HOW MANY APOSTLES WERE THERE?

By L. Leroy Neff

Some people believe  there  can  be  no apostles except for the original 12. Others believe  all  ministers  and  even deacons can be classed as apostles.  What  does the  Bible  say  about  apostleship?

What does the Bible reveal about the office of an apos­tle  in  the  Church of God? How many apostles are listed in the New Testa­ment? What does apostle­ship have to do with the Church  today?

The word apostle comes from a Greek term that liter­ally means “one sent forth.” Some authorities explain that the word means “one commissioned.” Others define it as “one sent with a special message or commission.”

I  Corinthians 1 2:28 tells us that God has designated the  of­fice of apostle as the highest  of­fice in the governmental struc­ture and organization of His Church: “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings,   helps,  administrations, varieties  of tongues .”   Ephesians 4: 11-12 lists the  ranks or  offices of authority in   God’s   ministry and tells us the purpose of the ministry: ”And He Himself gave some to be apostles,  some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers [el­ders], for the equipping of the  saints for  the work of  ministry, for  the  edifying  of  the body  of  Christ. “

Apostles, as the chief authorities in God’s Church, direct God’s ministry in teaching God’s way and lead the Church in doing God’s  Work.

How many apostles were men­tioned in the New  Testament? You may be surprised when you see  the  complete answer!

Surely everyone will agree that there were 12 apostles. They are mentioned by name in several places, including Acts, the first chapter. Because one of those apostles. Judas Iscariot, betrayed Christ and later hanged himself (Matthew 27:5), it became neces­sary  to  select  and  appoint  a replacement. The account in Acts states that Matthias was the one selected by God to replace Judas (Acts 1 : 26). The list of named apostles of  Christ  now  totalled 13 in the New Testament.

James, the Lord’s brother

In the 12th chapter of Acts, we learn that James, the son of Zebedee, one of the original apos­tles, was killed by King Herod (verse 2). There was another James among the original 12, the son of Alphacus, who apparently is not  mentioned  after Acts 1: 1 3.

Continuing in  the  12th chapter of Acts, we learn from verse  17 that after James was killed, another   James   remained. In   this place Peter said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” Who was this James? He is referred to in several other places. He played  a  prominent part in  the  Jerusalem  conference of  Acts  15  and  is  mentioned again  in  I Corinthians  15 :7.

Who this other James was is explained  in  Galatians 1 :19: “But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the  Lord’s  broth­er.” This James, who was a half brother of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, is in  this  place  called an apostle. This brings the  num­ber  to  14 named  apostles .

This James is  mentioned  again in  Galatians   2:9.   “And    when J mes, Cephas [Peter], and John, who seemed to be pillars per­ceived the grace that had  been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised .” This  James, called  by early writers “James the Just” played a prominent part  in  the early  Church.

Other  apostles  named

The next apostles named  in Acts   are   mentioned   in  chapter 14. Note verse 4: “But the multi­tude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews,  and  part with the apostles .”

Who were these apostles? The previous chapter, verse 50, identi­fies them as Paul  and Barnabas. This now brings our total  to  16 named apostles. Lest there be any question about Paul and  Bar­nabas, notice also  Acts  14:14: “But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard  this,  they  tore their clothes  and  ran  in  among the  multitude.”

The Bible mentions on many occasions that Paul was an apostle, but Barnabas’  office is not referred  to  as often.

If you think that there are no other apostles mentioned in the New Testament, get set for some more surprises!

The next apostle  is referred  to in I Corinthians 9:5. Here Paul asks, “Do we have  no  right  to take along  a  believing  wife,  as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas [Peter]?”

lt is obvious from this state­ment that more  than one  brother of the Lord was an apostle. The book of Jude was written by the brother of James. He was also the half brother of Jesus Christ, so it would seem that at least Jude is included in this statement.

Conceivably, Christ’s other brothers, Joses and Simon, could have been included. Notice Matthew 13:55: “Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?” As nothing of importance   is   mentioned  about Joses and Simon elsewhere  in Acts or the epistles, they  proba­bly were not  apostles.

Some claim that those called apostles must have  seen  Christ. But there is no indication in the scriptures that Barnabas saw Je­sus. Likewise, the Bible nowhere gives any such requirement of an apostle of Jesus . Others have claimed that it was necessary that an apostle  be with  Christ  and  be a witness to His resurrection. The Scriptures  do  not  indicate   that the apostles Paul and Barnabas were witnesses of His resurrection. Neither is there any  state­ment indicating  that  James  or Jude were included in the 500 brethren  who  saw  Jesus  during the 40 days after  the  resurrection (I   Corinthians  15:6).

We have  now seen  evidence of at least 17 apostles in the New Testament. But the greatest apos­tle of all time has still not been named.

Our  Apostle  and  High Priest

Notice: “Therefore, holy breth­ren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ   Jesus”   (Hebrews 3:1).

Yes, Jesus Christ, our High Priest, is also an  apostle.  He  is one sent from God. He carried a commission that He fulfilled in a glorious way.  Jesus  Christ,  then, is the 18th apostle named in the New  Testament.

