Apostle: Word study.

Word: Apostles: ἀπόστολος, apostolos.

In the Greek and a list of scriptures.
ἀπόστολος, ου, ὁ (s. ἀποστέλλω). In older Gk. (Lysias, Demosth.) and later (e.g. Posidon.: 87 Fgm. 53 p. 257, 21 Jac. [Strabo 3, 5, 5]) ὁ ἀ. is a naval expedition, prob. also its commander (Anecd. Gr. 217, 26). τὸ ἀπόστολον with (Pla., Ep. 7, 346a) or without (Vi. Hom. 19) πλοῖον means a ship ready for departure. In its single occurrence in Jos. (Ant. 17, 300; it is not found elsewh. in Jewish-Gk. lit.) it prob. means ‘sending out’; in pap mostly ‘bill of lading’ (s. Preisigke, Fachwörter 1915), less freq. ‘certificate of clearance (at a port)’ (BGU V §64 [II a.d.]=Gnomon des Idios Logos). It can also be ‘letter of authorization (relating to shipping)’: Mitt-Wilck. I/2, 443, 10 (15 a.d.); PHerm 6, 11f (cp. Dig. 49, 6, 1 litteras dimissorias sive apostolos). In contrast, in isolated cases it refers to persons who are dispatched for a specific purpose, and the context determines the status or function expressed in such Eng. terms as ‘ambassador, delegate, messenger’ (Hdt. 1, 21; 5, 38; Synesius, Providence 2, 3 p. 122a ἀπόστολοι of ordinary messengers; Sb 7241, 48; BGU 1741, 6 [64 b.c.]; 3 Km 14:6A; Is 18:2 Sym.). Cp. KLake, The Word Ἀ.: Beginn. I 5, ’33, 46–52. It is this isolated usage that is preferred in the NT w. nuances peculiar to its lit. But the extensive use of ἀποστέλλω in documents relating to pers. of merit engaged in administrative service prob. encouraged NT use of the noun, thus in effect disavowing assoc. w. the type of itinerant philosophers that evoked the kind of pejorative term applied by Paul’s audience Ac 17:18.
① of messengers without extraordinary status delegate, envoy, messenger (opp. ὁ πέμψας) J 13:16. Of Epaphroditus, messenger of the Philippians Phil 2:25.—2 Cor 8:23.
② of messengers with extraordinary status, esp. of God’s messenger, envoy (cp. Epict. 3, 22, 23 of Cynic wise men: ἄγγελος ἀπὸ τ. Διὸς ἀπέσταλται).
(שָׁלִיחַ; Schürer III 124f w. sources and lit.; Billerb. III 1926, 2–4; JTruron, Theology 51, ’48, 166–70; 341–43; GDix, ibid. 249–56; 385f; JBühner, art. ἄ. in EDNT I 142–46). In Christian circles, at first ἀ. denoted one who proclaimed the gospel, and was not strictly limited: Paul freq. calls himself an ἀ.: Ro 1:1; 11:13; 1 Cor 1:1; 9:1f; 15:9; 2 Cor 1:1; Gal 1:1; Eph 1:1; Col 1:1; 1 Ti 1:1; 2:7; 2 Ti 1:1; Tit 1:1.—1 Cl 47:1. Of Barnabas Ac 14:14; 15:2. Of Andronicus and Junia (less prob. Junias, s. Ἰουνία) Ro 16:7. Of James, the Lord’s brother Gal 1:19. Of Peter 1 Pt 1:1; 2 Pt 1:1. Then esp. of the 12 apostles οἱ δώδεκα ἀ. (cp. ParJer 9:20; AscIs 3:21; 4:3) Mt 10:2; Mk 3:14; Lk 22:14 (v.l. οἱ δώδεκα); cp. 6:13; 9:10; 17:5; Ac 1:26 (P-HMenoud, RHPR 37 ’57, 71–80); Rv 21:14; PtK 3 p. 15, 18. Peter and the apostles Ac 2:37; 5:29. Paul and apostles Pol 9:1 (cp. AcPlTh Aa I, 235 app. of Thecla). Gener. the apostles Mk 6:30; Lk 24:10; 1 Cor 4:9; 9:5; 15:7; 2 Cor 11:13; 1 Th 2:7; Ac 1:2; 2:42f; 4:33, 35, 37; 5:2, 12, 18, 34 v.l., 40; 6:6; 8:1, 14, 18; 9:27; 11:1; 14:4; 2 Pt 3:2; Jd 17; IEph 11:2; IMg 7:1; 13:2; ITr 2:2; 3:1; 7:1; IPhld 5:1; ISm 8:1; D ins; 11:3, 6. As a governing board, w. the elders Ac 15:2, 4, 6, 22f; 16:4. As possessors of the most important spiritual gift 1 Cor 12:28f. Proclaimers of the gospel 1 Cl 42:1f; B 5:9; Hs 9, 17, 1. Prophesying strife 1 Cl 44:1. Working miracles 2 Cor 12:12. W. overseers, teachers and attendants Hv 3, 5, 1; Hs 9, 15, 4; w. teachers Hs 9, 25, 2; w. teachers, preaching to those who had fallen asleep Hs 9, 16, 5; w. var. Christian officials IMg 6:1; w. prophets Eph 2:20; D 11:3; Pol 6:3. Christ and the apostles as the foundation of the church IMg 13:1; ITr 12; 2; cp. Eph 2:20. οἱ ἀ. and ἡ ἐκκλησία w. the three patriarchs and the prophets IPhld 9:1. The Holy Scriptures named w. the ap. 2 Cl 14:2 (sim. ApcSed 14:10 p. 136, 17 Ja.). Paul ironically refers to his opponents (or the original apostles; s. s.v. ὑπερλίαν) as οἱ ὑπερλίαν ἀ. the super-apostles 2 Cor 11:5; 12:11. The orig. apostles he calls οἱ πρὸ ἐμοῦ ἀ. Gal 1:17; AcPlCor 2:4.