What is an
apostle?
APOSTLE [1 Corinthians 12 (Second List), Ephesians 4]
(652
Strong, apostolos, ap-os'-tol-os, a delegate, ambassador, messenger, a person
who is sent)
Some
readers will passionately hold to the view that apostles finished with the
death of the last of the Twelve; others will attend fellowships, which are
awash with apostles! This is where we grasp the nettle: if all the
charisms of the Epistles are for today, then how do we view the gift of
apostle? The story is told of an American Congressional Candidate
who was asked a difficult question on the hustings. He replied that
some of his friends were of one opinion, some were of the other:
"Personally, I'm for my friends." Some of my brothers and
sisters would say that, apart from a figurative use of the word, apostles
finished with the Twelve - to suggest otherwise, is to imply that the Bible is
still being written; others say that they have apostles today in their
denomination. An airline pilot does not take a vote among the
passengers as to what to do next: he concentrates on his instruments.
Similarly, the Christian must follow the Scriptures: not opinions.
Cockpit instruments do need regular checking, as I know from experience,
similarly, we must research for precise and accurate translation and meaning. Some are
all too ready to claim “apostleship”, others are wise not to mention it.
In his most
significant book, "Ministers of God", Canon Principal Leon Morris
seconds the words of Bishop J. B. Lightfoot (one time of Durham, and eminent
New Testament scholar): that the term apostle "is not so used as to
lend any countenance to the idea that it is in any way restricted to the
Twelve" - the word is not confined to the Twelve and Paul, in the later
parts of the New Testament (ibid p. 42). Also of significance are
the dates of the two books: "Ministers of God" 1964, "Saint
Paul's Epistle to the Galatians", by J. B. Lightfoot, 1902.
Professor C. K. Barrett, the Durham University, Methodist academic, says:
"It is implied that there is a distinct group of persons known as
apostles, which is not unlimited, so that anyone may claim, truly or falsely,
to belong to it, and that this claim may be tested; it is implied too that
false claims were in fact made" ("The Signs of an Apostle",
1969). On the question of false apostles, the argument is never
offered, that there could only be The Twelve. "It must have
been well known throughout the Church that there was a class of apostles and
that this class was considerably wider than the Twelve, else to affirm oneself
to be an apostle would be immediately to discredit oneself." (Leon Morris
p. 45; 2 Corinthians 11:11-15, 12:11; Revelation 2:2)
To admit to
more apostles than The Twelve, is still a long march from accepting the concept
that there are apostles in the Church today.
An
Assistant Bishop in Manchester, a long time ago, observed that people, like
himself, might be the apostles today! In his case of extreme unorthodoxy,
it was most appropriate to underline that we must always be on guard against
false apostles who bring a different Christology - such as denying the Virgin
Birth, the Eternal Sonship (that Jesus was God come down from Heaven), and the
Bodily Resurrection of Christ; and offer a salvation which is based on the
works of the Law, as opposed to grace and faith.
Ancient
Corinth (three and a half miles from the modern city-port) is now simply a small tourist village, dominated by the ruins of the
archaeological site. In mid-September 1991, I visited the last shop
on the right as one walks through the main street towards the museum - near to
where Paul may have served in the workshops of the North Market.
The owner of this shop spends his time painting small modern vases and
artifacts. The ubiquitous radio amplified a most significant Greek
Orthodox service - it was in fact celebrating the Festival of the True Cross.
The eminent Bishop was preaching about the Church's need for apostles today!
Words of assurance and comfort
1.
There can be no adding to, or changing of the Scriptures.
This is why
the Qur'an, the writing of Mohammed, cannot be of God. There are
Muslim theologians who recognise the problem of Revelation 22:18, 19: that
the pages of revelation from God, closed forever on earth, at this point.
2.
The authority in the Congregation should always be the Elders.
3.
Academic institutions, denominational hierarchies, and local-church leaders,
cannot take upon themselves the sole distribution of any of the Gifts; the
Spirit of Grace is sovereign. This is not to say that during a
course of training, the Spirit may not anoint, and there is always much to be
learned about our gifts and their uses through study. We have a
duty, before God, to be fully educated for His service: "Do your best to
present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be
ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)
Similarly, some form of ordination" - the laying on of hands and commissioning,
may be most valid.
4.
