the verb is evidently employed in this sense at Acts 5:37, concerning Judas the Galilean who “drew off” (a·peʹste·se, form of a·phiʹste·mi) followers. The Greek Septuagint uses the term at Genesis 14:4 with reference to such a rebellion. However, in the Christian Greek Scriptures it is used primarily with regard to religious defection; a withdrawal or abandonment of the true cause, worship and service of God, and hence an abandonment of what one has previously professed and a total desertion of principles or faith. The religious leaders of Jerusalem charged Paul with such an apostasy against the Mosaic law.—Acts 21:21.

It may properly be said that God’s adversary was the first apostate, as indicated by the name “Satan.” He caused the first human pair to apostatize. (Gen. 3; John 8:44) Following the Flood there was a turning away from the words of the God of Noah. (Gen. 11:1-9) Job later found it necessary to defend himself against the charge of apostasy on the part of his three supposed comforters. (Job 8:13; 15:34; 20:5) In his defense Job showed that God grants no audience to the apostate (13:16), also, the hopeless state of one cut off in apostasy. (27:8; compare also Elihu’s statement at 34:27, 30; 36:13.) In these cases the Hebrew word hha·nephʹ is used, meaning “to be alienated from God” or “inclined away from the right relation to God,” or, as a verb, “to pollute, lead to apostasy.”—Koehler-Baumgartner, Lexicon in Veteris Testamenti Libros, p. 317.

APOSTASY IN ISRAEL

The first two commandments of the Law condemned all apostasy. (Ex. 20:3-6) And before Israel’s entry into the Promised Land they were warned against the grave danger of apostasy resulting from marriages with the people of the land. (Deut. 7:3, 4) Even though a person who was inciting others to apostasy was a close relative or marriage mate, he was to be put to death for having “spoken of revolt against Jehovah your God.” (Deut. 13:1-15) The tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh were quick to exonerate themselves of a charge of apostasy that arose due to their construction of an altar.—Josh. 22:21-29.

Many of the kings of Israel and of Judah followed an apostate course; for example, Saul (1 Sam. 15:11; 28:6, 7), Jeroboam (1 Ki. 12:28-32), Ahab (1 Ki. 16:30-33), Ahaziah (1 Ki. 22:51-53), Jehoram (2 Chron. 21:6-15), Ahaz (2 Chron. 28:1-4), and Amon (2 Chron. 33:22, 23). In due time a nation of apostates developed due to the people’s listening to apostate priests and prophets (Jer. 23:11, 15) and other unprincipled men who, by smooth words and false sayings, led them into loose conduct, immorality and desertion of Jehovah, “the source of living water.” (Isa. 10:6; 32:6, 7; Jer. 3:1; 17:3) According to Isaiah 24:5, the very land became “polluted [hhan·phahʹ] under its inhabitants, for they have bypassed the laws, changed the regulation, broken the indefinitely lasting covenant.” No mercy was to be granted them in the predicted destruction.—Isa. 9:17; 33:11-14; Zeph. 1:4-6.

APOSTASY FROM CHRISTIANITY

An apostasy among professed Christians was foretold by the apostle Paul at 2 Thessalonians 2:3. He specifically mentioned certain apostates, such as Hymenaeus, Alexander and Philetus. (1 Tim. 1:19, 20; 2 Tim. 2:16-19) Among the varied causes of apostasy set forth in apostolic warnings were: lack of faith (Heb. 3:12), lack of endurance in the face of persecution (Heb. 10:32-39), abandonment of right moral standards (2 Pet. 2:15-22), the heeding of the “counterfeit words” of false teachers and “misleading inspired utterances” (2 Pet. 2:1-3; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 2:16-19; compare Proverbs 11:9), and trying “to be declared righteous by means of law.” (Gal. 5:2-4) Such ones willfully abandoning the Christian congregation thereby become part of the “antichrist.” (1 John 2:18, 19) As with the apostate Israelites, destruction is likewise foretold for apostates from the Christian congregation.—2 Pet. 2:1; Heb. 6:4-8.

During the period of persecution that the early Christian congregation experienced at the hands of the Roman Empire, professed Christians were at times induced to deny their Christian discipleship, and those who did so were required to signify their apostasy by making an incense offering before some pagan god or by openly blaspheming the name of Christ.

It is evident that there is a distinction between a ‘falling’ due to weakness and the ‘falling away’ that constitutes apostasy. The latter implies a definite and willful withdrawal from the path of righteousness. (1 John 3:4-8; 5:16, 17) Whatever its apparent basis, whether intellectual, moral or spiritual, it constitutes a rebellion against God and a rejection of his Word of truth.—2 Thess. 2:3, 4; see MAN or LAWLESSNESS.

APOSTLE

APOSTLE [Gr., a·poʹsto·los; one sent forth to represent the sender; envoy].

