Reference: Apostle
American
A messenger or envoy. The term is applied to Jesus Christ, who was God's envoy to save the world, Heb 3:1; though, more commonly, the title is given to persons who were envoys commissioned by the Savior himself.
The apostles of Jesus Christ were his chief disciples, whom he invested with authority, filled with his Spirit, entrusted particularly with his doctrines and services, and chose to raise the edifice of his church. They were twelve in number, answering to the twelve tribes. Mt 19:28, and were plain, unlearned men, chosen from the common people. After their calling and charge, Mt 10:5-42, they attended their divine Master, witnessing his works, imbibing his spirit, and gradually learning the facts and doctrines of the gospel. After his resurrection, he sent them into all the world, commissioned to preach, to baptize, to work miracles, etc. See Joh 15:27; 1Co 9:1; 15:8; 2Co 12:12; 1Th 2:13. The names of the twelve are, Simon Peter; Andrew, his brother; James, the son of Zebedee, called also "the greater;" John, his brother; Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew, or Levi; Simon the Canaanite; Lebbeus, surnamed Thaddeus, also called Judas or Jude; James, "the less," the son of Alphaeus; and Judas Iscariot, Mt 10:2-4; Mr 3:16; Lu 6:14. The last betrayed his Master, and then hanged himself, and Matthias was chosen in his place, Ac 1:15-26. In the Acts of the Apostles are recorded the self-sacrificing toils and sufferings of these Christlike men, who did that which was "right in the sight of God" from love to their Lord; and gave themselves wholly to their work, with a zeal, love, and faith Christ delighted to honor-teaching us that apostolic graces alone can secure apostolic successes.
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Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus; read more. Simon of Cana, and Judas Iscariot, he who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, when he had charged them, saying, Go not away to gentiles, and enter not any city of the Samaritans; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And, as ye go, proclaim, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons; freely ye received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass, in your girdles; nor bag for the journey, nor two coats, nor sandals, nor a staff. For the laborer is worthy of his living. And into whatever city or town ye enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye leave the place. And as ye enter the house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye go out of that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Truly do I say to you, It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city. Lo! I send you forth as sheep into the midst of wolves. Be therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men. For they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, that ye may bear testimony to them and to the gentiles. But when they deliver you up, be not anxious as to how or What ye shall speak; for it will be given you in that hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child; and children will rise up against their parent, and put them to death; and ye will be hated by all on account of my name. But he that endureth to the end will be saved. And when they persecute you in one city, flee to another. For truly do I say to you, Ye will not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man hath come. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple to be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they so call those of his household! Fear them not therefore. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hid, that will not be known. What I say to you in darkness, speak ye in the light; and what ye hear in the ear, proclaim ye upon the housetops. And fear not those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? and not one of them shall fall to the ground without your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows. Every one therefore who shall acknowledge me before men, him will I also acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven. Think not that I came to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man at variance with his father, and a daughter with her mother, and a bride with her motherinlaw; and they of a mans own household will be his foes. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that doth not take his cross, and follow me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life will lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake will find it. He that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet because he is a prophet, will receive a prophets reward, and he that receiveth a righteous man because he is a righteous man, will receive a righteous mans reward. And whoever shall give to drink only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, truly do I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.
And Jesus said to them, Truly do I say to you, that, in the renovation when the Son of man sitteth on the throne of his glory, ye who have followed me shall also yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip and Bartholomew,
And ye also are witnesses, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren, and said, (the number of the names together was about one hundred and twenty,) Brethren, it was necessary that this scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David spoke before concerning Judas, who became guide to those who took Jesus. read more. For he was numbered among us, and obtained the allotment of this ministry. Now this man purchased a field with the wages of the iniquity; and falling headlong he burst asunder in the middle, and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that that field is called in their own tongue, Aceldamach, that is, Field of Blood. For it is written in the book of Psalms, "Let his habitation be made desolate, and let no one dwell therein;" and, "Let another take his office." Of these men, therefore, who accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us, must one be made a witness with us of his resurrection. And they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed saying, Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which of these two thou hast chosen to take the part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell away, that he might go to his own place. And they cast lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the apostle and highpriest of our profession, Jesus;
Easton
a person sent by another; a messenger; envoy. This word is once used as a descriptive designation of Jesus Christ, the Sent of the Father (Heb 3:1; Joh 20:21). It is, however, generally used as designating the body of disciples to whom he intrusted the organization of his church and the dissemination of his gospel, "the twelve," as they are called (Mt 10:1-5; Mr 3:14; 6:7; Lu 6:13; 9:1). We have four lists of the apostles, one by each of the synoptic evangelists (Mt 10:2-4; Mr 3:16; Lu 6:14), and one in the Acts (Ac 1:13). No two of these lists, however, perfectly coincide.
Our Lord gave them the "keys of the kingdom," and by the gift of his Spirit fitted them to be the founders and governors of his church (Joh 14:16-17,26; 15:26-27; 16:7-15). To them, as representing his church, he gave the commission to "preach the gospel to every creature" (Mt 28:18-20). After his ascension he communicated to them, according to his promise, supernatural gifts to qualify them for the discharge of their duties (Ac 2:4; 1Co 2:16,7,10,13; 2Co 5:20; 1Co 11:2). Judas Iscariot, one of "the twelve," fell by transgression, and Matthias was substituted in his place (Ac 1:21). Saul of Tarsus was afterwards added to their number (Ac 9:3-20; 20:4; 26:15-18; 1Ti 1:12; 2:7; 2Ti 1:11).
