17
THINGS THAT ARE MORE EXCELLENT
of himself. In the body of the first epistle to the Thessalonians, there is a reference to `apostles' with whom the
apostle Paul associates himself.
`We might have been burdensome as the apostles of Christ' (1 Thess. 2:6).
It is not so generally known as it should be that there were `apostles' other than `the Twelve' and of another order
than that of the apostleship of Paul himself.
For example, when we read in Acts 14:4 that part held with the Jews `and part with the apostles', it is evident that
Barnabas as well as Paul is so named. Another passage that should be pondered is Romans 16:7, `salute Andronicus
and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before
me'. Commentators are divided in their opinion concerning this passage. Some hold that Paul means that these
fellow prisoners of his were held in great esteem by the other apostles, some hold that Paul means that these fellow
prisoners were also of note among the apostles, thereby giving to them the title `apostle' also. There was not that
close working together of Paul and the twelve for such a remark to refer to them and the added clause, introduced by
the word `also', lends weight to the opinion expressed by Alford and endorsed by the Companion Bible, that this title
was used in a wider sense in the early days of the Church than we are in the habit of using it now. In the epistle to
the Corinthians, the apostle Paul says that God has set in the Church `first apostles' and asks `are all apostles?', using
the word in the plural (1 Cor. 12:28,29), yet in 1 Corinthians 15:1-9 he uses the title in the highest and more
restricted sense. Again in 1 Corinthians 4:9 he speaks of `us the apostles' in a context where it is difficult to include
the twelve. In the second epistle to the Corinthians it is most evident that the word apostolos was used with a wider
significance than can be contained by the apostolate of the twelve or of Paul.
`Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you: or our brethren be inquired
of, they are the messengers (apostles) of the churches, and the glory of Christ' (2 Cor. 8:23).
Paul could never be designated `the apostle of the churches', neither could any one of the twelve. Again, if the
number of those who could rightly use the title `apostle' was limited to Paul or the twelve, it does not seem possible
for the agents of Satan to transform themselves into `apostles of Christ' (2 Cor. 11:13). Again, the comparison
which Paul makes of himself with `the very chiefest apostles' (2 Cor. 12:11), seems rather strong language if no
others than the twelve could ever be called apostles.
In Philippians 2:25, Epaphroditus is called `your apostle', and while the A.V. rendering `your messenger' is
possible, yet a more appropriate word was at hand for messenger', namely angelos, which is used in seven passages
in the New Testament. If there were `apostles of the Church' (2 Cor. 8:23) Epaphroditus might well be one of them.
Theodoret, an ecclesiastical historian who was born at Antioch about the year A.D. 386, maintained that in the
apostolic age the same persons were called by the two names presbuteroi `elders' and episkopoi `bishops', and that
those who were called in his own time episkopoi were formerly called apostoloi or apostles. `Thus' (concludes
Theodoret) `Epaphroditus was the apostle of the Philippians'.
Finally Ephesians 4:11 declares that the ascended Christ gave `some apostles'. Now as none of the `Twelve',
except Matthias, were appointed after the Lord ascended we must be prepared to discover that there was another
group that had a right to the title apostle.
We have digressed somewhat and must now return to the opening verse of Philippians to examine more carefully
the titles of service that are actually there employed. Paul and Timothy are called `servants' and the salutation is sent
not only to the saints, but to `the bishops and deacons'. There must be a reason for this somewhat unusual
introduction, and the acquaintance we have already made with the general trend of the teaching of this epistle
enables us to appreciate the way in which the apostle has linked himself at once with its great theme, namely, that of
service.
Paul and Timothy are not the only `servants' to be noted in this epistle. They sink into nothingness at the great
condescension of chapter 2:6-8, where we read of Him, Who though equal with God `took upon Him the form of a
servant'. Timothy figures in this same chapter serving `as a son with the father', and the apostle himself speaks of
being `offered on the sacrifice and service' of faith. Further, the Philippians were enjoined `to work out' their own
salvation, and God Himself is seen `working in' them, and finishing the work which He had begun (Phil. 2:22, see
also 12,13 and 1:6). It has been objected by some that `bishops and deacons' can have no place in the Church of the