Apostle is an English transliteration of the Greek apostolos, which means "one who is sent out." In ancient Greek, an apostle might be any person "sent out" to deliver news - messengers and envoys, for example - and perhaps carry out other instructions. Via the New Testament, apostle acquired a more specific usage and now refers to one of the elect original disciples of Jesus. Apostolic lists in the New Testament all have 12 names, but not all the same names.
Christians see the apostles as a connection between the living Jesus, the resurrected Jesus, and the Christian church that developed after Jesus ascended to heaven. The apostles were witnesses to Jesus' life, recipients of Jesus' teachings, witnesses to appearances of the resurrected Jesus, and recipients of the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. They were authorities on what Jesus taught, intended, and desired. Many Christian churches today base the authority of religious leaders on alleged connections to the original apostles.
- Saint John the ApostleSaint John the Apostle: Did St. John Write Revelations, the Gospel of John, and Three Epistles?
- Saint Thomas the ApostleSaint Thomas the Apostle: Who Was St Thomas the Apostle? Why Was He Called Didymus? Why'd He Doubt?
- Saint Philip the ApostleSaint Philip the Apostle: Who was St. Philip the Apostle? What is Philip's Tie to Gnosticism?
- Judas Iscariot the ApostleJudas Iscariot, Apostle: Who Was Judas Iscariot? Wh'dd Judas Betray Jesus? Should Judas be a Saint?
- Saint Peter the ApostleSaint Peter the Apostle: Who Was St. Peter the Apostle? What is Peter's Tie to the Catholic Papacy?
- Saint Andrew the ApostleSaint Andrew the Apostle: Who Was St. Andrew the Apostle? What is the Saint Andrew's Cross?
- Saint James (the Great) the ApostleSaint James (the Great) the Apostle: Who Was St. James the Great and What Was so Great About Him?
- Saint Matthew the ApostleSaint Matthew the Apostle: Who Was St. Matthew? Did Matthew the Apostle Write the Gospel of Matthew?
- Saint Bartholomew the ApostleSaint Bartholomew, Apostle: Who was St. Bartholomew? Was He St. Nathanael in the Gospel of John?
- Saint Simon the Zealot, the ApostleSaint Simon the Zealot, the Apostle: Why Was St. Simon a Zealot? Was Simon a Canaanite?
- Saint Jude Thaddeus the ApostleSaint Jude Thaddeus the Apostle: Who was St. Jude Thaddeus, Twelfth Apostle with the Disputed Name?
- Saint Matthias, the Second Twelfth ApostleSaint Matthias, Second Twelfth Apostle: Who Was St. Matthias, Apostle Who Replaced Judas?
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