How do apostles and prophets today differ from the original Twelve?
Keeping it grounded in scripture, the Twelve—chosen by Jesus in the Gospels—have a unique spot, while “apostles” today (a term still used in some circles) carry a different meaning.
The Twelve Apostles
The Twelve—Peter, James, John, and the gang (Luke 6:12-16)—were handpicked by Jesus. Here’s what sets them apart:
1. Eyewitnesses to Christ: They walked with Jesus, saw His miracles, and witnessed His resurrection. Acts 1:21-22 explains it when replacing Judas: an apostle had to “have been with us the whole time… from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up.” This firsthand credibility is non-negotiable—Paul was not among the original Twelve but was directly commissioned by the risen Christ (Gal. 1:1), making him a legitimate apostle of equal standing (2 Cor. 11:5).
Today’s apostles can’t claim to have seen the risen Christ in the flesh. They lean on the Spirit and scripture, not a face-to-face resume. Paul’s “seen the Lord” claim (1 Corinthians 9:1).
2. Foundation of the Church: Ephesians 2:20 calls them “the foundation” (with prophets), with Christ as the cornerstone. Their teaching—codified in the New Testament—sets the bedrock. Revelation 21:14 doubles down: the New Jerusalem’s walls have “twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” That’s a closed set.
Today’s apostles are functional and not foundational. The Twelve laid the groundwork—today’s “apostles” build on it. Ephesians 4:11 lists “apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers” as ongoing roles, but the Greek *apostolos* here means “sent one”—think missionaries or church planters, not bedrock-layers. Guys like Barnabas (Acts 14:14) or Timothy (1 Thessalonians 2:6, implied) get called apostles in this broader sense, but they’re not the Twelve.
3. Unique Authority: Authority to write scripture.
Today’s apostles, have a different authority. The Twelve had a once-for-all mandate—modern apostles (if you buy the term) don’t write scripture or wield that level of signs. Healings or miracles might happen, Spirit’s still active and Jesus Christ is still the same, yesterday, today and forever, but it’s not the same level of intensity.
Today’s apostles are Spirit-Driven, Not Handpicked. Jesus personally tapped the Twelve (Mark 3:13-14). Today, the Spirit calls folks—like Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13:2 (“Set apart for me…”). No human succession or apostolic line; it’s the Spirit choosing individuals, often through the church’s prayer (v. 3).
Regarding Authority and Revelation:
Two Levels of Authority in Apostles
NT Apostles – Qualifications: Saw the Lord, personally; Direct Call of God; Not sent by men; Inspired by God to write scripture.
Post NT Apostles “Sent representative” and will never come up to NT authority. Acts 14:14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul…
Barnabas referred to as an apostle. Though Barnabas is called an apostle in Acts 14:14, he did not meet the qualifications of the Twelve nor was he used in giving inspired scripture.. Barnabas was an apostle by the spirit through the church not directly from God.
Since the completion of Scriptures, the level of prophecy and authority will always be lower (subservient) to scripture. Jesus brought the full revelation of God and the original Apostles saw Him. That which follows must always be subservient. If you go beyond Jesus Christ, you are indeed going beyond…into error.
Lower Level of Authority Today
Apostle today is always lower, commissioned by the Church. The completion of Scripture is marked by the revelation of the Son of God.
Prophets and Apostles today bring the Body into maturity. This ministry has not stopped. We need the old revelation from the Scriptures to come into maturity not some “newer” revelation. We don’t need men today to fill the ministry of the OT Prophets and NT Apostles because the ministry continues in and through the Body, just on a lower level of authority and revelation.
Apostolic Authority is the primary test for the NT Canon. Error comes when revelation or prophecy are allowed to come up to level of the Bible in authority.
There are no prophets today that rise to the level of authority and revelation as the OT prophets. Let me explain.
Only 12 apostles (first 12) were sent from God including Paul. Today’s apostles are sent from men and do not have the same qualifications or level of authority. OT Prophets and NT Apostles were on the same level of authority. Prophets received a revelation still in progress, while Apostles received a completed revelation.
Two Levels of Revelation
High Level of Revelation – coming from God for the purpose of writing the inspired word.
Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; Eph 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Lower Level of Revelation
That each believer has to understand revelation. Enlightened our heart or spirit to truth ALREADY REVEALED.
Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Two Levels of Authority in Prophets
OT Prophets – Speak the Word of God, Authority inherent with the call of God. This level of prophetic authority—delivering revelation from God with canonical weight—does not exist today.
Lower Level of Authority Today
Prophets speak to edify the Body of Christ 1Cor 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
Act 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Why did the Church exchange the word apostle for missionary (not a Bible word).
Meaning of “Missionary”
- As history unfolded, certain terms and practices changed. The word “missionary” comes from the Latin missio, meaning “to send”. It was first used in a Christian context by Jesuits in the 16th century.
- So “missionary” is essentially the Latin equivalent of “apostle,” but over time, it took on a broader and more practical usage, referring to anyone sent out to spread the faith, not just a select few like the apostles.
When and Why the Shift Happened
- During the Reformation and Counter-Reformation (1500s–1600s), the Catholic Church formalized its efforts to spread Christianity to new lands (like the Americas, Africa, and Asia).
- The term “missionary” became the standard because:
- It emphasized organized missions, not just individual divine appointments.
- It applied more broadly to priests, monks, and laypeople.
- Latin was the Catholic Church’s official language at the time, and “missio” fit better with that structure.
Over time the Christian Church has adopted various practices from the Catholic Church. You can even see this in some of the new Bible versions where scriptures match very closely with the Douay-Reims Bible (Catholic scriptures).
Interestingly, the Catholic church never ended the Counter-Reformation
. The original name of the office that ran the Counter-Reformation was called the “Sacred Congregation of the Universal Inquisition” and it was established in 1542. It was never abolished. In 1908, it was renamed by Pope Pius X to the “Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office”. In 1965, it was renamed to the “Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith”. It is the Vatican’s chief doctrinal watchdog. So, the Counter-Reformation continues to this day under a different name.
The Sacred Congregation of the Universal Inquisition, founded in 1542, was the central arm of the Counter-Reformation — its job was to defend Catholic doctrine, investigate heresy, and protect the Church from theological threats.
- That institution never ceased to exist — it was simply rebranded over time as the Church shifted its style and approach.
- The Ecumenical movement started in and around Vatican II (1962-1965) and it has been a “trojan horse” to the Christian Church often in the guise of “building bridges”. Protestant Bible Colleges, especially at the graduate or seminary level often seek out leading scholars, regardless of denomination and thus, Jesuits, who are highly educated are often brought in as visiting lecturers, adjuncts, researchers and even professors. They end up compromising the scriptures, introducing mixture and thus bringing in liberal thoughts and practices.