As with all gifts, there is the question of scale: from the minuscule, to the
worldwide.
5.
The Twelve Apostles are, and will always be, special (Matthew 10:2, 19:28; John
20:24; Acts 6:2; 1 Corinthians 15:5; Revelation 21:14 - by way of examples).
J. W. Bowman noted: "Wherever our Lord would appear with His band of
'twelve', the number in itself would be proclaiming the Gospel message....
'Can't you see', it would be saying to Jewry, 'this is the Remnant spoken of in
the prophets. Open your eyes and see; this is the Messiah and the
new Israel!'" (Leon Morris gives this quotation in "Ministers of
God", p.15) They were a critical part of the eschatological
fulfilment of Israel. The Twelve - and the inner Three - remind us
of the Warriors of David: the Three and the Thirty. (2 Samuel 23:8-39)
6.
There has been little recent use of the term apostle, except in a metaphorical
sense for special missionaries such as: Smith Wigglesworth, John Wesley,
William Carey, David Livingstone, David Brainard - who did remarkable work
among the Native Canadians, and others who hold our attention in the pages of
Church History.
Apostles in the Church are equated with the prophets of Israel
Now I wish
to establish an important point as a basis for our study: apostles are the
equivalent of the Old Testament prophets. Here are nine objective reasons
why this is the case, looking at the text:
1.
Apostles were, if you like, "The Generals Next To God": the highest
of Gifts to the Church - "in the Church God has appointed first of all
apostles, secondly prophets..." (1 Corinthians 12:27-31); similarly, the Old
Testament prophets were the highest rank in their day.
2.
The calling of an apostle covers that of the ancient prophets, as is
demonstrated by the eschatological passages, and other prophetic elements, in
the epistles - similar to those in the Major and Minor Prophets, and by the
occasional promoting of prophets to be apostles: as in the case of Barnabas,
Paul, and Silas. (Acts 13:1-4, 14:4, 15:32)
The
following list of the elements in Old Testament Prophecy demonstrates an
affinity with the apostles' writing and ministry, rather than with New
Testament Prophecy:
a. Revelation of God's Character and will.
b. Indictment of wickedness, even among God's
People.
c. Judgment is spoken of as imminent.
d. Exile and Return - the course of future events.
e. The Messianic Hope.
f. The Golden Age – Eschatology, the Millennium.
g. Instruction, Strengthening, Comfort and
Encouragement.
h. Everyday issues - such as 1 Samuel 9, "Where are my
father's donkeys?" "This will happen if the king
does not repent…”
3.
The New Testament prophets are clearly stated to be second in status to the
apostles, and the evidence of their ministry indicates a role, which is
distinctly less than that of their forebears under the Old Covenant.
4.
The Old Testament written revelation was mainly given through prophets; apostles set down the words of the New Testament, or closely influenced them.
5.
Jesus taught: "... God in his wisdom said, I will send them prophets and
apostles..." (Luke 11:49 in its context)
6.
Peter also makes it clear: "I want you to recall the words spoken in the
past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Saviour through
your apostles" (2 Peter 3:2, 14-16). Paul also: "... the
Jews, killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us (apostles)
out." (1 Thessalonians 2:6, 15)
7. Jesus is
both The Prophet, in the Old Testament sense, and The Apostle of the New
Covenant.
8. The call
of the apostle, certainly in Paul's case, resembled that of an ancient prophet
- his initial reaction on the Damascus approach road, would have been to think
that God was calling him to an Isaiah-like duty. The Twelve had the
impressive honour of a calling by God Incarnate during His earthly ministry.
The prophets of the Old Testament
To learn
several key lessons, we too must enter into a parenthesis on this subject, and
look at the service of these ancient men of God.
Who were
the prophets of the Old Testament? There are twenty-eight, which
most church goers, could probably reel off immediately: Adam, Noah, Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob (Israel), Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Samuel, David, Elijah, Elisha;
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah,
Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.
Only about
nineteen of these twenty-eight are known as Writing Prophets -
those who wrote part of the Scriptures. Incidentally, Elijah wrote
a letter: 2 Chronicles 21:12 ff.
(References:
Genesis 15:1, 13-16, 20:7, 49:1, 50:24; Exodus 7:1; 1 Samuel 3:20, 9:6-14; 2
Samuel 7:2; Amos 7:14; Habakkuk 1:1; Haggai 1:1; Ezra 5:1; Zechariah 1:7; 1
Kings 18:36, 19:16.)
