What is an Apostle?

The word “apostle” is one of the most important titles in the New Testament, yet it is often misunderstood. The English word comes from the Greek term apostolos, which means “messenger” or “one who is sent out.” While the word can have a general meaning, the Bible uses it in both a unique and broader sense. The Twelve apostles chosen by Jesus occupied an unrepeatable role in redemptive history, while others, such as Paul and Barnabas, are also called apostles in a wider sense.

This article will explain the meaning of “apostle” in the New Testament, the special place of the Twelve, the role of Paul, and the broader usage of the term. It will also consider what the apostolic mission means for the Gospel and the church today.

1. The Meaning of the Word “Apostle”

The word apostolos occurs more than seventy times in the New Testament. Its basic meaning is simple: one who is sent on a mission. In Greek culture, it could describe an envoy, ambassador, or official representative. In the Bible, however, the word takes on a deeply theological meaning.

In John 13:16, Jesus says, “A servant is not greater than his master, nor is an apostle greater than the one who sent him.” Here, the emphasis is on the one doing the sending—God Himself. An apostle, in the biblical sense, is someone personally chosen and commissioned by God for a task that carries His authority.

This explains why the apostles in the New Testament are not self-appointed leaders or spiritual entrepreneurs. They are those who have been sent by God in Christ’s name, bearing His authority and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

2. The Unique Role of the Twelve Apostles

The New Testament makes a clear distinction between the Twelve apostles and other messengers. These Twelve—Peter, James, John, and the rest—were chosen by Jesus during His earthly ministry (Luke 6:13–16). Their role was unique and foundational.

According to Acts 1:21–22, to be counted among the Twelve required having been an eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry “beginning from the baptism of John until the day he was taken up.” This criterion made their office unrepeatable. They were direct witnesses of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and they were commissioned by Him to establish the early church.

Their authority was not their own. Jesus promised them the Spirit, saying in John 14:26 that the Spirit would “teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” This explains why their teaching carries the weight of divine revelation. The church is said to be “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20).

For this reason, the office of the Twelve did not continue after their deaths. While the church has always valued apostolic teaching, the unique apostolic office was limited to those personally called and sent by Christ during His earthly ministry.

3. Paul as an Apostle to the Gentiles

While the Twelve had a unique calling, the New Testament also makes clear that Paul was an apostle. His situation, however, was distinct. Unlike the Twelve, Paul did not follow Jesus during His earthly ministry. Instead, he encountered the risen Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3–6).

Paul defends his apostleship in Galatians 1:1, declaring himself to be “an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father.” He emphasizes that his authority came directly from the risen Lord. In 1 Corinthians 9:1 he asks, “Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?”

Paul’s apostleship is significant because it reveals that the authority of an apostle rested not only on having been with Jesus during His earthly ministry, but on being directly commissioned by Him. His mission was unique: to be the “apostle to the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13). Through Paul, the Gospel spread beyond Israel to the ends of the earth, fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his seed (Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:8).

4. Other Apostles in the New Testament

Beyond the Twelve and Paul, the New Testament uses the word “apostle” in a broader sense. Acts 14:14 refers to “the apostles Barnabas and Paul,” showing that Barnabas was also considered an apostle. James, the brother of Jesus, may also have been regarded as an apostle (Galatians 1:19).

This wider usage does not mean that others shared the same foundational role as the Twelve. Instead, it reflects the more general meaning of the term: one who is sent on mission. In this sense, apostles were leaders in the early church who were commissioned to carry the Gospel into new regions, plant churches, and strengthen believers.

The distinction between the Twelve and these broader apostles is important. While the Twelve held an unrepeatable office, others carried out apostolic work in the sense of being God’s messengers. This distinction helps clarify why the New Testament can speak of apostles beyond the original circle without undermining the uniqueness of the Twelve.

5. Apostolic Authority and the Gospel

The authority of the apostles rested on their direct commission from Jesus Christ. Their teaching became the standard for the church, preserved in the New Testament writings. Acts 2:42 says that the early believers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

The Gospel is central to this apostolic authority. The apostles were not sent to invent new ideas but to testify to what God had done in Christ. They preached the death and resurrection of Jesus as the fulfillment of the Scriptures. In 1 Corinthians 15:3–4, Paul summarizes the Gospel he received and passed on: “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day.”

For the church today, the Gospel remains apostolic in this sense: it is rooted in the message delivered once for all through the eyewitnesses of Jesus Christ and the inspired apostles. It is not subject to revision but is the eternal word of God’s salvation.

6. Apostleship and the Mission of the Church

While the office of the Twelve apostles is not repeated, the apostolic mission continues through the church. Jesus said in John 20:21, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” Every believer is called to bear witness, though not in the same authoritative sense as the apostles.

In a real sense, the church is apostolic because it is built on the apostolic foundation and continues the apostolic mission of proclaiming Christ to the nations. Ephesians 4:11–12 notes that God gave “apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry.” While the office of apostle is unique, the function of being “sent” remains essential for the church’s identity.

The title “apostle” thus points us back to the foundation of the Gospel and forward to the church’s mission in the world. The apostles were witnesses to Christ’s resurrection, and the church today is a witness that the same Christ, the Alpha and Omega, will bring history to its fulfillment.

7. Conclusion: The Lasting Significance of an Apostle

An apostle is, at its most basic level, a messenger sent by God. In the New Testament, the word is used both narrowly for the Twelve and Paul, and more broadly for others like Barnabas. The Twelve had an unrepeatable office, rooted in their eyewitness testimony and direct commissioning by Christ. Paul, uniquely called by the risen Lord, became the apostle to the Gentiles, showing the Gospel’s expansion to the nations.

For the church today, the apostles remain significant because their teaching is preserved in Scripture. Their mission also shapes the ongoing calling of the church to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. While no one today holds the office of apostle in the New Testament sense, the church remains apostolic by standing on their foundation and carrying forward their mission.

The Gospel is bigger than any one generation because it rests on God’s eternal plan, revealed through His Son and announced by His apostles. To confess the faith is to stand in the line of those sent ones who first declared, “Jesus is Lord,” and who point us to the day when He will return as the Omega of history.

Bible Verses about Apostles

  • Luke 6:13 – “And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles.”

  • Acts 1:21–22 – “One of the men who have accompanied us… must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”

  • Acts 2:42 – “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship.”

  • Acts 14:14 – “But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments.”

  • Romans 11:13 – “I am an apostle to the Gentiles.”

  • 1 Corinthians 9:1 – “Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?”

  • 1 Corinthians 15:7–8 – “Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all… he appeared also to me.”

  • Galatians 1:1 – “Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ.”

  • Ephesians 2:20 – “Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.”

  • Ephesians 4:11 – “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers.”

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