of Judas' successor (Ac 1:21), namely, that he should have companied with the followers of Jesus "all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among them, beginning from the baptism of John unto the day that He was taken up, to be a witness with the others of His resurrection." So the Lord, "Ye are they that have continued with Me in My temptations" (Lu 22:28). The Holy Spirit was specially promised to bring all things to their remembrance whatever Jesus had said, to guide them into all truth, and to enable them to testify of Jesus with power to all lands (Joh 14:26; 15:26-27; 16:13-14). They were some of them fishermen, one a tax collector, and most of them unlearned.
Though called before, they did not permanently follow Him until their call as apostles. All were on a level (Matthew 20:20-27; Mr 9:34-36). Yet three stood in especial nearness to Him, Peter, James, and John; they alone witnessed the raising of Jairus' daughter, the transfiguration, and the agony in Gethsemane. An order grounded on moral considerations is traceable in the enumeration of the rest: Judas, the traitor, in all the lists stands last. The disciples surrounded Jesus in wider and still wider expanding circles: nearest Him Peter, James, and. John; then the other nine; then the Seventy; then the disciples in general. But the "mystery" was revealed to all alike (Matthew 10:27). Four catalogues are extant: Matthew's (Matthew 10), Mark's (Mr 3:16), Luke's (Lu 6:14) in the Gospel, and Luke's in Ac 1:13.
In all four the apostles are grouped in three classes, four in each. Philip heads the second division, i.e. is fifth; James the son of Alpheus heads the third, i.e. is ninth. Andrew follows Peter on the ground of brotherhood in Matthew and Luke; in Mark and Acts James and John, on the ground of greater nearness to Jesus, precede Andrew. In the second division Matthew modestly puts himself after Thomas; Mark and Luke give him his rightful place before Thomas. Thomas, after his doubts were removed (Joh 20:28), having attained distinguished faith, is promoted above Bartholomew (or Nathanael) and Matthew in Acts. In Matthew and Mark Thaddaeus (or Lebbaeus) precedes Simon Zelotes (Hebrew Canaanite,
i.e. one of the sect the Zealots). But in Luke and Acts Simon Zelotes precedes Jude (Thaddaeus) the brother of James. John gives no catalogue, but writing later takes it for granted (Revelation 21:14, 19-20).
In the first division stand Peter and John, New Testament writers, in the second Matthew, in the third James and Jude. The Zealot stood once the last except the traitor, but subsequently became raised; bigotry is not always the best preparation for subsequent high standing in faith. Jesus sent them in pairs: a good plan for securing brotherly sympathy and cooperation. Their early mission in Jesus' lifetime, to preach repentance and perform miracles in Jesus' name, was restricted to Israel, to prepare the way for the subsequent gospel preaching to the Jews first, on and after Pentecost (Ac 3:25). They were slow to apprehend the spiritual nature of His kingdom, and His crucifixion and resurrection as the necessary preliminary to it. Even after His resurrection seven of them returned to their fishing; and it was only by Christ's renewed call that they were led' to remain together at Jerusalem, waiting for the promised Comforter (John 21; Ac 1:4).
From the day of the Pentecostal effusion of the Holy Spirit they became new men, witnessing with power of the resurrection of Jesus, as Jesus had promised (Lu 24:45, 49; Ac 1:8, 22; 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 13:31). The first period of the apostles' working extends down to Ac 11:18. Excepting the transition period (Acts 8-10) when, at Stephen's martyrdom, the gospel was extended to Samaria and. to the Ethiopian eunuch by Philip, Jerusalem is its center, and Peter' the prominent figure, who opened the kingdom of Heaven (according to Jesus' promise to him, Matthew 16:18-19) to the Jews and also to the Gentiles (Acts 2; 10). The second period begins with the extension of the kingdom to idolatrous Gentiles. (Ac 11:19-26).
Antioch, in concert with Jerusalem, is now the center, and Paul the prominent figure, in concert with the other apostles. Though the ideal number always remained twelve (Re 21:14), answering to the twelve tribes of Israel, yet just as there were in fact thirteen tribes when Joseph's two sons were made separate tribal heads, so Paul's calling made thirteen actual apostles. He possessed the two characteristics of an Apostle; he had" seen the Lord," so as to be an eye witness of His resurrection, and he had the power which none but an Apostle had, of conferring spiritual gifts (1Corinthians 9:1-2; 2Corinthians 12:12; Romans 1:1; 15:18-19). This period ends with Acts 13:1-5, when Barnabas and Saul were separated by the Holy Spirit unto missionary work. Here the third apostolic period begins, in which the twelve disappear, and Paul alone stands forth, the Apostle of the Gentiles; so that at the close of Acts, which leaves him evangelizing in Rome, the metropolis of the world, churches from Jerusalem unto Illyricum had been founded through him.
"Apostle" is used in a vaguer sense of "messengers of the churches" (2Corinthians 8:23; Philippians 2:25). But the term belongs in its stricter sense to the twelve alone; they alone were apostles of Christ. Their distinctive note is, they were commissioned immediately by Jesus Himself. They alone were chosen by Christ Himself, independently of the churches. So even Matthias (Ac 1:24). So Paul (Ga 1:1-12; Ro 1:1; 1Corinthians 15:9-10). Their exclusive office was to found the Christian church; so their official existence was of Christ, and prior to the churches they collectively and severally founded. They acted with a divine authority to bind and loose things (Matthew 18:18), and to remit or retain sins of persons (Joh 20:21-23), which they exercised by the authoritative ministry of the word. Their infallibility, of which their miracles were the credentials, marked them as extraordinary, not permanent, ministers.
Paul requires the Corinthians to acknowledge that the things which he wrote were the Lord's commandments (1Corinthians 14:37). The office was not local; but "the care of all the churches." They were to the whole what particular elders were, to parts of the church (1Peter 5:1; 2John 1:1). Apostles therefore could have strictly no successors. John, while superintending the whole, was especially connected with the churches of Asia Minor, Paul with the W., Peter with Babylon. The bishops in that age coexisted with, and did not succeed officially, the apostles. James seems specially to have had a presidency in Jerusalem (Acts 15:19; Acts 21:18).
Once the Lord Himself is so designated, "the Apostle of our profession" (Heb 3:1); the, Ambassador sent from the Father (Joh 20:21). As Apostle He pleads God's cause with us; as" High Priest," our cause with God. Appropriate in writing to Hebrew, since the Hebrew high priest sent delegates ("apostles") to collect the temple tribute from Jews in foreign countries, just as Christ is the Father's Delegate to claim the Father's due from His subjects in this world far off from Him (Matthew 21:37).'
