# Apostles?



## py3ak (Oct 16, 2006)

Anyone have any thoughts or resources on the _shaliach_ (I'm guessing about the spelling there) being the paradigm for the apostles?


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## py3ak (Oct 16, 2006)

It's something Stott and Ridderbos both mention, with phrases along the lines of, "Recent studies have shown that the function of apostle is based on the concept of the Jewish _shaliach_...."
I was wondering if any one had any details or further opinions.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Oct 17, 2006)

It is an interesting issue to me. This discussion by Don Golden, _The Missional Church_, may be of some help.



> 4.1. Apostolos / Shaliach
> 
> A problem confronts the inquirer into the meaning of the word apostolos in the NT. In its own Greek context there is no parallel to the way in which the word is employed by the Christian church of the same period. J. B. Lightfoot drew attention to the shaliach tradition of late Rabbinical Judaism as a possible solution.36 This theory came to maturity in K. H. Rengstorf'simportant article in the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.37
> 
> ...


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## py3ak (Oct 18, 2006)

Thanks for that, Andrew. I was thinking this afternoon that John 20:21 seems to support this idea very well: Jesus was the personal representative of the Father. The one who receives Him, receives the One who sent Him. And He seems to put the disciples on the same plane: the one who receives them, receives Jesus.
Don Golden seemed to want to attach it to the whole church. Stott and Ridderbos, however, attach this exclusively to the Apostles as part of their argument concerning the canon. The canon is apostolic tradition: apostolic tradition is canon because the apostles are, in that regard, as Christ Himself. One point against this is that Christ at two points seems to amplify the connection between Himself and His people: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" and "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?"
So I think there are strong arguments for limiting this concept to the apostles; but I have not seen anyone interact with other texts which also make a strong connection between Jesus and all His people.
Thoughts?


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