The Apostles were the men Jesus chose, trained, and sent as His authorized witnesses.
The Twelve were the core group; Paul and others were also called apostles by the risen Lord.
They were eyewitnesses of His ministry, death, and resurrection, and they laid the foundation of the church through the gospel they preached.
The church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone.
Jesus called the Twelve to be with Him and to be sent out to preach. He gave them authority over unclean spirits and sent them to the lost sheep of Israel. After the resurrection He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures and commissioned them as witnesses to all nations. Matthias was chosen to take the place of Judas. Paul was added later as one untimely born, an apostle to the Gentiles, having seen the risen Lord. The apostles preached repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name, performed signs that confirmed the word, and established churches. Their teaching, preserved in the New Testament, remains the normative witness to Christ. They were not a self-appointed elite; they were sent by Jesus, and their authority rested on His commission and on the truth of the gospel they delivered.
- An apostle is one who is sent; the apostles were sent by Jesus Himself.
- The Twelve were eyewitnesses of His life, death, and resurrection.
- Paul was called by the risen Christ and recognized as an apostle to the Gentiles.
- The church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone.
- Apostolic authority is bound to the gospel they received and handed on, not to personal status.
- Signs and wonders accompanied their ministry and confirmed the word.
- Their witness is preserved in Scripture and remains the standard for the church.
- Chosen by Jesus – He called them to Himself and appointed them as apostles.
- Eyewitnesses – They had been with Him from the baptism of John and saw Him after He rose.
- Sent with Authority – Given authority to preach, to heal, and to cast out unclean spirits.
- Foundation of the Church – The household of God is built on the apostles and prophets.
- Paul the Apostle – Called last of all, yet not inferior; apostle to the Gentiles.
- Suffering Witnesses – They bore the testimony of Jesus through persecution and death.
- Normative Teaching – The faith once for all delivered to the saints is the apostolic gospel.
- Mark 3:13-15 – “And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.”
- Luke 6:13 – “And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles.”
- Matthew 10:1-8 – He called the twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits; He sent them to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
- Acts 1:8, 21-22 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses… So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”
- Acts 1:26 – Matthias is chosen to take the place of Judas among the twelve.
- Acts 2:42 – “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
- Ephesians 2:19-20 – “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.”
- Ephesians 4:11-12 – “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:7-9 – “Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”
- 1 Corinthians 9:1-2 – “Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.”
- Galatians 1:1, 11-12 – “Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father… For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”
- 2 Corinthians 12:12 – “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.”
- Revelation 21:14 – “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”
- John 20:21 – “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’”
- Luke 24:46-48 – “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations… You are witnesses of these things.”
- Acts 4:33 – “And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.”
- Jude 1:17 – “But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- 2 Peter 3:2 – “…that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles.”
- Matthew 19:28 – “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
- Acts 15:6, 22-29 – The apostles and the elders gather to consider the question of Gentile believers; they send a letter with the decision.
Jesus chose apostles so that they might be with Him and so that He might send them. They were eyewitnesses of His resurrection and the foundation on which the church is built, Christ Himself being the cornerstone. Their teaching is the faith once for all delivered to the saints. Devote yourself to the apostles’ teaching. Hold the testimony they handed on. The same Jesus who sent them still builds His church on that foundation. The names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are written on the foundations of the New Jerusalem. Their witness has not passed away. It is written. It is sure. And the Lord who sent them is with His people to the end of the age.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.