Luke has given some account of Peter, John, and the two Jameses (Ac 12:2,17; 15:13; 21:18), but beyond this we know nothing from authentic history of the rest of the original twelve. After the martyrdom of James the Greater (Ac 12:2), James the Less usually resided at Jerusalem, while Paul, "the apostle of the uncircumcision," usually travelled as a missionary among the Gentiles (Ga 2:8). It was characteristic of the apostles and necessary (1) that they should have seen the Lord, and been able to testify of him and of his resurrection from personal knowledge (Joh 15:27; Ac 1:21-22; 1Co 9:1; Ac 22:14-15). (2.) They must have been immediately called to that office by Christ (Lu 6:13; Ga 1:1). (3.) It was essential that they should be infallibly inspired, and thus secured against all error and mistake in their public teaching, whether by word or by writing (Joh 14:26; 16:13; 1Th 2:13).
(4.) Another qualification was the power of working miracles (Mr 16:20; Ac 2:43; 1Co 12:8-11). The apostles therefore could have had no successors. They are the only authoritative teachers of the Christian doctrines. The office of an apostle ceased with its first holders.
In 2Co 8:23 and Php 2:25 the word "messenger" is the rendering of the same Greek word, elsewhere rendered "apostle."
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And he called to him his twelve disciples, and gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every sickness and every disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus;
Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus; Simon of Cana, and Judas Iscariot, he who betrayed him.
Simon of Cana, and Judas Iscariot, he who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, when he had charged them, saying, Go not away to gentiles, and enter not any city of the Samaritans;
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, All power was given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, and make all nations my disciples, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; read more. teaching them to observe all things, whatever I have commanded you. And, lo! I am with you always, unto the end of the world.
And he appointed twelve to be with him, and whom he might send forth to preach,
And he calleth to him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over the unclean spirits;
and they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs which followed it.]
And when it was day, he called to him his disciples; and he chose from them twelve, whom he also named apostles;
And when it was day, he called to him his disciples; and he chose from them twelve, whom he also named apostles; Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip and Bartholomew,
And he called together the twelve, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.
and I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever; the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot receive, because it doth not behold it, nor know it; ye know it, because it abideth with you, and will be in you.
but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit which the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things which I have said to you.
but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit which the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things which I have said to you.
When the Comforter is come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he will bear witness of me. And ye also are witnesses, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
And ye also are witnesses, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
But I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I depart. For if I do not depart, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he is come, he will bring conviction to the world, of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. read more. Of sin, because they believe not in me; of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world hath been judged. I have yet many things to say to you, but ye cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak from himself, but whatever he shall hear, that he will speak; and he will tell you the things to come.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak from himself, but whatever he shall hear, that he will speak; and he will tell you the things to come. He will glorify me, for he will receive of what is mine, and will tell it to you. read more. Every thing that the Father hath is mine. For this cause I said, that he receiveth of what is mine, and will tell it to you.
Then he said to them again, Peace be to you! As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.
And when they had come in, they went up into the upper room where they were making their abode, namely, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the zealot, and Judas the brother of James.
Of these men, therefore, who accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Of these men, therefore, who accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us, must one be made a witness with us of his resurrection.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, even as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were wrought through the apostles.
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus; and suddenly there shone around a him a light from heaven; and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? read more. And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And he answered, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men that journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one. And Saul arose from the earth; but when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing; and they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias, and to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias! And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said to him, Arise, and go into the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus; for lo! he prayeth, and hath seen a man, named Ananias, coming in and putting his hand on him, that he might receive sight. But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how great evils he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem. And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said to him, Go; for this man is to me a chosen vessel, to bear my name before nations, and kings, and the sons of Israel. For I myself will show him how great things he must suffer for my names sake. And Ananias went away, and entered the house; and putting his hands on him, he said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus who appeared to thee in the way thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayst receive sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. And immediately there fell off from his eyes as it were scales; and he received sight, and arose, and was baptized. And having taken some food he was strengthened. And he was some days with the disciples in Damascus. And immediately he preached Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
And he slew James, the brother of John, with the sword.
And he slew James, the brother of John, with the sword.
But beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, he related how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go and tell these things to James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went to another place.
And after they had done speaking, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken to me.
And there accompanied him as far as Asia, Sopater, son of Pyrrhus, a Beroean; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.
And the day following Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present.
And he said, The God of our fathers chose thee to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth; for thou shalt be a witness for him to all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. But arise and stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared to thee for this purpose, to prepare thee as a minister and a witness both of the things which thou sawest, and of those on account of which I will appear to thee; read more. delivering thee from the people, and from the gentiles, to whom I send thee, to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among the sanctified, by faith in me.
As to Titus, he is my partner and fellowlaborer for you; as to our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
Paul, an apostle, not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead,
(for he who wrought for Peter in behalf of the apostleship to the circumcised, wrought also for me in behalf of the gentiles,)
Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and minister to my wants;
rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
and ye are made full in him, who is the head of all principality and power;
and to you also who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he given life together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses;
Let no one then call you to account about food or drink, or a feastday, or a new moon, or sabbaths;
whose mouths must be stopped, since they overturn whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of base gain. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said: "The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slothful gluttons."
in all things showing thyself a pattern of good works, in teaching showing uncorruptness, gravity,
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the apostle and highpriest of our profession, Jesus;
Fausets
("one sent forth".) The official name of the twelve whom Jesus sent forth to preach, and who also were with Him throughout His earthly ministry. Peter states the qualifications before the election of Judas' successor (Ac 1:21), namely, that he should have companied with the followers of Jesus "all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among them, beginning from the baptism of John unto the day that He was taken up, to be a witness with the others of His resurrection." So the Lord, "Ye are they that have continued with Me in My temptations" (Lu 22:28). The Holy Spirit was specially promised to bring all things to their remembrance whatever Jesus had said, to guide them into all truth, and to enable them to testify of Jesus with power to all lands (Joh 14:26; 15:26-27; 16:13-14). They were some of them fishermen, one a tax collector, and most of them unlearned.
