{"id":45991,"date":"2021-04-19T13:19:39","date_gmt":"2021-04-19T10:19:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=45991"},"modified":"2025-05-16T16:16:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T13:16:11","slug":"what-is-the-biblical-difference-between-an-apostle-and-a-disciple","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2021\/04\/19\/what-is-the-biblical-difference-between-an-apostle-and-a-disciple\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the biblical difference between an apostle and a disciple?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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ANSWER:<\/span><\/strong>
Not <\/span>every <\/span>disciple <\/span>is <\/span>an <\/span>apostle, <\/span>but <\/span>every <\/span>apostle <\/span>must <\/span>first <\/span>be <\/span>a <\/span>disciple <\/span>of <\/span>Jesus.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who <\/span>is <\/span>a <\/span>Disciple?<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

A <\/span>disciple, <\/span>by <\/span>definition, <\/span>is <\/span>a <\/span>learner\u2014<\/span>someone <\/span>who <\/span>sits <\/span>under <\/span>the <\/span>teaching <\/span>of <\/span>another <\/span>to <\/span>gain <\/span>knowledge, <\/span>wisdom, <\/span>and <\/span>skill. <\/span>In <\/span>the <\/span>biblical <\/span>context, <\/span>a <\/span>disciple <\/span>of <\/span>Jesus <\/span>is <\/span>someone <\/span>who <\/span>commits <\/span>to <\/span>learning <\/span>from <\/span>Him, <\/span>following <\/span>His <\/span>teachings, <\/span>and <\/span>modeling <\/span>their <\/span>life <\/span>after <\/span>His <\/span>example.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, <\/span>not <\/span>everyone <\/span>who <\/span>followed <\/span>Jesus <\/span>was <\/span>considered <\/span>His <\/span>disciple. <\/span>Jesus <\/span>Himself <\/span>set <\/span>specific <\/span>requirements <\/span>for <\/span>true <\/span>discipleship. <\/span>This <\/span>is <\/span>evident <\/span>in <\/span>Luke <\/span>14:<\/span>25\u2013<\/span>30 (<\/span>NIV):<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Large <\/span>crowds <\/span>were <\/span>traveling <\/span>with <\/span>Jesus, <\/span>and <\/span>turning <\/span>to <\/span>them <\/span>he <\/span>said: \u2018<\/span>If <\/span>anyone <\/span>comes <\/span>to <\/span>me <\/span>and <\/span>does <\/span>not <\/span>hate <\/span>father <\/span>and <\/span>mother, <\/span>wife <\/span>and <\/span>children, <\/span>brothers <\/span>and <\/span>sisters\u2014<\/span>yes, <\/span>even <\/span>their <\/span>own <\/span>life\u2014<\/span>such <\/span>a <\/span>person <\/span>cannot <\/span>be <\/span>my <\/span>disciple. <\/span>And <\/span>whoever <\/span>does <\/span>not <\/span>carry <\/span>their <\/span>cross <\/span>and <\/span>follow <\/span>me <\/span>cannot <\/span>be <\/span>my <\/span>disciple. <\/span>Suppose <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>you <\/span>wants <\/span>to <\/span>build <\/span>a <\/span>tower. <\/span>Won\u2019t <\/span>you <\/span>first <\/span>sit <\/span>down <\/span>and <\/span>estimate <\/span>the <\/span>cost <\/span>to <\/span>see <\/span>if <\/span>you <\/span>have <\/span>enough <\/span>money <\/span>to <\/span>complete <\/span>it? <\/span>For <\/span>if <\/span>you <\/span>lay <\/span>the <\/span>foundation <\/span>and <\/span>are <\/span>not <\/span>able <\/span>to <\/span>finish <\/span>it, <\/span>everyone <\/span>who <\/span>sees <\/span>it <\/span>will <\/span>ridicule <\/span>you, <\/span>saying, \u2018<\/span>This <\/span>person <\/span>began <\/span>to <\/span>build <\/span>and <\/span>wasn\u2019t <\/span>able <\/span>to <\/span>finish.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

