What is an apostle?
The word means "one sent out". A messenger sent by another; an emissary.
Requirements of being an apostle:
- They had to be called by Christ personally.
- They had to have seen the Lord Jesus Christ and been able to testify about Him personally.
- They were given the Holy Spirit in the fullest measure, being able to write, speak and preach inerrantly so that the churches' foundation was free of error. Before the revelation of scripture was completed, they relied on the word of God in them.
- They were given the power to work signs, wonders and miracles.
- Their instruction, as well as the prophets of Israel, are the foundation of the Church.
- They were the first to found the local churches of Jesus Christ throughout the Roman world.
In spite of conflict and the previous imprisonment in Philipi, the apostles were bold in preaching the gospel of God. See Acts 16:12-20.
The gospel they preached did not contain error, it did not spring from immoral motives, nor was it used as bait for underhanded reasons.
The very things that Apostle Paul was defending against in his day is the same accusations used by the world enemies of Christ and the Church today.
Why are the apostles approved by God and entrusted with the evangelion? Why did Christ Jesus need the apostles to fulfill this comission?
They were eyewitnesses of His earthly ministry. Since the commonwealth of Israel rejected her Christ, the favor of God now went out to the Gentiles. Christ, Who is at the right hand of the Father, is waiting to commence the kingdom until, as Paul says, the full number of Gentiles who are to believe is achieved. The apostles therefore are sent into all the nations, preaching what Christ accomplished, which is the evangelion. All who believe in the preaching of the cross are saved, promised a resurrection like Christ Jesus and guaranteed a position in the kingdom of glory which is coming.
In this preaching, God is also testing the hearts of the apostles, and this test is showing that they are approved because they are obedient to God through preaching the evangelion truthfully & blamelessly.
They did not withhold the truth, so as to not try and not offend, nor did they withhold the truth to please men. But they spoke earnestly. Speaking this way eliminates flattery, because flattery is used as a cover up. Flattery is the technique of the "salesman". The apostles were not this. Speaking this way, they showed that they were not out for material gain or wealth, as the former would reveal greedy motives. They are so confident that they know that the Father will testify to this truth.
They preached truthfully, not seeking glory, meaning worship, from men. Why should they worry whether man approved of them and their ways? The living God had already chosen them and anointed them and prepared them for this work. His approval is all that matters. Even though as apostles of Christ, which was an appointment specifically initiated at this time, being the men of Christ's generation who walked with Him and lived with Him and who were chosen to deliver the message, they could very well force their way on men because of this advantage, instead like a mother or father, they lowered themselves to the position of servant and were gentle and humble.
Their concern then was not for devotees or for worshippers that would make them rich. This is what they were most likely being accused of by their opponents. They sought not "celebrity". The Thessalonians and other believers were their spiritual children. They were the generation that the evangelion was being handed over to, since Israel as a commonwealth rejected Christ as the Son of the Most High God, therefore forfeiting the right to have Him reign over them. The apostles where handing over what they had received from Christ God as saving knowledge; faith in Christ who overcame His death. So much were the Thessalonians cherished that the apostles opened their own lives up to them.
They preached the evangelion free of charge and they worked the rest of the time doing manual labor to support themselves and their ministry. Though they had the right to receive support from the churches they started, Paul never sought to take advantage of this right. They were not like most modern Christian ministers who rely constantly on the contributions of others to maintain their ministries. The apostles were blameless because they were not a burden to anyone, not even their hearers who were receiving the fruit of their labor.
The apostles always did eveything they could to make sure the Thessalonians made their walk of faith worthy of God's call of entrance into the kingdom of heaven and the glory of God.
On the Word of God:
This work, result, fruit that is manifesting in the Thessalonians is the reason for the limitless thanksgiving of the apostles to God. They received the word of God from the apostles. Again, this was not the word of men, or something that the apostles engineered; the evangelion is truly the word of God. And just as it is at work in the the preaching of the apostles, so it was also at work in the believing Thessalonians.
On the rejection of the unbelieving Jews of the commonwealth of Israel:
The unbelievers of Israel swayed the nation to bring about the death of Christ. They lived by the same spirit as their forefathers who slew the prophets. In like manner, they persecuted the Jerusalem church and the apostles, because they were jealous of their acceptance by God and, in denial of their rejection by Him, they at the same time, in their hearts, knew it to be true by their attempts at trying to prevent the evangelion from reaching the ears of the nations. This is the fulfillment of their national sins and crimes against the LORD, His messengers (the apostles and prophets) and His Son, Jesus. Judgment on their rejection of Christ was meted out by the Romans who sacked Jerusalem and which has caused the longest exile of the nation of Israel, the Diaspora or Galut.
In like manner, the Thessalonians suffered from their own Greek countrymen, and at the instigation of the Jews of Thessaloniki, these men forced the early departure of the apostles from the brethren there.
On the apostles desire to see the brethren:
This separation was not the apostles goal, thus the reason for this letter. And Paul desired all the more to be back in their presence. But because of the security put up by Jason, Paul and his companions, though able to leave safely, were also prevented from returning at this point. This is clearly shown to be an attack by the enemy. Satan often uses human agents to hinder the spreading of the evangelion. The evangelion is the death nail to that old serpent and its power renders him powerless.
On the hope and crown of the apostles:
The apostles were not simply fellow Christian brothers. Though this is true, because they are redeemed men themselves, their call is unique. Because of their acceptance of this call and their sacrifice, they imparted the evangelion to a receiving generation. Their responsibility was greater; to go and make disciples of all nations and to be blameless examples of Christ Jesus. As His ambassadors, they could not just preach and then go on their way, but they had to make sure that the seed planted remained, bore fruit and spread. The responsibility of the apostles is this: They must make sure that they have something to present to the Lord at His coming. The Thessalonians are this responsibility and reward.
Why are the Thessalonians, and the Church as a whole, the crown of the apostles?
The Church, having undergone agiasmos, is a living evidence that the work of the apostles was not in vain, that it resulted in a harvest and a people purified and ready to serve Christ in His kingdom. When Christ comes, the apostles are going to see the result of their work, which is redeemed lives, turned to the truth, and present this work to Christ as their sacrifice to Him. This is why our salvation is partly owed to the apostles faithfullness. They finished their race and overcame. We have yet to finish the race, and so, how can we dare say anything against these men, these saints, these sent ones from the Lord Jesus Christ, the chief Apostle of the Heavenly Father?
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