Though called before, they did not permanently follow Him until their call as apostles. All were on a level (Mt 20:20-27; Mr 9:34-36). Yet three stood in especial nearness to Him, Peter, James, and John; they alone witnessed the raising of Jairus' daughter, the transfiguration, and the agony in Gethsemane. An order grounded on moral considerations is traceable in the enumeration of the rest: Judas, the traitor, in all the lists stands last. The disciples surrounded Jesus in wider and still wider expanding circles: nearest Him Peter, James, and. John; then the other nine; then the Seventy; then the disciples in general. But the "mystery" was revealed to all alike (Mt 10:27). Four catalogues are extant: Matthew's (Matthew 10), Mark's (Mr 3:16), Luke's (Lu 6:14) in the Gospel, and Luke's in Ac 1:13.
In all four the apostles are grouped in three classes, four in each. Philip heads the second division, i.e. is fifth; James the son of Alpheus heads the third, i.e. is ninth. Andrew follows Peter on the ground of brotherhood in Matthew and Luke; in Mark and Acts James and John, on the ground of greater nearness to Jesus, precede Andrew. In the second division Matthew modestly puts himself after Thomas; Mark and Luke give him his rightful place before Thomas. Thomas, after his doubts were removed (Joh 20:28), having attained distinguished faith, is promoted above Bartholomew (or Nathanael) and Matthew in Acts. In Matt, hew and Mark Thaddaeus (or Lebbaeus) precedes Simon Zelotes (Hebrew "Canaanite," i.e. one of the sect the Zealots). But in Luke and Acts Simon Zelotes precedes Jude (Thaddaeus) the brother of James. John gives no catalogue, but writing later takes it for granted (Re 21:14,19-20).
In the first division stand Peter and John, New Testament writers, in the second Matthew, in the third James and Jude. The Zealot stood once the last except the traitor, but subsequently became raised; bigotry is not always the best preparation for subsequent high standing in faith. Jesus sent them in pairs: a good plan for securing brotherly sympathy and cooperation. Their early mission in Jesus' lifetime, to preach repentance and perform miracles in Jesus' name, was restricted to Israel, to prepare the way for the subsequent gospel preaching to the Jews first, on and after Pentecost (Ac 3:25). They were slow to apprehend the spiritual nature of His kingdom, and His crucifixion and resurrection as the necessary preliminary to it. Even after His resurrection seven of them returned to their fishing; and it was only by Christ's renewed call that they were led' to remain together at Jerusalem, waiting for the promised Comforter (John 21; Ac 1:4).
From the day of the Pentecostal effusion of the Holy Spirit they became new men, witnessing with power of the resurrection of Jesus, as Jesus had promised (Lu 24:45,49; Ac 1:8,22; 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 13:31). The first period of the apostles' working extends down to Ac 11:18. Excepting the transition period (Acts 8-10) when, at Stephen's martyrdom, the gospel was extended to Samaria and. to the Ethiopian eunuch by Philip, Jerusalem is its center, and Peter' the prominent figure, who opened the kingdom of heaven (according to Jesus' promise to him, Mt 16:18-19) to the Jews and also to the Gentiles (Acts 2; 10). The second period begins with the extension of the kingdom to idolatrous Gentiles. (Ac 11:19-26).
Antioch, in concert with Jerusalem, is now the center, and Paul the prominent figure, in concert with the other apostles. Though the ideal number always remained twelve (Re 21:14), answering to the twelve tribes of Israel, yet just as there were in fact thirteen tribes when Joseph's two sons were made separate tribal heads, so Paul's calling made thirteen actual apostles. He possessed the two characteristics of an Apostle; he had" seen the Lord," so as to be an eye witness of His resurrection, and he had the power which none but an Apostle had, of conferring spiritual gifts (1Co 9:1-2; 2Co 12:12; Ro 1:11; 15:18-19). This period ends with Ac 13:1-5, when Barnabas and Saul were separated by the Holy Spirit unto missionary work. Here the third apostolic period begins, in which the twelve disappear, and Paul alone stands forth, the Apostle of the Gentiles; so that at the close of Acts, which leaves him evangelizing in Rome, the metropolis of the world, churches from Jerusalem unto Illyricum had been founded through him.
Apostle is used in a vaguer sense of "messengers of the churches" (2Co 8:23; Php 2:25). But the term belongs in its stricter sense to the twelve alone; they alone were apostles of Christ. Their distinctive note is, they were commissioned immediately by Jesus Himself. They alone were chosen by Christ Himself, independently of the churches. So even Matthias (Ac 1:24). So Paul (Ga 1:1-12; Ro 1:1; 1Co 15:9-10). Their exclusive office was to found the Christian church; so their official existence was of Christ, and prior to the churches they collectively and severally founded. They acted with a divine authority to bind and loose things (Mt 18:18), and to remit or retain sins of persons (Joh 20:21-23), which they exercised by the authoritative ministry of the word. Their infallibility, of which their miracles were the credentials, marked them as extraordinary, not permanent, ministers.
Paul requires the Corinthians to acknowledge that the things which he wrote were the Lord's commandments (1Co 14:37). The office was not local; but "the care of all the churches." They were to the whole what particular elders were, to parts of the church (1Pe 5:1; 2Jo 1:1). Apostles therefore could have strictly no successors. John, while superintending the whole, was especially connected with the churches of Asia Minor, Paul with the W., Peter with Babylon. The bishops in that age coexisted with, and did not succeed officially, the apostles. James seems specially to have had a presidency in Jerusalem (Ac 15:19; 21:18).
