By JW 2001
Lets not confuse the terms in our everyday life.
There were apostles in biblical times and there were disciples in biblical times. We are in biblical times also. There could be gifts of apostles and there are disciples. The two, may or may not coexist today. We have often referred to past leaders as apostles in hopes of aggrandizement of a person. Human man has always wanted a human leader, never happy with the one true leader of His church, Jesus Christ. Humans have always wanted either an appointed human leader or an elected leader. Mankind has then generally venerated that individual as their head placing that person as an intermediary between them and God. The individual that is placed or appointed there then takes the scepter and walks to the high seat and expects servitude from the underlings, subjects or members.
Sometimes a person claims to be doing “the work of God”. Sometimes that is a self or human directed work of what he envisions God’s work is. Followers are then ask to financially support his idea. One must be careful of joining a team of people that unite to do this very thing. That is why men’s works continue to crash. Some last a generation, and some last months. Sometimes the oxymoron word called “Servant Leadership” is used to venerate themselves. Give ruler ship a label and people follow like sheep. Often they unknowingly or unwittingly oppress the small ones. Many times they make a show of helping or hugging as an outward, quick time show. The people often give credence to men already of ordination. One should test them to see if they will physical serve small ones, minorities, widows and fatherless, rather than throwing others peoples money at them. (donations)
That is in where the confusion starts to erupt. There can be apostles that are disciples. There can be disciples that are apostles. So even when we talk about them it is very easy to get our minds thinking the terms are the same.
That individual then starts to expect people to be subject to him in some spiritual form or directions. Sometimes they set themselves up. Sometimes they are set up by supporters who make it easy to rise to the head. They then get nice offices, drive nice cars, and fly to & fro for Sabbath services around the world. They often surround themselves with “yes” men and near family.
We have to talk about the gifts, what they might mean and the difference.
Lets look at the term Apostle.
It Occurs 19 times in 19 verses in the bible. The word means. 652. apostolos, ap-os'-tol-os; from G649; a delegate; spec. an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ ["apostle"] (with miraculous powers):--apostle, messenger, he that is sent. So an apostle is a delegate, and an ambassador of the gospel. It indicates a person that is sent. One that has miraculous powers. A commissioner of Christ. He brings the Gospel. It is also referred to as 649. apostello, ap-os-tel'-lo; from G575 and G4724; set apart, to send out on a mission) literally. or figuratively to-put in, send, set at liberty.
This type individual does not have any preemptive power over another man. A delegate is an empowered human man that comes to represent the Good News. It indicates that he is sent from someone or some being. In this case Christ. Only Paul and Peter mention the word Apostle in the entire bible.
(Rom
1:1 KJV) Paul, a servant of Jesus
Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,+
(Rom
11:13 KJV) For I speak to you
Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
(1
Cor 1:1 KJV) Paul, called to be an
apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
(1
Cor 9:1 KJV) Am I not an apostle?
am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the
Lord?
(1
Cor 9:2 KJV) If I be not an apostle
unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye
in the Lord.
(1
Cor 15:9 KJV) For I am the least of
the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the
church of God.
(2
Cor 1:1 KJV) Paul, an apostle of
Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God
which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
(2
Cor 12:12 KJV) Truly the signs of
an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and
mighty deeds.
(Gal
1:1 KJV) Paul, an apostle, (not of
men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him
from the dead;)
(Eph
1:1 KJV) Paul, an apostle of Jesus
Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the
faithful in Christ Jesus:
(Col
1:1 KJV) Paul, an apostle of Jesus
Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
(1
Tim 1:1 KJV) Paul, an apostle of
Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which
is our hope;
(1
Tim 2:7 KJV) Whereunto I am
ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;)
a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
(2
Tim 1:1 KJV) Paul, an apostle of
Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in
Christ Jesus,
(2
Tim 1:11 KJV) Whereunto I am
appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
(Titus
1:1 KJV) Paul, a servant of God,
and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the
acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
(Heb
3:1 KJV) Wherefore, holy brethren,
partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our
profession, Christ Jesus;
(1
Pet 1:1 KJV) Peter, an apostle of
Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,
Asia, and Bithynia,
(2
Pet 1:1 KJV) Simon Peter, a servant
and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith
with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
A “disciple”; It is used 29 times in 27 versus and “disciples” is used 244 times in 232 verses. 3928. limmuwd, lim-mood'; one instructed:--accustomed, disciple, learned, taught, used. a learner, a pupil. lamad, law-mad'; to goad, (by implication.) to teach, expert, instruct, learn, skilful, teach .
Christ referred to his 12 as disciples and apostles. Often Paul and Peter referred to themselves primarily as Apostles. The word disciple primarily means “a learner”, “a pupil”.
Christ called them both names.
Mat
10:1 And having summoned His twelve
disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out,
and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
Mat
10:2 Now the names of the twelve
apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his
brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
Mat
10:3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas
and Matthew the tax-gatherer; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
Mat
10:4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas
Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.
Mat
10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out
after instructing them, saying, "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and
do not enter any city of the Samaritans;
Mat
10:6 but rather go to the lost
sheep of the house of Israel.
He called them His learners (disciples) , then he lists them as his missionaries (apostles).
Also he refers to them as disciple, “as one sent”.
I think the intent was to call them the name that indicated “the learners” and then the “teachers or instructors”. We must be careful to not take on any position or office that might cause for people to look to us. We must be careful to not look to a physical leader like is natural to man for either the spiritual leader or learner. We must always keep our focus on Christ, as we are the learners.
When Paul made the statements of introduction in his letters he would use the statement…”Gal, Eph, Col. (1 etc) Paul an Apostle, by the will of God…
Indicated he is a messenger sent.
There is an indication of humility on both parts. “A learner and or a teacher”. None of which are self appointed. But there is instruction to go out and make “learners” disciples. Learners or followers of Christ.
We refer to the word “Apostle Paul”. We have referred to some of our previous instructors as “apostle”. Whether they were or not is of no consequence. As we all learn to esteem other greater than ourselves, we then become whatever tool Christ wants us to refer to. We have learned to be learners and we have learned to listen to teachers. We also have learned the difference. In time the knowledge comes to all of the disciples of Christ who and who not to trust. It is never a human. It is always Christ and Him in us. He lives in us…in our physical human bodies and minds, and walks with us daily.
As learners of God and Christ’s way, we are then able to share and give others our enthusiasm for the truth, the way and love. We can share the excitement of Christ living in us. Keep your focus on Jesus Christ and away from human man and their personal work projects.