What Is Apostle?
An apostle is someone directly sent and commissioned with authority, especially the group of early leaders Jesus chose to found the Christian church.
Meaning
The word apostle comes from the Greek apostolos, meaning one who is sent, carrying the sense of an official envoy or messenger commissioned with the authority of the one who sent them. In the New Testament, it most specifically refers to the twelve men Jesus chose and trained to carry his message after his death and resurrection.
Paul describes the church as built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone, presenting the apostles' witness and teaching as the foundational structure on which the entire Christian church rests. Paul himself claimed apostleship after his dramatic encounter with the risen Christ, though he was not among the original twelve, showing the term could extend somewhat beyond that first group even in the New Testament itself.
Christian traditions differ on whether apostolic authority continues today. Catholic and Orthodox traditions teach apostolic succession, that bishops in unbroken historical line from the original apostles carry forward their teaching authority in the church. Many Protestant traditions reject formal apostolic succession, holding that the apostles' unique, foundational role ended with the closing of the New Testament, while still honoring their writings as authoritative Scripture. Some Pentecostal and charismatic movements use apostle today as a functional title for certain leaders, a use most other traditions do not share.
In Scripture
Ephesians 2:20“being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone;”
Explore more terms in the Christian glossary, see how the traditions understand it on the denominations guide, or read related verses explained.
Apostle: Frequently Asked
Are there apostles today?
Christian traditions disagree. Catholic and Orthodox churches teach that apostolic authority continues through bishops in historical succession from the original apostles, though they do not call these bishops apostles outright. Most Protestant traditions hold the office of apostle, in the New Testament's foundational sense, ended with that first generation. Some charismatic churches do use the title for contemporary leaders.
How many apostles were there?
Jesus originally chose twelve. After Judas Iscariot's betrayal and death, the remaining eleven selected Matthias to restore the number to twelve, described in Acts 1. Paul later identified himself as an apostle as well, based on his encounter with the risen Christ, and the New Testament occasionally uses the term more broadly for other early missionaries and leaders.
What is the difference between an apostle and a disciple?
A disciple is any committed follower and learner of Jesus; the term applies broadly. An apostle is a disciple who was specifically sent and commissioned with special authority to represent Jesus and found the church, a smaller, distinct role. All apostles in the New Testament sense were disciples, but not all disciples were apostles.