ἀπόστολος

ἀπόστολος, -ου, ὁ

(ἀοστέλλω), [in LXX; 1 Kong 14,6 A (שָׁלַח) * ;]

1. a fleet, an expedition (Dem.).

2. a messenger, one sent on a mission (Hdt., LXX, l.with, and π.; see M, Pr., 37 f.; MM, see word; M, Th., i, 2:7 and reff.): Joh 13,16, 2 Kor 8,23 Fil 2,25.

3. In NT, an Apostle of Christ

(a) with special ref. to the Twelve: Matt 10,2, Mark 3,14, Luk 11,49, Ef 3,5, Åb 18,20, al., equality with whom is claimed by St. Paul, Gal 1,1, 11 ff, 1 Tim 2,7, a1.;

(b) in a wider sense of prominent Christian teachers, as Barnabas, ApG 14,14, apparently also Silvanus and Timothy, 1 Thess 2,6, and perhaps Andronicus and Junias (Junia?), Rom 16,7 (see ICC, in l); of false teachers, claiming apostleship: 2 Kor 11,5; 11,13, Åb 2,2. (On the different uses of the term in NT, see Lit., Gal., 92-101; Cremer, 530; DB, i, 126; DCG, i, 105; Enc. Br., ii, 196 ff.)