Once the Lord Himself is so designated, "the Apostle of our profession" (Heb 3:1); the, Ambassador sent from the Father (Joh 20:21). As Apostle He pleads God's cause with us; as" High Priest," our cause with God. Appropriate in writing to Hebrew, since the Hebrew high priest sent delegates ("apostles") to collect the temple tribute from Jews in foreign countries, just as Christ is the Father's Delegate to claim the Father's due from His subjects in this world far off from Him (Mt 21:37).
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What I say to you in darkness, speak ye in the light; and what ye hear in the ear, proclaim ye upon the housetops.
What I say to you in darkness, speak ye in the light; and what ye hear in the ear, proclaim ye upon the housetops.
And I on my part say to thee, that thou art Peter, a rock, and on this rock will I build my church, and the gates of the underworld shall not prevail against it.
And I on my part say to thee, that thou art Peter, a rock, and on this rock will I build my church, and the gates of the underworld shall not prevail against it. I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever thou shalt bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever thou shalt loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever thou shalt bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever thou shalt loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
Truly do I say to you, Whatever ye shall bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever ye shall loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
Truly do I say to you, Whatever ye shall bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever ye shall loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, falling down before him, and asking a certain thing of him.
Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, falling down before him, and asking a certain thing of him. And he said to her, What is thy wish? She saith to him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left, in thy kingdom.
And he said to her, What is thy wish? She saith to him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answering said, Ye know not what ye ask. Can ye drink the cup which I am to drink? They say to him, We can.
But Jesus answering said, Ye know not what ye ask. Can ye drink the cup which I am to drink? They say to him, We can. He saith to them, Ye will indeed drink my cup; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but it will be given to those for whom it hath been prepared by my Father.
He saith to them, Ye will indeed drink my cup; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but it will be given to those for whom it hath been prepared by my Father. And when the ten heard this, they were much displeased with the two brothers.
And when the ten heard this, they were much displeased with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him, and said, Ye know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great men exercise a strict authority over them.
But Jesus called them to him, and said, Ye know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great men exercise a strict authority over them. Not so shall it be among you; but whoever desireth to become great among you, will be your minister;
Not so shall it be among you; but whoever desireth to become great among you, will be your minister; and whoever desireth to be first among you, will be your servant;
But they were silent; for on the road they had been disputing with one another, who was greatest.
But they were silent; for on the road they had been disputing with one another, who was greatest. And sitting down, he called the twelve, and saith to them, If any one desire to be first, he will be last of all, and servant of all.
And sitting down, he called the twelve, and saith to them, If any one desire to be first, he will be last of all, and servant of all. And he took a child, and placed him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them,
And he took a child, and placed him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them,
Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip and Bartholomew,
Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip and Bartholomew,
Then he opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures.
Then he opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures.
And I send forth upon you that which hath been promised by my Father; but do ye tarry in the city, until ye are endued with power from on high.
And I send forth upon you that which hath been promised by my Father; but do ye tarry in the city, until ye are endued with power from on high.
but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit which the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things which I have said to you.
but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit which the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things which I have said to you.
When the Comforter is come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he will bear witness of me.
When the Comforter is come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he will bear witness of me. And ye also are witnesses, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
And ye also are witnesses, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak from himself, but whatever he shall hear, that he will speak; and he will tell you the things to come.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak from himself, but whatever he shall hear, that he will speak; and he will tell you the things to come. He will glorify me, for he will receive of what is mine, and will tell it to you.
He will glorify me, for he will receive of what is mine, and will tell it to you.
Then he said to them again, Peace be to you! As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.
Then he said to them again, Peace be to you! As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.
Then he said to them again, Peace be to you! As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.
Then he said to them again, Peace be to you! As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. And having said this, he breathed on them, and saith to them, Receive the Holy Spirit.
And having said this, he breathed on them, and saith to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. Whosever sins ye remit, they are remitted to them; whosever ye retain, they are retained.
Whosever sins ye remit, they are remitted to them; whosever ye retain, they are retained.
Thomas answered and said to him, My Lord and my God!
Thomas answered and said to him, My Lord and my God!
And while in assembly with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for what had been promised by the Father, which [said he] ye heard from me;
And while in assembly with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for what had been promised by the Father, which [said he] ye heard from me;
But ye will receive power when the Holy Spirit hath come upon you; and ye will be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
But ye will receive power when the Holy Spirit hath come upon you; and ye will be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
And when they had come in, they went up into the upper room where they were making their abode, namely, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the zealot, and Judas the brother of James.
And when they had come in, they went up into the upper room where they were making their abode, namely, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the zealot, and Judas the brother of James.
Of these men, therefore, who accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Of these men, therefore, who accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us, must one be made a witness with us of his resurrection.
from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us, must one be made a witness with us of his resurrection.
And they prayed saying, Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which of these two thou hast chosen
And they prayed saying, Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which of these two thou hast chosen
This Jesus God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
This Jesus God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
But the author of life ye killed; whom God raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses.
But the author of life ye killed; whom God raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses.
Ye are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, "And in thy posterity shall all the families of the earth be blessed."
Ye are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, "And in thy posterity shall all the families of the earth be blessed."
And we are his witnesses of these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit which God hath given to those who obey him.
And we are his witnesses of these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit which God hath given to those who obey him.
And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, So then to the gentiles also God hath granted repentance unto life.