Now for
some of the lesser-known Old Testament prophets and
prophetesses:
Miriam
(Exodus 15:20),
Eldad and
Medad (Numbers 11:27),
Joshua (Joshua 1:1 ff; 3:10 ff etc)
Joshua (Joshua 1:1 ff; 3:10 ff etc)
Deborah
(Judges 4:4),
An unnamed
prophet (Judges 6:8),
A
procession of prophets (1 Samuel 10:5),
King Saul
(1 Samuel 10:6),
A group of
prophets led by Samuel (1 Samuel 19:20),
Three
groups of King Saul's men (1 Samuel 19:20-21),
The prophet
Gad (1 Samuel 22:5),
Ahijah the
prophet of Shiloh (1 Kings 11:29, 14:2),
Shemaiah (1 Kings 12:22 ff)
The man of
God (1 Kings 13:1),
An old
false prophet of Bethel (1 Kings 13:11),
Jehu son of
Hanani (1 Kings 16:7),
The larger
number of the Lord's prophets (1 Kings 18:4 ff,
19:10 ff),
A hundred
taken and hidden by Obadiah (1 Kings 18:4 ff),
450 false
prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:19),
400 false
prophets of Asherah (1 Kings 18:19),
A prophet
who came to King Ahab (1 Kings 20:13),
One of the
sons of the prophets (1 Kings 20:35-36),
400 false
prophets of Israel, including Zedekiah son of Kenaanah,
(1 Kings
22:6-28; 2 Chronicles 18),
Micaiah son
of Imlah (1 Kings 22:7-8; 2 Chronicles 18),
The company
of prophets (2 Kings 2:3-18, 4:1-41, 5:22, 6:1, 9:1),
[The
prophets of King Joram's father and mother (2 Kings 3:13)],
The false
prophets of Baal in King Jehu's time (2 Kings 10:18 ff),
Huldah the
prophetess, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe
- she lived in Jerusalem, the second district: an upper class family
(2 Kings 22:14),
Some of the sons of Asaph[4], Heman [14], and Jeduthun [6] - who prophesied to music - 24 in total (1 Chronicles 25:1-5)
Shemaiah (2
Chronicles 12:5),
Iddo - who
wrote annotations on King Abijah (2 Chronicles 12:5),
Azariah son
of Oded the prophet (2 Chronicles 15:8),
Hanani the
seer (2 Chronicles 16:7),
Jehu the
seer, the son of Hanani (2 Chronicles 19:2 f) cf above,
Jahaziel
son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a
Levite and descendant of Asaph
Eliezer
son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:14, 37)
A prophet sent to King Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:15),
Oded (2
Chronicles 28:9),
Gad the
King's seer (2 Chronicles 29:25),
Nathan (2
Chronicles 29:25),
Prophets of
God with Haggai, Zechariah, and Ezra (Ezra 5:1-2),
The false
prophetess Noadiah (Nehemiah 6:14),
False
prophets who tried to intimidate Nehemiah (Nehemiah 6:14),
False
prophets of Baal in Israel's history (Jeremiah 2:8,28),
Israel's
false prophets in Samaria were of Baal (Jeremiah 23:13),
Some
prophets in Jerusalem, in Jeremiah's time, were evil (Jeremiah 23:14),
In the
reign of Zedekiah, there were false prophets (Jeremiah 27:14,15),
False
prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, from Gibeon (Jeremiah 28),
[Anna a
prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher Luke 2:36)]
The full
total must be well over a thousand!
So, to
summarize: the OT prophets, did not all write notable letters and books like
Isaiah and Jeremiah; nor did the prophets all perform spectacular miracles,
such as those of Elijah and Elisha. We find the
"schools" of prophets, and a whole class of prophets in the
background, of whom we hear very little in detail.
There were
prophetesses, and when men failed to serve God in one period - in the days of
The Judges - Deborah took the lead.
Have in
mind the point already made, that most of the New Testament is the work of
apostles, just as the OT is mainly the writing of prophets.
