Who Were the Apostles?

In Acts 2, we learn that the early Christian church devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching. All truly Christian churches through the ages have done the same. But who were the apostles?

The word apostle comes from the Greek apostolos, meaning “one who is sent out”—like a representative, delegate, or messenger. In Scripture, the word is used in more than one way:

• In its most basic sense, it refers to anyone sent out with a message. For example, Paul refers to Epaphroditus as “your messenger” (apostolos) in Philippians 2:25. Barnabas is also called an apostle in Acts 14:14.
• But more specifically, apostle refers to a distinct office in the early church—a position of spiritual authority and eyewitness testimony. Not everyone who is called “apostle” in the Bible was an official apostle in this sense.

So what makes an apostle? Originally, the office of apostle was filled by the first twelve disciples, chosen by Jesus Himself. But after Judas betrayed Jesus and took his own life, the church was left with only eleven. What happened next is interesting. In Acts 1, the Eleven determined to replace Judas as an apostle. This shows us that it was seen as an important office to be filled. For some reason, eleven just wouldn’t do. Here’s a bit of Bible trivia: whom did they choose to replace Judas?

If you said Matthias, give yourself a pat on the back! Nobody ever talks about this forgotten disciple. Yet this story in Acts 1 is significant because it shows us what it meant to be an apostle. Not just anyone could fill the position. There were specific criteria that had to be met:

1. The candidate had to have been with Jesus throughout His earthly ministry—from His baptism to His ascension. In other words, he had to be a witness to Jesus’ life and teaching.
2. He had to be a witness to the resurrection, able to give firsthand testimony that Jesus is alive.
3. The candidate had to be chosen by God. The Eleven identified two candidates and then cast lots—rather than casting votes! They asked God to reveal the person He had chosen.

But what about Paul? Paul didn’t meet the first criterion, but he was still recognized as an apostle later on. Why?

• He saw the risen Christ (Acts 9).
• He performed signs and wonders that marked true apostleship (2 Corinthians 12:12).
• He was affirmed by the other apostles—Peter even refers to Paul’s writings as Scripture (2 Peter 3:15–16).

Paul’s apostleship was unique, but not illegitimate. He was chosen directly by Jesus and sent to the Gentiles with authority and power.

So who were the apostles? They were men chosen by Jesus to oversee the early church. Their teaching carried His authority. With the exception of Paul, they were eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life and ministry. And they were witnesses to His resurrection. They were Jesus’ gift to the church—to preserve His teaching and bear witness to Him.

And that teaching is preserved for us in the New Testament. By studying Scripture, we too can devote ourselves to the apostles’ teaching—just as the early church did.