apostle (əpŏs`əl) [Gr.,=envoy], one of the prime missionaries of Christianity. The apostles of the first rank are saints Peter Peter, Saint, d. A.D. 64?, most prominent of the Twelve Apostles, listed first in the Gospels, and traditionally the first bishop of Rome. His original name was Simon, but Jesus gave him the nickname Cephas [Aramaic, = rock], which was translated into Greek as Petros
..... Click the link for more information. , Andrew Andrew, Saint [Gr.,=manly], in the New Testament, one of the Twelve Apostles, brother of Peter. According to tradition he was a missionary in Asia Minor, Macedonia, and S Russia. According to the apocryphal Acts of Andrew, he was martyred at Pátrai in Greece.
..... Click the link for more information. , James James, Saint, d. c.A.D. 43, in the Bible, one of the Twelve Apostles, called St. James the Greater. He was the son of Zebedee and the brother of St. John ; these brothers were the Boanerges, or Sons of Thunder. St. James was killed by Herod Agrippa I.
..... Click the link for more information. (the Greater), John John, Saint, one of the Twelve Apostles, traditional author of the fourth Gospel, three letters, and the Book of Revelation (see John, Gospel according to Saint ; John , letters; Revelation ); it is highly unlikely, however, that all five works were written by the
..... Click the link for more information. , Thomas Thomas, Saint, one of the Twelve Apostles, called Didymus. According to John, he refused to believe in the resurrection until he saw Jesus' wounds; hence the expression "doubting Thomas." John 11.16; 14.5; 20.24–29; 21.2.
..... Click the link for more information. , James James, Saint, in the Bible, one of the Twelve Apostles, called St. James the Less or St. James the Little. He was the son of Alphaeus; his mother, Mary, was one of those at the cross and tomb. The Western Church identifies him with Saint James , "the Lord's brother.
..... Click the link for more information. (the Less), Jude Jude, Saint, or Saint Judas [Jude is an English form to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot], in the New Testament, one of the Twelve Apostles, also called Thaddaeus. He is thought to have been the son or brother of St. James the Less.
..... Click the link for more information. (or Thaddaeus), Philip Philip, Saint, one of the Twelve Apostles. Like Peter and Andrew, he came from Bethsaida in Galilee. He is mentioned several times in the New Testament (Mat. 10.3; John 1.43–51; 6.5,7; 12.21,22; 14.8,9; Acts 1.13).
..... Click the link for more information. , Bartholomew Bartholomew, Saint (bärthŏl`əmy
..... Click the link for more information. , Matthew Matthew, Saint, in the New Testament, one of the Twelve Apostles. Also called Levi, he was a publican (tax collector) from Capernaum. Since the 2d cent. the first Gospel (see Matthew, Gospel according to ) has been attributed to him, but the attribution is almost
..... Click the link for more information. , Simon Simon, Saint (sī`mən), in the New Testament, one of the Twelve Apostles.
..... Click the link for more information. , and Matthias Matthias, Saint (məthī`əs), in the Bible, apostle chosen by lot to fill the place of Judas Iscariot.
..... Click the link for more information. (replacing Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot (ĭskâr`ēət)
..... Click the link for more information. ). Traditionally the list of the Twelve Disciples includes Judas and not Matthias, and the list of the Twelve Apostles includes Matthias and not Judas. St. Paul Paul, Saint, d. A.D. 64? or 67?, the apostle to the Gentiles, b. Tarsus, Asia Minor. He was a Jew. His father was a Roman citizen, probably of some means, and Paul was a tentmaker by trade. His Jewish name was Saul.
..... Click the link for more information. is always classed as an apostle, and so sometimes are a few others, such as St. Barnabas Barnabas, Saint (bär`nəbəs), Christian apostle. He was a Cypriot and a relative of St. Mark; his forename was Joseph.
..... Click the link for more information. . The principal missionary to any country is often called its apostle, e.g., St. Patrick is the apostle of Ireland, and St. Augustine of Canterbury the apostle of England. For the Apostles' Creed, see creed 1 The Nicene Creed, beginning, "I believe in one God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible, and in one Lord Jesus Christ … .
..... Click the link for more information. ; for the Teaching of the Apostles, see Didache Didache (dĭd`əkē) [Gr.,=teaching], early Christian work written in Greek, called also The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles.
..... Click the link for more information. ; for the earliest account of their activities, see Acts of the Apostles Acts of the Apostles, book of the New Testament. It is the only 1st-century account of the expansion of Christianity in its earliest period. It was written in Greek anonymously as early as c.A.D.
..... Click the link for more information. .

Bibliography

See E. J. Goodspeed, The Twelve: The Story of Christ's Apostles (1957, repr. 1962).

Apostle

Any of the 12 disciples chosen by Jesus. They were Peter, James and John (sons of Zebedee), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus or Judas (son of James), Simon the Cananaean or Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. The 12 were privileged to attend Jesus continually and receive his teaching. Peter, James, and John formed an inner circle and were allowed to witness such events as the Transfiguration and the agony of Jesus at Gethsemane. After the defection and death of Judas Iscariot, Matthias was elected an Apostle. Paul also claimed the title on the ground that he had seen the Lord and been commissioned by him.

apostle

1. one of the 12 disciples chosen by Christ to preach his gospel

2. any prominent Christian missionary, esp one who first converts a nation or people

3. Mormon Church a member of a council of twelve officials appointed to administer and preside over the Church

apostle (redirected from apostleship)

Bibliography

Apostle

apostle
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