And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, So then to the gentiles also God hath granted repentance unto life. Now they who were scattered abroad by the persecution that arose on account of Stephen traveled as far as Phenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none but Jews.
Now they who were scattered abroad by the persecution that arose on account of Stephen traveled as far as Phenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none but Jews. But some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Greeks, publishing the glad tidings of the Lord Jesus.
But some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Greeks, publishing the glad tidings of the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them; and a great number believed, and turned to the Lord.
And the hand of the Lord was with them; and a great number believed, and turned to the Lord. But the talk concerning them came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem; and they sent forth Barnabas, to go as far as Antioch;
But the talk concerning them came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem; and they sent forth Barnabas, to go as far as Antioch; who, when he came, and saw the grace of God, rejoiced, and exhorted all to cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart;
who, when he came, and saw the grace of God, rejoiced, and exhorted all to cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart; for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great multitude was added to the Lord.
for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great multitude was added to the Lord. And he went to Tarsus, to seek for Saul;
And he went to Tarsus, to seek for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass, that for a whole year they came together in the church, and taught a great multitude; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass, that for a whole year they came together in the church, and taught a great multitude; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers; Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenaean, and Manaen, the fosterbrother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers; Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenaean, and Manaen, the fosterbrother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. And while they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.
And while they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then, after they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Then, after they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. They therefore being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, came down to Seleucia, and from thence sailed to Cyprus.
They therefore being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, came down to Seleucia, and from thence sailed to Cyprus. And having come to Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they had also John as an assistant.
And having come to Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they had also John as an assistant.
and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.
and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.
Wherefore my judgment is, that we should not trouble those who from among the gentiles are turning to God;
Wherefore my judgment is, that we should not trouble those who from among the gentiles are turning to God;
And the day following Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present.
And the day following Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present.
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, a called apostle, set apart to preach the gospel of God,
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, a called apostle, set apart to preach the gospel of God,
For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, which may be for your confirmation;
For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, which may be for your confirmation;
For I will not be bold to say anything hut of what Christ hath actually wrought by me to bring the gentiles to obedience by word and deed,
For I will not be bold to say anything hut of what Christ hath actually wrought by me to bring the gentiles to obedience by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and in the country around even to Illyricum, I have fully made known the gospel of Christ;
by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and in the country around even to Illyricum, I have fully made known the gospel of Christ;
Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord?
Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord? If I am not an apostle to others, yet surely I am to you; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord.
If I am not an apostle to others, yet surely I am to you; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord.
If any one thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him know surely that the directions I am writing to you are the Lords;
If any one thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him know surely that the directions I am writing to you are the Lords;
As to Titus, he is my partner and fellowlaborer for you; as to our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
As to Titus, he is my partner and fellowlaborer for you; as to our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
Paul, an apostle, not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead,
Paul, an apostle, not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead, and all the brethren that are with me, to the churches of Galatia:
and all the brethren that are with me, to the churches of Galatia: Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from the present evil world, according to the will of God our Father;
who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from the present evil world, according to the will of God our Father; to whom be the glory for ever and ever! Amen.
to whom be the glory for ever and ever! Amen. I marvel that ye are so soon turning from him that called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel;
I marvel that ye are so soon turning from him that called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel; which is not another; only there are certain persons who are troubling you, and seeking to change entirely the gospel of Christ.
which is not another; only there are certain persons who are troubling you, and seeking to change entirely the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel to you contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed!
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel to you contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed! As we have said before, so I now say again, If any one preach a gospel to you contrary to that which ye received, let him be accursed!
As we have said before, so I now say again, If any one preach a gospel to you contrary to that which ye received, let him be accursed! For do I now seek the favor of men, or of God? Or am I endeavoring to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
For do I now seek the favor of men, or of God? Or am I endeavoring to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I assure you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not after man;
But I assure you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not after man; for I did not receive it from man nor was I taught it by any man, but it was revealed to me by Jesus Christ.
for I did not receive it from man nor was I taught it by any man, but it was revealed to me by Jesus Christ.
Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and minister to my wants;
Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and minister to my wants;
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the apostle and highpriest of our profession, Jesus;
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the apostle and highpriest of our profession, Jesus;
The elders among you I exhort, who am a fellowelder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a sharer in the glory that is to be revealed;
The elders among you I exhort, who am a fellowelder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a sharer in the glory that is to be revealed;
And the wall of the city had twelve foundationstones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
And the wall of the city had twelve foundationstones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
And the wall of the city had twelve foundationstones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
And the wall of the city had twelve foundationstones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
The foundationstones of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones: the first foundationstone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;
The foundationstones of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones: the first foundationstone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, hyacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.
the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, hyacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.
Morish
The Greek word ????????? signifies 'a messenger,' 'one sent,' and is used in this sense for any messenger in 2Co 8:23; Php 2:25; and as 'one sent' in Joh 13:16. It is also used in a much higher and more emphatic sense, implying a divine commission in the one sent, first of the Lord Himself and then of the twelve disciples whom He chose to be with Him during the time of His ministry here. The Lord in His prayer in Joh 17:18 said, "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world." He was the Sent One, and in Heb 3:1 it is written "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Jesus."* They were to consider this One who had been faithful, and who was superior to Moses, to the Aaronic priests, and to angels, and was in the glory. The ordering of a dispensation depended on the apostolic office as divinely appointed.
* The word 'Christ' is omitted by the Editors.
APOSTLES, THE TWELVE. The Lord appointed these "that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out demons," and also to carry out the various commissions given by Christ on earth. It will be seen by the lists that follow that Lebbaeus, Thaddaeus and Judas are the same person; and that Simon the Canaanite (Cananaean) and Simon Zelotes are the same; Peter is also called Simon; and Matthew is called Levi.
