7.4 The Apostle ministry
7.4 The Apostle ministry 28: 18–20). According to His promise He will thus be with them to the end of the world (Greek: aeon = “age of the world”). Among other passages, the names of the first twelve Apostles are recorded in Matthew 10: 2–4: Simon, called Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartho- lomew, Thomas, Matthew, James, Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite, Judas Iscariot. These Apostles are called “the Twelve”, even after the betrayal of Judas Iscariot. In addition to these, the New Testament also mentions additional Apostles: Matthias (Acts 1: 15–26), Barnabas (Acts 13: 1–4; 14: 4, 14), Paul (1 Corinthians 9: 1–16; 2 Corinthians 11), and James, the brother of the Lord (Galatians 1: 19; 2: 9). Only in the case of Matthias was the call to the Apostle ministry bound to having been an eyewitness to the life of Jesus (Acts 1: 21–22). Silvanus and Timothy were also described as Apostles (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2: 6), as were Andronicus and Junia (Romans 16: 7). 7.4.3 Peter—the head of the early Apostles In the presence of the other Apostles, the Lord granted Simon Peter special authority. His leading position among the Apostles took effect after the Lord’s ascension into heaven, but was certainly already suggested prior to this event: (cid:129) Peter was designated as the “rock” and was given the authority of the keys: “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16: 18–19). (cid:129) Prior to His sacrificial death, it was to Peter that the Lord addressed the words: “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail: and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22: 31–32). 289 7 Ministry (cid:129) Peter spoke on behalf of the twelve Apostles. After many of the disciples had turned away from Jesus, Peter answered the question as to whether they too wanted to leave as follows: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6: 68–69). (cid:129) (cid:129) Peter was the one whom Jesus Christ asked the question: “Do you love Me?” Three times Peter affirmed that this was the case, whereupon the Lord entrusted His lambs and sheep to Peter’s care (John 21: 15–17). It was Peter who initiated the replacement of Judas Iscariot in the circle of the Apostles (Acts 1: 15–26), who preached the sermon on Pentecost (Acts 2: 14), and to whom the Lord showed that salvation in Christ was also intended for the Gentiles (Acts 10). 7.4.4 New Testament references to the activity of the Apostles Luke in particular reports on the activity of the Apostles in the book of Acts. For instance, in Acts 11: 1–18 and 15: 1–29 we read of two assemblies led by Apostles, in which the matter of allowing Gentiles access into the new coven- ant—and other questions of the time—were resolved. This makes it clear: to- gether the Apostles made decisions which had far-reaching effects. Also attested in Acts is the fact that the dispensation of the gift of the Holy Spirit is bound to the Apostle ministry: Philip preached in Samaria and baptised the believers with water. When the Apostles heard about this, they sent Peter and John there. These Apostles “prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8: 15–17). According to Acts 19: 6, Apostle Paul acted in the same manner. An essential task of the Apostles was to proclaim the death and resurrec- tion of Jesus Christ (Acts 13: 26–41; 17: 1–4). They fought against heresies, primarily those that denied the true humanity of Jesus and His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15: 3–8; 1 John 4: 1–6). 290