Bearing witness to the fact of the resurrection is not the same as actually seeing the risen Christ, which is a requirement for an apostle.
I suppose to see the risen Christ you'd have to die and be resuscitated. Otherwise Jesus's Spirit can certainly manifest and be with you.
Early church fathers Irenaeus and Tertullian had an interpretation of apostolic succession.
The greater revelation of God of those who saw and heard Him in close fellowship, the 12 apostles is a firm foundation we can't match. Paul gives us hope of ability to serve despite a lack of repute or revelation of God. We can all have a revelation of God, some of us today have been taken up into the Heavenlies like Gary Oates.
Some have a remarkable impression of God in them, some who seek His hand and face, panim, at home and church, and God has filled them deeply. From King David, deep calls unto deep. And Jesus sent the Holy Spirit and He is here with us, and can reveal Himself to us in degrees.
Ephesians 4 requires apostles until Christ returns, and because of deception and wolves in rebellion to the truth, we need them as the verses say.
So there was Paul, Barnabas, Andronicus and Junias...
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that
he might fill all things.)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13
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:
14 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;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 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.
From ChatGPT:
Good question — the
Biblical requirements for an apostle depend on whether we’re talking about the
original Twelve Apostles,
Paul, or later
church-appointed messengers (the word “apostle” just means
“one who is sent”). But Scripture does outline some clear qualifications, especially in the early Church.
Let’s go through them carefully:
1. For the Original Twelve Apostles
After Judas died, the remaining eleven chose a replacement —
Matthias — and the Book of Acts records the qualifications clearly:
Acts 1:21–22 (ESV)
“So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”
So the original apostolic requirements were:
- Personal companionship with Jesus during His earthly ministry (from John’s baptism onward).
- Eyewitness of the resurrection — literally having seen the risen Christ.
- Chosen by God (Acts 1:24–26 shows the apostles prayed for divine choice).
2. For Paul (the “Apostle to the Gentiles”)
Paul was an exception to the “followed Jesus from the beginning” rule, but even he insisted on
seeing the risen Christ and
being directly commissioned by Him:
1 Corinthians 9:1 — “Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?”
Galatians 1:1 — “Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father.”
Paul met Jesus in a post-resurrection appearance (Acts 9) and was specifically
sent (
apostellō) by Him.
Paul’s apostolic credentials:
- Personally encountered the risen Christ.
- Commissioned directly by Jesus (not self-appointed).
- Confirmed by miraculous signs and the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 12:12).
- Produced spiritual fruit and doctrine consistent with Christ’s gospel (Gal 1:11–12).
3. For Later “Apostles” (Missionary Sense)
In the New Testament, others are sometimes called
apostoloi (messengers), though not part of the Twelve:
- Barnabas (Acts 14:14)
- Andronicus and Junia (Romans 16:7)
In this
broader sense, an apostle was:
- Sent out by the church or the Spirit (Acts 13:2–3)
- Carrying the gospel with divine authority
- Endorsed by the fruits of ministry and godly character
4. Summary Table
| Requirement | Scriptural Basis | Applies to |
|---|
| Witness of Jesus’ resurrection | Acts 1:22; 1 Cor 9:1 | The Twelve, Paul |
| Personally chosen by Christ | Luke 6:13; Acts 1:24; Gal 1:1 | The Twelve, Paul |
| Empowered by the Holy Spirit | Acts 2:1–4; 2 Cor 12:12 | All apostles |
| Sound doctrine and fruit | Gal 1:8–9; 2 Cor 12:12 | All apostles |
| Blameless conduct and humility | 1 Thess 2:3–6; 2 Cor 10–12 | All apostles |
| Sent to preach or establish churches | Acts 13:2–3; Rom 15:19–20 | Broader apostleship |
5. Conclusion
In Biblical terms, to be a
true apostle one must:
- Be personally called and sent by Christ,
- Have seen the risen Lord,
- Demonstrate signs, teaching, and fruits authenticating divine commission.
After the first generation, the
apostolic office ceased in that original sense (since no one afterward could meet those eyewitness criteria). Later Christian leaders could be apostolic in
mission and doctrine, but not in
authority or revelation equal to the Twelve and Paul.
Would you like me to show how
early Church Fathers (like Irenaeus or Tertullian) interpreted apostolic succession next?