The
significance is therefore: if we accept the premise that the post-ascension
apostles equate with the prophets of the Old Covenant - that a similar pattern
of lesser, ordinary, apostles will be seen in their background; and that there
will also be an undesirable presence of false apostles. The
apostles of the Church will follow a similar pattern to the prophets of the Old
Testament.
The apostles of the New Testament
There are
the original Twelve:
Simon (Peter), and
Andrew (Peter's brother),
James (son of Zebedee), and
John (the brother of James), Boanerges - Sons of Thunder,
Philip, and
Bartholomew,
Thomas, and
Matthew (the tax collector),
James (son of Alphaeus), and
Thaddaeus, or Judas son of James (Is this the same person, or a replacement of
one who had dropped out?),
Simon (the Zealot), and
Judas Iscariot (who betrayed him).
Matthew 10 :2-4, (the synoptic parallels are Mark 3:13-19, and Luke 6:12-16)
What do we
make of “The Seventy” (or 72): are they to be called apostles -
"apostello" (to send verses 1-3) is the verb used? (Luke 10:1-24)
Two disciples who were present at Lake Galilee are included as apostles by
some. (John 21:2)
Matthias was chosen by God to replace Judas Iscariot. (Acts 1:23-26)
James, the Lord's brother, by implication (1 Corinthians 9:5, 15:7; Galatians
1:19, 2:9-12)
Brothers of our Lord - at least two; possibly Jude and James, but there could
be others. (1 Corinthians 9:5)
All the apostles - a sizable group, as contrasted with the Twelve, Paul, and
James the Lord's Brother, all of whom are already in the list. (1 Corinthians
15:5-7)
Paul (Acts 14:4, 14; 1 Corinthians 9:1,5,6, 15:7; Galatians 2:8 etc)
Barnabas (Acts 14:4,14, 1 Corinthians 9:5,6)
Apollos - some would see 1 Corinthians 4, as including this gifted lawyer from
Alexandria.
Silas (1 Thessalonians 1:1, with 2:6)
Timothy (1 Thessalonians 1:1, with 2:6)
Titus (1 Thessalonians 1:1, with 2:6 - I can find no clearer reference in my
notes, but the implications are clear in such passages as the letter to Titus,
and in his work within the apostolic team)
Epaproditus, the Philippian messenger - "apostolos" (Philippians
2:25)
Two or more "apostoloi" of the Macedonian Churches, sent to Corinth
with Titus. (2 Corinthians 8:23) Were church apostles -
Epaphroditus and these others - apostles who were commissioned by the
Congregation to act on their behalf, commissioned by the Congregation
to Christ's service, or sent to the Congregation, originally, by Jesus?
I think, not the first, as the word has a technical usage in the New Testament
Church - meaning specifically "an apostle of Christ".
Andronicus (Romans 16:7)
Junias (or feminine Junia) (Romans 16:7) These last two had the
following commendation: they were relatives of Paul, had been in prison with
him ..., were outstanding among the apostles, and were converted before him.
Pseudo (false), super, apostles in Corinth (2 Corinthians 11:11-15, 12:11)
False apostles in Ephesus (Revelation 2:2)
In total,
we must be thinking of an unknown figure, but in my opinion we might be
thinking of about fifty New Testament apostles - 24 unequivocally named, some
unnamed, several open-ended plural references, and the false ones.
The true calling is never proved by a reference to being in the original
Twelve; there is clearly an understanding that there would be new
post-ascension apostles. Derek Prince, in his research, saw at least
28, in addition to the Twelve. (Recorded talk: “The New Testament Evangelists”)
The New
Testament is quite clear that the calling of apostle did not end with the
Twelve: as the eminent Christian theologians, noted earlier, stated.
What further can be learnt from the words and academic notes?
It is not
my intention, even if I could, to present a theological summation.
Considerable surprise may be experienced, that university faculties and scholarly
publications have seen such thorough consideration of the apostle's calling:
the fifty pages of Kittel, and the publications of Morris, Lightfoot and
Barrett, serve only as a hint.
Karl
Heinrich Rengstorf, of Tubingen University, is the writer who deals with this
word group in Kittel. (Vol. I, pp 398-447 [50 pages]) He sees the
verb as suggesting "the impartation of full religious and ethical
power"; the commission and authorization link the sender, the person sent,
and the recipient; rulers of provinces were sent "from Rome as an
impressive concretion of the empire" - in secular and religious terms it
was a mission.