Mt 10:2-4. Mr 3:16-19. Lu 6:14-16. Ac 1:18.
1 Peter and 1 Peter. 1 Simon. 1 Peter.
2 Andrew. 3 James. 2 Andrew. 3 James.
3 James and 4 John. 3 James. 4 John.
4 John. 2 Andrew. 4 John. 2 Andrew.
5 Philip and 5 Philip. 5 Philip. 5 Philip.
6 Bartholomew. 6 Bartholomew. 6 Bartholomew. 7 Thomas.
7 Thomas and 8 Matthew. 8 Matthew. 6 Bartholomew.
8 Matthew. 7 Thomas. 7 Thomas. 8 Matthew.
9 James and 9 James. 9 James. 9 James.
10 Lebbaeus. 10 Thaddaeus. 11 Simon Zelotes. 11 Simon Z.
11 Simon the Cana- 11 Simon C. 10 Judas. 10 Judas.
naean and 12 Judas 1. 12 Judas I.
12 Judas Iscariot.
Peter is always named first; he with James and John was with the Lord on the mount of transfiguration and also with the Lord at other times, though no one apostle had authority over the others: they were all brethren and the Lord was their Master. Judas Iscariot is always named last. In Matthew the word 'and' divides the twelve into pairs, perhaps corresponding to their being sent out two and two to preach. Bartholomew and Simon Zelotes are not mentioned after their appointment except in Acts 1.
When the Lord sent the twelve out to preach He bade them take nothing with them, for the workman was worthy of his food: and on their return they confessed that they had lacked nothing. Their mission was with authority as the sent ones of the Lord; sicknesses were healed and demons cast out; and if any city refused to receive them it should be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgement than for that city. Mt 10:5-15.
They received a new mission from the Lord as risen: see Luke 24; John 20. And before the ascension the apostles were bidden to tarry at Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. This was bestowed at the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. They are also viewed first among the gifts with which the church was endowed by the Head of the body when He ascended up on high. Eph 4:8-11. These gifts were for "the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." The mystery hitherto hid in God was now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, namely, that the Gentiles should be joint heirs, and a joint body, and partakers of His promise in Christ Jesus. Eph. 3. Paul was the special vessel to make known this grace. His apostleship occupies a peculiar place, he having been called by the Lord from heaven, and being charged with the gospel of the glory. See PAUL.
On the death of Judas Iscariot, Matthias, an early disciple, was chosen in his place, for there must be (irrespective of Paul, who, as we have seen, held a unique place) twelve apostles as witnesses of His resurrection, Ac 1:22; Re 21:14 as there must still be twelve tribes of Israel. Jas 1:1; Re 21:12. At the conference of the church in Jerusalem respecting the Gentiles 'the apostles' took a prominent part, with the elders. Acts 15. How many apostles remained at Jerusalem is not recorded: we do not read of 'the twelve' after Acts 6. Tradition gives the various places where they laboured, which may be found under each of their names. Scripture is silent on the subject, in order that the new order of things committed to Paul might become prominent, as the older things connected with Judaism vanished away: cf. 2Pe 3:15-16.
There were no successors to the apostles: to be apostles they must have 'seen the Lord.' Ac 1:21-22; 1Co 9:1; Re 2:2. The foundation of the church was laid, and apostolic work being complete the apostles passed away, there remain however, in the goodness of God, such gifts as are needed "till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." Eph 4:12-13.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus; read more. Simon of Cana, and Judas Iscariot, he who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, when he had charged them, saying, Go not away to gentiles, and enter not any city of the Samaritans; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And, as ye go, proclaim, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons; freely ye received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass, in your girdles; nor bag for the journey, nor two coats, nor sandals, nor a staff. For the laborer is worthy of his living. And into whatever city or town ye enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye leave the place. And as ye enter the house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye go out of that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Truly do I say to you, It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.
and Simon he surnamed Peter; and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, that is, Sons of thunder; read more. and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon of Cana, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. And he cometh into the house.
Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip and Bartholomew, and Matthew and Thomas, and James the Son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the zealot, read more. and Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Truly, truly do I say to you, A servant is not greater than his lord, nor one who is sent greater than he that sent him.
As thou didst send me into the world, I also sent them into the world.
Now this man purchased a field with the wages of the iniquity; and falling headlong he burst asunder in the middle, and all his bowels gushed out.
Of these men, therefore, who accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us, must one be made a witness with us of his resurrection.
from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us, must one be made a witness with us of his resurrection.
As to Titus, he is my partner and fellowlaborer for you; as to our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
Wherefore he saith: "When he ascended on high, he led captive a train of captives, and gave gifts to men." Now what is implied in his ascending, but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? read more. He who descended is the same as he who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints for the work of ministration, for the building up of the body of Christ; till we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a fullgrown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and minister to my wants;
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the apostle and highpriest of our profession, Jesus;
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
and account the longsuffering of our Lord salvation; as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things; in which things are some that are hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as also the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy endurance, and that thou canst not bear evil men; and thou didst try those who say they are apostles, and are not, and didst find them liars;
having a wall great and high; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel;
And the wall of the city had twelve foundationstones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Smith
(one sent forth), in the New Testament originally the official name of those twelve of the disciples whom Jesus chose to send forth first to preach the gospel and to be with him during the course of his ministry on earth. The word also appears to have been used in a non-official sense to designate a much wider circle of Christian messengers and teachers See
It is only of those who were officially designated apostles that we treat in the article. Their names are given in
and Christ's charge to them in the rest of the chapter. Their office.-- (1) The original qualification of an apostle, as stated by St. Peter on the occasion of electing a successor to the traitor Judas, was that he should have been personally acquainted with the whole ministerial course of our Lord from his baptism by John till the day when he was taken up into heaven. (2) They were chosen by Christ himself (3) They had the power of working miracles. (4) They were inspired.