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia defines apostle
as 'a-pos'-l ([ @apostolos], literally, "one sent forth," an envoy, missionary): For the meaning of this name as it meets us in the New Testament, reference is sometimes made to classical and Jewish parallels. In earlier classical Greek there was a distinction between an aggelos or messenger and an apostolos, who was not a mere messenger, but a delegate or representative of the person who sent him. In the later Judaism, again, apostoloi were envoys sent out by the patriarchate in Jerusalem to collect the sacred tribute from the Jews of the Dispersion. It seems unlikely, however, that either of these uses bears upon the Christian origin of a term which, in any case, came to have its own distinctive Christian meaning. To understand the word as we find it in the New Testament it is not necessary to go beyond the New Testament itself. To discover the source of its Christian use it is sufficient to refer to its immediate and natural signification. The term used by Jesus, it must be remembered, would be Aramaic, not Greek, and apostolos would be its literal equivalent.
1. The Twelve:
In the New Testament history we first hear of the term as applied by Jesus to the Twelve in connection with that evangelical mission among the villages on which He dispatched them at an early stage of His public ministry (Matthew 10:1 ff; Mr 3:14; 6:30; luke 6:13; 9:1 ff). From a comparison of the Synoptics it would seem that the name as thus used was not a general designation for the Twelve, but had reference only to this particular mission, which was typical and prophetic, however, of the wider mission that was to come (compare Hort, Christian Ecclesia, 23-29). Luke, it is true, uses the word as a title for the Twelve apart from reference to the mission among the villages. But the explanation probably is, as Dr. Hort suggests, that since the Third Gospel and the Book of Acts formed two sections of what was really one work, the author in the Gospel employs the term in that wider sense which it came to have after the Ascension.
When we pass to Acts, "apostles" has become an ordinary name for the Eleven (Ac 1:2, 26), and after the election of Matthias in place of Judas, for the Twelve (Ac 2:37, 42-43, etc.). But even so it does not denote a particular and restricted office, but rather that function of a world-wide missionary service to which the Twelve were especially called. In His last charge, just before He ascended, Jesus had commissioned them to go forth into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Matthew 28:19-20; Mr 16:15). He had said that they were to be His witnesses not only in Jerusalem and Judea, but in Samaria (contrast Matthew 10:5), and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8). They were apostles, therefore, qua missionaries--not merely because they were the Twelve, but because they were now sent forth by their Lord on a universal mission for the propagation of the gospel.
2. Paul:
The very fact that the name "apostle" means what it does would point to the impossibility of confining it within the limits of the Twelve. (The "twelve apostles" ofRe 21:14 is evidently symbolic; compare in Revelation 7:3 ff the restriction of God's sealed servants to the twelve tribes.) Yet there might be a tendency at first to do so, and to restrict it as a badge of honor and privilege peculiar to that inner circle (compare Ac 1:25). If any such tendency existed, Paul effectually broke it down by vindicating for himself the right to the name. His claim appears in his assumption of the apostolic title in the opening words of most of his epistles. And when his right to it was challenged, he defended that right with passion, and especially on these grounds: that he had seen Jesus, and so was qualified to bear witness to His resurrection (1Corinthians 9:1; compare Ac 22:6 ff); that he had received a call to the work of an apostle (Ro 1:1; 1Corinthians 1:1, etc.; Galatians 2:7; compare Acts 13:2 ff; Ac 22:21); but, above all, that he could point to the signs and seals of his apostleship furnished by his missionary labors and their fruits (1Corinthians 9:2; 2Corinthians 12:12; Ga 2:8). It was by this last ground of appeal that Paul convinced the original apostles of the justice of his claim. He had not been a disciple of Jesus in the days of His flesh; his claim to have seen the risen Lord and from Him to have received a personal commission was not one that could be proved to others; but there could be no possibility of doubt as to the seals of his apostleship. It was abundantly clear that "he that wrought for Peter unto the apostleship of the circumcision wrought for (Paul) also unto the Gentiles" (Ga 2:8). And so perceiving the grace that was given unto him, Peter and John, together with James of Jerusalem, recognized Paul as apostle to the Gentiles and gave him the right hand of fellowship (Galatians 2:9).
3. The Wider Circle:
It is sometimes said by those who recognize that there were other apostles besides the Twelve and Paul that the latter (to whom some, on the ground of 1Corinthians 15:7; Ga 1:19, would add James the Lord's brother) were the apostles par excellence, while the other apostles mentioned in the New Testament were apostles in some inferior sense. It is hardly possible, however, to make out such a distinction on the ground of New Testament usage. There were great differences, no doubt, among the apostles of the primitive church, as there were among the Twelve themselves--differences due to natural talents, to personal acquirements and experience, to spiritual gifts. Paul was greater than Barnabas or Silvanus, just as Peter and John were greater than Thaddaeus or Simon the Cananean. But Thaddaeus and Simon were disciples of Jesus in the very same sense as Peter and John; and the Twelve and Paul were not more truly apostles than others who are mentioned in the New Testament. If apostleship denotes missionary service, and if its reality, as Paul suggests, is to be measured by its seals, it would be difficult to maintain that Matthias was an apostle par excellence, while Barnabas was not. Paul sets Barnabas as an apostle side by side with himself (1Corinthians 9:5 f; Galatians 2:9; compare Ac 13:2; Ac 14:4, 14); he speaks of Andronicus and Junias as of note among the apostles
(Ro 16:7); he appears to include Apollos along with himself among the apostles who are made a spectacle unto the world and to angels and to men (1Corinthians 4:6, 9); the natural inference from a comparison of 1Th 1:1 with 1Th 2:6 is that he describes Silvanus and Timothy as apostles of Christ
; to the Philippians he mentions Epaphroditus as your apostle
(Philippians 2:25 the Revised Version, margin), and to the Corinthians commends certain unknown brethren as the apostles of the churches
and the glory of Christ
(2Corinthians 8:23 the Revised Version, margin). And the very fact that he found it necessary to denounce certain persons as false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ
(2Corinthians 11:13) shows that there was no thought in the primitive church of restricting the apostleship to a body of 12 or 13men. Had the number been definitely restricted, the claims of these interlopers would have been self-condemned
(Lightfoot, Galatians, 97).
4. Apostles in Didache:
When we come to the Didache, which probably lies beyond the boundary-line of New Testament history, we find the name "apostles" applied to a whole class of nameless missionaries--men who settled in no church, but moved about from place to place as messengers of the gospel (chapter 11). This makes it difficult to accept the view, urged by Lightfoot (op. cit., 98) and Gwatkin (HDB, I, 126) on the ground Of Lu 24:48; Ac 1:8, 22; 1Corinthians 9:1, that to have seen the Lord was always the primary qualification of an apostle--a view on the strength of which they reject the apostleship of Apollos and Timothy, as being late converts to Christianity who lived far from the scenes of our Lord's ministry. Gwatkin remarks that we have no reason to suppose that this condition was ever waived unless we throw forward the Didache into the 2nd century. But it seems very unlikely that even toward the end of the 1st century there would be a whole class of men, not only still alive, but still braving in the exercise of their missionary functions all the hardships of a wandering and homeless existence (compare Didache 11:4-6), who were yet able to bear the personal testimony of eye-witnesses to the ministry and resurrection of Jesus. In Lu 24:48 and Ac 18:22 it is the chosen company of the Twelve who are in view. In 1Cor 9:1 Paul is meeting his Judaizing opponents on their own ground, and answering their insistence upon personal intercourse with Jesus by a claim to have seen the Lord. But apart from these passages there is no evidence that the apostles of the early church were necessarily men who had known Jesus in the flesh or had been witnesses of His resurrection--much less that this was the primary qualification on which their apostleship was made to rest.
