Try asking someone at your church, “What’s an apostle?”, and you’ll likely get a response something like this, “You mean, like the 12 apostles???” What most people don’t realize is the 12 are not the only people called apostles in the New Testament – there’s other people who are called apostles, too.

The “other apostles” 

The original 12 apostles – as well as the apostle Paul – play a unique, unrepeatable, irreplaceable role in the establishment of the original church. However, in addition to Paul and the 12, there are at least 11 “other apostles” mentioned in the Scriptures. The table below lists them out:

These 11 people mentioned above point us to a valuable, but often overlooked reality: the writers of the New Testament spoke of an apostolic function in and through the church that functioned beyond that of Paul and the 12. 

But it doesn’t stop with them. These are only the individuals who who are either directly or indirectly mentioned. The New Testament mentions “other apostles” in addition to these 11, too.

In 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 Paul lists off people Jesus appeared to after his resurrection:

“…and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.”

Did you catch that? He was seen by Cephas, then by the 12, then by over 500, then by James, and then…by all the apostles. Hmmm…who are these “other apostles” that Jesus appeared to? We don’t know who they are, we just know they are not a part of the 12.

We also read in Revealtion 2:2 that Jesus told the church at Ephesus that they had tested those who said that they were apostles and are not, and had found them to be liars. This implies that someone could say they were an apostle, be tested, and actually be telling the truth. 

If Paul and the 12 were the only ones who could legitimately be recognized as apostles, why test anyone at all? Just claiming to be an apostle would have been categoriacally false. 

Finally, towards the end of the first century the writer of the Didache, a first century document outlining basic Christian teaching, gave instructions about “best practices” for Christians receiving itinerant apostles into their homes (Did. 11-13). Apparently, there were Christians well into the later part of the first century who were recognized and received as apostles in the church.

Big “A” and little “a” apostles

One way to talk about the apostolic function is to say that there are Big “A” apostles and little “a” apostles. The Big “A” apostles are Paul and the 12. They are unique in respect to their personal eye witness to the bodily resurrected Christ.

The little “a” apostles are people who express the apostolic function of being separated from the group and sent to accomplish a speific mission. As Ephesians 4:7-11 indicates, one does not have to see the resurrected Christ to live out an apostolic function. Christ himself has already gifted some people as little “a” apostles, and in turn gives them to the church as a gift.

I don’t know about you, but I want us to receive all the gifts that Christ has to give us. It’s the only way we can enter more deeply into the fullness of Christ.

Alignment

1. In what way were the 12 and Paul unique in their apostolic function? (Hint: See Acts 1)
2. What does it tell us about the apostolic function if the term is applied to at least 11 other people in the New Testament?
3. Do you think it is appropriate to identify someone as an apostle today? Why or why not?

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