An apostle is
a messenger or authorized representative
sent with a specific commission.
In the New Testament,
the term most commonly refers to
the twelve men Jesus chose
to be His closest disciples
and primary witnesses,
as well as to the Apostle Paul.
The word itself means “one who is sent.”
The Greek word apostolos means “a sent one” or “messenger.” It emphasizes both the act of being sent and the authority of the one who sends. In the New Testament, apostles were personally chosen and commissioned by Jesus Christ to be foundational witnesses of His life, death, and resurrection.
Jesus appointed twelve men to be apostles (Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16). Their names are:
These twelve held a unique, unrepeatable office. They were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry and resurrection and were given special authority in the early church (Acts 1:21-22; Ephesians 2:20).
Paul was also called to be an apostle, though in a different manner. He was not one of the original Twelve, but the risen Christ appeared to him and commissioned him as the apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:1-16; Galatians 1:1, 11-17; 1 Corinthians 15:8-10). Paul repeatedly defended his apostolic authority as coming directly from the Lord.
In a few places the New Testament uses the word “apostle” in a wider sense for other church messengers or representatives (for example, Acts 14:14 refers to Barnabas as an apostle alongside Paul, and Romans 16:7 may refer to others as apostles). However, the foundational office of apostle — particularly the Twelve and Paul — is unique and not an ongoing office in the church.
The apostles hold a unique and foundational place in the history of the church. Through their eyewitness testimony and inspired teaching, the gospel was accurately preserved and proclaimed. While the office of apostle in the sense of the Twelve and Paul is not repeated, the church continues to be built on the foundation they laid, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.