'''Apòt''' se yon disip konplètman peswade, men konvès la pa nesesèman verite. Yon apòt se yon ofis espesial ; ki rezève pou kwayan ki pre bay vi yo pou doktrin profèt yo. Ki proklame mesaj, filozofi, osinon metòd yo-menm te resevwa nan men mèt la. Apòt la se yon disip ki kwè ; li pran aksion ki evidans pou tout moun wè. Disip òdinè-a kwè, men aksion-l yo pa nesesèman evidan.

==Douz apòt==
Douz apòt yo se yon group nan original disip Jezikris yo, ki te fòme sèk mitan moun ki te antoure l yo pandan lavi li sou latè. Yon group gason ki akonpaye l diran misyon li sou latè, avan trayizon-l pa Jida (youn ladan yo), arestasyon li, ki finalman rezoud nan krisifiksyon li pa gouvènman okipasyon Romen-an. Matias te chwazi pa onz premye apòt yo aprè rezireksyon Jezi pou ranplase Jida (ki li-menm te deja fè siyousid), pou Matias te kapab ede lòt onz yo proklame Levanjil la. Pòl menm te chwazi pa Jezi aprè yon visyon sou rout Dama (jodi-a, kapital peyi Siri), lè sa yo te pi konnen li kòm Sòl, en rout pou ale pèsekite kretyen.  

*Pyè (ou Sefas)
*Jan (frè Piè)
*Jak
*Andre (frè Jak)
*Filip
*Toma (ki te doute rezirèksyon Jezi)
*Batèlmi (yon veritab Izrayèli)
*Matie (oubyen Levi, taks kolèkte-a)
*Jak (pitit Alfe)
*Simon (patriyòt la)
*Jid
*Jida (ki trayi Jezi pou 30 piès ajan)

*Matias (replasman Jida)
*Pòl (chwazi pa Jezi sou rout Dama)

Kategori:relijyon

eo:Apostolo
es:Apóstol

thumb|[[Greek Orthodox Church|Greek Matthew, Peter, James and John).]]

The ''' Twelve Apostles''' (Greek:, ''apostolos'', "someone sent out", e.g. with a message or as a delegate) were, according to the disciples (followers) whom Matthias, a companion of theirs ever since they themselves had followed Jesus,<ref>()</ref> so that by the time of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost they actually numbered twelve again.

The word ''apostle'' comes from the Greek word '''' (apostolos).  According to the Bauer lexicon,  Walter Bauer's ''Greek-English Lexicon of the NT'': "…Judaism had an office known as apostle (שליח)". In Islam, the Qur'an called The Twelve Apostles "الحواريون" which derives from the Hebrew word for a pharisaical college "friends". The Friberg Greek Lexicon gives a broad definition as one who is sent on a mission, a commissioned representative of a congregation, a messenger for God, a person who has the special task of founding and establishing churches.  The UBS Greek Dictionary also describes an apostle broadly as a messenger.  The Louw-Nida Lexicon gives a very narrow definition of a special messenger, generally restricted to the immediate followers of Jesus, or extended to some others like Paul or other Early Christians active in proclaiming the Gospel.

In summary then, the word apostle has two meanings, the broader meaning of a messenger and the narrow meaning of an early apostle, which is restricted to those directly linked to Jesus Christ.  The more general meaning of the word is translated into Latin as 'missio', and from this word we get the English word 'missionary'.

In more recent times however, the word apostle has mostly fallen out of use in the general sense.  In some parts of the church the world and among certain groups, it is urged that the word apostle should only be used to refer to The Twelve Apostles and Paul, or only those and certain other historic figures.  In these settings it can cause great offence to refer to oneself or another modern figure as an apostle; terms which avoid controversy include 'missionary', 'envoy', 'delegate', 'messenger' and 'church planter'.

Some churches which use the word apostle for modern men recognize this dilemma and so call contemporary church leaders apostles with a small "a" reserving the capital "A" for the 12 Apostles.

