The apostles

From a message by a Curious Questioner--

>>QC> a person who is sent--the meaning of the term "apostle"

>CQ> Are you saying that every missionary is an Apostle? I am aware that the literal meaning of the word means "sent from", but don't you see a difference between this and the ones sent directly by Jesus (the 12 plus Matthias and Paul)?

Matthias was not one of the 12 "sent forth" by Jesus, but he was of the larger company of disciples. You forgot to mention Barnabas, who is called an apostle before Paul.

> An apostle is "sent from".
> An epistle is "sent to".

You don't need to know greek to understand what either is. We see in Matthew 10 that the Lord "called unto him his twelve disciples", in verse 1. Then in verse 2 they are called "apostles" (with a list of their names). In verse 5, "These twelve Jesus sent forth".

In Luke 6 we find a more clear definition. After Jesus continued all night in prayer to God: "And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;" (Luke 6:13). They were called, chosen, named, sent forth.

There were other SEVENTY that were disciples, but were NOT NAMED apostles, although they were sent out as missionary evangelists too. Both the twelve and the seventy were sent TO "the house of Israel".

The case of Matthias is somewhat unique, since he was NOT NAMED an apostle by Jesus, but rather was only "numbered with the eleven". [2008 note: The apostles, including Matthias, are referred to as "the twelve" later in Acts 6:2p.]

The case of Barnabas and Paul is special, and the Lord does call both of them apostles. "As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." (Acts 13:2) And in Acts 14:14 we find them referred to as "the apostles, Barnabas and Paul". The pivotal verse is Acts 13:9, where Saul becomes Paul with POWER and begins to manifest the special signs of an apostle.

We find further definition of an apostle in Romans 1:1-- "PAUL, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God". Only those are called apostles in the Bible, whom the Lord chose. (And Jesus is called the Apostle in Hebrews.)

The names of those specifically called apostles in the Bible:

(1)Jesus, (2)Peter(Simon), (3)Andrew, (4)James(Zebedee), (5)John(Zebedee), (6)Philip, (7)Bartholomew, (8)Thomas, (9)Matthew, (10)James(Alphaeus), (11)Lebbaeus(Thaddaeus), (12)Simon(Canaanite), (13)Judas Iscariot (aka. Antichrist), (14)Barnabas, (15)Paul(Saul).

Paul is specially called "the apostle of the Gentiles" (Rom.11p).

The EPISTLES in the Bible basically CARRY the same authority as apostles. (see 1Cor.5:4) Remember that Jesus is the Lord! Grace be with them that cherish the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. --Richard

(2) The apostles

From a message by a Curious Questioner--
>CQ> Subj: Re: The apostles

>From a message of 29Jan96 23:52 by Richard Clark--
>>RC> Subj: The apostles

>>RC> The case of Matthias is somewhat unique, since he was NOT NAMED an apostle by Jesus, but rather was only "numbered with the eleven".

>>RC>The names of those specifically called apostles in the Bible:
(1)Jesus, (2)Peter(Simon), (3)Andrew, (4)James(Zebedee), (5)John(Zebedee), (6)Philip, (7)Bartholomew, (8)Thomas, (9)Matthew, (10)James(Alphaeus), (11)Lebbaeus(Thaddaeus), (12)Simon(Canaanite), (13)Judas Iscariot (aka. Antichrist), (14)Barnabas, (15)Paul(Saul).

>>RC> Paul is specially called "the apostle of the Gentiles" (Rom.11p).

>CQ> Interesting. In Revelation 21:14 the names of the TWELVE apostles will be written on the twelve gates of New Jerusalem.

The "twelve gates" (Rev.21:12p) are connected with the twelve TRIBES of the children of Israel; (and you'll find twelve NAMES in Rev.7:4-8.) And it seems that the names are written on the twelve angels, not on the gates, of which each is a giant pearl, in a 144-cubit high wall. (And how much bigger would the oysters be? :)

It is in the twelve FOUNDATIONS that we see "the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." (Rev.21:14p)

>CQ> I wonder which three will be left out?

The "three" apostles that were not "numbered" with the "twelve." (Christ Jesus, "the Apostle and High Priest of our profession", was not numbered with the twelve; and the "apostles, Barnabas and Saul" [Paul] were not numbered with the twelve. 

>CQ> Jesus is the Cornerstone.

And Christ is "that Rock" upon which the twelve foundations rest.

>CQ> Iscariot was scratched. ???

Simon's son was "lost", that the scriptures might be fulfilled.

The New Jerusalem is clearly connected with the twelve tribes of Israel and the apostles of the Lamb, JESUS; who again, was not a minister of the un-circumcision, but of the circumcision. (See the distinction in Romans 15:8, 15:16, and 11:13.) It was not Peter, but PAUL who was given the "care of all the churches." (2Cor.11:18p)

Grace be to them that love the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. --Richard