Although both apostles and disciples were followers of Jesus, there is a distinction between the two that is primarily based on authority. While disciples followed Jesus and learned from him, the apostles were in charge of continuing Jesus' ministry, spreading the gospel, and creating worship communities.
No one is an apostle today. However, what the qualifications listed above clearly indicate is that no one is an apostle today. No one today can claim to have been personally appointed by Christ, to have seen the risen Christ, and to have performed the confirming works of an apostle.
An "apostle" is one who has a call to plant and oversee churches, has verifiable church plants and spiritual sons in the ministry, who is recognized by other apostles and meets the biblical qualifications of an elder.
We can say that all apostles were disciples but all disciples are not apostles. Jesus chose twelve Disciples and this inner circle of men came to be known as Apostles who were entrusted to spread the message of Jesus throughout the world so that eventually there would be many Disciples.
For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
An apostle is a "messenger" or "one who is sent" while a disciple is a "student" or "learner." Apostles were primarily people who had met and followed Jesus during his life and were called by him to spread the gospel. Disciples were simply any of Jesus' followers who devoted themselves to learning from him.
The first sign of a genuine apostle is that they have a call to this ministry and that this call has been received directly from God and confirmed numerous times through other more mature and seasons apostles and prophets. The apostle can only be appointed by our Lord Jesus Christ and so this is the first sign.
As for the other Gospels, Mark was said to be not a disciple but a companion of Peter, and Luke was a companion of Paul, who also was not a disciple. Even if they had been disciples, it would not guarantee the objectivity or truthfulness of their stories.
Apostle, (from Greek apostolos, “person sent”), any of the 12 disciples chosen by Jesus Christ. The term is sometimes also applied to others, especially Paul, who was converted to Christianity a few years after Jesus' death.
In Christian theology and ecclesiology, the apostles, particularly the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply the Twelve), were the primary disciples of Jesus according to the New Testament.
An Apostle of the Interior Life must be able to adjust to a culture, language and environment that may be different than her own. We are required to be open, flexible, and trusting in the Lord. The Apostle is someone who is sent.
The Apostolic Church believes in the five gifts God gave the church. They are fellowship, worship, discipleship, ministry, and missions. These gifts manifest themselves in the five officers of the church: Apostles.
A primary role of the Apostles has always been to teach the gospel: “And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach” (Mark 3:14).
In the New Testament an apostle is not a spiritual gift but a person who had a divinely given commission and ministry." (Surprised by the Power of the Spirit, 242). Several observations are in order: 1) Spiritual gifts, as described in 1 Cor. 12:7-10, are divinely energized deeds that are done.
Since the end of the first century, the beloved disciple has been commonly identified with John the Evangelist.
John the Apostle (Ancient Greek: Ἰωάννης; Latin: Ioannes c. 6 AD – c. 100 AD; Ge'ez: ዮሐንስ;) or Saint John the Beloved was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Generally listed as the youngest apostle, he was the son of Zebedee and Salome.
Apostles are chosen through inspiration by the President of the Church, sustained by the general membership of the Church, and ordained by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by the laying on of hands. …
nounone who supports and praises. admirer. advocate. apostle. booster.
An apostle is someone who is sent out by God to proclaim His message. They are often seen as pioneers or visionaries because they are often sent into new areas to start churches. Apostles and prophets usually work closely together. Apostles are also responsible to equip people to do the work of the ministry.
Paul (also named Saul of Tarsus; c. 5 – c. 64/65 AD), commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world.
Aramaic is best known as the language Jesus spoke. It is a Semitic language originating in the middle Euphrates. In 800-600 BC it spread from there to Syria and Mesopotamia. The oldest preserved inscriptions are from this period and written in Old Aramaic.
While the periods to which the gospels are usually dated suggest otherwise, convention traditionally holds that the authors were two of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, John and Matthew, as well as two "apostolic men," Mark and Luke, whom Orthodox Tradition records as members of the 70 Apostles (Luke 10):
So if you believe Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour then you are a Disciple. I am a disciple. An Apostle was specifically chosen by Jesus to spread the gospel after his death and resurrection. The twelve apostles mentioned above were Jesus' closest disciples.
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles
7 oAnd he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.