Apostle
This article concerns the description of the apostles. The word apostolic is the name.
Summary |
"Apostle" comes from the Greek apostolos which designates a common mission, performance or letters describing The apostles and the Group of Twelve in the Gospels The identification of "apostles" to the group of twelve "disciples" chosen by Jesus "to be with him" is probably a relatively late development, as evidenced by the existence of apostles outside this group. The only passage of the Gospel which talks explicitly of the "Twelve Apostles" is Mt 10.2, also see Revelation 21.14 and Acts 1.26. It is better to talk to them about the Twelve: The number 12 is indeed essential to understand the role of forming disciples around Jesus a small circle to the strong symbolic significance. The Twelve were instituted by Jesus to be a special sign to Israel : they represent the people again as it will be gathered by God at the end of time (Mt 19:28), the number twelve evoking the twelve tribes of Israel, but also the totality and integrity of the people. It therefore refers to the fact that Jesus was given the task of collecting the entire people and to lead to fulfillment. The group of twelve remains after the Resurrection. After the betrayal and death of Judas , the eleven remaining disciples decide to pull a lot, Matthias , to "become with us a witness to the resurrection." They are, with other disciples, recipients of the gift of the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2). Peter and John are considered, with Jacques' brother of the Lord "which seems to be in the Church the centrality of Jerusalem, such as" pillars of the Church "(cf. Gal 2:9). After the death of the last of the Twelve , this group is no longer renewed. Catholics and Orthodox consider the bishops as successors of the Apostles, and attach particular importance to the fact that bishops are in the apostolic succession, that is to say that the tradition to which they relate back to the Apostles. The Gospels of Matthew , Mark , John and Luke tell the calling of the twelve disciples of Jesus of Nazareth chosen and give different lists. The first meaning of the word apostle, or at least who is the oldest attested in the New Testament , refers to the witness of the Resurrection of Jesus. This is the title that Paul attributes to himself in the letter to the Galatians , written in the 50s. In the letter to the Romans, he said "set apart for proclaiming the Gospel of God", "to lead to the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles": it is as fundamental to its mission in the Church alongside other witnesses of the Resurrection as the Twelve and some members of the family of Jesus (as Jacques, brother of the Lord), apostles too. The Orthodox Church recognizes as Equal to the apostles to the saints who spread the news of the resurrection as Mary Magdalene or who have evangelized a territory and a people like Nina of Georgia , Martin of Tours or Stephen of Perm. The New Testament also testifies to a ministry designed in the early Church, as one of the departments essential. Paul's letters (eg. 2 Cor 11.13) speak of "false apostles". 'The first example of apostolic text is without doubt the apostolic letter sent to the Church of Antioch following the speech Peter (Acts 15: 7-12) and Jacques (Acts 15: 13-21) on the decision of Council of Jerusalem on the observance of traditional rules of Judaism , including circumcision (to 50 ). The texts are not always explicit about the content of this department, which can be assumed that it contained an itinerant missionary dimension: thus the Didache (11, 3-6) is evidence of their existence in Syria at the beginning of second century. The apostolate in fact, contrary to the episcopate, do not exercise on a territory circumscribed and specific: it has a universal dimension. Pierre indeed presided over the First Church of Antioch before presiding over the Church of Rome. The tradition of the Church, following the texts of the Acts of the Apostles, adopt an apostolic college changed since the defection and betrayal of Judas Ischariote. It replaces it by Matthias (Apostle) and especially Paul (Apostle). In most cases, these additional two apostles are all among the twelve at the expense of one of the eleven called by Jesus Christ. In any case Paul is still in the apostolic college, in second place after Peter. This is particularly the case on the icon above. The rule of the Apostolic Tradition has been defined by St. Hippolytus of Rome in the early third century Iconography The twelve apostles are depicted in Christian art with the Holy Book, the cross, or instruments of torture (with the exception of John, all died as martyrs). Note in particular representation and religious pulpits on the four evangelists apostles: Some contemporary Christian minorities use the term "apostle to designate offices or officers. Thus, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism) has a Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The apostles, witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus
The apostolic ministry in the early church
Christian Minorities
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