Lesson five: the apostles in scripture

• Apostles as a group

  • Called “The Apostles” or “The Twelve”

    • They accompanied Jesus most of the time

      • Luke 7:11; 8:1

      • Matthew 20:17-19

    • Not always together with Jesus

      • Mark 6:7-13

      • John 6:15

    • They were given authority

      • Matthew 10:1

      • Mark 3:13-15

    • And instructions

      • Luke 9:1-6

      • Matthew 10:5-15

      • Luke 24:44-53

• Apostles in smaller numbers

  • Peter, James, and John

    • Matthew 17:1-9

    • Mark 5:21-26, 35-43

    • Mark 14:32-42

    • Plus Andrew – Mark 13:3-4

  • Peter and John

    • Luke 22:8

    • Acts 3:1ff

    • Acts 8:14

  • Phillip and Andrew – John 12:20-23

  • Larger group – John 21:2

Lesson six: looking at each apostle

• Researching history and tradition

  • Neither is inspired

  • History and its sources

    • Primary sources

    • Secondary sources

    • Questions of accuracy

  • Tradition and its sources

    • Stories and accounts handed down

    • Story changes over the years

    • Contrast with Scripture

  • What’s not included

    • Peter and Paul

      • They’ll be in separate lessons

    • Study of Peter

      • Much tradition to be analyzed

      • Blends in to lesson on apostolic succession

• Andrew in scripture

  • Brother to Peter – Matthew 4:18

  • Present when John declared Jesus “Lamb of God” – John 1:35-44

    • First known to “follow” Jesus

    • Was a “multiplier” (Andrew + Simon = double)

    • Knew Jesus immediately as the Messiah

    • From Bethsaida, then Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee

    • Fisherman – Matthew 4:18

    • Found the boy with the fish – John 6:5-9

    • Directed some Greeks to Jesus – John 12:20-23

  • Named among the twelve

    • In initial naming

    • In Jerusalem awaiting the Holy Spirit – Acts 1:13

    • Included whenever apostles grouped

• Andrew: history and traditions

  • Given Hellenistic name

    • Never called to repent or redact name

    • Repentance was with regard to works, deeds, thoughts

    • Matthew 3:7-8; Acts 8:22; 26:19-20

  • Left Jerusalem at an unknown time

  • Traveled to Scythia and preached

  • Continued across Asia Minor to Ephesus

  • Began preaching in Greece

  • Converted governor’s wife in Patras, Greece

    • Enraged governor

    • “Debate” followed by crucifixion in AD 69

Lesson four, continued:

• More on teaching methods, continued:

  • Taught by authority: Matthew 9:1-9; Matthew 21:23-27

  • Used stories with familiar themes – Matthew 13:1-9

  • Used attention-getting hyperbole – Matthew 5:29-30; 7:3-5

  • Used sound bites – Luke 6:37-39

  • Asked questions, sometimes rhetorical – Matthew 16:26; 22:17-22

  • Visually illustrated, demonstrated, exemplified

    • John 13:3-17

    • Matthew 18:1-4

    • Mark 12:41-44 – Jesus using the widow as an example had much more impact than simply lecturing about giving would have.

  • Used repetition – Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34

  • Was the example – Luke 5:16; Matthew 9:10-12

• Duties of the apostles

  • To be witnesses of Jesus to world – Acts 1:6-8

  • To form the foundation of the church – Ephesians 2:19-22

  • To teach His gospel to the world – Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 6:1-2

  • To do the works of the Father – John 9:1-5

  • To be obedient to God – Acts 5:29

  • To be shepherds of the flock – John 21:15-17

  • Teach disciples the truth as revealed by Spirit – John 16:13

  • To judge – Matthew 19:28

What is our goal in life?

• If we don’t have the right goal in life, we will drift and accomplish little.

• Galatians 1:14; I Timothy 1:15 – Paul started out with the wrong goal.

• Matthew 15:8-9 – The Pharisees had the wrong goal.

• We must lean our ladder on the right wall.

• Luke 12:15

Some would say their purpose is to escape hell.

• We must have a greater purpose than that!

Some would say their purpose is to go to heaven.

• We must have a greater purpose than that!

• Philippians 3:8-14 – Paul had a greater purpose: to attain to righteousness.

• Many who have this as their purpose will miss it.

Our purpose should be to be children of our heavenly Father.

• Matthew 5:43-45

• We cannot be satisfied in our drive to be like God.

• We don’t just go to heaven. We grow to heaven.

• I John 2:29; 3:3, 10

• Ephesians 4:11-16 – God called us for the purpose of making us like Christ.

• Romans 8:28-31

• II Corinthians 3:18

• Ecclesiastes 12:13 – This sums up the whole of man’s existence.

Conclusion

• Hebrews 4:9, 11

• We can only be satisfied once we make it to heaven.