5. The Apostleship:
We are led then to the conclusion that the true differentia of the New Testament apostleship lay in the missionary calling implied in the name, and that all whose lives were devoted to this vocation, and who could prove by the issues of their labors that God's Spirit was working through them for the conversion of Jew or Gentile, were regarded and described as apostles. The apostolate was not a limited circle of officials holding a well-defined position of authority in the church, but a large class of men who discharged one--and that the highest--of the functions of the prophetic ministry (1Corinthians 12:28; Eph 4:11). It was on the foundation of the apostles and prophets that the Christian church was built, with Jesus Christ Himself as the chief corner-stone (Ephesians 2:20). The distinction between the two classes was that while the prophet was God's spokesman to the believing church (1Corinthians 14:4, 22, 25, 30-31), the apostle was His envoy to the unbelieving world (Galatians 2:7, Galatians 2:9).
The call of the apostle to his task might come in a variety of ways. The Twelve were called personally by Jesus to an apostolic task at the commencement of His earthly ministry (Matthew 10:1 ff parallel), and after His resurrection this call was repeated, made permanent, and given a universal scope (Matthew 28:19-20; Ac 1:8). Matthias was called first by the voice of the general body of the brethren and thereafter by the decision of the lot (Ac 1:15, 23, 26). Paul's call came to him in a Heavenly vision (Ac 26:17-19); and though this call was subsequently ratified by the church at Antioch, which sent him forth at the bidding of the Holy Ghost (Ac 13:1 ff), he firmly maintained that he was an apostle not from men neither through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead (Ga 1:1). Barnabas was sent forth (exapostello is the verb used) by the church at Jerusalem (Ac 11:22) and later, along with Paul, by the church at Antioch (Ac 13:1); and soon after this we find the two men described as apostles (Ac 14:4). It was the mission on which they were sent that explains the title. And when this particular mission was completed and they returned to Antioch to rehearse before the assembled church "all things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith unto the Gentiles" (Ac 14:27), they thereby justified their claim to be the apostles not only of the church, but of the Holy Spirit.
The authority of the apostolate was of a spiritual, ethical and personal kind. It was not official, and in the nature of the case could not be transmitted to others. Paul claimed for himself complete independence of the opinion of the whole body of the earlier apostles (Galatians 2:6, Galatians 2:11), and in seeking to influence his own converts endeavored by manifestation of the truth to commend himself to every man's conscience in the sight of God (2Corinthians 4:2). There is no sign that the apostles collectively exercised a separate and autocratic authority. When the question of the observance of the Mosaic ritual by Gentile Christians arose at Antioch and was referred to Jerusalem, it was "the apostles and elders" who met to discuss it (Ac 15:2, 6, 22), and the letter returned to Antioch was written in the name of "the apostles and the elders, brethren" (Ac 15:23). In founding a church Paul naturally appointed the first local officials (Ac 14:23), but he does not seem to have interfered with the ordinary administration of affairs in the churches he had planted. In those cases in which he was appealed to or was compelled by some grave scandal to interpose, he rested an authoritative command on some express word of the Lord (1Corinthians 7:10), and when he had no such word to rest on, was careful to distinguish his own judgment and counsel from a Divine commandment (1Corinthians 12:25, 31). His appeals in the latter case are grounded upon fundamental principles of morality common to heathen and Christian alike (1Corinthians 5:1), or are addressed to the spiritual judgment (1Corinthians 10:15), or are reinforced by the weight of a personal influence gained by unselfish service and by the fact that he was the spiritual father of his converts as having begotten them in Christ Jesus through the gospel (1Corinthians 4:15 f).
It may be added here that the expressly missionary character of the apostleship seems to debar James, the Lord's brother, from any claim to the title. James was a prophet and teacher, but not an apostle. As the head of the church at Jerusalem, he exercised a ministry of a purely local nature. The passages on which it has been sought to establish his right to be included in the apostolate do not furnish any satisfactory evidence. In 1Cor 15:7 James is contrasted with "all the apostles" rather than included in their number (compare 1Corinthians 9:5). And in Ga 1:19 the meaning may quite well be that with the exception of Peter, none of the apostles was seen by Paul in Jerusalem, but only James the Lord's brother (compare the Revised Version, margin).
LITERATURE.
Lightfoot, Galatians, 92-101; Hort, Christian Ecclesia, Lect II; Weizsacker, The Apostolic Age, II, 291-99; Lindsay, The Church and the Ministry, 73-90.
J. C. Lambert'
Morrish Bible Dictionary defines apostle
as 'The Greek word signifies 'a messenger,' 'one sent,' and is used in this sense for any messenger in 2Corinthians 8:23; Philippians 2:25; and as 'one sent' in Joh 13:16. It is also used in a much higher and more emphatic sense, implying a divine commission in the one sent, first of the Lord Himself and then of the twelve disciples whom He chose to be with Him during the time of His ministry here. The Lord in His prayer in Joh 17:18 said, As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
He was the Sent One, and in Heb 3:1 it is written Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the Heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Jesus.
* They were to consider this One who had been faithful, and who was superior to Moses, to the Aaronic priests, and to angels, and was in the glory. The ordering of a dispensation depended on the apostolic office as divinely appointed.
* The word 'Christ' is omitted by the Editors.
APOSTLES, THE TWELVE. The Lord appointed these that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out demons,
and also to carry out the various commissions given by Christ on earth. It will be seen by the lists that follow that Lebbaeus, Thaddaeus and Judas are the same person; and that Simon the Canaanite (Cananaean) and Simon Zelotes are the same; Peter is also called Simon; and Matthew is called Levi.
Matthew 10:2-4. Mr 3:16-19. Lu 6:14-16. Ac 1:18. Peter is always named first; he with James and John was with the Lord on the mount of transfiguration and also with the Lord at other times, though no one apostle had authority over the others: they were all brethren and the Lord was their Master. Judas Iscariot is always named last. In Matthew the word 'and' divides the twelve into pairs, perhaps corresponding to their being sent out two and two to preach. Bartholomew and Simon Zelotes are not mentioned after their appointment except in Acts 1.