—Harnack, Mission4 I 1923, 332ff (Eng. tr. I 319–31). WSeufert, D. Urspr. u. d. Bed. d. Apostolates 1887; EHaupt, Z. Verständnis d. Apostolates im NT 1896; EMonnier, La notion de l’Apostolat des origines à Irénée 1903; PBatiffol, RB n.s. 3, 1906, 520–32; Wlh., Einleitung2, 1911, 138–47; EBurton, AJT 16, 1912, 561–88, Gal comm. 1921, 363–84; RSchütz, Apostel u. Jünger 1921; EMeyer I 265ff; III 255ff. HVogelstein, Development of the Apostolate in Judaism, etc.: HUCA 2, 1925, 99–123; JWagenmann, D. Stellg. d. Ap. Pls neben den Zwölf 1926; WMundle, D. Apostelbild der AG: ZNW 27, 1928, 36–54; KRengstorf, TW I 406–46 (s. critique by HConzelmann, The Theol. of St. Luke ’60, 216, n. 1), Apost. u. Predigtamt ’34; J-LLeuba, Rech. exégét. rel. à l’apostolat dans le NT, diss. Neuchâtel ’36; PSaintyves, Deux mythes évangéliques, Les 12 apôtres et les 72 disciples ’38; GSass, Apostelamt u. Kirche … paulin. Apostelbegr. ’39; EKäsemann, ZNW 40, ’41, 33–71; RLiechtenhan, D. urchr. Mission ’46; ESchweizer, D. Leben d. Herrn in d. Gemeinde u. ihren Diensten ’46; AFridrichsen, The Apostle and His Message ’47; HvCampenhausen, D. urchristl. Apostelbegr.: StTh 1, ’47, 96–130; HMosbech, ibid. 2, ’48, 166–200; ELohse, Ursprung u. Prägung des christl. Apostolates: TZ 9, ’53, 259–75; GKlein, Die 12 Apostel, ’60; FHahn, Mission in the NT, tr. FClarke, ’65; WSchmithals, The Office of the Apostle, tr. JSteely, ’69; KKertelge, Das Apostelamt des Paulus, BZ 14, ’70, 161–81. S. also ἐκκλησία end, esp. Holl and Kattenbusch; also HBetz, Hermeneia: Gal ’79, 74f (w. additional lit.); FAgnew, On the Origin of the Term ἀπόστολος: CBQ 38, ’76, 49–53 (survey of debate); KHaacker, NovT 30, ’88, 9–38 (Acts). Ins evidence (s. e.g. SIG index) relating to the verb ἀποστέλλω is almost gener. ignored in debate about the meaning of the noun.—DELG s.v. στέλλω A. EDNT. M-M. TW. Spicq.

My thoughts.

Looking through the different contexts of how this word is used for instance 1 or 4:9 "For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men." 1 Cor 12:28 "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." 1 Cor 15:9 "For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God." 2 Cor 11:5 "But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles.""

When using the term "apostle or "apostles" It seems Paul makes it clear that they are the highest office. But at the same time he also makes it clear that they are last in every category. 1 Timothy Paul says that he is "the chief of all sinners" but at the same time he is the top apostle of his day. Seems like He is contradicting himself right? No not at all, I believe what Paul is getting at is one of the primary principles in the kingdom of God "the first shall be last". The lead apostle is the lowest of the low, first in leadership and responsibility but last in popularity, recognition, and worldly esteem. Jesus being the very head of the church God in the flesh says in Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." The office if a apostle like the four offices in the five fold ministry exist for serving the body in equipping the saints to the work of the ministry. (Eph 4 11-12) The definition of "ministry" or "to minister" is this "serve, servant, service, servitor, waited".

As a whole the Office of an apostle can be summed up like this, The Apostle is the head of the earthly church, giving their lives in servant-hood preferring other before themselves, and being the lowest of the low on the earth.

By. Jonathan Pollard