in the original Greek the word is (
Greek characters)(Transliteration from Greek: apostolos), which might be more justly translated
"messenger," in order to make a difference in English corresponding to that in Greek,
between (Greek characters)(Transliteration from Greek: apostolos) and (Greek characters)(Transliteration from Greek: pempsas), (pempsas,) without giving the same word "send" for
two different words in Greek. Still the common translation gives the true meaning
of each word, though not so simply and gracefully just, as it might be if the difference
of terms in the two members of the sentence was kept up in English. In this same
general sense of "messenger," or "any person sent," it is used in 2 Corinth. viii. 23,
(in common Eng. translation "messenger,") and in Philip. ii. 25, (common translation
"messenger.") 2. It is used to designate persons directly sent by God to men, and in
this sense is frequently given to us in connection with "prophet," as in Luke xi. 49;
Ephes. iii. 5; Rev. xviii. 20. In this sense also it is applied to Jesus, in Heb. iii. 1,
3. It is used as the title of several classes of persons, employed by Jesus in propagating
the gospel. These are [1] the twelve chief disciples, commonly distinguished above
all others but one, by this name. Matt. x. 2; Mark vi. 30; Luke vi. 13; ix. 10; xxii.
14; Acts i. 26; and in other places too numerous to be mentioned here, but to which
a good concordance will direct any curious investigator. [2] Paul, as the great
messenger of truth to the Gentiles, so called in many passages; and with him Barnabas
is also distinctly included under this term, in Acts xiv. 4, 14; and xv. 33. (Griesbach
however, has changed this last passage from the common reading. See his editions.)
[3] Other persons, not of great eminence or fame; as Andronicus and Junius, Paul's
assistants, Rom. xvi. 7; the companions of Titus in collecting the contributions of the
churches, 2 Cor. viii. 23; and perhaps also Epaphroditus, Philip. ii. 15. This seems
to be as clear an arrangement of the New Testament lexicography of the term as
can be given, on a comparison of high authorities. Those who can refer to Wahl,
Bretschneider, Parkhurst and Schleusner, will find that I have not servilely followed
either, but have adopted some things from all.
The extensions and variations of the New Testament usage of the word, among the Grecian and Latin Christian Fathers, were, 1, the application of it to the seventy disciples whose mission is narrated by Luke, x. 29. These are repeatedly called apostles. 2. The companions of Paul and others are frequently honored by this title. Timothy and Mark are called apostles, and many later ministers also, as may be seen by the authorities at the end of Cave's Introduction to his Lives of the Apostles.
In application to persons, it is used by Athenian writers as a name for the commander of a naval expedition, (See Demosth. as quoted by Stephens,) but this seems to have come by transferring to the man, the name of the expedition which he commanded, so that this cannot be derived from the definition which is here placed first. This term in the later Greek is also applied to the "bride-man," or bridegroom's friend, who on wedding festivals was sent to conduct the bride from her father's house to her husband's. (Phavorinus quoted by Witsius in Vita Pauli.) This however is a very unusual sense, which I can find on no other authority than that here given. None of the lexicons contain it.
II. The definition which occupies the first place in most of the arrangements of this word in the common Greek lexicons, is that of a "naval expedition," "apparatus classium," "fleet." There appears, however, to be no good reason for this order, but there is historical argument, at least, as well as analogy, for putting those meanings which refer to persons, before those which refer to things. This meaning, as far as I can learn, seems to be confined to Demosthenes, and there is nothing to make us suppose that it is anterior in use to the simple permanent sense which is here given first. Hesychius gives us only the meaning of "the commander of a fleet," which may indeed be derivable from this sense rather than the preceding personal uses, though it seems to me not impossible that the name was transferred from the commander to the object of his command, thus making the personal meanings prior to those of inanimate things. The adjective use of the word in Herodotus and Plato, however, makes it certain that in that way it was early applied to a single vessel, and the transition to its substantive use for a whole fleet is natural enough.
The legal use of it for "letters of appeal," (literae dimissoriae,) of course comes under the head of the later usages in application to things, and is the last modification of meaning which the word underwent before the extinction of the ancient Greek language.
The corresponding Hebrew word, and that which was, no doubt, used by Christ
in his discourse to his apostles, was (Hebrew characters) or (Hebrew characters) (sheluk, or shelih,) whose primary
meaning, like that of the Greek word, is "one sent," and is derived from the