This word is derived from the common Greek verb a·po·stelʹlein, meaning simply “to send forth or off.” Its basic sense is clearly illustrated in Jesus’ statement: “A slave is not greater than his master, nor is one that is sent forth [a·poʹsto·los] greater than one that sent him.” (John 13:16) In this sense the word also applies to Christ Jesus as the “apostle and high priest whom we confess.” (Heb. 3:1; compare Matthew 10:40; 15:24; Luke 4:18, 43; 9:48; 10:16; John 3:17; 5:36, 38; 6:29, 57; 7:29; 8:42; 10:36; 11:42; 17:3, 8, 18, 21-25; 20:21.) Jesus was sent forth by God as his appointed and commissioned representative.

The term is principally applied, however, to those disciples whom Jesus personally selected as a body of twelve appointed representatives. The names of the original twelve selected are given at Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19 and Luke 6:13-16. One of the original twelve, Judas Iscariot, proved to be a traitor, thereby fulfilling earlier prophecies. (Ps. 41:9; 109:8) The remaining eleven faithful apostles are again listed at Acts 1:13.

Some of the apostles had been disciples of John the Baptist before becoming Jesus’ disciples. (John 1:35-42) Eleven of them were evidently Galileans (Acts 2:7), Judas Iscariot being considered the sole Judean. They were from the working class; four were definitely fisherman by trade; one had been a tax collector. (Matt. 4:18-21; 9:9-13) At least two of them appear to have been cousins of Jesus (James and John, the sons of Zebedee). They were men who were viewed by the religious leaders as “unlettered and ordinary,” indicating that their education was elementary and not from the schools of higher learning. A number of them, including Peter (Cephas), were married men.—Acts 4:13; 1 Cor. 9:5.

Of the twelve, Peter, James and John seem to have enjoyed the closest relationship with Jesus. They alone witnessed the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:35-43) and the transfiguration of Jesus (Matt. 17:1, 2), and accompanied him farther into the Garden of Gethsemane than the other apostles on the night of his arrest. (Mark 14:32, 33) A special affinity appears to have existed between Jesus and John, and John is accepted as being the one referred to as “the disciple whom Jesus used to love.”—John 21:20-24; 13:23.

SELECTION AND EARLY MINISTRY

The twelve were selected out of a larger group of disciples and named as “apostles” by Jesus, “that they might continue with him and that he might send them out [a·po·stelʹlei] to preach and to have authority to expel the demons.” (Mark 3:13-15) Thereafter they did “continue with him” in very close association during the remainder of his earthly ministry, receiving extensive personal instruction and ministerial training. (Matt. 10:1-42; Luke 8:1) Since they continued to be Jesus’ pupils, they were still called “disciples,” particularly until Pentecost. (Matt. 11:1; 14:26; 20:17; John 20:2) Thereafter they are consistently called “apostles.” At the time of their appointment Jesus gave them miraculous powers to heal, as well as to expel demons, and they used these powers to some extent during Jesus’ ministry. (Mark 3:14, 15; 6:13; Matt. 10:1-8; Luke 9:6; compare Matthew 17:16.) This activity, however, is shown to be always subordinate to their principal work of preaching. Though forming an inner circle of followers, their instruction and training included no mysterious rituals or ceremonies.

HUMAN WEAKNESSES

Though greatly favored as apostles of God’s Son, they manifested normal human failings and weaknesses. Peter inclined to be rash and impetuous (Matt. 16:22, 23; John 21:7, 8); Thomas was slow to be convinced (John 20:24, 25); James and John manifested youthful impatience. (Luke 9:49, 54) They quarreled over the issue of their future greatness in the earthly kingdom they expected Jesus to establish. (Matt. 20:20-28; Mark 10:35-45; compare Acts 1:6; Luke 24:21.) They acknowledged their need for greater faith. (Luke 17:5; compare Matthew 17:20.) Despite their years of intimate association with Jesus and though knowing him to be the Messiah, they all abandoned him at the time of his arrest (Matt. 26:56); the matter of his burial was handled by others. The apostles were slow at first to accept the testimony of the women who first saw Jesus after his resurrection. (Luke 24:10, 11) Due to fear they met behind locked doors. (John 20:19, 26) The resurrected Jesus gave them further enlightenment and, following his ascension to heaven on the fortieth day from his resurrection, they manifested great joy and “were continually in the temple blessing God.”—Luke 24:44-53.

ACTIVITY IN CHRISTIAN CONGREGATION

The outpouring of God’s spirit upon them at Pentecost greatly strengthened the apostles. The first five chapters of the Acts of Apostles testify to the great fearlessness of the apostles and their boldness in declaring the good news and the resurrection of Jesus in spite of jailing, beatings and threats of death from their rulers. During those early days after Pentecost the dynamic leadership of the apostles, under the power of the holy spirit, resulted in amazing expansion in the Christian congregation. (Acts 2:41; 4:4) Their ministry was at first concentrated in Jerusalem, then extended to Samaria, and, in time, throughout the known world.—Acts 5:42; 6:7; 8:5-17, 25; 1:8.

