As your premise is specious, so is your definite conclusion. Nowhere does Scripture say Timothy is being ordained as an apostle, which reading into Scripture that which at best you may see as an inference, supposing that [COLOR=\"#000066\"]\"Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery,\" (1 Timothy 4:14) [/COLOR]which included Paul, (2 Timothy 1:6) somehow means Timothy was ordained an apostle, but which is presumption, and also wrongly presumes that the Holy Spirit would not state this important status.
But whatever gift was conveyed to Timothy was something he needed to \"stir up,\" (2 Timothy 1:6) and \"keep\" (2 Timothy 1:14) and while Paul refers to himself as an apostle, he nowhere refers to Timothy as one, but instructs him as a pastor, one for whom prophecies were made, (1 Timothy 1:18) and told that [COLOR=\"#000066\"]\"if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.\" [/COLOR](1 Timothy 3:1) and who as regards a gift besides that office is to [COLOR=\"#000066\"]\"do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.\"[/COLOR] (2 Timothy 4:5)
Thus what is clear is that Timothy is ordained as a pastor, albeit a lead pastor who would ordain others, as Titus also was to do, (Titus 1:5-7) though there is no distinction in titles.
In addition, you simply cannot invoke the teaching on the pastoral duties and character given to Timothy, who is never called an apostle, as interpretive of the clear statement on the credentials of apostles, including [COLOR=\"#000066\"]\"Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.\" (2 Corinthians 12:12)[/COLOR] The apostles were in a class by themselves as regards an office, and had distinct qualifications that disqualify men who fail of these from claiming they are apostles.
Only the apostles were
entrusted by Christ with the Gospel. Paul writes this about himself many times:
1 Cor 9:16-17
16 For if I
preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will,
I am entrusted with a commission.
Galatians 2:6-7
6 And from those who were reputed to be something (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who were of repute added nothing to me; 7 but on the contrary, when they saw that
I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised
1 Thessalonians 2:3-4
3 For our appeal does not spring from error or uncleanness, nor is it made with guile;
4 but just as we have been approved by God
to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts.
1 Timothy 1:11
11 in accordance with
the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which
I have been entrusted.
2 Timothy 1:11
11 For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,
12 and therefore I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that Day
what has been entrusted to me.
Titus 3
3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which
I have been entrusted by command of God our Savior
And then he says to Timothy:
1 Timothy 6:20
20 O Timothy,
guard what has been entrusted to you.
2 Timothy 1:13-14
13 Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus;
14 guard
the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
2 Timothy 2:2 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus,
2 and what you have heard from me before many witnesses
entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
And then we have to read 1 Thessalonians – a letter credited to Paul
but actually sent to the community from Paul, Silvanus and Timothy. Pay particular attention to the ‘we’ statements”. Beginning with Chapter 1(parts left out for brevity but you can verify if you’d like that no context was removed).
1 Paul, Silva′nus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalo′nians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
2 We(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in
our(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) prayers,….
4 For
we(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) know, brethren beloved by God, that he has chosen you;
5 for
our(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men
we(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) proved to be among you for your sake.
6 And you became imitators of
us(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy)…For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedo′nia and Acha′ia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that
we(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) need not say anything.
9 For they themselves report concerning
us(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) what a welcome
we(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy)… (Chapter 2) For you yourselves know, brethren, that
our(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) visit to you was not in vain;
2 but though
we(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know,
we(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the face of great opposition.
3 For
our(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) appeal does not spring from error or uncleanness, nor is it made with guile;
4 but just as
we(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) have been approved by God to be
entrusted with the gospel, so
we(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) speak, not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts.
5 For
we(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) never used either words of flattery, as you know, or a cloak for greed, as God is witness;
6 nor did
we(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) seek glory from men, whether from you or from others, though
we(Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) might have made demands as apostles of Christ.
So yes, Paul refers to Timothy as working by his side and as an apostle.