In the
Greek translation of the Old Testament it is found over 700 times as a
"technical term for the sending of a messenger with a specific task",
as in the experience of Isaiah. (Isaiah 6:8) We should
consider the subservience of the person sent: "Even in the consciousness
of the bearer of the commission, the emphasis lies in its author, as we can see
from such cases as Abraham (Genesis 12:1 ff), Eleizer (Genesis 24:1 ff), Moses
and above all the prophets...” The Gospel According to John is especially rich
in the concept of sending. One verse obscured in English Versions
is 13:16: "I tell you the truth, no slave is greater than his master, nor
an apostle greater than the one who sent him."
The
remarkable fact is that, although the verb was commonly used in secular Greek:
the noun had only a limited and specific use - for maritime commerce and
military expeditions; that is, until its introduction as a calling, by our
Lord. Jesus and the early church uniquely use it! There
was no common Latin equivalent, hence the taking over of the Greek term as a
loan word in translation. Hebrew had a similar term in “sheluhin/shaliah"
(agent), which they did not in any sense borrow. Leon Morris
rejects the idea found in Kittel, that "apostolos" relates to
"shaliah", of the Old Testament.
As a basis
for "apostle", Kittel settles for: "an encounter with the risen
Lord and reception of the commission from Him". They are
seen, not as officials in the Congregation, but messengers of Christ, through
whom the Assemblies are formed, built up, instructed, guided and disciplined.
"It could not be hardened into an office." Nevertheless,
one must note a clear possessive link with sending Congregations: apostles of
specific churches. The most likely inference being the question of
accountability: the messengers had to report back to their sending
Congregation, much as Paul did in Syrian Antioch, after his First and Second
Missionary Journeys. (Acts 14:26-28, 18:22-23) This relationship
to Syrian Antioch rather defines against the profile of apostles belonging to
individual churches as their private apostle, who ministers to them: as opposed
to being sent out from them. In this sense Paul was "the
apostle of the Gentiles" and Peter the apostle "of the
circumcision", but he was also, like Peter, "an apostle of Jesus
Christ". (Romans 11:13; 1 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:1, 2:8 AV; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:1; 2 Timothy
1:1; Titus 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1)
The term
"pseudo-apostle" is special to the New Testament, also.
"Whatever the debate about whether the apostles died off in the first
century, it's clear the 'super apostles' didn't, Rob Warner notes somewhat
wryly." ("Christianity Magazine", p 26, April 1998 - an article
on the thinking of Rob Warner.)
Although
the ordination of apostles fell to the spiritual church, they were still very
much "apostles of Christ". This method of appointment has
its roots in Rabbinical Judaism, says Kittel.
New Testament teaching about the apostles' work
A look at
key passages
In Matthew
10:2-4, (the synoptic parallels are Mark 3:13-19, and Luke 6:12-16) there
is a significant pairing of the names: notice that the brothers are sent out
together - and what about the zealot and the patriot together! If
they could not work well together as brothers in the family business, they
would hardly fare well as travelling preachers together; and similar ideals
might oil the machinery of travelling evangelism. Derek Prince has
clearly shown in his lectures, that they moved about in teams, if possible.
Apart from practice established by Jesus in the original appointment, we have
Peter and John at the Gate Beautiful, and in Samaria (Acts 3:1, 8:14-25, also
Mark 11:1, 14:13), and Paul with his companions, as seen in Acts 13 ff and the
epistles - note the plural pronouns in 2 Corinthians 10:3-18; 1 Thessalonians
1:1, 2:1-20; Galatians 2:1,9 (two teams).
Also for
the Twelve there was the commission: to announce the Good News, to heal,
exorcise, receive limited payment and hospitality, to move on in the face of
expected persecution - persecution would come, but there was to be no macho
heroics - and to bring blessing. They were to herald (kerussein),
rather than teach in depth, at this stage; but the whole of Jesus' revelation
was to be passed on, in the wider sense of the Good News, eventually.
Their commitment was to the death.
In Jesus's
original appointment there is the important feature of Limitation: in this
case, they must not go outside the House of Israel. (Matthew 10:5-6)
Similarly Paul was restricted: from 'following his instinct' into Asia and
Bithynia; from baptizing disciples in Corinth - even though it was very much
part of his message; from straying outside his brief (as Apollos also,
presumably, respected) and from entering the territory of other apostles.