From <\/span>this, <\/span>we <\/span>see <\/span>that <\/span>being <\/span>a <\/span>disciple <\/span>involves <\/span>deep <\/span>personal <\/span>sacrifice, <\/span>total <\/span>commitment, <\/span>and <\/span>a <\/span>willingness <\/span>to <\/span>endure <\/span>hardship <\/span>for <\/span>the <\/span>sake <\/span>of <\/span>Christ. <\/span>It <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>a <\/span>casual <\/span>association <\/span>but <\/span>a <\/span>wholehearted <\/span>surrender <\/span>to <\/span>Jesus\u2019 <\/span>Lordship.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who <\/span>is <\/span>an <\/span>Apostle?<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

The <\/span>word \u201c<\/span>apostle\u201d <\/span>comes <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>Greek <\/span>apostolos<\/span><\/em>, <\/span>meaning \u201c<\/span>one <\/span>who <\/span>is <\/span>sent.\u201d <\/span>An <\/span>apostle <\/span>is <\/span>someone <\/span>who <\/span>is <\/span>commissioned <\/span>and <\/span>sent <\/span>out <\/span>with <\/span>a <\/span>specific <\/span>mission <\/span>or <\/span>authority.<\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>the <\/span>New <\/span>Testament, <\/span>Jesus <\/span>appointed <\/span>twelve <\/span>men <\/span>from <\/span>among <\/span>His <\/span>disciples <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>apostles (<\/span>see <\/span>Luke <\/span>6:<\/span>13<\/span><\/strong>), <\/span>giving <\/span>them <\/span>authority <\/span>to <\/span>preach, <\/span>heal, <\/span>cast <\/span>out <\/span>demons, <\/span>and <\/span>lay <\/span>the <\/span>foundation <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Church. <\/span>Their <\/span>mission <\/span>was <\/span>not <\/span>only <\/span>to <\/span>follow <\/span>Jesus <\/span>but <\/span>to <\/span>represent <\/span>Him <\/span>and <\/span>spread <\/span>His <\/span>teachings.<\/span><\/p>\n

After <\/span>His <\/span>resurrection, <\/span>Jesus <\/span>gave <\/span>them <\/span>the <\/span>Great <\/span>Commission:<\/span><\/p>\n

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Matthew <\/span>28:<\/span>19\u2013<\/span>20 (<\/span>NIV):<\/span><\/strong>
\u201c<\/span>Therefore <\/span>go <\/span>and <\/span>make <\/span>disciples <\/span>of <\/span>all <\/span>nations, <\/span>baptizing <\/span>them <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>name <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Father <\/span>and <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Son <\/span>and <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Holy <\/span>Spirit, <\/span>and <\/span>teaching <\/span>them <\/span>to <\/span>obey <\/span>everything <\/span>I <\/span>have <\/span>commanded <\/span>you. <\/span>And <\/span>surely <\/span>I <\/span>am <\/span>with <\/span>you <\/span>always, <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>very <\/span>end <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>age.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This <\/span>command <\/span>was <\/span>the <\/span>core <\/span>apostolic <\/span>mandate: <\/span>to <\/span>extend <\/span>the <\/span>kingdom <\/span>of <\/span>God <\/span>by <\/span>making <\/span>more <\/span>disciples.<\/span><\/p>\n

