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We are delighted to find a cessationist willing to explain his take on the five-fold ministry. Unfortunately, this author is more focused on dismissing charismatics rather than demonstrating his theories from the Bible.)
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I was asked today if the Five-Fold Ministry doctrine is biblical, I answered the question with another question, “Are modern day apostles and prophets biblical?”, the answer is no! This is an excellent commentary from Critical Issues Commentary by Bob Dewaay on the issue of the Five Fold Ministry and Apostles and Prophets.
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“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13).
Today a popular movement is making brash claims about itself. (Not exactly off to an auspicious start. We are not interested in the claims of contemporary Christians. We want to know the biblical case for or against. That's what the author promised in the title.)
The movement claims that God is raising up a huge wave of end times prophets and apostles who will be instrumental in subduing entire nations and eventually the whole world before Christ returns. They claim that those of us who do not submit to this “prophetic-apostolic” movement will be judged or moved out of the way.1 These apostles and prophets will be so powerful that people will be struck dead if they show up at their meetings with sin in their lives.2 The new apostles and prophets will have power over nature itself.3 They will be a “new breed of man” with revelations, power, and prophetic insight not seen since Christ Himself was on earth.4 Bill Hamon who makes all these claims includes himself in this category of a “new breed” apostle: “In 1994 at CI’s eighth annual IGOP Conference I accepted God’s ‘commissioning’ as one of His new breed of restored last-days apostles.”5 He claims to have, “one thousand pages of type-written prophecies” that prophecy that Hamon is an apostle and prophet.6 (Hmm. Once again the author presses the issue of present-day expressions. But we are not interested in claims of contemporary "apostles." Hopefully he will provide us with the biblical case at some point.)
The key proof text that underlies this movement is Ephesians 4:11-13 cited above. In this article we will examine this passage in its Biblical context to see if it predicts a new breed of apostles and prophets who will empower the church to take dominion over the world before Christ returns. ("Dominion?" The author has moved farther away from his stated premise. He now in essence has set out to demolish his straw man.)
The passages tells us that God gave the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers until we achieve the unity of the faith and the fulness of the stature of Christ. The claim that Hamon, C. Peter Wagner (who wrote the forward to Hamon’s book) and others are making is that the church has failed to fulfill this calling through most of church history because we have only had the last three of these ministries. Supposedly we need the “signs of an apostle” and new revelations of prophets to finally propel the church into its glorious state of perfection before Christ returns. (This is curious phrasing. "Glorious state of perfection?" What exactly does this have to do with the biblical case for or against the five-fold?)
The Foundation and the Building
In interpreting Ephesians 4:11, there is a question about what Paul means by the terms “apostles and prophets” in this passage. The questions are several: are these authoritarian (sic. I believe he means authoritative.)
prophets and apostles who gave us the New Testament revelation, are they apostles and prophets in a functional sense only, or are they fully revelatory and authoritative apostles and prophets who Paul envisions to be continually raised up throughout church history. (The author will not tell us why we have to choose. In fact, we will see there is NT evidence that there is more than one kind of apostle.)
There is good Biblical evidence for this claim that there were only a limited number of authoritative apostles and it is explained by Orrel Steinkamp’s article in this issue of CIC. (What does the author mean by "limited number?" What does he mean by "authoritative?" Is he now acknowledging that there are other kinds of apostles?)
True Apostolic Authority
We can see even within the New Testament itself that apostolic teachings were considered final and authoritative. (Again, no one disputes this.)
Jude is a good example. (Jude was not an apostle.)
He wrote, “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). After describing the practices and teachings of false teachers, Jude returns to this theme: “But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:17). The teachings of the apostles are considered authoritative and having been given once for all. (Which no one disputes.)
Likewise Paul’s writings are called “Scripture” even in the New Testament: “And regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction” (2Peter 3:15,16). (Which no one disputes.)
Paul told Timothy to transmit his teachings to others who would teach others after them: “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2Timothy 2:2). This helps us understand how the building proceeds to be built upon the foundation. (Which no one disputes.)
Christ’s death provided atonement for our sins, once for all, He is the cornerstone. He appointed apostles and commissioned them to communicate the mystery of God (Ephesians 3:5,6). As the recipients of the New Testament revelation, they are the foundation of the church, which shall remain throughout the ages. These truths were given to others to teach as Paul told Timothy. (Which no one disputes.)
