passive Kal, participle of the verb (
Hebrew characters) meaning "he sent," This word is often
used in the Old Testament, and is usually translated in the Alexandrian Greek
version, by the word [Greek: apostolos]. A remarkable instance occurs in 1 Kings xiv. 6;
where the prophet Ahijah, speaking to the wife of Jeroboam, says, (Hebrew characters)
"to thee am I sent;" the Alexandrian version gives the noun [Greek: apostolos], so as to
make it literally "to thee I am an apostle," or "messenger," or truly, in the just and
primary sense of this Greek word, "to thee I am sent." This passage is a valuable
illustration of the use of the same Greek word in John xiii. 16; as above quoted.
The Hebrews had another word also, which they used in the sense of an apostle or
messenger. This was (Hebrew characters) (mal ak,) derived from a verb which means "send,"
so that the primary meaning of this also is "one sent." It was commonly appropriated
to angels, but was sometimes a title of prophets and priests. (Haggai i. 19;
Malachi ii. 7.) It was on the whole the more dignified term of the two, as the
former was never applied to angels, but was restricted to men. The two terms are
very fairly represented by the two Greek words [Greek: apostolos] and [Greek: angelos], in English
"apostle" and "angel," the latter, like its corresponding Hebrew term, being sometimes
applied to the human servants of God, as in John's address to the seven
churches.
The scope of the term, as used in the title of this book, is limited
to the twelve chosen disciples of Jesus Christ, and those few of
their most eminent associates, who are designated by the same
word in the writings of the early Christians. These persons
fall under two natural divisions, which will be followed in the arrangement
of their lives in this work. These are, first, the
TWELVE, or Peter and his companions; and second, Paul and
his companions, including also some to whom the name apostle
is not given by the New Testament writers, but who were so intimate
with this great preacher of Christ, and so eminent by their
own labors, that they may be very properly ranked with him,
in the history of the first preachers of Christianity.
The persons whose lives are given in this book are,
I. The Galilean apostles, namely,
Simon Peter, and Andrew his brother,
James, and John, the sons of Zebedee,
Philip, and Bartholomew,
Matthew, and Thomas,
James, the son of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes,
Jude, the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, in whose place was afterwards chosen by the apostles, Matthias.
II. The Hellenist apostles, namely, Paul and Barnabas, with
whom are included their companions, Mark and Luke, the evangelists.
These two classes of Apostles are distinguished from each other, mainly, by the circumstances of the appointment of each; the former being all directly appointed by Jesus himself, (excepting Matthias, who took the forfeited commission of Judas