Importantly, <\/span>the <\/span>role <\/span>of <\/span>apostle <\/span>did <\/span>not <\/span>end <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>original <\/span>Twelve. <\/span>Even <\/span>after <\/span>Jesus\u2019 <\/span>ascension, <\/span>others <\/span>such <\/span>as <\/span>Paul<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>Barnabas<\/span><\/strong> (<\/span>Acts <\/span>14:<\/span>14), <\/span>James <\/span>the <\/span>brother <\/span>of <\/span>Jesus<\/span><\/strong> (<\/span>Galatians <\/span>1:<\/span>19), <\/span>and <\/span>Epaphroditus<\/span><\/strong> (<\/span>Philippians <\/span>2:<\/span>25, <\/span>possibly <\/span>referred <\/span>to <\/span>as <\/span>an <\/span>apostle <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>sense <\/span>of <\/span>a “<\/span>messenger”) <\/span>were <\/span>recognized <\/span>as <\/span>apostles. <\/span>Paul, <\/span>in <\/span>particular, <\/span>emphasized <\/span>that <\/span>his <\/span>apostleship <\/span>was <\/span>by <\/span>divine <\/span>calling, <\/span>not <\/span>by <\/span>human <\/span>appointment (<\/span>see <\/span>Galatians <\/span>1:<\/span>1<\/span><\/strong>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Summary:<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Role<\/span><\/th>\nDefinition<\/span><\/th>\nBiblical <\/span>Foundation<\/span><\/th>\nKey <\/span>Distinction<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Disciple<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nA <\/span>follower <\/span>and <\/span>learner <\/span>of <\/span>Christ<\/span><\/td>\nLuke <\/span>14:<\/span>25\u2013<\/span>30<\/span><\/td>\nEvery <\/span>believer <\/span>is <\/span>called <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>one<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Apostle<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nOne <\/span>who <\/span>is <\/span>sent <\/span>with <\/span>authority <\/span>and <\/span>a <\/span>mission<\/span><\/td>\nMatthew <\/span>28:<\/span>19\u2013<\/span>20; <\/span>Acts <\/span>1:<\/span>8; <\/span>Gal <\/span>1:<\/span>1<\/span><\/td>\nChosen <\/span>and <\/span>commissioned <\/span>for <\/span>leadership<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Modern <\/span>Application<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Today, <\/span>all <\/span>true <\/span>Christians <\/span>are <\/span>disciples\u2014<\/span>called <\/span>to <\/span>follow <\/span>Jesus, <\/span>learn <\/span>from <\/span>Him, <\/span>and <\/span>live <\/span>out <\/span>His <\/span>teachings. <\/span>However, <\/span>the <\/span>apostolic <\/span>office\u2014<\/span>especially <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>foundational <\/span>sense (<\/span>as <\/span>seen <\/span>in <\/span>Ephesians <\/span>2:<\/span>20)\u2014<\/span>was <\/span>unique <\/span>to <\/span>those <\/span>appointed <\/span>by <\/span>Christ <\/span>to <\/span>establish <\/span>the <\/span>Church.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nevertheless, <\/span>in <\/span>a <\/span>broader <\/span>and <\/span>functional <\/span>sense, <\/span>many <\/span>church <\/span>leaders, <\/span>missionaries, <\/span>and <\/span>pioneers <\/span>who <\/span>are <\/span>sent <\/span>out <\/span>to <\/span>plant <\/span>churches <\/span>and <\/span>expand <\/span>the <\/span>Gospel <\/span>can <\/span>be <\/span>said <\/span>to <\/span>serve <\/span>in <\/span>an <\/span>apostolic <\/span>role, <\/span>though <\/span>not <\/span>holding <\/span>the <\/span>office <\/span>of “<\/span>apostle” <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>same <\/span>foundational <\/span>capacity <\/span>as <\/span>the <\/span>Twelve.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Conclusion:<\/span><\/strong>
The <\/span>difference <\/span>lies <\/span>in <\/span>calling <\/span>and <\/span>function<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>A <\/span>disciple <\/span>follows <\/span>and <\/span>learns; <\/span>an <\/span>apostle <\/span>is <\/span>sent <\/span>and <\/span>leads. <\/span>One <\/span>cannot <\/span>be <\/span>an <\/span>apostle <\/span>without <\/span>first <\/span>being <\/span>a <\/span>disciple, <\/span>but <\/span>not <\/span>all <\/span>disciples <\/span>are <\/span>called <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>apostles.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shalom.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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