Joh 16:13
(5) Their world seems to have been pre-eminently that of founding the churches and upholding them by supernatural power specially bestowed for that purpose. (6) The office ceased, a matter of course, with its first holders-all continuation of it, from the very condition of its existence (cf.
), being impossible. Early history and training.--The apostles were from the lower ranks of life, simple and uneducated; some of them were related to Jesus according to the flesh; some had previously been disciples of John the Baptist. Our Lord chose them early in his public career They seem to have been all on an equality, both during and after the ministry of Christ on earth. Early in our Lord's ministry he sent them out two and two to preach repentance and to perform miracles in his name Matt 10; Luke 9. They accompanied him in his journey, saw his wonderful works, heard his discourses addressed to the people, and made inquiries of him on religious matters. They recognized him as the Christ of God,
Mt 16:16; Lu 9:20
and described to him supernatural power
Lu 9:54
but in the recognition of the spiritual teaching and mission of Christ they made very low progress, held back as they were by weakness of apprehension and by national prejudices. Even at the removal of our Lord from the earth they were yet weak in their knowledge,
Lu 24:21; Joh 16:12
though he had for so long been carefully preparing and instructing them. On the feast of Pentecost, ten days after our Lord's ascension, the Holy Spirit came down on the assembled church, Acts 2; and from that time the apostles became altogether different men, giving witness with power of the life and death and resurrection of Jesus, as he had declared they should.
Lu 24:48; Ac 1:8,22; 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 13:31
Later labors and history.--First of all the mother-church at Jerusalem grew up under their hands, Acts 3-7, and their superior dignity and power were universally acknowledged by the rulers and the people.
ff. Their first mission out of Jerusalem was to Samaria
where the Lord himself had, during his ministry, sown the seed of the gospel. Here ends the first period of the apostles' agency, during which its centre is Jerusalem and the prominent figure is that of St. Peter. The centre of the second period of the apostolic agency is Antioch, where a church soon was built up, consisting of Jews and Gentiles; and the central figure of this and of the subsequent period is St. Paul. The third apostolic period is marked by the almost entire disappearance of the twelve from the sacred narrative and the exclusive agency of St. Paul, the great apostle of the Gentiles. Of the missionary work of the rest of the twelve we know absolutely nothing from the sacred narrative.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus; read more. Simon of Cana, and Judas Iscariot, he who betrayed him.
And Simon Peter answering said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And he said to them, But who do ye say that I am? And Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
But we are hoping that it is he who is to redeem Israel; moreover, besides all this, it is the third day since these things were done.
Ye are witnesses of these things.
I have yet many things to say to you, but ye cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak from himself, but whatever he shall hear, that he will speak; and he will tell you the things to come.
But ye will receive power when the Holy Spirit hath come upon you; and ye will be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us, must one be made a witness with us of his resurrection.
This Jesus God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
But the author of life ye killed; whom God raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses.
And many signs and wonders were wrought among the people by the hands of the apostles; and they were all with one accord in Solomons porch.
And we are his witnesses of these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit which God hath given to those who obey him.
and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.
Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord?
As to Titus, he is my partner and fellowlaborer for you; as to our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
Watsons
APOSTLE, ?????????, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ, commissioned by him to preach his Gospel, and propagate it to all parts of the earth. The word originally signifies a person delegated or sent; from ?????????, mitto; in which sense it occurs in Herodotus, and other profane authors. Hence, in the New Testament, the term is applied to divers sorts of delegates; and to the twelve disciples by way of eminence. They were limited to the number twelve, in allusion to the twelve tribes of Israel. See Mt 19:28; Lu 22:30; Re 21:12-14; and compare Ex 24:4; De 1:23; and Jos 4:2-3. Accordingly care was taken, on the death of Judas, to choose another, to make up the number, Ac 1:21-22,26. Of the first selection and commission of the twelve Apostles, we have an account, Lu 6:13, &c.; Mt 10:1, &c. Having chosen and constituted twelve persons, under the name of Apostles, our blessed Lord determined that for some time they should be continually with him, not only to attend upon his public ministry, but to enjoy the benefit of his private conversation, that he might furnish them the better for the great work in which they were to be employed; and that, at length, after suitable preparation, he might, with greater advantage, send them abroad to preach his Gospel, and thus make way for his own visits to some more distant parts, where he had not yet been; and to enable them more effectually to do this, he endowed them with the power of working miracles, of curing diseases, and casting out demons. About the commencement of the third year of his ministry, according to the common account of its duration, he sent them out two by two, that they might be assistants to each other in their work; and commanded them to restrict their teaching and services to the people of Israel, and to avoid going to the Gentiles or to the Samaritans, to declare the approach of the kingdom of heaven, and the establishment of the Gospel dispensation; to exercise the miraculous powers with which they had been endowed gratuitously; and to depend for their subsistence on the providence of God, and on the donations of those to whom they ministered. Their names were, Simon Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the greater, the son of Zebedee; and John his brother, who was the beloved disciple; Philip of Bethsaida; Bartholomew; Thomas, called Didymus, as having a twin brother; Matthew or Levi, who had been a publican; James, the son of Alpheus, called James the less; Lebbeus, surnamed Thaddeus, and who was also called Judas or Jude, the brother of James; Simon, the Canaanite, so called, as some have thought, because he was a native of Cana, or, as Dr. Hammond thinks, from the Hebrew ???, signifying the same with Zelotes, or the Zelot, a name given to him on account of his having before professed a distinguishing zeal for the law; and Judas Iscariot, or a man of Carioth, Jos 15:25, who afterward betrayed him, and then laid violent hands on himself. Of these, Simon, Andrew, James the greater, and John, were fishermen; Matthew, and James the son of Alpheus, were publicans; and the other six were probably fishermen, though their occupation is not distinctly specified.