==Portrayal==

The Apostles are portrayed in the New Testament as having been Galilean Jews. The names of the majority of them are Aramaic, although some had Greek names.<ref>As was not uncommon for Jews at the time, some of them had two names, one Hebrew/Aramaic and the other Greek. Hence the lists of Jesus's Twelve Apostles contains 14 names not 12; the 4 Greek names are ''A Marginal Jew''.</ref> That the Twelve Apostles were all Jews is supported in several ways.  Jesus’ statements that his mission is directed only to those of the house of Israel (, , ) imply that the Twelve Apostles and others closest to Jesus were all Jews, as does the fact that only after the death of Jesus did the apostles agree with Paul that the teaching of the gospel could be extended to uncircumcised Gentiles (, , ). For Christians who view the Hebrew prophets as speaking of Jesus and Christianity, support for the Jewishness of the Apostles is found, on the one hand, in the prophetic assertions that it was the Jews whom God had chosen to bring all the nations (the "Gentiles") to faith in him,<ref>At least by their "shining" example, see e.g., "The Lord says: … I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth" ; "Out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem"  / .</ref> and that, on the other hand, Jesus appointed the Twelve Apostles kingship<ref>βασιλειαν  without article, hence "kingship", "sovereignty"; contrary to the occurrence in  with the article, thus there meaning "kingdom".</ref> and told them that they will sit on thrones<ref>θρονων (), the symbol of sovereignty, not a tribunal (βημα, as e.g. in ().</ref> administering<ref>κρινοντες (), "judging" not in the sense of passing judgement and sentencing, but in the sense of upholding order ("Justice of the Peace"), usually on behalf of the absent king, like the Judges (κριται) in pre-monarchic times (e.g. in the title of The Book of , , [http://titus.fkidg1.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/grie/sept/sept.htm Greek edition]).</ref> the affairs of the ascension and appointed him to his mission (, ), was a Jew by birth, and always proud of it, () although since his conversion to Jesus he became known by the Greek name Paul ().

The heal the sick and drive out demons, and in the raise the dead, but some scholars read this more metaphorically as instructions to heal the spiritually sick and thus to drive away wicked behaviour. They are also instructed to: "take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff — no bread, no bag, no money in their belt — but to wear sandals; and He added, "Do not put on two staff of office, in those denominations that believe they maintain an apostolic succession.

There is also evidence that follows those marked Apostle. Paul made his case to the Corinthian Church that he was an apostle by the evidence of God's(Jesus Christ's) power working through him.  Paul states clearly that, "The things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles—were done among you with great perseverance."<ref>[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=54&chapter=12&verse=12&version=31&context=verse2 Corinthians 12:12]</ref>

Later in the Gospel narratives the Twelve Apostles are described as having been commissioned to preach ''the'' Gospel to "all the nations" (, , ), regardless of whether Jew or Gentile.<ref> cf. also , , , .</ref>

==The Twelve Apostles==
''See also: Deaths of the Twelve Apostles.''

The four Gospels give varying names of the twelve. According to the list occurring in each of the three Synoptic Gospels (, , ), the '''Twelve''' chosen by Jesus near the beginning of his ministry, those whom ''also He named Apostles'', were, according to the Gospels of Mark and Matthew:

#'''Peter''': Renamed by Jesus, his original name was ''Simon'' (); was a fisherman from the Cephas (Aram.), and Simon Peter.
#'''James, son of Zebedee''': The brother of John.
#'''John''': The brother of James. Jesus named both of them ''Bo-aner'ges'', which means "''sons of thunder''".()
#'''Andrew''': The brother of Simon/Peter, a Bethsaida fisherman, and a former disciple of John the Baptist.
#'''Philip''': From the Bethsaida of Galilee (, )
#'''Bartholomew''', son of Talemai: It has been suggested that he is the same person as Nathanael, who is mentioned in .
#'''Matthew''': The tax collector.
#'''Thomas''': Also known as ''Judas Thomas Didymus'' - Aramaic ''T'oma''' = ''twin'', and Greek ''Didymous'' = ''twin''.
#'''James, son of Alphaeus''': Generally identified with "James the Less", and also identified by Roman Catholics with "James the Just". <ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02767a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: The Brethern of the Lord]: "His [James the brother of the Lord] identity with James the Less () and the Apostle James, the son of Alpheus (; ), although contested by many Protestant critics, may also be considered as certain."</ref>
#'''Thaddeus''': In some manuscripts of Matthew, the name "Lebbaeus" occurs in this place. Thaddeus is traditionally identified with Jude; see below.
#'''Simon the Zealot''': Some have identified him with Simeon of Jerusalem. <ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02767a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia]</ref>
#'''Matthias.

