Hello again LearningToLetGo et al, I believe disciple means "follower/learner", while an apostle is a "sent one" (if memory serves, that is .. I quickly skimmed it before posting it, but perhaps the Got Questions article addresses this?).
edit: Yes, the linked article in my last post https://www.gotquestions.org/difference-disciple-apostle.html addresses this.
I suppose the question is, was the Great Commission meant for the 12 alone, or for us all/for all of the Lord's saints throughout time? (interestingly, I am having this very discussion on another board right now, and my answer there was that the Great Commission was directed to all true believers throughout time, not to the 12 only).
Thoughts?
Thanks
God bless you!!
--Papa Smurf
1 Peter 2
9 You are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
That is a loaded question brother. IMO it has a two fold answer.
Originally the Great Commission was actually given to the
ELEVEN.
Mark 16:14-15......
"Afterward he appeared unto the
eleven as
they sat at meat, and upbraided
them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because
they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto
them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
There are all kinds of linguistic problems with Mark 16:9-20. Many people go to "Got Questions .com" and allow me to quote from that site...............
"The oldest manuscripts do not contain vv. 9-20,
we can conclude that these verses were added later by scribes. The
King James Version of the Bible, as well as the
New King James, contains vv. 9-20 because the
King James used medieval manuscripts as the basis of its translation. Since 1611, however, older and more accurate manuscripts have been discovered and they affirm that vv. 9-20 were not in the original Gospel of Mark."
Now here is another passage of that same event in Matthew 28:16-20........
"
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
What's the difference. -----The SIGN GIFTS!
If and when and there are several denomination that do this, say that we as believers also have the SIGN GIFTS and use Mark 16 as their proof.
IMHO, the Great Commission was given to the ELEVEN just as the Scriptures state. THEN.....because we are believers in Christ we also are baptized into His death and resurrection we IDENTIFY with Him so as born again believers we should also be a part of telling the gospel story.
But I think that it can be easily seen how easy it is for men to read into a Scripture what they want it to say so that they can claim the Gifts that were given to the ELEVEN......"IF" in fact those gifts were given in the first place.
Now please understand.......I am NOT saying the ELEVEN + Paul later did not have the same ability as did Jesus. The Scriptures in Acts tell us that they did cast our demons and heal the sick and even raise the dead. We know Paul survived a snake bite and we know that Paul spoke in 5 different languages. However........remember WHERE they were and HOW they got there. No super markets, no pharmacies, no outdoor shops, no restaurants, no doctors and they walked in open toed sandels.
Thier job was to spread the gosple and write the New Test!