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Are the apostles and disciples one in the same?
- Thread starter hdsink
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~ Gig ~
God is Gracious
This is what I found on this:
First off, we must understand that the term "apostle" ( "messenger" or "ambassador") is capable of conveying either a more general or a more restricted meaning. An "apostle of the church" is anyone who is sent by a particular local church to represent that church's interests and / or deliver its message. Epaphroditus was the apostle from the church at Philippi (Phil.2:25; see also Titus in 2Cor.8:23; in both of these passages the term "messenger" translates the Greek apostolos).
The "apostles of Christ," however, are that carefully select group of men who were the personal representatives of Jesus Christ Himself. "Apostle of Christ" is a much more specific and technical use of the term "apostle." In a sense, all Christians are to be apostles for Jesus Christ, but this gift of apostleship belonged only to a very few. These are the men who are "foundational" to the church (Eph.2:20), the personal messengers of Jesus Christ, sent by the Lord Himself.
Like the gift of Pastor, one was an apostle not only by calling or gifting but also by meeting certain qualifications. An apostle must have been one who could personally testify to the risen Christ. This was Paul's argument concerning his own apostleship in 1Cor.9:1. This was also one of the requirements stipulated by the eleven for the replacement of Judas (Acts 1:21_22). The credentials of Christ's apostles also included the ability to perform miracles. Jesus Himself gave this power to the twelve when He commissioned them (Matt.10:1). In defending his apostleship to the Corinthians Paul mentioned this as something which identified him as a true apostle (2Cor.12:12). The apostles were ambassadors for Christ who could bear personal witness to the risen Lord and perform miracles as proof of their calling and office.
On the one hand, these stipulations highlight the falsehood of all modern claims to apostleship - not only are there no apostolic-class miracle workers, there just is no one around old enough to claim that he is a witness to the risen Christ!
But it is a surprise to some to learn that there were more than only twelve apostles of Christ. First of all, of course, there were the original twelve apostles, minus Judas Iscariot. In Acts1:12-26, these eleven, after much prayer and under the direction of the Holy Spirit, chose Matthias as the replacement for Judas Iscariot. Acts 1:26 informs us that Matthias "was numbered with the eleven" (i.e., he was number 12).
James, the half_brother of the Lord and writer of the epistle which bears the name, was another apostle. His is an interesting biography, unbelieving until sometime after the resurrection. He is identified as an apostle equal to the others in Gal.1:19, and in Acts 15 his high standing among the apostles is evident.
Barnabas was an apostle as well. He is so designated in Acts 14:4 and 14. Some today question his apostleship; however, note that he is referred to as an apostle equal to Paul.
And Paul was the last man to enjoy the position of apostleship. He was "one born out of due time" in that he was a later (indeed, the last) addition to the apostolic company (1Cor.15:8-11).
This brings us to a total of fifteen - the original eleven plus Matthias, James, Barnabas, and Paul.
Does it answer your question
First off, we must understand that the term "apostle" ( "messenger" or "ambassador") is capable of conveying either a more general or a more restricted meaning. An "apostle of the church" is anyone who is sent by a particular local church to represent that church's interests and / or deliver its message. Epaphroditus was the apostle from the church at Philippi (Phil.2:25; see also Titus in 2Cor.8:23; in both of these passages the term "messenger" translates the Greek apostolos).
The "apostles of Christ," however, are that carefully select group of men who were the personal representatives of Jesus Christ Himself. "Apostle of Christ" is a much more specific and technical use of the term "apostle." In a sense, all Christians are to be apostles for Jesus Christ, but this gift of apostleship belonged only to a very few. These are the men who are "foundational" to the church (Eph.2:20), the personal messengers of Jesus Christ, sent by the Lord Himself.
Like the gift of Pastor, one was an apostle not only by calling or gifting but also by meeting certain qualifications. An apostle must have been one who could personally testify to the risen Christ. This was Paul's argument concerning his own apostleship in 1Cor.9:1. This was also one of the requirements stipulated by the eleven for the replacement of Judas (Acts 1:21_22). The credentials of Christ's apostles also included the ability to perform miracles. Jesus Himself gave this power to the twelve when He commissioned them (Matt.10:1). In defending his apostleship to the Corinthians Paul mentioned this as something which identified him as a true apostle (2Cor.12:12). The apostles were ambassadors for Christ who could bear personal witness to the risen Lord and perform miracles as proof of their calling and office.
On the one hand, these stipulations highlight the falsehood of all modern claims to apostleship - not only are there no apostolic-class miracle workers, there just is no one around old enough to claim that he is a witness to the risen Christ!
But it is a surprise to some to learn that there were more than only twelve apostles of Christ. First of all, of course, there were the original twelve apostles, minus Judas Iscariot. In Acts1:12-26, these eleven, after much prayer and under the direction of the Holy Spirit, chose Matthias as the replacement for Judas Iscariot. Acts 1:26 informs us that Matthias "was numbered with the eleven" (i.e., he was number 12).
James, the half_brother of the Lord and writer of the epistle which bears the name, was another apostle. His is an interesting biography, unbelieving until sometime after the resurrection. He is identified as an apostle equal to the others in Gal.1:19, and in Acts 15 his high standing among the apostles is evident.
Barnabas was an apostle as well. He is so designated in Acts 14:4 and 14. Some today question his apostleship; however, note that he is referred to as an apostle equal to Paul.
And Paul was the last man to enjoy the position of apostleship. He was "one born out of due time" in that he was a later (indeed, the last) addition to the apostolic company (1Cor.15:8-11).
This brings us to a total of fifteen - the original eleven plus Matthias, James, Barnabas, and Paul.
Does it answer your question
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