Apostleship refers to the office, role, and mission of an apostle within the Christian faith. The term "apostle" is derived from the Greek word "apostolos," meaning "one who is sent out." In the New Testament, apostles are primarily recognized as the foundational leaders of the early Church, chosen and commissioned by Jesus Christ to spread the Gospel and establish Christian communities.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of apostleship is rooted in the New Testament, where Jesus Christ Himself appointed the Twelve Apostles. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus calls the Twelve to be with Him and to be sent out to preach: "He appointed twelve, whom He designated as apostles, to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach" (Mark 3:14). These apostles were given authority to perform miracles and cast out demons, signifying their divine commissioning and empowerment.

The Twelve Apostles

The original Twelve Apostles, as listed in the Gospels, include Peter, James (son of Zebedee), John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who was later replaced by Matthias (Acts 1:26). These men were chosen by Jesus to be His closest followers and witnesses to His resurrection, tasked with laying the foundation of the Church.

Role and Function

Apostleship involves several key functions: preaching the Gospel, teaching doctrine, performing miracles, and establishing churches. The apostolic mission is characterized by a deep commitment to spreading the message of Christ and nurturing the spiritual growth of believers. The Apostle Paul, though not one of the original Twelve, is a prominent example of apostleship. He describes his calling in Galatians 1:1, stating, "Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead" .

Qualifications and Authority

Apostles were uniquely qualified by having witnessed the resurrected Christ and being directly commissioned by Him. Their authority was recognized by the early Church, as seen in Acts 2:42, where believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching. The apostles' teachings and writings form the core of the New Testament, providing doctrinal guidance and instruction for the Church.

Apostolic Succession and Legacy

While the original office of apostle, as held by the Twelve and Paul, is considered unique and foundational, the concept of apostolic succession has been significant in church history. This refers to the belief that the authority and mission of the apostles are passed down through successive generations of church leaders. However, the New Testament does not explicitly outline a formal succession plan, and interpretations vary among Christian traditions.

Spiritual Gifts and Apostolic Ministry

In addition to the foundational apostles, the New Testament mentions the gift of apostleship as a spiritual gift given to certain individuals for the edification of the Church. Ephesians 4:11-12 states, "And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ" . This suggests that while the original apostolic office was unique, the apostolic ministry continues in various forms through those gifted by the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion

Apostleship remains a vital concept in understanding the early Church's structure, mission, and authority. The apostles' teachings and example continue to influence Christian doctrine and practice, underscoring the enduring significance of their divinely appointed role in the spread of the Gospel.(n.) The office or dignity of an apostle.651. apostole -- a sending away
... Noun, Feminine Transliteration: apostole Phonetic Spelling: (ap-os-tol-ay') Short
Definition: commission, duty of apostle, apostleship Definition: commission ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/651.htm - 6k

The Same Continued. The Monk Pelagius. Grace is Conferred on the ...
... His due reward, therefore, is recompensed to the apostle as worthy of it; but still
it was grace which bestowed on him the apostleship itself, which was not ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 36 the same continued the.htm

Apostles To-Day?
... theory, is evident from Acts 1:25: "Lord, show of these two, the one whom Thou hast
chosen to take the place of this ministry and apostleship"; and again from ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxxii apostles to-day.htm

Acts XIII
... This Paul himself assumes, in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians, among
whom his apostleship has been denied. As conclusive proof ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xiii.htm

Letter Lxviii. From Three Gallic Bishops to St. Leo.
... I, Ceretius, your adopted (son?), salute your apostleship, commending
me to your prayers. I, Salonius, your adorer, salute your ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/letter lxviii from three gallic.htm

Against the Title of the Epistle of Manich??us.
... But if haply you should succeed in finding in the gospel an incontrovertible testimony
to the apostleship of Manich??us, you will weaken my regard for the ...
/.../chapter 5 name the title.htm

Epistle Lvii. From John, Bishop of Ravenna to Pope Gregory .
... For with respect to the napkins, the use of which by my presbyters and deacons your
Apostleship alleges to be a presumption, I confess in truth that it irks me ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle lvii from john bishop.htm

2 Cor. Iii. 5
... THE Apostle, in this Epistle, was led, by the cunning Management of some evil-minded
Persons amongst the Corinthians, to asset his own Apostleship; and his own ...
/.../sermon xiii 2 cor iii.htm

The Second Epistle to the Corinthians
... 13. Having done this, he takes up the discussion of the apostleship. ... III.
Pauls Vindication of his Apostleship, 10:1--- 13:14. In ...
/.../drummond/introduction to the new testament/the second epistle to the.htm

The Magnificence of Prayer
... It was because Paul added on the royal priesthood to the Gentile apostleship
that he achieved such magnificent results in that apostleship. ...
/.../whyte/lord teach us to pray/i the magnificence of prayer.htm

Our Manifesto
... To maintain his claim to the apostleship, he was driven to commence his epistles
with "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ," though his work was a self-evident ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/our manifesto.htm

Apostleship (5 Occurrences)
...Apostleship (5 Occurrences). ... 1 Corinthians 9:2 If to others I am not an apostle,
yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. ...
/a/apostleship.htm - 8k

Gifts (144 Occurrences)
... JC Lambert. SPIRITUAL GIFTS. (charismata): 1. Gifts Connected with the Ministry
of the Word (1) Apostleship (2) Prophecy (3) Discernings of spirits (4) Teaching ...
/g/gifts.htm - 61k

Spiritual (42 Occurrences)
... See ROCK, 2, (1); SPIRITUAL ROCK. SPIRITUAL GIFTS. (charismata): 1. Gifts Connected
with the Ministry of the Word (1) Apostleship (2) Prophecy (3) Discernings ...
/s/spiritual.htm - 51k

Iscariot (11 Occurrences)
... also. The first Scriptural reference to Judas is his election to the
apostleship (compare Matthew 10:4 Mark 3:19 Luke 6:16). He ...
/i/iscariot.htm - 25k

Galatians (2 Occurrences)
... THE MATTER OF THE EPISTLE A) Summary of Contents 1. Outline 2. Personal History
(Galatians 1:11-2:21; 4:12-20; 6:17) Paul's Independent Apostleship 3. The ...
/g/galatians.htm - 43k

Service (317 Occurrences)
... (DBY). Acts 1:25 to receive the lot of this service and apostleship, from which
Judas transgressing fell to go to his own place. (DBY). ...
/s/service.htm - 42k

Seal (47 Occurrences)
... Converts are by Paul styled the seal of his apostleship, ie, they are its attestation
(1 Corinthians 9:2). Seals and sealing are frequently mentioned in the ...
/s/seal.htm - 38k

Apostolic (2 Occurrences)

/a/apostolic.htm - 17k

James (40 Occurrences)
... 4. Apostleship: From this time onward he occupied a prominent place among the apostles,
and, along with Peter and John, became the special confidant of Jesus. ...
/j/james.htm - 78k

Within (400 Occurrences)
... Galatians 2:8 for He who had been at work within Peter with a view to his Apostleship
to the Jews had also been at work within me with a view to my Apostleship...
/w/within.htm - 36k

What are the biblical qualifications for apostleship? | GotQuestions.org

Who were the 70 (or 72) disciples in Luke 10? | GotQuestions.org

What is apostolic doctrine? | GotQuestions.org

Apostleship: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus