Who and What are Apostles?

I woke up this morning with a simple question. What is an apostle? I sat down and studied the Scriptures for an answer, and here is what I found.

The word "apostle" is from apostolos in Greek (G652). It means someone who is sent on a mission, someone with a mandate, someone who is a delegate or ambassador, someone who is commissioned, someone who is set-apart for a specific purpose.  The other key word is apostello which is the act of sending.

In Mark 6, Jesus sent His twelve disciples and sent them (apostello) forth two by two. By the time we get to the end of the chapter, the disciples are referred to as apostolos, the "ones whom He had sent". 

And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
(Mark 6:7)

And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
(Mark 6:12-13)
 

And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
(Mark 6:30)

 John 13:16 talks about the disciples not being greater than their master, about those who are sent not being greater than he who sends them. It is clear that by the act of sending His disciples, He had commissioned and made them into "apostles" of the gospel. However, the following verse goes further and shoes that when He chose His twelve, He chose them to be apostles.

And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
(Luke 6:13)

 

Acts 1:2 refers to the apostles as those whom He had chosen as well, and adds that through the Holy Spirit He gave them commandments.

Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
(Acts 1:2)
 

 Add to that John 15:16, which states that Jesus chose and ordained His disciples to go and bear fruit. 

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
(John 15:16)

Here are some additional verses that I found that relate to the topic:

As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
(John 17:18)

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
(John 20:21-22)

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
(Acts 1:8)

From these verses and other passages of Scripture, I can therefore conclude that apostles are the ones who

• were disciples of Jesus
• were chosen by Jesus
• were taught Jesus's commandments
• were sent forth to preach the gospel
• were filled with the Holy Spirit

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
(Matthew 28:18-20)

So let us ask ourselves:

• Can we be Christians without being disciples of Jesus?
• Are we as Christians supposed to hear and obey the commandments of Christ? 
• Can we as Christians be exempted from the command to preach the gospel and fulfil the Great Commission?
• Are we not sent into the world to be witnesses and lights?
• Are we not given the Holy Spirit?
• Is not the purpose of being fillled with the Holy Spirit to be go in the world and preach the gospel? 

Are we then not apostles, regardless of whether we consider ourselves "clergy" or "laity", "full-time workers" or "tentmakers"?

Perhaps we need a change in mindset, and we need to realise that "Apostle" is not a grandiloquent title of privilege but a function related to a task. Yes, there were the twelve original disciples, who become apostles, but they went on to make disciples and to send others forth in Christ's name. If the twelve apostles were the only apostles, then the gospel would have died out with them. However, the gospel is still being preached in every corner of the earth.

Everyone who is called by Christ to be a disciple is also sent by Him to do His work in this world. There are many different functions believers can have, and many different callings. We need to hear from Him what His will is for us and what He will have us do. It's not about our own ideas and initiatives, about what we think we can and should do.