The Gospel of Luke differs slightly, listing a "Judas, son of James" and not listing a "Thaddeus."  In order to harmonize the accounts, some traditions have said that Luke's "Judas, son of James" refers to the same person as Mark and Matthew's "Thaddeus," though it is not clear whether this has a good basis in the text or the use of the names historically.  Luke has "Simon the Zealot" in place of "Simon the Cananean".  It is unclear whether these two Simons refer to the same person.

The Gospel of John, unlike the Synoptic Gospels, does not offer a formal list of apostles, though it does refer to the ''Twelve'' in , , and . The following ten apostles are identified by name:
* Peter
* Andrew (identified as Peter's brother)
* ''the sons of Zebedee'' (plural form implies at least two apostles)
* Philip
* Nathanael
* Thomas (also called Didymus (, , )
* Judas Iscariot
* ''Judas (not Iscariot)'' ()

The individual that the Gospel of John names as Nathanael has traditionally been identified as the same person that the other Gospels call Bartholomew.  The other three Gospels, however, contain a complete list of the twelve and contain no reference to a "Nathanael."  Thus, the four Gospel accounts do not agree as to the names of the twelve.  The ''sons of Zebedee'' presumably refers to James and John, while ''Judas (not Iscariot)'' probably refers to the same Jude, son of James, as the Gospel of Luke's list, traditionally identified with Thaddeus. Missing from the Gospel of John are James, son of Alphaeus, Matthew, and Simon the Canaanite/Zealot. In any case, the author certainly does not bring up any explicit denial of those two apostles, and never actually lists the twelve.

By the second century, the presence of two individuals named Simon (Peter and Simon the Zealot) in the list of the Synoptic Gospels allowed a case to be made for Simon Magus being the other Simon, and hence one of the twelve apostles. The second Simon may also have been Simeon of Jerusalem, the second leader of the Jerusalem church.

The similarity between ,  and  may indicate that Matthew was also known as Levi.

===Recruitment by Jesus===
:''See also: Calling of the four disciples, Calling of Levi, Choosing of the Twelve Apostles''

left|thumb|250px|[[Duccio's '' Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew'']]
The three being tempted by the devil.

Despite Jesus only briefly requesting that they join him, the two are described as immediately consenting, and abandoning their nets to do so. Traditionally the immediacy of their consent was viewed as an example of divine power, although this statement isn't made in the text itself. The alternative and much more ordinary solution is that Jesus was simply friends with the individuals beforehand, as implied by the Gospel of John, which states that Andrew and an unnamed other had been a disciple of Jesus had been baptized. As a carpenter (), it is eminently plausible for Jesus to have been employed to build and repair fishing vessels, thus having many opportunities to interact with and befriend such fishermen.

Albright and Mann extrapolate from Simon's and Andrew's abandonment of their nets, that Matthew is emphasizing the importance of renunciation by converting to Christianity, since fishing was profitable, though required large start-up costs, and abandoning everything would have been an important sacrifice. Regardless, Simon and Andrew's abandonment of what were effectively their most important worldly possessions was taken as a model by later Christian ascetics.

Matthew describes Jesus meeting James and John, also fishermen and brothers, very shortly after recruiting Simon and Andrew. While Matthew identifies James and John as sons of Zebedee, who is also present in their ship, Mark makes no such proclamation (Mark does in ). Luke adds to Matthew and Mark that James and John worked as a team with Simon and Andrew. Matthew states that at the time of the encounter, James and John were repairing their nets, but readily joined Jesus without hesitation. This parallels the accounts of Mark and Luke, but Matthew implies that the men have also abandoned their father (since he is present in the ship they abandon behind them), and Carter feels this should be interpreted to mean that Matthew's view of Jesus is one of a figure rejecting the traditional patriarchal structure of society, where the father had command over his children; most scholars, however, just interpret it to mean that Matthew intended these two to be seen as even more devoted than the other pair.

