APOSTLES
Peter,
Andrew, James and John, - fishermen of Capernaum
Thomas
and St. Matthew too, Philip and Bartholomew,
James
the less and Jude the brave,
Simon
the zealot and Judas the knave... (i.e. Judas Iscariot)
-Matthias
took the place of Judas, who hanged himself.
-Paul
was the special apostle to the Gentiles. (Gal. 2:8, 9; Ro. 11. 13)
Matthew
10:1 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. 2 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; 3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican;
James
the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus,
whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas
Iscariot, who also betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded
them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye
not:
Acts 1: 13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where
abode both Peter,
and James,
and John,
and Andrew,
Philip,
and Thomas,
Bartholomew,
and Matthew,
James
the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes,
and Judas the brother of
James.
Comparison between these two accounts indicates that Thaddaeus (Lebbaeus) was also known as Judas the brother of James.
A. Luke
includes Matthias as being one of the Twelve Apostles.
1.
Ac. 1:17-26 Luke says he was numbered with the eleven.
Many years after his selection, Luke presents it as an action take to
comply with divine instructions, being determined by God in response to their
prayers. No hint of doubt is indicated.
Even the words, numbered with
are the same used concerning Judas's original selection to fill the office. (v.
17, 20)
2.
Ac. 2:1-4 Matthias was included with the eleven in receiving power after the Holy Spirit came
in order to become a witness of the
resurrection. (1:8, 2-5)
3.
Ac. 2:14 Peter stood up With the eleven. This
included Matthias. In verses 37, 42, these are called Apostles.
4.
Ac. 6:2, 6 (cf. we
in v. 3, 4) Matthias is included in the action of the twelve and included among the
apostles. (Note: Paul was not
converted until chapter 9)
B. Paul
was never included among The Twelve.
Thus,
passages such as Rev. 21:14 would not have reference to him. These do not limit the number of apostles
but only a specific group spoken of as the
twelve. Paul was not among those
to whom Jesus said, YE shall sit on twelve thrones judging the
twelve tribes... (Mt. 19:28) Paul
was commissioned to the Gentiles. (Ro. 11:13; Gal. 2:7-9)
He
says in 1Co. 15:5-9 that Jesus appeared unto
the Twelve before he appeared unto Paul.
Since Judas had then been hanged (Mt. 27:3-5; 28:16), and Paul was not
yet converted, it is obvious that the twelfth was Matthias.
The
misconception that there could be no other Apostles just because the Apostles
to the Jews were limited to twelve is shown to be in error by the fact that
even others besides Paul were called Apostles. Barnabas was classed as an apostle along
with Paul. (Ac. 14:4, 14) cf. 1Co. 9:1-6, 11, 12; Gal. 2:8, 9). James the Lord's brother is also called an
Apostle. (Gal. 1:19; cf. 1Co. 15:7; Gal. 2:7-9). (Cf. Gal. 1:18,
19 with Ac. 9:27, 28).
The force of this is especially
strong in view of the fact that in exposing false Apostles, no one ever argued
that only the twelve could be Apostles.
If this were true it would be one of the first and most effective points
in exposing false Apostles. Rather, the
first qualification they required was evidence that the person had seen Jesus
after his resurrection (1Co. 9:1; Ac. 1:22; 4:33). The second was whether he could do the signs of an Apostle
(Rev. 2:2; 2Co. 12:12; Ac. 8:17, 18; 19:6; Rom. 1:11; 1Tim. 1:6).
Paul was not one of
the twelve who were to sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (see II-B and C above)
Paul had seen the Lord after the resurrection, required to be an apostle (Acts 1:22)
Paul had done the signs of an apostle.
Paul was called an apostle by Luke
Acts 14:14 But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it,
they rent their garments, and sprang forth among the multitude, crying out
Rom
11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I
am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
2Tim
1:
11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an
apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
Gal
2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel
of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; 8 (For
he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision,
the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) 9 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.
1
Corinthians 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? 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. 3 Mine answer to
them that do examine me is this, 4 Have we not power to eat and to drink? 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?
2 Corinthians 11:5 For I reckon that I am not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
2 Corinthians 12:11 I am become foolish: ye compelled me; for I ought to have been
commended of you: for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles,
though I am nothing. 12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among
you in all patience, by signs and wonders and mighty works.
IV. OTHER
APOSTLES
A.
Barnabus
Acts
14:3 Long time therefore abode they speaking
boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and
granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the
multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with
the apostles.
Acts 14:14 But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it,
they rent their garments, and sprang forth among the multitude, crying out
This suggests that Barnabas was an apostle in the same sense as Paul.
No mention is made of Barnabus having seen Jesus after the
resurrection but he very well may have. (1Cor 15:6)
B.
James, the Lords brother
Acts 9:27 Barnabas took Paul to see
the apostles. In Gal. 1:19 Paul
tells us that these were Peter, and James,
the Lords brother.
It seems he was not one of
the original twelve since John 7:5,
after the twelve had been chosen, says
his brothers did not believe in him. So,
the question is, when did James become an apostle? He does not appear to be a replacement for James the brother of
John since that James was not
killed until Acts 12:2 after James the Lords brother was an apostle, yet he
seems to be an apostle in the same sense as Peter (Acts 9:27).
Some think this is James the
Less, a relative of Jesus (Mat 27:56). According to this view, the Lords brother is not speaking of
Jesus brother, as identified in Matt. 13:55 and Mark 15:40. James the Less is identified as James the
son of Zebedee (Mat 4:21)
We do know that he had seen
the Lord after the resurrection (1Cor 15:7) and that statement, contrasted with
then to all the apostles suggests
that he was an apostle.
C.
Silvanus
(Silas) and Timothy
By connecting 1Thes 1:1 with
2:6 some have thought that Paul calls Silas and Timothy apostles. Evidence is
lacking that they actually held the office of an apostle of Christ. Apostle merely means a person is sent
with a message.
We have no evidence that
Jesus ever appeared to Timothy or Silas.
Timothy was converted years later.
D. Epaphroditus
Philip 2:25 speaks of Epaphroditus as your messenger (apostolos). Again, evidence
is lacking that he was an apostle of
Christ in an official sense.
D.
Andronicus
and Junias
Rom 16:7 says that Andronicus and
Junias were of note among the apostles. This cannot be shown to mean they were
apostles.