THE OFFICE OF APOSTLE

EPHESIANS 4:1–13

It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers

(Ephesians 4:11).

The word apostle comes from two Greek words: apo, meaning “from,” and stello, meaning “sent.” An apostle was someone who was sent from someone else to represent him and carry out tasks. The commander of a fleet of ships was sometimes called an apostle because he was sent from the government to carry out tasks appointed by the government. (Don’t confuse “disciple” with “apostle.” A disciple is a learner, and we are all disciples. Jesus’ inner core of twelve disciples became the twelve apostles sent out by Him.)

Of the 79 times that the word apostle is used in the New Testament, 63 are found in the writings of Luke and Paul, the two men most concerned with the mission of taking the Gospel to the world. In a few places, the word apostle is used for those who are sent out by a local congregation to represent the church, but for the most part, apostle is used for the twelve men who uniquely represented Christ in the initial establishment of the church on earth during the first century a.d.

The call to be an apostle had to come directly from Jesus Christ. Paul was given this call on the Damascus Road, and the rest were given this call by Jesus just before His ascension. There can be no apostolic succession because the office of apostle has to be given directly by Christ, and, in fact, we see no apostolic succession in the New Testament. Judas was replaced not because he died but because he left his office (Acts 1:20).

The New Testament apostle parallels the Old Testament prophet. A prophet was a man who had a direct call from God, who appeared to him and made him a prophet. (The word prophet is also used more generally for those who pastored in the Old Testament church, just as the word apostle has a more general use in the New Testament).

The Roman Catholic Church and some within Episcopalianism (the Anglo-Catholics) seek to maintain that bishops stand in apostolic succession and have an apostolic office. There is no biblical foundation for this notion. Neither the Old Testament prophets nor the New Testament apostles set up any kind of succession.

CORAM DEO

Isaiah 1–3

Galatians 2

While all Christians are called to be disciples, that is, students of Christ, there is also a sense in which we are all apostles. We do not have their authority, but we are sent into the world to be salt and light. How are you heeding that call? How can you improve?

For further study: Matt. 28:18–20 • 1 Cor. 9:19–27 • 2 Tim. 2:2

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