After the resurrection of our Saviour, and not long before his ascension, the place of Judas the traitor was supplied by Matthias, supposed by some to have been Nathaniel of Galilee, to whom our Lord had given the distinguishing character of an "Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile;" and the twelve Apostles, whose number was now completed, received a new commission, of a more extensive nature than the first, to preach the Gospel to all nations, and to be witnesses of Christ, not only in Jerusalem, in all Judea, and in Samaria, but unto the uttermost parts of the earth; and they were qualified for the execution of their office by a plenteous effusion of miraculous powers and spiritual gifts, and particularly the gift of tongues. In consequence of this commission, they preached first to the Jews, then to the Samaritans, and afterward to the idolatrous Gentiles. Their signal success at Jerusalem, where they opened their commission, alarmed the Jewish sanhedrim, before which Peter and John were summoned, and from which they received a strict charge never more to teach, publicly or privately, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. The noble reply and subsequent conduct of the Apostles are well known. This court of the Jews was so awed and incensed, as to plot the death of the twelve Apostles, as the only effectual measure for preventing the farther spread of Christianity. Gamaliel interposed, by his prudent and moderate counsel; and his speech had so good an effect upon the sanhedrim, that, instead of putting Peter and John to death, they scourged them, renewed their charge and threats, and then dismissed them. The Apostles, however, were not discouraged nor restrained; they counted it an honour to suffer such indignities, in token of their affection to their Master, and zeal in his cause; and they persisted in preaching daily in the courts of the temple, and in other places, that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised and long expected Messiah. Their doctrine spread, and the number of converts in Jerusalem still increased. During the violent persecution that raged at Jerusalem, soon after the martyrdom of St. Stephen, several of the leading men among the Christians were dispersed; some of them travelled through the regions of Judea and Samaria, and others to Damascus, Phoenicia, the Island of Cyprus, and various parts of Syria; but the twelve Apostles remained, with undaunted firmness, at Jerusalem, avowing their attachment to the persecuted interest of Christ, and consulting how they might best provide for the emergencies of the church, in its infant and oppressed state.
When the Apostles, during their abode at Jerusalem, heard that many of the Samaritans had embraced the Gospel, Peter and John were deputed to confer upon them the gift of the Holy Spirit; for to the Apostles belonged the prerogative of conferring upon others spiritual gifts and miraculous powers. In their return to Jerusalem, from the city of Samaria, they preached the Gospel in many Samaritan villages. The manner of its being sent to Ethiopia, by the conversion of the eunuch who was chief treasurer to Candace, queen of the country, is related in Ac 8:26, &c. After the Christian religion had been planted in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and sent into Ethiopia, one of the uttermost parts of the earth, Ac 1:8; and after it had been preached about eight years to the Jews only, God, in his wise and merciful providence, disposed things for the preaching of it among the Gentiles. Caesarea was the scene in which the Apostle Peter was to open his commission for this purpose; and Cornelius, one of the devout Gentiles, and a man distinguished by his piety and charity, was the first proselyte to Christianity. After Peter had laid the foundation of a Christian church among the devout Gentiles, others imitated his example, and a great number of persons of this description embraced the Christian faith, more especially at Antioch, where the disciples, whom their enemies had hitherto called Galileans, Nazarenes, and other names of reproach, and who, among themselves, had been called "disciples," "believers," "the church," "the saints," and "brethren," were denominated, probably not without a divine direction, Christians.
When Christianity had been preached for about eight years among the Jews only, and for about three years more among the Jews and devout Gentiles, the next stage of its progress was to the idolatrous Gentiles, in the year of Christ 44, and the fourth year of the emperor Claudius. Barnabas and Saul were selected for this purpose, and constituted in an extraordinary manner Apostles of the Gentiles, or uncircumcision. Barnabas was probably an elder of the first rank; he had seen Christ in the flesh, had been an eye witness of his being alive again after his crucifixion, and had received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, as being one of the hundred and twenty. Saul also, since his conversion had preached as a superior prophet, about seven years to the Jews only, and about two
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And he called to him his twelve disciples, and gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every sickness and every disease.
And Jesus said to them, Truly do I say to you, that, in the renovation when the Son of man sitteth on the throne of his glory, ye who have followed me shall also yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And when it was day, he called to him his disciples; and he chose from them twelve, whom he also named apostles;
that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and ye shall sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
But ye will receive power when the Holy Spirit hath come upon you; and ye will be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Of these men, therefore, who accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us, must one be made a witness with us of his resurrection.
And they cast lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise, and go towards the south, to the way that goeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert way.
And it came to pass after my return to Jerusalem, while I was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance,
But arise and stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared to thee for this purpose, to prepare thee as a minister and a witness both of the things which thou sawest, and of those on account of which I will appear to thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the gentiles, to whom I send thee, read more. to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among the sanctified, by faith in me. Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision; but first to those in Damascus, and Jerusalem, and to all the country of Judaea, and then to the gentiles, I proclaimed that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
Salute Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and minister to my wants;
having a wall great and high; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel; on the east, three gates; and on the north, three gates; and on the south, three gates; and on the west, three gates. read more. And the wall of the city had twelve foundationstones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.