One of the very earliest writings of the church after the death of the apostles saw this process as follows:
The apostles have preached the Gospel to us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ [has done so] from God. Christ therefore was sent forth by God, and the apostles by Christ. Both these appointments, then, were made in an orderly way, according to the will of God. Having therefore received their orders, and being fully assured by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and established in the word of God, with full assurance of the Holy Ghost, they went forth proclaiming that the kingdom of God was at hand. And thus preaching through countries and cities, they appointed the first-fruits [of their labors], having first proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons of those who should afterwards believe.12
This was written by Clement of Rome who may well have been the same Clement mentioned in Philippians 4:3 (the early church considered this to be the case). Likely written around 97AD, this document showed that rather than a succession of apostles, the teaching of the apostles was entrusted to people they appointed. (An argument from silence. But more to the point, who is proposing a "succession of apostles?" The existence of apostles is a separate issue as to how they come about.)
Eventually the canon of the New Testament was agreed upon. The apostles were unique in ministry and authority. There would be no more authoritative apostles after the death of those who Christ appointed. There is no Scripture in the Bible that predicts God will raise up new apostles much later in church history. (Weasel words. There is no requirement that apostles will be "much later in church history," or that they would be "new." And he has yet to dispense with the scriptures that actually do name apostles as being active and needed in the church.
Again, we want the biblical case. So far, the author has established that there are "authoritative apostles," but has not addressed the fact that there are other apostles who were not pillars.)
Ephesians 4:11-13, taken in the context of Paul’s building analogy in Ephesians, shows how the apostles and prophets whom Christ gave the church continue until the consummation of all things. Just as Christ’s work continues for ever, so does the work of the apostles and prophets. (No scripture reference for this assertion.)
Through their preaching and teaching, they constituted the foundation of the church once for all. (The author continues to hammer a point no one disputes.)
(This is a wholly disappointing presentation, full of half-formed thoughts and undocumented assertions based false presuppositions.)
End Notes
I was asked today if the Five-Fold Ministry doctrine is biblical, I answered the question with another question, “Are modern day apostles and prophets biblical?”, the answer is no! This is an excellent commentary from Critical Issues Commentary by Bob Dewaay on the issue of the Five Fold Ministry and Apostles and Prophets.
----------
“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13).
Today a popular movement is making brash claims about itself. (Not exactly off to an auspicious start. We are not interested in the claims of contemporary Christians. We want to know the biblical case for or against. That's what the author promised in the title.)
The movement claims that God is raising up a huge wave of end times prophets and apostles who will be instrumental in subduing entire nations and eventually the whole world before Christ returns. They claim that those of us who do not submit to this “prophetic-apostolic” movement will be judged or moved out of the way.1 These apostles and prophets will be so powerful that people will be struck dead if they show up at their meetings with sin in their lives.2 The new apostles and prophets will have power over nature itself.3 They will be a “new breed of man” with revelations, power, and prophetic insight not seen since Christ Himself was on earth.4 Bill Hamon who makes all these claims includes himself in this category of a “new breed” apostle: “In 1994 at CI’s eighth annual IGOP Conference I accepted God’s ‘commissioning’ as one of His new breed of restored last-days apostles.”5 He claims to have, “one thousand pages of type-written prophecies” that prophecy that Hamon is an apostle and prophet.6 (Hmm. Once again the author presses the issue of present-day expressions. But we are not interested in claims of contemporary "apostles." Hopefully he will provide us with the biblical case at some point.)
The key proof text that underlies this movement is Ephesians 4:11-13 cited above. In this article we will examine this passage in its Biblical context to see if it predicts a new breed of apostles and prophets who will empower the church to take dominion over the world before Christ returns. ("Dominion?" The author has moved farther away from his stated premise. He now in essence has set out to demolish his straw man.)
The passages tells us that God gave the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers until we achieve the unity of the faith and the fulness of the stature of Christ. The claim that Hamon, C. Peter Wagner (who wrote the forward to Hamon’s book) and others are making is that the church has failed to fulfill this calling through most of church history because we have only had the last three of these ministries. Supposedly we need the “signs of an apostle” and new revelations of prophets to finally propel the church into its glorious state of perfection before Christ returns. (This is curious phrasing. "Glorious state of perfection?" What exactly does this have to do with the biblical case for or against the five-fold?)
The Foundation and the Building
In interpreting Ephesians 4:11, there is a question about what Paul means by the terms “apostles and prophets” in this passage. The questions are several: are these authoritarian (sic. I believe he means authoritative.)
prophets and apostles who gave us the New Testament revelation, are they apostles and prophets in a functional sense only, or are they fully revelatory and authoritative apostles and prophets who Paul envisions to be continually raised up throughout church history. (The author will not tell us why we have to choose. In fact, we will see there is NT evidence that there is more than one kind of apostle.)