Depending on what was meant by the original writers, four other possible  apostles  are  mentioned; in each case. it seems more likely that the Scriptures do  not  actually mean that these people were apostles.

Compare I  Thessalonians 2:6 with I Thessalonians 1 :1. These scriptures refer to Silas (Sil­vanus) and Timothy as possible apostles . However, elsewhere we read that Timothy was an  evangelist   (II   Timothy  4:5).

Another scripture that some think implies apostleship is Ro­mans 16:7, which refers to Andronicus and Junia. Possibly Ju­nia was the wife of Andronicus, which  would mean  the   text  here is not implying that they were apostles, but that they were well known  by the apostles.

The Bible refers to other apos­tles who were sent, not by Jesus Christ, but instead by the adver­sary, Satan the  devil:  “For  such are false apostles, deceitful work­ers. transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no won­der! For Satan  himself  transforms himself into an angel of light” (II Corinthians 11:13-14). How many of these satanic apostles there were and are, we do not know.

There is one reference in the New  Testament  to  an  “apostle” of men . It is found in Philippians 2:25, where Epaphroditus was referred to by the apostle Paul as “your  messenger.” In this  text the word messenger comes from the same Greek  word  that is elsewhere translated  ” apostle. ”  In this case he was a “messenger” of the church at Philippi.  He  was sent to help Paul with his physical needs. He was not one sent as an apostle of  Jesus Christ .

Twentieth-century  apostles

What has happened during the last 19 centuries? Have there been any other apostles? We have no historical record of any until this century. Quite possibly there have been apostles in God’s Church  down  through  the  ages.

In  I Corinthians  9, Paul shows the proof of his apostleship:  “Am   I  not  an  apostle ?  Am   I not free? Have I  not  seen  Jesus  Christ our  Lord?  Are  you   not my  work  in  the   Lord?  If I am not an apostle  to others,  yet doubtless  I am to  you . For you  are the seal of my  apostleship in the   Lord”  (verses  1-2).

Just as  proofs  in  the life of Paul set him  forth as an apostle of Jesus Christ, in our time others have also been used by God in powerful ways. Through  one,   Herbert Armstrong, the Worldwide Church of God was established. Through him, the doctrines of God were re­stored to the Body of Christ. Through him, di­rectly or indirectly, most of us in the Church have come to the knowledge of the truth, repentance and baptism. Through him, demons have been cast out, and many have been healed. Isn’t that  the fruit,  the  seal,  of apostleship?

It is eminently clear, and has been for years, that Jesus Christ and God the Father specially sent forth  Herbert W. Armstrong with a commission, and his fruits showed that he was an apostle. For many years, Mr. Armstrong did not claim that he was fulfill ing this office. Probably  he  did not need to, as the Church recognized him as  an apostle  whether or not  he took  that  title. Several years before his death he finally recognized by the fruits that  God had appointed him an apostle. He then continued to call himself an apostle until his death.

Some critics of  the  Church have resented this, though they seem to have  no  criticism  of many others who call themselves apostles, in a large variety of Christian churches .

A few  rejected  Mr. Armstrong as an apostle because they dis­agreed with how he did things or what he did. The same type of people   criticized   Abraham,   Moses, David, Peter and other  bibli­cal personalities through  whom God worked.

Who  is  preparing  the way?

Malachi 3:1  says  that before the return of Jesus Christ,  God will send someone : ” Behold, I will send My messenger, and  he will prepare the way before  Me”

An apostle is one  sent.  Mr. Armstrong was one fulfilling that passage,  and  thus  even  this Old Testament verse shows that he was an apostle – one sent  forth. Is this God’s Church? If not , we had better find where it is and go there. If this is  the  true Church  of  God,  then  who  is  in charge?

The Scriptures answer clearly and unmistakably  that  Jesus Christ is the Head of His Church (Colossians 1: 18 ).  Christ  is  in and  with  His Church.

Therefore, if Jesus Christ is in charge, does He have power to direct  the  affairs  of  the  Church the way  He  wants?  Yes. He is  in c harge  and  sent  Mr.   Armstrong to lead His Church. Since  the death  of   Mr.   Armstrong, Joseph W. Tkach has continued that leadership in preparing the way for Christ’s return. The decision and responsibility to appoint someone to the high office of apostle is that of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. The membership of God’s Church has rec­ognized these apostles.

Here are the words of Jesus Christ: “Most assuredly, I say  to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me  receives  Him  who sent   Me”   (John 13:20).

Notice that  Jesus is referring to the one, whom He sends. If we receive the one He sends, His apostle, then we are receiving Je­sus Christ and the Father. On the other hand, if we reject the one Christ has sent, we reject Christ. Rejecting  one  that the  living Christ sends is a  fatal  mistake!

Those who wish to obey God need to get back of the apostle Jesus Christ has sent  for  now  – Mr. Tkach. We need to support him  in  carrying  out  this  Work the way that Jesus Christ,  the Head of the Church,  wants  it done.

For more information on the history of God’s true Church and where you can find that Church today. write for free copies of our reprint article “The Church They Couldn’t Destroy” and our booklet Where Is the True Church? Send your request to our address nearest you. See  inside  front cover of this magazine  for a list  of  our  addresses.