The synoptics go on to describe that much later, after Jesus had later begun his ministry, Jesus noticed, while teaching, a tax collector in his booth. The tax collector, ''Levi'' according to some Gospels, ''Matthew'' according to others, is asked by Jesus to become one of his disciples. Matthew/Levi is stated to have accepted and then invited Jesus for a meal with his friends. Tax collectors were seen as villains in Jewish society, and the Pharisees are described by the synoptics as asking Jesus why he is having a meal with such disreputable people. The reply Jesus gives to this is now well known: ''it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners'' ().

===Their apostolate as "Fishers of Men"===
thumb|300px|[[Adriaen van de Venne's ''Fishers of Men''. Oil on panel (1614)]]

The phrase ''fishers of men'', used both in Mark () and Matthew, is how Jesus is presented as describing the role he is offering to the men he recruits. Christians have frequently moved the reference from the disciples to Jesus, calling him the ''fisher of men'', and the image of Jesus as a fisherman has become second only to that of Jesus as a Summoner's Tale", Byron's ''Don Juan'', Tennyson's ''Harold'', Joyce's ''A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man'', and G. K. Chesterton's "The Innocence of Father Brown."

The fullness of what the phrase means is a matter of some serious debate, even among different Christian groups. It has a strong resonance amongst Evangelical groups, who view it as a metaphor for evangelism, and the most important such metaphor. It has an even deeper significance for Catholic Christians, who view it not only as a great evangelical call, but also as [http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1992/9202vbv.asp one of many scripture passages] that support the [http://www.catholic.com/library/Peter_and_the_Papacy.asp "Primacy of Peter"] as a [http://www.kofc.org/un/publications/cis/catechism/getsection.cfm?partnum=1&SecNum=2&ChapNum=3&articlenum=9&ParSecNum=3&subSecNum=1&headernum=0&ParNum=813&ParType=6 great sign of unity] among the Church ([http://www.kofc.org/un/publications/cis/catechism/getsection.cfm?partnum=1&SecNum=2&ChapNum=3&articlenum=9&ParSecNum=2&subSecNum=2&headernum=0&ParNum=787&ParType=6 Christ's body]), and the teaching that the popes throughout the ages are the successors of "The Chair (or office) of Peter", as Christ's prime earthly shepherds through the ages, after his ascension into heaven.

The institution by Jesus of "The Twelve" apostles is also seen by Catholics as a reference to the [http://www.kofc.org/un/publications/cis/catechism/getsection.cfm?partnum=1&SecNum=2&ChapNum=3&articlenum=9&ParSecNum=3&subSecNum=3&headernum=0&ParNum=830&ParType=6 universality] of the Church, that was prefigured (begun) in [http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1999/9902chap.asp "The Twelve Tribes of Israel"] in the Old Testament. Those [http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2001/0107bt.asp successors of "The Twelve" apostles] (the bishops), in union with the successors of Peter (the pope), are collectively called the [http://www.kofc.org/un/publications/cis/catechism/getsection.cfm?partnum=1&SecNum=1&ChapNum=2&articlenum=2&ParSecNum=0&subSecNum=3&headernum=0&ParNum=84&ParType=6 "magisterium of the Church"] - the official, authoritative teaching office [http://www.kofc.org/un/publications/cis/catechism/getsection.cfm?partnum=1&SecNum=2&ChapNum=3&articlenum=9&ParSecNum=4&subSecNum=1&headernum=0&ParNum=874&ParType=6 established by Christ Himself]. (For a more complete explanation of exactly what the magisterium officially teaches, see [http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM "The Catechism of the Catholic Church"], or the more condensed, easier to read, but still authoritative [http://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html "Compendium of the Catechism"].)