Each of these possibilities needs to be examined in the context of the Book of Ephesians and the New Testament. (This is a relatively honest assessment. Let's see if he addresses it.
(...)
(I deleted a large portion of the author's presentation about prophets and apostles being the foundation of the Church, because this point because is not disputed and therefore largely irrelevant.)
The Five-fold Ministry
As we now address Ephesians 4:11-13 the immediate question concerns his third mention of apostles and prophets in Ephesians. I will argue that Paul is speaking of the same people. Is there any evidence from the context for taking apostles and prophets in Ephesians 4:11 to mean different people from what Paul had in mind in Ephesians 2 and Ephesians 3 where he previously taught about apostles and prophets? (This is a curious assertion. The author seems to think that context-specific mentions of the apostles must be universals. However, there is no reason we should accept this methodology.
Keeping with the author's logic, if Paul is speaking about the same certain apostles, which by no means we have to accept, is there any evidence from the context of Ephesians 2:22 that Paul's intended audience also must be the same people? Ep. 2:22 says, And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. If the apostles must be the same certain apostles, then the people being built up must be the same certain people being built up!
From that we would have to conclude that today's church, being a different group of people, do not need building up, which of course is unacceptable. And logically, we would no longer need the other three offices either!
Further, Ephesians is not the only place that speaks of apostles in the church. For example, 1Co. 12:28:
Are we to believe that this mention of apostles is also context-specific, intended only for the audience Paul is specifically writing to? On what basis?)
Keep in mind that his terminology “building up” continues the thought of the church as a building, with a foundation, that is continually built upon. (Rather than speculateing about a word, let's actually look it up. The word is καταρτισμός, ου, ὁ (katartismos), a preparing, an equipping... a bringing to a condition of fitness, perfecting. This is an impartation of skills by means of training so as to become mature. The author leads us astray.)
We agree that there are indeed different categories of those who are called apostles. Thayer's Greek Lexicon:
STRONGS NT 652: ἀπόστολοςἀπόστολος, ἀποστόλου, ὁ;
1. a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders (Herodotus 1, 21; 5, 38; for שָׁלוּחַ in 1 Kings 14:6 (Alex.); rabbinical שְׁלִיחַ): John 13:16 (where ὁ ἀπόστολος and ὁ πέμψαςαὐτόν are contrasted); followed by a genitive, as τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, 2 Corinthians 8:23;Philippians 2:25; ἀπόστολον ... τῆςὁμολογίας ἡμῶν the apostle whom we confess, of Christ, God's chief messenger, who has brought the κλῆσις ἀπουρανιος, as compared with Moses, whom the Jews confess, Hebrews 3:1.
2. Specially applied to the twelve disciples whom Christ selected, out of the multitude of his adherents, to be his constant companions and the heralds to proclaim to men the kingdom of God:Matthew 10:1-4; Luke 6:13; Acts 1:26;Revelation 21:14, and often, but nowhere in the Gospel and Epistles of John; ("the wordἀπόστολος occurs 79 times in the N. T., and of these 68 instances are in St. Luke and St. Paul." Lightfoot). With these apostles Paul claimed equality, because through a heavenly intervention he had been appointed by the ascended Christ himself to preach the gospel among the Gentiles, and owed his knowledge of the way of salvation not to man's instruction but to direct revelation from Christ himself, and moreover had evinced his apostolic qualifications by many signal proofs: Galatians 1:1, 11;Galatians 2:8; 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 9:1; 1 Corinthians 15:8-10; 2 Corinthians 3:2ff; 12:12; 1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11, cf. Acts 26:12-20. According to Paul, apostles surpassed as well the various other orders of Christian teachers (cf. διδάσκαλος, εὐαγγελιστής,προφήτης), as also the rest of those on whom the special gifts (cf. χάρισμα) of the Holy Spirit had been bestowed, by receiving a richer and more copious conferment of the Spirit: 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11. Certain false teachers are rated sharply for arrogating to themselves the name and authority of apostles of Christ: 2 Corinthians 11:5, 13; Revelation 2:2.