When the Lord sent the twelve out to preach He bade them take nothing with them, for the workman was worthy of his food: and on their return they confessed that they had lacked nothing. Their mission was with authority as the sent ones of the Lord; sicknesses were healed and demons cast out; and if any city refused to receive them it should be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgement than for that city. Matthew 10:5-15.
They received a new mission from the Lord as risen: see Luke 24; John 20. And before the ascension the apostles were bidden to tarry at Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. This was bestowed at the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. They are also viewed first among the gifts with which the church was endowed by the Head of the body when He ascended up on high. Ephesians 4:8-11. These gifts were for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
The mystery hitherto hid in God was now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, namely, that the Gentiles should be joint heirs, and a joint body, and partakers of His promise in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 3. Paul was the special vessel to make known this grace. His apostleship occupies a peculiar place, he having been called by the Lord from Heaven, and being charged with the gospel of the glory. See PAUL.
On the death of Judas Iscariot, Matthias, an early disciple, was chosen in his place, for there must be (irrespective of Paul, who, as we have seen, held a unique place) twelve apostles as witnesses of His resurrection, Ac 1:22;Re 21:14 as there must still be twelve tribes of Israel. Jas 1:1; Re 21:12. At the conference of the church in Jerusalem respecting the Gentiles 'the apostles' took a prominent part, with the elders. Acts 15. How many apostles remained at Jerusalem is not recorded: we do not read of 'the twelve' after Acts 6. Tradition gives the various places where they laboured, which may be found under each of their names. Scripture is silent on the subject, in order that the new order of things committed to Paul might become prominent, as the older things connected with Judaism vanished away: cf. 2Peter 3:15-16.
There were no successors to the apostles: to be apostles they must have seen the Lord.
Ac 1:21-22; 1Corinthians 9:1;Re 2:2. The foundation of the church was laid, and apostolic work being complete the apostles passed away, there remain however, in the goodness of God, such gifts as are needed till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:12-13.'
Apostle:
Matthew 10:1-4 Matthew 10:1-4 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
This names 'The Twelve'. Please notice that they were given power, at this time, that others were not given even though there were other disciples of Jesus
.
The apostles
did not truly receive their position, power and authority until Pentecost. When we see this title in the Gospels, it is used to distinguish the twelve from other disciples.
Mark 6:30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
At the end of chapter 5 Jesus raised the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue from the dead. Then at the start of this chapter Jesus went to His own country but could there do no mighty work
. Then He called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;...And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them
. While they did this, the devil had king Herod kill John the Baptist. So we see Jesus doing things to turn people to God and the devil doing other things to discourage Him. The apostles
were given the job of representing Him. Thus, we see the type of live that a true apostles
would have. Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details.
The apostles
did not truly receive their position, power and authority until Pentecost. When we see this title in the Gospels, it is used to distinguish the twelve from other disciples.
Luke 6:13-16 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.
This names 'The Twelve'. Please notice that these were selected from larger group of disciples.
The apostles
did not truly receive their position, power and authority until Pentecost. When we see this title in the Gospels, it is used to distinguish the twelve from other disciples.
Luke 9:10 And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.
Luke tells the same story as Mark but with different details. (Please see note above about Mark's Gospel.) Luke tells us that king Herod wanted to see Jesus after he killed John the Baptist, but as this says, Jesus took the apostles aside for private teaching and rest. We have a couple of lessons here, one being that God does not reward people who serve the devil no matter how important they might be in this world. The second thing is that God gives special teaching and rest after true service to Him. Here we see God using the apostles
as an example of how God treats people who truly serve Him. Part of the job of the apostles
is to be an example to the Godly.
The apostles
did not truly receive their position, power and authority until Pentecost. When we see this title in the Gospels, it is used to distinguish the twelve from other disciples.
Luke 11:49-51 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.
This is Jesus talking and here He tells us how the world will treat true apostles
. Thus we can tell true Biblical apostles
from false apostles.
The apostles
did not truly receive their position, power and authority until Pentecost. When we see this title in the Gospels, it is used to distinguish the twelve from other disciples.
Luke 17:5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
This chapter starts out with Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
After Jesus told them more of what they would face as true apostles
, this was their response. Thus we can tell true Biblical apostles
by how they react to adversity and threats of adversity. Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details.
The apostles
did not truly receive their position, power and authority until Pentecost. When we see this title in the Gospels, it is used to distinguish the twelve from other disciples.
Luke 22:14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
Here we see that the twelve apostles
were allowed to share the 'Last Supper' with Jesus while others, including His mother, were excluded. Again we see God using the apostles
as an example to the Godly. They received special rewards for special service.
The apostles
did not truly receive their position, power and authority until Pentecost. When we see this title in the Gospels, it is used to distinguish the twelve from other disciples.
Luke 24:10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.
Because of their true service, apostles
are who godly people turn to when they need godly help from another human being.
The apostles
did not truly receive their position, power and authority until Pentecost. When we see this title in the Gospels, it is used to distinguish the twelve from other disciples.
Acts 1:1-4 The former treatise have I made, of Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details. In 1Corinthians 15:6 we read After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
. Please notice that while many disciples saw Jesus
, we are told, in this sentence of Acts, that Jesus...had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen
. He did not give commandments to everyone but worked through the hieratical structure that He created.
Acts 1:25-26 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
In this sentence, and the rest of the chapter, we see Peter leading the church in error, which God ignored. We read very little more about either of these men but we read a lot about Paul, whom God chose at a later time. Here we see that the church does not have the power to appoint apostles
, but God reserves that right and power to Himself. People can claim whatever title they want to claim. However, if God doesn't provide the matching power then their claim is a lie.
Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
This is the reaction of Jews to Peter's message at Pentecost. Please notice that while Peter preached, all of the apostles
were present and giving their support to this message. Further, they had just come out of hiding in the upper room for fear of their lives. Here we see the power
promised by Jesus
that changed people's hearts. This power
was given first to the apostles
and then to other disciples after that.
Acts 2:42-43 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
Here we see that God gave this power
to the apostles
to show that the apostles' doctrine and fellowship
was ordained by God.
Acts 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
. . . . Please see the note for this verse in the Book Study for more details. Basically, this chapter tells us about Peter and John standing for the truth of God after being arrested by the religious leaders and being threatened. After they returned to the believers, the believers praised God and acted with the type of giving heart that God has and that God gives to people who are truly submitted to him and to correct doctrine. In this verse, we are literally told that saved people received grace
as a result of their submission to the apostles' doctrine and fellowship
.
Acts 4:35-37 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
In the past many people didn't understand this section of Acts and used it for the basis of claiming that saved people are to live in communistic communes. The truth is that this section was showing how these early church members acted upon the heart that God gave them and gave up possessions in this world to lay up treasure in Heaven
(Matthew 6:20). This section is telling us what Barnabas did which caused God to have him appointed the pastor of the first missionary church (Antioch). Once more we see saved and sanctified people submitting to the authority of the apostles
.