The biblical references to "The Twelve" as "fishers of men," especially the image of Peter's sole role of pulling the net full of "153 large fish" onto the shore (where Christ was ironically already feasting ) without tearing the net, when all the apostles present couldn't lift the net into the boat just moments earlier, portray and confirm, among faithful Catholics, the Church's teaching on [http://www.catholic.com/library/Papal_Infallibility.asp "papal infallibility"] - that Christ's [http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p3.htm "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic"] Church is divinely guided and protected from teaching error, so that all who desire to know his teachings (''including'' His written, inspired word, the Bible, but ''not exclusively'', as in the Protestant belief in [http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1995/9506vbv.asp "Sola Scriptura", the Bible alone]) may have that opportunity.

Some scholars  question whether the metaphor has a universal meaning at all, postulating that instead it is simply a phrase tailored to fit people who fish - that if Jesus had met a teacher he would have asked them to teach for him, if Jesus had seen a bus driver, he'd have asked her to drive a bus for him, and if he had met a soldier he would have asked him to do battle for him.

The exact methodology implied by the phrase is generally disputed, particularly by Evangelical groups. A similar reference to fishing occurs in the Book of Jeremiah (), upon which this phrase may be based, and there it is placed in the context of actively hunting down sinners. Wallace argues that the common view of fishing with a line and hook and bringing each fish in individually is misplaced; Simon and Andrew would have used nets to fish and would have brought in large numbers of fish at once through grand acts. Wuellner presents an alternate view arguing that the disciples may have caught fish individually, and even by hand. Manek believes that to fully appreciate the metaphor one must understand how the sea was viewed at the time, arguing that throughout the Old Testament the sea is presented as unholy, and in stories such as that of Jonah, the depths of the sea are portrayed as synonymous with the underworld, hence in Manek's view the act of fishing is a metaphor for bringing people from the domain of sin and death to one of God. The water reference might also be linked to the idea of baptism, which towards the end of Matthew is explicitly linked to the disciples' mission.

===Election of Matthias to Judas's share in their ministry===

After Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ and then in guilt committed suicide before Christ's resurrection (in one Gospel account), the apostles numbered eleven. When Jesus had been taken up from them, in preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit that he had promised them, Peter advised the brethren, "Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus …  For he was numbered with us, and received his portion in this ministry …  For it is written in the book of Psalms, 'Let his habitation be made desolate, Let no one dwell therein,' and, 'Let another take his office' … So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day he was taken up from us, must become with us a witness to his resurrection" (cf. ). So, between the ascension of Christ and the day of casting lots, a traditional Jewish way to determine the Will of God. The lot fell upon Matthias, who then became the last of the '''Twelve Apostles''' in the New Testament.

This is one of several verses used by the Roman Catholic church in support of its teaching of Apostolic Succession.

===The Apostle to the Gentiles: Paul of Tarsus===

thumb|left|Paul, the "Apostle of the Gentiles", writing a [[Pauline epistles|letter]]
In his writings, Paul, though not one of the '''Twelve''', described himself as an ''apostle'', one "born out of time" (e.g. Romans 1:1 and other letters), claimed he was appointed by the resurrected Jesus himself during his circumcised) as of equal authority as Peter's to the Jews (specifically those circumcised) according to Paul in Galatians 2:7-9. "James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars … agreed that we <Paul and Barnabas> should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews." (Galatians 2:9NIV) Paul, despite his self-designation as an Apostle, considered himself inferior to the other Apostles because he had persecuted Christ's followers (1 Corinthians 15:9).

Many historians maintain that Paul and Peter certainly disagreed on the extent of Paul's authority as an Apostle, with Peter maintaining Paul was not one of those chosen by Jesus, or by him chosen after his death. See also Pauline Christianity and Jewish Christians. Nevertheless, the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church consider Paul an Apostle; they honor Paul and Peter together on June 29. Paul sometimes replaces Matthias in classical depictions of "The Twelve Apostles," although he has also been called the "Thirteenth Apostle" because he was not a member of the original Twelve (unlike the replacement Matthias) but is still considered an apostle.

==Other New Testament usages of the term "apostle"==<!-- This section is linked from Epistle to the Ephesians -->