Thoughts for the Day

Jesus Appoints the Twelve

He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons. So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

I have looked at 'Apostles' and 'Disciples' a number of times in the past five years, but looking back I found this explanation this one seems to say all that is required. Working on the principle that if I find it useful you might, I am therefore repeating it.

There were twelve 'Apostles' - but are we sure what this word means? And how does an 'Apostle' differ from a 'Disciple'? Well if you look up Wikipedia (which according to the two PhD experts in my family is pretty trustworthy these days), the following are definitions:

• 'Apostle - A title given to a messenger or receiver of knowledge, especially in Christianity: An apostle, in its literal sense, is an emissary. The word is derived from the word ἀπόστολος (Ancient Greek), literally "one who is sent off". The purpose of such sending off is usually to convey a message, and so "messenger" is a common alternative translation or "ambassador" or "envoy".'
• 'Disciple: Christianity: A disciple is a dedicated follower of Jesus. This term is found in the New Testament (only in the Gospels and Acts). In the ancient world, a disciple was a follower or adherent of a teacher. This is not the same as being a student. A disciple in the ancient biblical world actively imitated both the life and teaching of the master. It was a deliberate apprenticeship which made the fully formed disciple a living copy of the master.'

Eleven of these Apostles (minus Judas Iscariot), as well as some others (see Luke 10.1-12), were to take the message of the coming of God's Kingdom and of the Messiah to all parts of the world after Jesus' death and resurrection. But during their three year apprenticeship they also learnt to become living embodiments of their Master - so that they lived, and most died, for their faith in Jesus Christ. May we learn to give humble thanks for their work and their lives, and may we learn to live as believers who daily exercise our faith.

Lord Jesus Christ,
we thank You for the faith
of those original Apostles
who spread the Good News
to all parts of the world.
We thank You also for all
who since then have been
called to be Your Disciples,
and who have fought to be true to their faith.
So enable us to remember our calling
as Your followers,
and give us the strength to live out
that calling each day of our life.
Amen.