Apostle (Hastings' Dictionary)

The proper meaning of djr6<rTo\os is an ambassador, who not only curries a message like an fiyycXos, but also represents the sender. So Herodotus (i. 21) of Alyattes to Miletus; (v. 38) of Miletus to Sparta. The influence of Athens diverted it for a time (e.g. Demosth. p. 252) to mean a naval squadron ; and in later law dTrocrroXoi were the litterm dimissorim by which a case was re- ferred to a higher court. In Hel. Greek it returns to its other meaning.

This is not very distinct in 1 K 14' ( Ahijah iTr. <rKXi)p4s to Jeroboam's wife), the (inly place where it is found in LXX, though Symmachus has it clear in Is lS^(that sendeth c'l'S' by the sea). So there seem to have been awfxrToKoi. sent from Jerusalem to collect the temple money, and diriffToXoi sent by the foreign Jews to bring it to Jerus. Later on, the patriarch at Tiberias liad dTricTToXoi at his disposal (Epiph. Hcxn: 30, p. 129; Cod. Theod. xviii. 8.

14, where Honorius, in 3'J8, abolishes the whole system of taxation. See Gothofred, ad loc). In NT it is found Mt 10» (rCiv Si SuSexa iw.), Mk 6" (oi dTT.— those sent forth, v.'), Jn 13" (in the general sense), and frequently in Luke and Paul. Once (He 3') of our Lord Himself, which is the thought of Jn 17'. After the ascension the number of the Lord's apostles was not fixed at twelve, except in the figurative language of Rev 21". Setting aside envoys of men (2 Co 8^ iir.

^/ckXi/o-uDi/, Ph 2=» i/iuv Si dir.) and false apostles (2 Co 11'^ Rev 2^) who needed to be tried (contrast iireipa<ras with 1 Jn 4' SoKtfid^eTc), we have first Matthias, though it is best left an open (question whether he was permanently numbered \nth the Eleven. Of Paul and Barnabas there can be no doubt (e.g. Ac 14" oi dTT. B. (cai n.), and of James the Lord's brother very little (Gal I", 1 Co 15' and perhaps 9'). Andronicus and Juntas at Rome seem to be 'notable' apostles (Ro 16' iTri<Trj/i.

ot Iv tois dx.), and possibly Silvanus also was an apostle. On the other hand, Timothy is shut out by the greetings of 2 Co, Col, Ph, and possibly 2 Ti 4" (eiiayye- XiffToC), and Apollos (I Co 4'-" is indecisive) by Clement (Ep. 47), who most likely knew the fact of the case. The first qualification of the apostle was to have 'seen the Lord' (Lk 24« Ac P-H 1 Co 9'), for his first duty was to bear witness of the Lord's resur- rection (eM. also Ac 2'*).

Matthias, Paul, and James (1 do 15') had this qualification; probably Barnabas, Andronicus, and Junias, who were all of the earliest disciples ; and very possibly Silvanus also. On the other hand, it is unlikely of Apollos, hardly possible of Timothy, who were not apostles. We have no reason to suppose that this condition was ever waived, unless we throw forward the Teaching into the 2nd cent.

The second qualifica- tion was (2 Co 12'") the ' signs of an apostle,' which consisted partly in all patience, partly in signs and wonders and powers, and partly again (e.g. 1 Co 9^) in efiective work among his own converts. These, however, were only qualifications which others also held. A direct call was also needed, for (1 Co 12^ leero 6 e(6s, Eph 4" airrbi (SuKty) no human authority could choose an apostle.

In the case of Barnabas and Saul (Ac 13') an outward commission from the Church was added ; and if Matthias remained an apostle, we must for once assume that the outward appointment somehow included the inward call of the Spirit. The work of the apostle was (1 Co 1") to preach, or (2 Co 5**, Eph 6''"') to be an ambassador on be- half of Christ. He was (Lk 24^) to be a witness to all nations, and (Mt 28") to make disciples of them, so that the whole world was his mission field.

There is no authentic trace (legends in Ens. HE iii. I, and apocryphal works) of any local division of the world amongst the apostles, though (Gal 2") it was settled at the Conference that the Three were to go to the Jews, Paul and Barnabas to the Gentiles. St. Paul's refusal (Ho 15-") to ' build on another man's foundation ' was due rather to courtesy and prudence than to any i)ar. ticular assignment of districts to another apostle.

It follows that the apostle belonged to the Church in general, and had no local ties. He had a right indeed (1 Co 9*- °- '^) to eat and drink and live of the gospel, and to lead about a Christian woman as a wife ; but this was all. His life was spent in journeyings, in labours, and distresses (2 Co 6^), standing in the front of danger like (1 Co 4°) some doomed bestinrius of the amphi- theatre. Certain dwelling-place he had none.

The Teaching goes so far as to declare him a false prophet if he stays a third day in one place. St. Paul worked for months together from Corinth and Ephesus ; but they were only centres for his work, no settled home for him. Only the unique posi- tion of Jerus. seemed to call for a stationary apostle in James the Lord's brother, who, more- over, was not one of the Twelve. John and Philiji, and possibly Andrew, only settled down in Asia in their old age.

The apostle's relation to the Churches he founded was naturally indefinite. He would (Ac 14-^) choose their first local officials, start them in the right way, and generally help them with fatherly counsel (1 Co 4''- "') when he saw occasion. There is no sign that he took any share in their ordinary administration. St. Paul interferes with it only in cases where the Churches have gone seriously Avrong.

All that he seems to aim at is (1) to up- hold the authority committed to him ; (2) to check teachings which made the gospel vain, like the duty of circumcision, the denial of the resurrec- tion, or the need of asceticism ; (3) to stop mi- porate misconduct which the Churches themselves would not stop, as when the Corinthians saw no great harm in fornication, or turned the Lord's Supper into a scene of disorder.

Questions referred to him he answers as far as possible on general principles, giving (1 Co 7) a command of the Lord when he can, and in default of it an opinion of hi? own, and sometimes a hint that they need not have asked him. In general, the apostle is not a regular ruler in the same sense as a modem bishoji, but an occasional referee like the visitor of a college, who acts only in case of special need. Ln-ERATURR. — Lightfoot, Go/.

, Excureus on The Harm and Office of an Apostle ; Hamack, Texte u. (Inters, ii. 1, pp. l»;i-llS ; Weizaacker, Apost. Znt<iUc:A 584-590 ; Haupt, Zum Verstund- nisi d. Apostotats im N.T., 1896. H. M. GWATKIN. APOTHECARY is found Ex 30»- " 37», 2 Ch 16", Neh 3', Ec 10', and in every case RV gives per- fumer instead. For the ref. is not to the selling of drugs, but to the making of perfumes (npn spice, perfume ; np-i to mix spice or manufacture perfume ; np'i a perfumer). But in Sir 38* 49' (fi.

vp(\j/bs) RV retains a., though from 49' it is evident that the perfumer is meant. J. Hastings.