How Many Apostles Were There?
You may be surprised at what a careful examination of God's Word tells us.
-rory moore
Acts 1:2 Until the
day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given
commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen:
Acts 1:13
And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphæus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
At this point,
there are 11 named as apostles.
#12 Matthias replaced Judas.
Acts 1:26
And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was
numbered with the eleven apostles.
#13 Paul
#14 Barnabbas.
Acts 13:2 While they
were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set Barnabas
and Saul apart for Me for the work to which I have called
them.” Then, when they had fasted, prayed,
and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4 So, being sent
out by the Holy Spirit they went.
#15 Silvanus
#16 Timothy
58 plurals regarding the "apostles":
"we" "our" "us", used with the context of “apostles” are found in 1Thessalonians
1Thessalonians 1:1 Paul,
and Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
(9 remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.
ch. 2:4) but even as we have been approved of God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who prove our hearts. 5) For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness; 6) nor seeking glory of men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have claimed authority as apostles (plural) of Christ.
Again, Paul, Silvanus, and
Timothy in
2Thessalonians:3
(6 Now we command
you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that you keep away from every brother or sister who leads
a disorderly life and not one in accordance with the
tradition which you received from
us.
7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined way
among you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but
with labor and hardship we working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of
you; 9 not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to
offer ourselves as a role model
for you, so that you would follow
our example. 10 For even when we were with you, we
used to give you this order:
if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.
11 For we hear
that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work
at all, but acting like busybodies.
12 Now we
command and exhort such persons in the Lord Jesus Christ
to work peacefully and eat their own bread.
In 2
Thessalonians chapter 3, there are 14 plurals used in context of the apostles
ministry. And 24 plurals total. “—because our testimony to you was believed.”
in 1Thess. 2:6 “as apostles…” : there
are a total of 58 plural references from them, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, as
“apostles”, from Paul the writer.
I see solid evidence of 16 apostles through
these passages, perhaps there are others such as Apollos?
#17 Apollos.
1
Corinthians 3:5 Who then is Paul, and
who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to
every man?
1
Corinthians 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or
death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
1 Cor 4:6 And these things, brethren, I
have in a figure transferred to myself to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might
learn in us not to think of men above that which is written
#18 Luke an apostle. The writer of Acts. Paul's companion who *may* have replaced Barnabas when Barnabas and Paul separated later in the Acts narrative. Luke was in the field with Paul ministering.
In Acts he affirms traveling with Paul
#19 Epaphroditus
Philippians 2:25 But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my
brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your *messenger and minister..
*The translators should have said “apostle”
here because the Greek word is “apostolos”.
"apostolos": noun-masculine.
Definition: a delegate, messenger, one
sent forth with orders
specifically applied to the twelve apostles of Christ
in a broader sense applied to other eminent Christian teachers
of Barnabas of Timothy and Silvanus.
Titus: #21
2Cor. 8:23 about Titus, he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you. Or if our brethren be inquired about, they are the *messengers of the churches and the glory of Christ. *apostolos.
John Mark #22
Acts 12:25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark. (this is not John the son of Zebedee)
#23 Judas
#24 Silas.
Both were sent, both were prophets (as were Paul and Barnbbas before they were sent out)
Acts 15:27/32/40 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same by mouth.
Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and strengthened them. Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
If this is accurate, we have 24 apostles who are the elders in Revelation 4:4, 4:10 and several more mentions.
"And round about the throne were four and twenty seats; and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold."
Junia? Some assert "Junia" was an apostle.
and Matthias. he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
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