Meaning of APOSTLE
| Pronunciation: | | u'pâsul
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 WordNet Dictionary |
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- [n] (New Testament) one of the original 12 disciples chosen by Christ to preach his gospel
- [n] any important early teacher of Christianity or a Christian missionary to a people
- [n] an ardent early supporter of a cause or reform; "an apostle of revolution"
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| | See Also: | | adherent, Andrew, Apostle of the Gentiles, Apostle Paul, believer, Christian, disciple, doubting Thomas, James, John, John the Divine, John the Evangelist, Judas, Judas Iscariot, Jude, Levi, Luke, Mark, Matthew, Patrick, Paul, Paul the Apostle, Peter, Saint Andrew, Saint Andrew the Apostle, Saint James, Saint James the Apostle, Saint John, Saint John the Apostle, Saint Jude, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Matthew, Saint Matthew the Apostle, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Peter the Apostle, Saint Thomas, Saul, Saul of Tarsus, Simon, Simon Peter, Simon the Canaanite, Simon the Zealot, Simon Zelotes, St Andrew, St James, St James the Apostle, St John, St John the Apostle, St Jude, St Luke, St Mark, St Matthew, St Matthew the Apostle, St Patrick, St Paul, St Peter, St Peter the Apostle, St Simon, St Thomas, Thaddaeus, Thomas, Thomas the doubting Apostle, truster | |
| Webster's 1913 Dictionary |
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| | Definition: | | \A*pos"tle\, n. [OE. apostle, apostel, postle, AS.
apostol, L. apostolus, fr. Gr. ? messenger, one sent forth or
away, fr. ? to send off or away; ? from + ? to send; akin to
G. stellen to set, E. stall: cf. F. ap[^o]tre, Of. apostre,
apostle, apostele, apostole.]
1. Literally: One sent forth; a messenger. Specifically: One
of the twelve disciples of Christ, specially chosen as his
companions and witnesses, and sent forth to preach the
gospel.
He called unto him his disciples, and of them he
chose twelve, whom also he named apostles. --Luke
vi. 13.
Note: The title of apostle is also applied to others, who,
though not of the number of the Twelve, yet were equal
with them in office and dignity; as, ``Paul, called to
be an apostle of Jesus Christ.'' --1 Cor. i. 1. In
--Heb. iii. 1, the name is given to Christ himself, as
having been sent from heaven to publish the gospel. In
the primitive church, other ministers were called
apostles --(Rom. xvi. 7).
2. The missionary who first plants the Christian faith in any
part of the world; also, one who initiates any great moral
reform, or first advocates any important belief; one who
has extraordinary success as a missionary or reformer; as,
Dionysius of Corinth is called the apostle of France, John
Eliot the apostle to the Indians, Theobald Mathew the
apostle of temperance.
3. (Civ. & Admiralty Law) A brief letter dimissory sent by a
court appealed from to the superior court, stating the
case, etc.; a paper sent up on appeals in the admiralty
courts. --Wharton. Burrill.
{Apostles' creed}, a creed of unknown origin, which was
formerly ascribed to the apostles. It certainly dates back
to the beginning of the sixth century, and some assert
that it can be found in the writings of Ambrose in the
fourth century.
{Apostle spoon} (Antiq.), a spoon of silver, with the handle
terminating in the figure of an apostle. One or more were
offered by sponsors at baptism as a present to the
godchild. --B. Jonson.
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| Easton Bible Dictionary |
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| | Definition: | | a person sent by another; a messenger; envoy. This word is once used as a descriptive designation of Jesus Christ, the Sent of the Father (Heb. 3:1; John 20:21). It is, however, generally used as designating the body of disciples to whom he intrusted the organization of his church and the dissemination of his gospel, "the twelve," as they are called (Matt. 10:1-5; Mark 3:14; 6:7; Luke 6:13; 9:1). We have four lists of the apostles, one by each of the synoptic evangelists (Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:16; Luke 6:14), and one in the Acts (1:13). No two of these lists, however, perfectly coincide. Our Lord gave them the "keys of the kingdom," and by the gift of his Spirit fitted them to be the founders and governors of his church (John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26, 27; 16:7-15). To them, as representing his church, he gave the commission to "preach the gospel to every creature" (Matt. 28:18-20). After his ascension he communicated to them, according to his promise, supernatural gifts to qualify them for the discharge of their duties (Acts 2:4; 1 Cor. 2:16; 2:7, 10, 13; 2 Cor. 5:20; 1 Cor. 11:2). Judas Iscariot, one of "the twelve," fell by transgression, and Matthias was substituted in his place (Acts 1:21). Saul of Tarsus was afterwards added to their number (Acts 9:3-20; 20:4; 26:15-18; 1 Tim. 1:12; 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11). Luke has given some account of Peter, John, and the two Jameses (Acts 12:2, 17; 15:13; 21:18), but beyond this we know nothing from authentic history of the rest of the original twelve. After the martyrdom of James the Greater (Acts 12:2), James the Less usually resided at Jerusalem, while Paul, "the apostle of the uncircumcision," usually travelled as a missionary among the Gentiles (Gal. 2:8). It was characteristic of the apostles and necessary (1) that they should have seen the Lord, and been able to testify of him and of his resurrection from personal knowledge (John 15:27; Acts 1:21, 22; 1 Cor. 9:1; Acts 22:14, 15). (2.) They must have been immediately called to that office by Christ (Luke 6:13; Gal. 1:1). (3.) It was essential that they should be infallibly inspired, and thus secured against all error and mistake in their public teaching, whether by word or by writing (John 14:26; 16:13; 1 Thess. 2:13). (4.) Another qualification was the power of working miracles (Mark 16:20; Acts 2:43; 1 Cor. 12:8-11). The apostles therefore could have had no successors. They are the only authoritative teachers of the Christian doctrines. The office of an apostle ceased with its first holders. In 2 Cor. 8:23 and Phil. 2:25 the word "messenger" is the rendering of the same Greek word, elsewhere rendered "apostle." |
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| | Related Terms: | | Aaronic priesthood, Ambrose of Milan, ante-Nicene Fathers, Athanasius, Barnabas, Basil, bishop, Clement of Alexandria, Clement of Rome, colporteur, convert, converter, Cyprian of Carthage, Cyril of Jerusalem, deacon, disciple, elder, evangelist, follower, Gregory of Nyssa, Hermas, high priest, Ignatius, Irenaeus, Jerome, John, John Chrysostom, Justin Martyr, Lactantius Firmianus, Luke, Mark, Melchizedek priesthood, missionary, missioner, Origen, Papias, patriarch, Paul, Peter, Polycarp, priest, propagandist, proselyte, proselyter, proselytizer, saint, Seventy, teacher, Tertullian |
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