Acts 5:2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
This is the first incident of a sin unto death
found in the New Testament. Romans 6:16 tells us Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Here in Acts we read that Peter told them Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
Ananias, and his wife, claimed to be submitting the apostles' doctrine
but were really submitting the Satan's doctrine that people can do a half-truth lie and receive the blessings of complete obedience. People still try to do the same thing today and prayer requests for sickness and death are the main prayer request given in churches of America today. Simply put: we must follow the apostles' doctrine
exactly.
Acts 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
This verse tells us the result of God bring a judgment of death upon saved people who lived doctrinal error and lied about it. The exact phrase of the fear of the LORD
occurs 27 times in the Bible. Proverbs 1:7 tells us The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
These people were Biblical fools
and suffered the consequence for being that way. Psalms 111:10 tells us The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
What we see in this verse is the result of the fear of the LORD
. The people who survived submitted to the authority of their God given leaders (apostles
) and were praising God (they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch
).
Acts 5:18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
Here we see the reaction of Satan to God blessing like we read about in the beginning of this chapter. Satan attacks the leaders hoping to discourage all of the followers and to cause God's people to stop serving our Lord. That is why we need to pray for our leaders. It is also why we do not want spiritually immature people as leaders and, especially, do not want them claiming the office of apostle
.
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Here we see the basic doctrine of the apostles
(We ought to obey God rather than men.
) This type of reaction to having their lives threatened is why God gave them the leadership position that they had. Notice that this was not just the answer from Peter but all of the apostles
who were there took the same stand.
Acts 5:34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
Here we see that the apostles
were not allowed to hear what was debated about their fate. They had to act in faith and trust God. Likewise, we often have follow their example and trust God while we know that the world is debating how much (not if) to hurt us.
Acts 5:40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details. That note explains this verse with consideration of all that led up to it, according to Acts. The real problem that these religious leaders had was that Jesus
is our example of how to live in this flesh using the power of the Holy Ghost. Satan does not want us letting God change our life and working through our life to be an example that the lost can physically see. Some theoretical spiritual claims that Satan can twist are OK but a real life example that Satan can't match is not OK to Satan.
Acts 6:5-6 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
This sentence tells us the names of the first deacons. The start of this chapter tells us about the need for deacons and the rest of the chapter tells us how God used Stephen, the first deacon. Please notice that the people chose the deacons and brought the recommendation to the apostles for their approval, not the other way around.
Acts 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
The phrase except the apostles
is important. When the church of Antioch was first started, there was no pastor to start it. Barnabas was sent later, from Jerusalem, to be their pastor. Today we do not follow the example found in Acts. Today we are told that only people qualified to be a pastor can be a missionary and we financially support preachers to go start a mission with only the help of their own family.
Acts 8:14-17 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details. That note explains why the people there did not receive the Holy Ghost until Peter and John came had laid hands on them, even though they believed on the Lord Jesus
. The gospel has to be presented completely and with the proper authority. The apostles
had the authority from God, at that time, because the New Testament was not written.
Acts 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
Simply put, the authority of an apostle
can not be bought or obtained any way except directly from God. Not even the church had the authority to name the replacement for Judas Iscariot.
Acts 9:27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details. Even when Paul was saved, he still needed the to submit to God's authority, which was the apostles
. At this time, Paul had not yet received his training from Jesus
and was not, yet, an apostle
himself.
Acts 11:1 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
Earlier we saw that the Jews accepted the Samaritans getting saved because they were at least part Jewish. Now Peter has taken the Gospel to Gentiles and they were saved by God. The Jews objected, but, as Peter concludes his answer with: what was I, that I could withstand God?
Not even all of the apostles
together have the authority to override a decision by God.
Acts 14:4 But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
In the prior chapter we saw that God told the church at Antioch to send out Barnabas and Saul
as missionaries. Now, in this verse, we see them called apostles
. Neither of them were part of the original 12. Thus we see that while the church can not appoint mew apostles
, God could and did do so.
Acts 14:14-16 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made Heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
Here we see for a second time that Barnabas and Saul
are called apostles
. This meets the Biblical requirement for being doctrine that all saved people must accept, if they want to be right with God.
Acts 15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
Even though Barnabas and Saul
were apostles
, they were willing to submit to the authority of all of the others. When there are several men of equal authority, they know that they have the will of God when each has their say and all come into common agreement. However, when one refuses to submit to what God says through all others, and he can not support his position from a greater authority such as the Bible, that one causing division is in error.
Acts 15:4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
Notice that Barnabas and Saul did not go get all of the people to agree with them before they spoke to the God appointed authorities (the apostles
). Barnabas and Saul acted properly to avoid contention and a possibility of a split. When Paul returned, years later and at the end of the book of Acts, others had acted differently and caused people to accept doctrinal error which brought a judgment of death on most of the members of this church.
Acts 15:6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
Notice that in a matter of doctrine they did not call all of the people and listen to every opinion but restricted the discussion the spiritually mature people (the apostles and elders
). This is proper for matters of doctrine. A lot of our doctrinal error is because people listen to influential, but spiritually immature, people on matters of doctrine.
Acts 15:22-26 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details. The apostles
provides as much authority as they could (chosen men of their own company...And they wrote letters...being assembled with one accord
) to make it clear that what was said here was backed by God and all of the authority of the church. Unfortunately, they did not enforce the same message within the Jerusalem Church and the trouble makers increased until God had to kill almost everyone in the church in order to stamp out the doctrinal error.
Acts 15:33 And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.
This verse says that the messengers from the apostles
delivered their message and exhorted the people at Antioch and then were free to return to Jerusalem and the apostles
. However, Silas decided to stay and became Paul's partner on his next mission trip.
Acts 16:4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
Here we see Paul and Silas on a mission trip and delivering the results of the council at Jerusalem to other Gentile disciples. This section also tells us that Paul had Timotheus circumcised, even though his father was a Greek, because his mother was a Jewess and Paul wanted no contention with the saved Jews. However, in spite of Paul's demonstrated attitude, they accused him of teaching saved Jews to ignore the law. That is what caused all of the problem when he next returned to Jerusalem.
Romans 1:1-7 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This single sentence starts the epistle to the Romans and encompasses the first seven verses. (Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on the Romans for context considerations, the structural analysis and interpretation of this sentence and doctrinal considerations of the rest of this sentence. Only the use of apostle
is considered within this note.) Within this sentence it is important that Paul puts a servant of Jesus Christ
before saying that he was called to be an apostle
and he puts separated unto the gospel of God
after it. Simply put, any true apostle
must first be a servant of Jesus Christ
before he is given the position and then he is given the position only to be separated unto the gospel of God
.