"What, after all is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants,
through whom you came to believe - as the Lord assigned to each his task.
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow."
This is a marvelously clear statement apropos all Christian service.
In other words, he saw himself as integrated with the work of others, in God's
great plan. To re-emphasize the point: there will be some
significant limitations in the apostolic calling; they are not free agents with
total authority, working in isolation, or without accountability. (Acts
16:6-7; 1 Corinthians 1:14-17; 1 Corinthians 3:5-9; 2 Corinthians 10:13-18)
What is
often called The Great Commission is found at the end of The Gospel According
to Matthew: "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in Heaven
and on Earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of
all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything, which I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the Age.'"
(Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:14-18)
There was
no doubt that Judas had forfeited his place in the apostolate, and so, on the
authority of Psalms 69:25 and 109:8, Peter organized the replacement with these
words: "Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been
with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from
John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one
of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection."
Matthias
was chosen by the archaic method of lots, and officially became the twelfth
apostle. (Acts 1:20-26)
The Twelve
initiated the choosing of the Seven Deacons, but gave the actual choice to the
full democratic gathering of the Disciples. They were to devote
themselves to prayer and the service of the Word. (Acts 6:2-4)
Peter and
John showed the seniority of their calling over that of the evangelist Philip,
when they came to Samaria to literally put the seal on his activity there.
One might ask: "How can one tell an evangelist from an apostle? They
both preach the Gospel in fresh regions, often with miracles of authentication.
What is the difference between Philip, on the one hand, as an evangelist, and
Peter and John, as apostles, on the other?" By way of reply,
we might say: "There is a point here. Perhaps some evangelists
are all too ready to claim a higher appointment than God had given.
Of course, to have a vision, to perform a miracle, or to claim a calling, is
not necessarily the proof of a genuine call. There is no
piece of paper - although some may have carried letters, which were of little
value, or obvious human badge of rank. Timothy was an apostle, but he was
nothing like Paul. Perhaps only an apostle, really understands the
calling, or needs to." (Acts 8:4-25; 2 Corinthians 3:1)
Paul,
during his first days in Damascus, demonstrates the gift of evangelist; he is
then seen as a teacher, and later as a prophet and teacher, before rising still
further to the premier calling of apostle. Here we might be meant
to see a steady promotion. (Acts 9:19 a-25, 11:26, 13:1, 14:4,14)
Romans 1:1-6 verse 1, Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:1-6 verse 1, Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
Peter's
trilogy of visions at Joppa brings him guidance of pivotal significance (within
the tradition of the Apocalyptic Vision, this indicates something of national
or international importance, fixed in God's purposes, and soon to be carried out -
Genesis 37:5-10, 41:32; Daniel 4:24).
As an
apostle, Peter had to defend his actions in Caesarea, in the face of general
criticism from "the apostles and brothers throughout Judea".
He was not granted infallibility! (Acts 11:1-18)
When James
"the brother of John" was martyred he was not replaced: he remained
one of the Twelve - the first to reach Glory. (Acts 12:2; Revelation
21:14)
Paul and
Barnabas were sent out by the prophets and teachers of Syrian Antioch, and sent
by the Holy Spirit also (not "apostello" in either case, although the
first word is a distant relative). Does this constitute the Holy
Spirit's commissioning of the two apostles? There is echo here of
the words of David about the return of the Ark of God, "If it seems good
to you and if it is the will of the LORD our God, let us send word far and
wide.” (Acts 13:1-4; 1 Chronicles 13:1-3)
Paul is
very careful to stress that suffering is basic to the commission.
There are two key passages in his sensitive letters to the Corinthians - as
contained in the New Testament. The first (1 Corinthians 4:8-13)
describes how apostles are like the prisoners at the end of a Roman Triumphal
Procession: destined for extermination in the city theatre or arena.