Their primary function as apostles was to be witnesses as to Jesus’ fulfillment of Jehovah God’s purposes and prophecies, particularly of his resurrection and exaltation, and to do a discipling work among all nations, and this commission was emphasized to them by Jesus just before his ascension to heaven. (Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 1:8, 22; 2:32-36; 3:15-26) Their testimony concerning the resurrection was that of eyewitnesses.—Acts 13:30-34.

Miraculous powers

Additionally, to fortify the strength of their testimony, the apostles continued to exercise the miraculous powers previously granted them by Jesus, and also other gifts of the spirit received from Pentecost forward. (Acts 5:12; 9:36-40) While others, too, received such miraculous gifts of the spirit, the account shows that such was the case only when one or more of the apostles were present, or by the laying on of the hands of the apostles. (Acts 2:1, 4, 14; 8:14-18; 10:44; 19:6) Thus the power of transmittal as regards these gifts was unique with the apostles. Such miraculous gifts would therefore pass away with the passing away of the apostles and of those who had received these gifts through the apostles (1 Cor. 13:2, 8-11), and thus we read that these powers were “missing in the 2nd-century Church, the writers of those days speaking of them as a thing in the past—in the apostolic age, in fact.”—The New Bible Dictionary by Douglas, p. 49; see GIFTS FROM GOD, Gifts of the Spirit.

Administrative position

In the formation, organization and subsequent direction of the Christian congregation the apostles occupied a primary position. (1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11) Although they were joined by others of the “older men” in such supervision, they formed a principal part of the governing body of the expanding Christian congregation, and this body was recognized by the early Christians everywhere as the channel of communication used by God to render decisions and direct the affairs of the congregation throughout the earth. (Acts 2:42; 8:14-17; 11:22; 15:1, 2, 6-31; 16:4, 5) This was possible for these men only because of the fulfillment of the promises made of guidance by God’s holy spirit. (John 15:26, 27) Such help enabled them to recall Jesus’ instructions and teachings and to clarify points of doctrine and be progressively guided “into all the truth” revealed through them at that apostolic period. (John 14:26; 16:13-15; compare John 2:22; 12:16.) They made appointments to positions of service within the congregation and also designated areas in which certain ones would engage in missionary activity.—Acts 6:2, 3; Gal. 2:8, 9.

The apostles, therefore, served as a foundation, resting on Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone, for the building up of the spiritual temple. (Eph. 2:20-22; 1 Pet. 2:4-6; Rev. 21:14) There is no evidence of the primacy of any one apostle in the established Christian congregation. Peter and John appear to have been especially prominent at Pentecost and immediately thereafter, with Peter acting as the principal spokesman. (Acts 2:14, 37, 38; 3:1, 4, 11; 4:1, 13, 19; 5:3, 8, 15, 29) However, in the decisions made at that time neither of these appears to have a superiority over the others of the governing body, and, when news arrived of the baptisms taking place in Samaria, the apostles in Jerusalem “dispatched [a·pe·steiʹlan] Peter and John to them,” so that these two served, in effect, as apostles of the apostles. (Acts 6:2-6; 8:14, 15) Following the death of the apostle James, the disciple of the same name, James the half brother of Jesus, appears to have presided in the governing body, and Paul speaks of this James and also Peter (Cephas) and John as “the ones who seemed to be pillars.” (Acts 12:1, 2, 16, 17; Gal. 1:18, 19; 2:9, 11-14) It was James who announced the final decision on the important issue of circumcision as involving the Gentile believers, at which meeting Peter and Paul both presented testimony.—Acts 15:1, 2, 6-21; see PETER.

REPLACEMENT FOR JUDAS ISCARIOT

Due to the defection of Judas Iscariot, who died unfaithful, there were only eleven apostles remaining, and during the forty days from Jesus’ resurrection until his ascension to heaven he made no appointment of replacement. Sometime during the ten days between Jesus’ ascension and the day of Pentecost it was viewed as necessary that another be selected to fill the vacancy left by Judas, not simply on the basis of his death but, rather, on the basis of his wicked defection, as the Scriptures quoted by Peter indicate. (Acts 1:15-22; Ps. 69:25; 109:8; compare Revelation 3:11.) Thus, by contrast, when the faithful apostle James was put to death, there is no record of any concern to appoint anyone to succeed him in his position of apostle.—Acts 12:2.

It is evident from Peter’s statements that it was then considered that any individual filling the position of an apostle of Jesus Christ must have the qualifications of having been personally conversant with him, having been an eyewitness of his works, his miracles, and particularly of his resurrection. In view of this it can be seen that any apostolic succession would in course of time become an impossibility, unless there were divine action to supply these requirements