In addition, our sentence tells us that Paul was given grace and apostleship
and the reasons that Paul states are for obedience to the faith among all nations
and for his name
. Thus we see another requirement (obedience to the faith among
all people) and another purpose (glorify his name
). Those who claim this office today would have a hard time getting God to agree that they fulfil all of the requirements within this sentence and that they fulfil all of the purposes stated here. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans, and through it link to the notes within the Lord Jesus Christ Study to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
Romans 11:13-14 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
(Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on the Romans for context considerations, the structural analysis and interpretation of this sentence and doctrinal considerations of the rest of this sentence. Only the use of apostle
is considered within this note.)
Within this sentence we see that Paul had a unique position of authority over Gentiles and what he could tell them was doctrine from God. Paul wrote most of the New Testament. Of note is the fact that he did not write a Gospel but instead tells us how to interpret the Bible, including the Gospels written by others, and he tells us how to apply the lessons found within the Bible. This type of thinking and instruction is totally different from writing a Gospel. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Romans to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
Romans 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
Notice that this says that these two people are of note among the apostles
, not that they are...apostles
. These two are mentioned in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia under The Wider Circle. Proper interpretation of this sentence does not support any indication that these two people were considered to be apostles
. (Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on the Romans for context considerations, the structural analysis and interpretation of this sentence and doctrinal considerations of the rest of this sentence. Only the use of apostle
is considered within this note.)
1Corinthians 1:1-3 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
In this opening sentence we see Paul say that he is an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God
. This is similar to what we see in several other sentences which open epistles. In this epistle Paul is going to tell these saved people that they are making several critical doctrinal errors. Therefore, he starts out by establishing his authority, even though they should know it since Paul started the church. There are three important things here and they are important because the first doctrinal error that Paul deals with is people thinking their opinion is as good as the word of God because they listened to some preacher. First, Paul tells them that he is an apostle
. None of the people claiming to have authority are apostles
and some of the preachers whom they claim to have received their doctrine from are apostle
. Here, Paul is establishing that he has greater authority. Next. Paul says that he is an apostle of Jesus Christ
. That means he received his office from Jesus Christ
and not some man or some church. This also increases his authority. Finally, Paul also says through the will of God
. Now Paul has called two persons in the Trinity as his witness to the authority that he claims. Many people who have claimed the position of apostle
, and anyone who claims that office today, do not have the backing that Paul claimed and do not have the proof of the backing that Paul had. Without that proof, any claim that they make proves them to be liars. Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details.
1Corinthians 4:9-13 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
Here we see many of the things that God required of true Biblical apostles
. Everyone wants to argue about if someone has seen the physical resurrected Christ
, or if that is even necessary. However, if we demanded proof that someone had all of these things in their life and still served God like the Biblical apostles
did, then we would end a whole lot of arguments very quickly. Please see the note related to this verse within the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details.
1Corinthians 9:1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details. The next two verses are also directly related to this verse. The first 24 verses of this chapter deal with people coming from outside of the Corinthian Church and challenging Paul's authority so that they could teach doctrinal error. Paul provides the evidence that he is an apostle
, the support for his position from natural reasoning, the support for his position from the Mosaic Law, the rights that he has as an apostle
, and then the reason why he did not exercise that right. However, as Paul tells them, his failure to exercise the rights of an apostle
was not proof that he was not one and that he lacked the authority of an apostle
.
1Corinthians 9:2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details. This verse is part of the same section as the note above and the note below. Please see the note above for contextual considerations related to this verse. The colon in the middle of this verse makes the two halves equivalent with the second half giving us the reason (for
) and the first half stating Paul's relationship to them. Paul had led each of them personally to salvation (ye in the Lord
) and had given them God's laws for sanctification and blessings (in the Lord
). These people who were challenging Paul's authority had done nothing spiritual for them. Thus, the Corinthians owed the other people nothing while they owed Paul their soul salvation. Paul has proven his love for them and, based upon that, had the authority to tell them how to increase their blessings from God. These other people had no evidence to back their claims and were, in fact, delivering lies from Satan that would hurt them and their families.
1Corinthians 9:5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details. This verse is part of the same section as the two notes above. Please see them for context. Here Paul is telling them just a little of the personal sacrifice that he made to bring them the Gospel. That also gave him authority to tell them how to increase their blessings from the Lord
. The critics of Paul had not made any sacrifice for these people.
1Corinthians 12:28-29 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
This chapter starts out with Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
In this chapter Paul is explaining how God gives spiritual gifts
to His people and then places them in the body of Christ
to exercise those gifts for God's glory and the good of the church. They are not given to lift the person up in pride. In addition, the questions included in the quote (above) show that no one person has all of the gifts. Otherwise, people could say I have no need of thee
, which 12:21 says that church members can not claim. All of this chapter leads up to the prior verse where we read Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
(Please see the note for the prior verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details.) Our quote is part of this conclusion about positions of authority within the body of Christ
which are based upon the particular gift given to the individual. Within this authority structure, we literally see that apostle
is the 'The highest human authority within the church below Christ'.
1Corinthians 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
1Corinthians 15:3-9 give us a sequential listing of the sightings of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ
. Please note that while James
was the head administrator (pastor?) of the Jerusalem Church (Acts 15:13), he is excluded from the apostles
by the literal interpretation of this verse. However, the verses referenced also make it literally clear that Paul physically saw the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ...as of one born out of due time
. (After He returned to Heaven but came back to give Paul special training.) Our section of verses also literally names Paul as an apostle
while excluding James
.
1Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
Please see the note above.
2Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
In this opening verse Paul states his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God
. He does this because in his prior letter, and in this one, he is dealing with people who are challenging his authority so that they can teach doctrinal error which will be accepted only if they can discredit Paul. Please note that while Timothy our brother
is named as a co-author of this letter, and while he was appointed to take over Paul's ministry to all of the Gentile churches, he is not names as an apostle
. This God given position can not be passed on by man or by the church.
2Corinthians 11:5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
Here Paul literally states that he has as much power and authority as the very chiefest apostles
. He says this because people claimed that since Paul did not have the Corinthians support him, he did not have the authority to do so and that proved that he was not really an apostle
. Paul goes on to explain that he had the right but decided to not exercise it for reasons of being more effective among them.
2Corinthians 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details. Please also see the Subject Study on False Things Found in the Bible about false apostles
. In this section we are told how to spot false apostles
. They refuse to minister to people if they will not be paid and if they might have to spend their own money in order to support the ministry. Please also note that the reason that these false apostles
were accepted by the church is because the church was filled by prideful spiritually immature saved people who thought themselves to be more spiritually mature than they actually were. Being filled with pride themselves, they accepted prideful liars as authorities who justified their own pride.
