Matthew 10:1-4

(Text Only)

Title: From Disciple to Apostle

Any Star Wars nerds here today?  Anyone seen the movies.  The original trilogy…the good ones?

Yoda: No more training do you require. Already know you, that which you need. 

Luke: Then I am a Jedi. 

Yoda: No. Not yet. One thing remains. Vader. You must confront Vader. Then, only then, a Jedi will you be. And confront him you will. 

(later…)

Emperor:  Good.  Now Strike your father down and take his place at my side!

Luke: Never. I’ll never turn to the Dark Side. You’ve failed, your highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me. 

Who knows the emperor’s classic response?

The Emperor: [angry] So be it… Jedi! 

  1. Disciple to Apostle

The first discussion that we need to embark on this morning is understanding the significance of Matthew recording that Jesus called his twelve main disciples to him, right after making the comment about the weary and scattered multitudes, and giving them this commission to become apostles.

In a moment, we’ll cover exactly what this first commission (for Christ would give his followers many commissions) entailed.  But for now, I want us to note that Matthew records in verse 1 that Jesus calls his twelve “disciples” and then, in verse 2, after the commission is given, lists the names of the twelve “apostles.”

  1. “disciple”  (verse 1)  

Greek:  mathetes (Ma-Thay-Tace)

Definition:  a learner, pupil

Used 268 times in N.T. all as “disciple”

  1. “apostle”  (verse 2)

Greek:  apostolos  (ah-pawst-toe-loss)

Definition:  A delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders

-specifically applies in N.T. to the 12 apostles of Christ

-also more broadly applied to other eminent Christian leaders (Barnabas, Timothy, Silvanus)

A disciple is any student, learner, follower of Christ.  An apostle has received a specific, direct commissioning, either by the Lord Christ himself, or directly from another apostle.

I want to stress to you that these two words do not mean the same thing.  First of all, the Greek words have two distinct and differing definitions.  Secondly, they are not used interchangeably in the N.T. Matthew purposefully writes “disciple” and then, after power and authority has been given to them, he changes the term to “apostle.”

A pupil in a math class is not the same thing as a delegate from the United Nations.  We wouldn’t use those terms interchangeable, and we shouldn’t here, either.

  1. So What Causes the Change?

So, logically, we need to ask, “Okay, what exactly happens here in this first verse of chapter 10 that specifically causes Matthew to change the term that he uses to define these twelve men?

  1. Jesus gives them power
    1. supernatural power over unclean spirits to cast them out (these spirits now must answer to the authority of the apostles the same way they answer to the authority of Jesus)
    2. to heal all kinds of sickness and disease  (in the same way that even sickness had to answer to Jesus, it now must answer to his apostles)

POINT:  This is an empowering of supernatural authority given from the master to his messengers.  Next week we will look at the message.  Today we focus on the fact that this power is how the apostles would be recognized as being sent from Jesus:  they can do the unexplainable things that Jesus does.

  1. The Twelve
  1.   Simon (Peter)  because he was called first, or because he was the most forward?
  2.   Andrew (Simon Peter’s brother)
  3.   James  (head of the early Jerusalem church with Simon, wrote first book of N.T.)
  4.   John (James’ brother)
  5.   Philip (of Ethiopian fame)
  6.   Bartholomew  (we know nothing)
  7.   Thomas  (had some doubts)
  8.   Matthew (author of this book?)
  9.   James (the other one)
  10. 10.  Lebbaeus (also called Thaddaues)
  11. 11.  Simon (other Simon, we know nothing)
  12. 12.  Judas Iscariot (had some issues)

Anyone know why there were 12 apostles called?

(Note on Matthias replacing Judas, and some speculating that Paul was supposed to be his delegate.)

How many directly commission apostles were there?  (You could actually argue 13, 14, or more.

Close:

So here are your apostles, equipped with power, given authority and the proof that they represent the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.  Next week we will begin to look at the specific instructions that Jesus gives to his newly appointed messengers.