Their suffering includes: being a spectacle to angels and men, being fools,
weak, dishonoured,
undernourished, ill-clothed, brutally treated, homeless, labourers, cursed by enemies of God, persecuted, wrongly spoken
against, the scum of the earth, and refuse of society. In the second passage (2
Corinthians 11:21-33) Paul details his personal suffering: he preached free of
charge in Achaia, worked very hard, was frequently imprisoned, experienced
severe flogging, faced death several times, five times he received the Jewish
beating of 39 strokes, suffered three beatings with rods, was "stoned to
death", had three shipwrecks, was twenty-four hours lost at sea, lived an
unsettled lifestyle, faced various dangers (from rivers, bandits, fellow
countrymen, Gentiles, in cities, in the countryside, at sea, from false
Brethren), endured the indignity of labouring exacerbated by sleepless nights,
starvation, fasting, excessive chill, shortage of clothing, in the sealed city
of Damascus he had to escape from the wall in a basket - perhaps it was through
the sewage outflow that he "slipped" away. Besides all
this, he shared the constant heartaches of church members. Jesus is
still being persecuted in the suffering of His People. Perhaps Paul
and the Holy Spirit are stressing to us, that these are the true accreditation
and signs of an apostle! Suffering also: 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 (39 areas), and 12:10.
Most of the
Twelve died for their testimony; indeed, the verb "to witness"
(martyreo) gave us the term "martyrdom" (to die for one's beliefs).
This is hardly a glamorous job description, which will produce queues at the
town’s Job Centre.
There must
also be a sense of being "sent" as the term implies. This
could be through some clear call, given personally or through the church with
its Elders and prophets, or even a visionary sight of the risen Christ.
Some will say that an appearance of the Risen Lord, and a direct order from
Him, is essential; others that the Church at prayer can be the instrument of
the Divine commissioning. Leon Morris limits it to the former:
Derek Prince includes the latter. Scripture certainly stresses the
divine appointment. (Acts 1:23-26; 1 Corinthians 1:1, 9:1, 12:28; 2
Corinthians 1:1, 11:5-13, 12:11; Galatians 1:1, 15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:6; Jude verse 17)
The
holiness of life, doctrinal authority, and doctrinal orthodoxy, will also mark
out the true calling.
The
authority of apostles must be looked at with care. Professor Morris
deals incisively and extensively with variant academic opinions (ibid p 51 ff).
They could not claim automatic infallibility: Paul's lost letter to the
Corinthians contained a misleading statement (1 Corinthians 5:9-11), Peter and
Barnabas were party to the Galatian heresy (Galatians 2:11-16), the Jerusalem
Church, with its Elders and apostles, waited to hear Peter's account for his
fellowshipping with Gentiles (Acts 10 and 11). Paul, whose life
illustrates so much of the calling, has constantly to establish his authority -
as in the Corinthian letters, although he sees it as being no less than that of
the others, including the Twelve. (2 Corinthians 11:5 AV; Galatians 2:6)
It would seem to me that the tension between the appointed Elders, and the called
apostles, was a good safeguard of orthodoxy.
One of the
finest summations of the apostolic ministry is found in the farewell speech to
the Ephesian Elders. Here may be seen the nearness to the Old
Testament nabi (prophet – also found as a Muslim name): his relative innocence
and integrity, because he has been faithful in declaring the Message, his
charge to the spiritual rulers, the prophetic warning of imminent dangers, but
in addition the quality of his own life and sacrifice, and a saying of Christ
not found anywhere else. (Acts 20:25-38)
To stir the
Jews, Paul magnified his service; we may say he: felt a sense of honour and
privilege, rejoiced in it, made it paramount, to the fore of his mind,
developed a consuming passion, did not hide his gift from hourly use.
Paul could speak humbly of being the "least of the apostles", but in
defense as "not a whit behind the very senior apostles" (Romans 11:13; 1 Corinthians 15:9; 2 Corinthians 11:5). This sense of pride and honour is found in 2 Corinthians 10:8, For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it.
In a sense,
I believe, the calling is a conglomerate of all, or many of, the gifts; but
there is still the interdependence on others who are prophets, others who have
the gift of faith, and so on. Apostles were never one-man-bands,
self-sufficient. The Twelve had the help of the godly ladies; Paul
received much support: financial, secretarial, prophetic, etc.
There is also the humility of allowing others to find their leading from God (Acts 21:10-14; 1 Corinthians 16:2).
Paul wanted
to retain a reasonable amount of freedom, as a Believer, when the Corinthian
Church might want to impose its own rules on him. (1 Corinthians 9:1 and
19) Paul in Acts, and in his epistles, gives an exemplary portrait
of the calling.