2Corinthians 12:11-12 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
In this chapter of 2Corinthians Paul explains the true signs of an apostle
. It is not by having the signs which fleshly men use to determine glory but having God work through the apostle's
personal life in an exclusive and powerful way.
Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead; ) And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever.
The note for this sentence within the Book Study on Galatians has a lot of details about apostleship
and about Paul's apostleship
. In particular, it points out that Paul was made an apostle
not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead
. Those people who question Paul's apostleship
are making a subtle attack upon the word of God since it declares Paul to be an apostle
in many places and that claim is the basis of his writing so much of our Bible. They attack Paul's apostleship
so that they can replace the word of God with their own sinful opinion. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Galatians, and through it link to the notes within the Lord Jesus Christ Study to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
Galatians 1:17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
Within this sentence we see that Paul uses apostles
for the leaders in the church at that time. However, he also says that they were apostles before me
. That means that our sentence is telling us that Paul was an apostle
, but received his position after the others received their position. Since one of the requirements to become an apostle
is that the person must have seen the resurrected Jesus Christ
in the flesh, and since Paul's conversion was after Jesus Christ
returned to Heaven, Jesus Christ
must have bodily returned to meet Paul. It is believed that this occurred while he was in Arabia
and that Paul received his personal training from Jesus Christ
which he rated far above any other training that he had received (Philippians 3:8). Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Galatians to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
Galatians 1:19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.
Some commentators use this sentence to claim that James the Lord's brother
was an apostle
. Since we already saw within this epistle (in 1:17) that Paul is using apostles
for the 'leaders of the Jerusalem Church', and since this could be interpreted to be placing James the Lord's brother
among the 'leaders of the Jerusalem Church' without actually saying that he was an apostle
, it is hard to be doctrinal on such a claim. We should allow others to have whatever opinion they want on this matter and not try to force our opinion when it is a trivial matter and we do not have the two witnesses
that are required by the Bible in order to make a doctrinal stand. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Galatians, and through it link to the notes within the Lord Jesus Christ Study to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
Galatians 2:6-9 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person: ) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles: ) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
Basically, what we have in this sentence is a direct tie between the office and authority of an apostle
and a right to doctrinally tell people what the gospel
is. We see within this sentence that there were people who tried to claim the authority of an apostle
but their doctrinal claims were rejected. In addition, the Included Section of this sentence (see the Book Study on Galatians for details) literally says For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision
, and Peter was the head of the gospel of the circumcision. Further, our second phrase literally says the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles
and Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles
(Romans 11:13; 2Timothy 1:11). Paul, here, gave us the gospel of the uncircumcision. Thus we see this relationship between apostleship
and the gospel
that was presented to people. Please also see the Word Study on Gospel for more details on these two gospels. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Galatians, and through it link to the notes within the Lord Jesus Christ Study to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
Ephesians 1:1-2 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
As shown within this Study, several other places (for example please see the note for Galatians 2:8) give us a direct tie between the office and authority of an apostle
and right to doctrinally tell people what the gospel
is. This epistle, along with Galatians, Colossians and others, tell us details of the Gospel of Your Salvation. Thus, Paul opens this epistle with a statement of his office and authority (as an apostle
) and of his intent to fulfil that role within this epistle. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Ephesians, and through it link to the notes within the Lord Jesus Christ Study to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
Ephesians 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Basically, the Gospels tell us how Jesus lived as a physical human man using the power of the Holy Ghost. He is our example of how to live in this flesh using the Holy Ghost that was given to us. Then, after His resurrection, He worked through the Holy Ghost and the apostles
to show us how to use the Bible as our guide for having an ongoing spiritual relationship with God. Think about it. Probably the main religious fight reported in the New Testament is with preachers insisting that people were sanctified
by keeping religious rules (the Law). In opposition, the apostles
taught that true Biblical sanctification
comes from our personal relationship that is in Christ and that requires us to let Christ
live through our life. That ongoing personal relationship, that is taught within the writings of the apostles
, is part of the foundation of the true life that God wants us to have. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Ephesians, and through it link to the notes within the Lord Jesus Christ Study to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
Ephesians 3:1-5 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to youward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
In the note for Ephesians 1:1) (in the Book Study on Ephesians) it was shown how these Ephesians had people who were preaching 'Lordship Sanctification' to them and who were challenging Paul's authority. In this chapter, Paul tells us that God gave him a special position (apostle / the prisoner of Jesus Christ
) and revealed the mystery
to Paul that these 'Lordship Sanctification' preachers didn't know. That mystery
was the personal relationship that God made available in Christ that was not available before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
. Thus, once more, we see God reveal His truth through an apostle
and we see Satan using men in lower positions to try and oppose God's authority. Even among saved people Satan can find ambitious people who will do his will if it will seem to fulfil their ambition. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Ephesians, and through it link to the notes within the Lord Jesus Christ Study to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
Ephesians 4:11-16 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
This sentence lists several offices within the church and gives us a hierarchy of authority. However, the emphasis of the entire sentence is on what Christ
is doing within the church to put things in order. Therefore, the emphasis is upon responsibility and not upon privilege. In addition, it is clear, within this sentence, that Christ
makes these decisions and these are not offices to be achieved by ambition. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Ephesians, and through it link to the notes within the Lord Jesus Christ Study to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
Colossians 1:1-2 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Within this sentence Paul is not contending with other people who would claim his authority even though Christ
had not given them the position. Paul is secure within his position and is using it to elevate the position of Timothy. Notice that Paul can offer Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
because he has the authority as an apostle
. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Colossians, and through it link to the notes within the Lord Jesus Christ Study to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
1Thessalonians 2:5-6 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
This sentence tells us how true Biblical apostles of Christ
are to act. The couple of sentences before this tell of the contention
that they had with unbelievers while this sentence tells us that they avoided contention
with believers, especially those who accepted the truth of God. Many people make the mistake of thinking that Christians
are supposed to be floor mats and let everyone walk all over them because they never defend anything. Others have the same attitude but less extreme claiming that only some people are to take advantage of the Christian. The truth that we find in the Bible and the example from Jesus and from Paul is that Christians are to defend God's Word first, their own testimony next, their families and the church after that while also fighting hardest against religious people who claim to be Christians while promoting sin and the doctrine of devils. . Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details.
1Timothy 1:1-2 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details about this sentence. That note links to several others which explain the context and doctrine of this sentence. Within this sentence we see that Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour
. God has the right to choose representatives and specify their authority, which He did when He made Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ
. Hebrews 5:4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron
when Hebrews is speaking about the office of a high priest
(Hebrews 5:1). However, the same thing applies to the office of apostle of Jesus Christ
. If a man could taketh this honour unto himself
, as many have tried to do, then it would not require the commandment of God our Saviour
and God our Saviour
does not waste His time doing things that men can do. That's why the church decision in Acts 1:13-26 was ignored by God. We never hear again about their choice (Matthias
). We do read about a Barsabas
and about a Justus
, although they may be different men than the man rejected by the church in Acts 1. However, the point is that God made sure that Matthias
was never mentioned again in His Bible so that men would know that being made an apostle of Jesus Christ
requires the commandment of God our Saviour
and not even the church is allowed to give this office to men.
