Jesus had disciples who became apostles. As disciples, they followed the master from whom they learned. As apostles, they were sent into the land with a mission. The Greek word “apostolos” (Gr. ἀπόστολος) can be derived etymologically from “apo” (away) and “stello” (to “place” in another position). An apostle is a messenger with a commission, or simply a “commissioned one.”

An apostle is a bearer of news. For example, Paul noted in his letter to the Romans that he was called as an apostle for a specific commission. He was “set apart for the gospel of God”(Rom 1:1). Paul, however, was not part of a parcel service. Because there was more at stake than the transmission of the message. Paul was on the road as an apostle, which not infrequently meant that he shared his life with communities for long periods of time, tirelessly contributing to the edification and realization of the Gospel in the community. He delivered the Gospel, but in such a way that it was also implemented and lived in the community. As soon as Paul presents himself as an apostle, his mission for the church is brought before us. That is the responsibility and the task that has been assigned to him. To this task he was “called”, and later also “set apart”.

How many apostles are there?

There is more than just the 12 apostles. For example, Jesus is also called an apostle:

“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Jesus, faithful to Him who made Him so…”
Heb 3:1

Jesus was called an apostle because He too was a commissioner and messenger:

“Jesus said to them: If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God: for neither came I of myself, but he sent me.”
John 8:42 cf. John 4:34 John 6:29 John 7:16 John 7: 28 John 7: 33 John 12:44 John 17:3.

Others may also travel as commissioners, e.g., from congregations to other congregations. Thus, various people are called apostles who we would not typically call “apostles.” Barnabas(Acts 14:14) and Andronicus and Junias(Rom 16:7) were apostles. What they all have in common is that they are on a mission and were not self-appointed. The twelve apostles and also the apostle Paul were apostles of a special kind.

The twelve apostles

Jesus sent His 12 disciples out into the land with a mission. On this occasion, and in connection with their mission, they received the designation apostles.

“Then He called His twelve disciples to Himself and gave them authority to cast out unclean spirits and to heal every disease and infirmity. These were the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who then betrayed Him. These twelve Jesus sent out and instructed them: Do not go out on the way to the nations…”
Mt 10,2-5

The twelve apostles were not allowed to go on the way to the nations, according to Jesus’ commission during His ministry on earth(Matt 15:24 Rom 15:8).

Is Paul one of the twelve apostles?

Paul is the thirteenth apostle who is not one of the twelve apostles. His mission was different. He had the function of an apostle, but this was different from the task of the twelve apostles. While the twelve apostles received their assignment for Israel, the assignment for Paul was for the rest of the nations(Gal 2:7-9). If we take a closer look at the content of the respective message of the twelve apostles and Paul, various differences stand out. What about the apostleship of Paul?

Paul did see Jesus our Lord(1Co 9:1), which was an important characteristic for an apostle. But he was not among the disciples who walked with Jesus on earth. When a replacement for Judas Iscariot was chosen, this was an important criterion. Paul would never have met this criterion(Acts 1:21-22). Thus, he could never be one of the twelve apostles.

The twelve apostles were called in the land of Israel and they were entrusted with the gospel of the kingdom. The twelve apostles spoke exclusively to Jews and proselytes. However, Paul was called outside the land, did not know Jesus according to the flesh, and was chosen by God for a ministry among the nations. About this ministry Paul writes to Timothy the following:

“For one is God, and one is mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, as the witness in due time. For this I have been appointed as a herald and apostle-I speak the truth, I do not lie-as a teacher of the nations in faith and truth.”
1Tim 2:5-7

Twelve apostles corresponded to the twelve tribes of Israel. The image of Paul as an apostle doesn’t quite fit in there. The significance of Paul’s calling cannot be found in comparison with the twelve apostles. He had a task of his own, which has been outlined here above in a few words: He was the apostle to the nations(Rom 11:13).

Are there still apostles today?

In the sense of a word- and content-defining group directly appointed by God, there are no more apostles today. Paul counted himself among the last apostles(1Co 4,9 gr. τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἐσχάτους). God’s word he completed(Col 1.25 gr. πληρῶσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ). It does not need any more additions in terms of content. There are no more messengers like Paul, Peter or John. Apostles and prophets once laid the foundation(Eph 2:20), on which evangelists, shepherds and teachers now continue to build(Eph 4:11-12).

Self-appointed apostles, whether New Apostles, pope or “apostolic workers” were appointed by men. Even if this was done with prayer and reverence, it can only be fundamentally different from what is described by the twelve apostles or by Paul. This must always be kept in mind when people emphasize any apostolic things in order to derive authority from them. Self-appointed apostles unfortunately still exist today and these must be unmasked. Already Paul and John had to deal with false apostles:

“… For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, pretending to be apostles of Christ.”
2Cor 11,13

“…that you cannot bear evils, and put to the test those who pretend to be apostles themselves and are not, inventing them to be false…”
Rev 2:2

Where is the difference now? Paul made it clear time and again that his commission and apostleship did not come from himself, but directly from Christ and God the Father:

“Paul, apostle, not of man, nor by any man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.”
Gal 1:1

Characteristic of the time in which he worked, he also produced the signs of an apostle:

“The signs of the apostle were indeed wrought among you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and deeds of power.”
2Cor 12,12

By the signs he was recognized as an apostle. What Peter accomplished in deeds of power, Paul also accomplished. Similar to how the “signs and wonders” in the Gospels pointed to the King and the approaching Messianic Kingdom, special acts of power were the apostle’s signs to make his message and task clear. We read about these deeds, signs and wonders in the book of Acts.

Distinction

Apostles and prophets, Paul writes later in Ephesians, are part of the foundation of the church(Eph 2:20). However, this by no means means that they still have to exist today. Paul had explicitly pointed out that he belonged to the last apostles(1Cor 4,9). Apostles and prophets (prophetic writings, according to Rom 16:25-26) once laid the foundation, and now it is being built upon. Therefore, in the same letter to the Ephesians(Eph 4:11), Paul names various gifts to the church:

• Apostle (foundation)
• Prophets (foundation)
• Evangelists (for those outside the church)
• Shepherds (for those within the community)
• Teachers (for construction and alignment).

While we have preserved the work of the apostles and prophets in the New Testament (the foundation), today it is the evangelists, shepherds and teachers who work to build up the church. In church and community structures, these tasks are not always so named, but these are the ones we can discover and promote. Significant in the context of Ephesians is that these are not gifts for people or functions, but these people are gifts for the community. Paul thinks holistically. This cannot be achieved through profession, but it can be achieved through vocation.

Evangelists, shepherds and teachers will of themselves bring about what they are called to do. If the calling is of God’s ways, it will be expressed naturally. Not everyone is an evangelist or a shepherd or a teacher. There are many other tasks in the community. Paul is speaking here of the building up of the body of Christ. His concern in Ephesians is not to address everything. His focus is on spiritual church building. Certain tasks he highlights. Of these, the apostles are one task among several. Apostles had the task of delivering the message and anchoring it in the community.