Bible Dictionaries
Apostle, Apostleship

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

is, lit., "one sent forth" (apo, "from," stello, "to send"). "The word is used of the Lord Jesus to describe His relation to God, Hebrews 3:1; see John 17:3 . The twelve disciples chosen by the Lord for special training were so called, Luke 6:13; 9:10 . Paul, though he had seen the Lord Jesus, 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:8 , had not 'companied with' the Twelve 'all the time' of His earthly ministry, and hence was not eligible for a place among them, according to Peter's description of the necessary qualifications, Acts 1:22 . Paul was commissioned directly, by the Lord Himself, after His Ascension, to carry the Gospel to the Gentiles.

"The word has also a wider reference. In Acts 14:4,14 , it is used of Barnabas as well as of Paul; in Romans 16:7 of Andronicus and Junias. In 2 Corinthians 8:23 (RV, margin) two unnamed brethren are called 'apostles of the churches;' in Philippians 2:25 (RV, margin) Epaphroditus is referred to as 'your apostle.' It is used in 1 Thessalonians 2:6 of Paul, Silas and Timothy, to define their relation to Christ." * [* From Notes on Thessalonians, by Hogg and Vine, pp. 59-60.]

"a sending, a mission," signifies an apostleship, Acts 1:25; Romans 1:5; 1 Corinthians 9:2; Galatians 2:8 .

Note: Pseudapostoloi, "false apostles," occurs in 2 Corinthians 11:13 .