1Timothy 2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
Here, Paul is telling us that he is ordained a preacher, and an apostle
. As a preacher, and an apostle
, Paul represents God to men. He is telling us that the only way (exact meaning of one mediator
) to get to God the Father is through the man Christ Jesus
. Paul is telling us that he has this message directly from Christ
for a couple of reasons. The first relates to Paul's positions which allow him to speak for God. Both positions as a preacher, and an apostle
require the person to be saved and then matured by the ministry of Christ
. However, not all saved and spiritually mature people are given these positions. Since this is a gift given to only some saved, it is given through Christ
. The second reason that Christ
is used by itself is because Christ
is the role that the Son of God uses to have a personal relationship with the saved between the time of their initial profession and when they leave this world. Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details.
2Timothy 1:1-2 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
In this opening sentence we see Paul give his authority (of Jesus Christ by the will of God
) like he did in other epistles such as Ephesians 1:1. (Please see note above). However, Paul didn't have the same motivation. With the Ephesians Paul was contending with the claims of people who came to the church and claimed the authority to dispute the doctrine that came from Paul. With Timothy, Paul had no doubt of his trust in Paul but was giving Timothy the authority that was behind the doctrine that Timothy preached and that Timothy would need to contend with people who preached false doctrine. Paul was giving Timothy, and all preachers since then, the authority that is in our written word of God which shows that what the apostle
said literally came from Jesus Christ by the will of God
. That is why we put our trust in what is written in the word of God and not in just what the preacher says.
In addition, to that, as the note for this verse within the Book Study on 2Timothy says, Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ
for the specific purpose of bringing people to receive the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus
. Please see that note for more details on how this epistle was written expressly to enable that result in our lives.
2Timothy 1:8-11 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
There is a lot of doctrine in this sentence. The doctrine is more than I can cover here. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on 2Timothy for those details. However, what is important is that the Section of this sentence which tells us that Paul is an apostle
is equivalent to two other Sections, which encompass all that came before within this sentence. That means that everything involved within this sentence is part of being an apostle
. For example, Paul said that he is his prisoner
and (to the best of our knowledge) all of the apostle
died a martyr's death. They also preached the doctrine found within this sentence such as God apostle...according to his own purpose
and not for our purpose of avoiding the consequences of our ongoing sins. In addition, we see that God hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel
. Once more we see that the doctrine from a true Biblical apostle
says that everything that we get from God comes from truths found within the written word of God (gospel
).
Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
In this opening sentence we see Paul give his authority (of Jesus Christ
) like he did in other epistles such as 2Timothy 1:1. (Please see note above). As with Timothy, Paul's motivation was to give Titus the authority that was behind the doctrine that Titus preached and that Titus would need to contend with people who preached false doctrine. Paul was giving Titus , and all preachers since then, the authority that is in our written word of God which shows that what the apostle
said literally came from Jesus Christ by the will of God
. That is why we put our trust in what is written in the word of God and not in just what the preacher says. In addition, since this is the opening sentence of an epistle written specifically to tell us that we need to keep sound doctrine
, we see the purpose God had for giving Paul the authority of an apostle
. Anyone who claims to be an apostle
and does not preach sound doctrine
, proves himself to be a false apostle. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on Titus, and through it link to the notes within the Lord Jesus Christ Study to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
Hebrews 3:1-2 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the Heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
In this chapter we are told that Jesus Christ
is/was the Apostle
from God to us for our faith. Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details.
1Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
As an apostle, Peter was a high level spokesman for Jesus Christ. He starts out by claiming that his message isn't from his own experience but from the one Who died to save them (Jesus) and Who keeps and helps them while they are in this world (Christ). The basic doctrine in Peter's opening sentence matches the doctrine found in Paul's opening sentences, even though the details are different. This is because they are both apostles of Jesus Christ
and it is Jesus Christ
Who is speaking through them. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on 1Peter, and through it link to the notes within the Lord Jesus Christ Study to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
2Peter 1:1-4 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
As with Paul's opening sentences and Peter's opening sentence in 1Peter, we find Peter saying that he has the authority to represent Jesus Christ
because he is a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ
. We also see here that Peter gives a doctrinal statement that matches the same type of doctrine that we have seen in other opening sentences, even though the details are different. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on 2Peter, and through it link to the notes within the Lord Jesus Christ Study to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
2Peter 3:1-4 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming?
In this sentence, Peter tells us exactly where we should get what we are to remember
. He does not reference famous preachers who came before him. That was the habit of the Pharisees and is the habit of all religious leaders, especially of the false prophets and false teachers that Peter already warned us about. In addition, to all of the direct (and indirect) quotes found in the New Testament, we find that Jesus and the Apostles ask have ye not read
ten times and said it is written
over 140 times. All of this only supports what Peter directly tells us in this second equivalent part of this sentence where Peter lists two (and
) authorities. Peter uses holy prophets
for the Old Testament (exclusive of the religious and civil parts of the Mosaic Law) and tells us to be mindful of the words which were spoken before
. Peter then adds in the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour
. The phrase of the Lord and Saviour
limits which 'apostles' we are to listen to and provides the basis of their authority. Please see the note for this sentence within the Book Study on 2Peter, and through it link to the notes within the Lord Jesus Christ Study to understand all that this sentence is saying had how Christ
is working through His apostles
.
Jude 1:17-18 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
While this could be a direct quote of 2Peter (see note above), the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study provides links to several other places where we read the same thing. Jude does not claim to be an apostle
but uses other apostles
as his authority, even though he was the half brother of Jesus
. Thus we see that even he accepts the authority given out by Jesus Christ
and does not try to claim any false authority that religion would give him.
Revelation 2:1-3 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
There is much doctrine within this sentence which will not be discussed here as this Study is only about the use of the word apostle
. There is much in the Bible about this church that can be found in Acts, the epistle to this church, the Book Study on Ephesians, and even the notes for the epistle to the Ephesians found earlier in this Study. Here we see that they found and tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars
. This was a good thing. Yet our Lord told them Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
While we are trying
others who claim to be apostles
, we need to be sure that we continue to follow the doctrine of true apostles
, especially in spirit and heart. Please also see the Subject Study on False Things Found in the Bible about false apostles
.
Revelation 18:20 Rejoice over her, thou Heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
Here all godly people are called to rejoice
over the destruction of evil by God. In this sentence, apostles
are mentioned as the leaders of godly people within the church and represent all of the godly people within the church.
Revelation 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Here we see that true apostles
will be remembered forever as part of the foundation
of our faith. Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for more details.