His
relationship to God, and to his fellow Believers, was as their slave; indeed he
saw in his scars, the brand marks of his slavery in Christ's household. (1 Corinthians 9:19; Galatians 6:17 Moffatt)
The failure
of the pseudo-apostles in three key areas, gives us a clear indication of the
orthodoxy of the truly called: an accurate portrayal of Christ, genuinely
walking in the indwelling Holy Spirit, and offering a true representation of
the Good News. (2 Corinthians 11:5)
It is
comforting to note that the true apostles were not perfect; Paul had to rebuke
Peter and Barnabas (Galatians 2:11 ff). Neither was the Church perfect ....
The
foundation of the Church is apostles and prophets; and the revelation of the
mystery is to apostles and prophets also. This has perplexed Bible
students down the years: are the prophets Old or New?
"Since apostles are mentioned first, it is probable that Christian
prophets, not Old Testament prophets are in mind", writes C. K. Barrett
(note 123), and he is not alone in this opinion. (Ephesians 2:20, 3:5)
All that is
said about the gift of evangelist is implicit in the apostolic call.
Timothy is reminded precisely: "Do the work of an evangelist, discharge
all the duties of your ministry." (2 Timothy 4v5)
They often
carried the responsibility of appointing the Elders in new churches.
Peter was both an apostle and an Elder. (Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 2 Peter 1:1, and 5:1)
Jesus alone
is perfect, and is the leading example given to us: "Therefore my holy
brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the
apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one
who appointed Him..." (Hebrews 3:1, 2)
The prayer
of our Lord to the Father, for the Twelve: "As you have sent me into the
World, I have sent them into the World." (John 17:18)
Chapter 13.
A summary of the signs of an apostle
1.
They have seen the risen Lord, in reality, or in a visionary call.
This cannot imply that all who have "seen" the Lord are apostles,
because we have the 500 witnesses of the resurrection. (1 Corinthians
9:1, 15:6; Acts 22:14)
2.
Called by Jesus to a specific area of high-ranking service, with limitations.
3.
Orthodoxy of belief and doctrine, which they must responsibly defend.
4.
God's attestation by miraculous signs, at some time. This is one of
the weakest accreditations, and was obviously not paramount for all the Old
Covenant prophets - some were essentially writing prophets: though the
miraculous was not far away. (Cf above)
5. A
willingness to suffer for Christ and His people.
6.
Acceptance by those who are already apostles.
7.
Acceptance by some Congregations (1 Corinthians 9:2).
8. An
inclusive endowment with several primary and secondary spiritual gifts for
their work, such as prophecy, teaching, evangelism, administration, and so
forth.
9. A
seal of approval in the lives of those they have built up (1 Corinthians
9:2).
10.
Commissioned by God through a Congregation, to which they are accountable.
11. An
inner conviction of being called by Christ to this work.
12. They
will most likely operate in a team - some will be younger in the Faith, and in
process of training. (Acts 15:4-16:6; Galatians 1:2, etc)
13. A
pioneering spirit. (C. K. Barrett p.40)
14.
Occasional loneliness: Paul's stand against the church at Corinth, and other
apostles at Antioch. (Cf Jeremiah's suffering of persecution as he stood
against a nation - Jeremiah 13:17 b, etc)
It may be
helpful to look again at the scope of Old Testament
Prophecy in
a way which makes it relate to the present work of an apostle:
a. Teaching about God's Character and will
b. Indictment of sin among God's people, and among pagans
c. Judgment of God's people, and those who are unbelievers
d. Exile and Return - the course of future events, judgment and
restoration of sinners
e. Messianic Teaching: the Good News about Jesus - evangelism
f. Teaching about The Golden Age - Eschatology
g. Instruction, Strengthening,
Comfort and Encouragement
h. Everyday issues - 1 Samuel 9.
There are
most likely many people in the Church today doing the work of an apostle: many
just recognised as preachers, as an international teacher and evangelist, with
a message of discipline for the Church, a national influence, or even a local
or specific anointing. How do apostles come to know their calling?
We have noticed Paul graduating through being an evangelist, a teacher, and a
prophet, before the call to an apostle. Really the problem is the
same as was found apropos prophets in the Old Testament: there is a fair
mixture of true and pseudo; the Church has to make its decision!
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