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NASB | 1 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, called as an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, |
Subject: Apostles, Prophets? An Office for Today? |
Bible Note: In 1 Corinthians 14:29 the word prophet is used alone which has a different meaning in the context. There, prophet means one who is prophesying. In Eph 2:20 and 4:11 Apostles and Prophets are used together in the same context that refer to the 12 disciples and those were commissioned by Jesus. They didn’t have successors. Sometimes when words are used together the context of the words changes. For example, I could say, “He’s the tallest and he’s a basketball player.” Given the context we would know that I would be talking about the tallest basketball player. However if I were to say, “He’s the tallest player.” I may be talking about someone else. Using Apostles and Prophets in the same context is a qualifier for the persons that delivered the New Testament. Their roll, as an office in the church, is not needed. But what the Biblical Prophets and Apostles delivered as scripture will stand for all time. This foundation is what the church is built on. Jesus is the cornerstone of the foundation of the Body of Christ. Why isn't there the office of Jesus today? Because Jesus stands once for all in all power and authority in the Word. Just as the divinely inspired scriptures that were delivered to the Apostles and Prophets. Paul is telling the church in Ephesus that they are supposed to use what the Apostles and Prophets (along with Jesus) said and start equipping that saints and start building up the body of Christ. Paul is telling us how to equip the saints for the building up of the Body in Eph 4:11. First read and accept the scripture (apostles and prophets) then preach to the world (evangelists) while studding the Word of God and shepherding the sheep (pastors and teachers). This is how you equip the saints. This is how to build the Body of Christ. Paul stresses this because he knew that people would come along and say that they were speaking for God. But if the saints are equipped, “they will not be tossed to and fro by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine.” (Eph 4:14) I would suggest that any who come today proclaiming to speak for God as Apostles and Prophets, are the ones who are creating the “winds of doctrine.” This was going on during the time of Paul and has been going on ever since. If they are not the ones creating false doctrine, then whom is Paul talking about? The only people at that time that created doctrine where the Apostles and Prophets. Consider this disjunctive syllogism; there either is or isn’t true Apostles and Prophets today. Paul says that there are Apostles and Prophets yet that we are not to be carried away by winds of doctrine. What doctrine won’t carry us away? The doctrine that was delivered through the biblical Apostles and Prophets once for all. So who are the Apostles and Prophets Paul talking about in Eph 4:11 when referencing the equipping of the saints? The biblical Apostles and Prophets. The biblical Apostles and Prophets laid the foundation for the church with normative revelations of the Word of God. The church is in the processes of being built up. So the foundation is complete. The Apostles and Prophets are done. Apostles and Prophets, as directed in Eph 4:11, are rolls in the church that have been fulfilled though the giving of the Word. Therefore there are no Apostles and Prophets, besides the biblical ones, which are true today. |