3. In a broader sense the name is transferred to other eminent Christian teachers; as Barnabas,Acts 14:14, and perhaps also Timothy and Silvanus, 1 Thessalonians 2:7 (6), cf. too Romans 16:7 (?). But in Luke 11:49; Ephesians 3:5; Revelation 18:20, 'apostles' is to be taken in the narrower sense. (On the application of the term see especially Lightfoot on Galatians, pp. 92-101; Harnack, on 'Teaching etc. 11, 3 [ET]; cf.BB. DD. under the word)Since it is well-established that the Bible teaches a variety of apostolic expressions, we will see if the author can acknowledge this.)
(...)
(I deleted a large portion of the author's presentation about prophets and apostles being the foundation of the Church, because this point because is not disputed and therefore largely irrelevant.)
The Five-fold Ministry
As we now address Ephesians 4:11-13 the immediate question concerns his third mention of apostles and prophets in Ephesians. I will argue that Paul is speaking of the same people. Is there any evidence from the context for taking apostles and prophets in Ephesians 4:11 to mean different people from what Paul had in mind in Ephesians 2 and Ephesians 3 where he previously taught about apostles and prophets? (This is a curious assertion. The author seems to think that context-specific mentions of the apostles must be universals. However, there is no reason we should accept this methodology.
Keeping with the author's logic, if Paul is speaking about the same certain apostles, which by no means we have to accept, is there any evidence from the context of Ephesians 2:22 that Paul's intended audience also must be the same people? Ep. 2:22 says, And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. If the apostles must be the same certain apostles, then the people being built up must be the same certain people being built up!
From that we would have to conclude that today's church, being a different group of people, do not need building up, which of course is unacceptable. And logically, we would no longer need the other three offices either!
Further, Ephesians is not the only place that speaks of apostles in the church. For example, 1Co. 12:28:
And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts.Here Paul equates these various categories of ministries to gifts, not offices, and the greater ones should be eagerly desired. This suggests that there is a kind of apostle different than the Twelve. This gift, as well as others, is to be pursued.
Are we to believe that this mention of apostles is also context-specific, intended only for the audience Paul is specifically writing to? On what basis?)
Keep in mind that his terminology “building up” continues the thought of the church as a building, with a foundation, that is continually built upon. (Rather than speculateing about a word, let's actually look it up. The word is καταρτισμός, ου, ὁ (katartismos), a preparing, an equipping... a bringing to a condition of fitness, perfecting. This is an impartation of skills by means of training so as to become mature. The author leads us astray.)
That in itself is strong evidence that Paul is still speaking of New Testament apostles and prophets. (Well, actually no. One could only arrive at such a conclusion if one already had formed a preconception that there were only the original apostles and no more.
We have previously written on the apostles, where we assert that the NT names as many as 19 apostles. Link here.)
The so called “five-fold” ministries of Ephesians 4:11 were given to the church upon Christ’s ascension (Ephesians 4:8-10). (We have discovered that it is typical for anti-charismatic types to avoid quoting scripture. Here is the scripture reference he glosses over:
Their effects will continue on until the end of the age: “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God . . .” (Verse 12). (Again, let's quote the entire passage:
Further, the author introduces a word that is foreign to the text: "Effects." That is, the author so badly wants apostles out of the picture that he reduces them to some sort of emanation. We apparently don't have them any more, we only have their "effects."
And what about the pastors, teachers, and evangelists? Does the author think that we do not need them either? Should we be content to live under their "effects" as well?
Lastly, the author imposes a concept foreign to the text, "until the end of the age." There is no indication or implication that Paul was telling the Ephesian church that the purpose of the five-fold would end soon, or at all. Indeed, if Paul is going to such great lengths to teach something that would soon be dispensed with, why would he even teach it all all? Paul spent hundreds of words teaching about prophets in First Corinthians, for example, but apparently he didn't really need to because in a few years it would be all done with.)
The ministries of the apostles and prophets continue throughout the age only in the sense that they gave us the New Testament revelation that serves as the once for all laid foundation, Christ as the cornerstone. (Notice this bare assertion. The author needs to supply us with the scriptural reference that documents such a weighty claim.)
Considering that Paul called Christ the cornerstone, and in Corinthians the foundation itself, we can see that the foundation must be laid once for all. (Which no one disputes.)
Those who claim that there must be a continual giving of apostles throughout the church age for the body to come into the unity of the faith have a huge problem with what Paul taught in Ephesians. (Um, no. The problem is the author's preconceptions. One could only come to his conclusion if one presupposes there is only one purpose for apostles, that is, to be the foundation of the fledgling church. However, the ministry of the five offices are needed today just as they were needed then, to continue the work of maturing each generation of new Christians.)
Obviously many Christ’s (sic) do not have to be given to the church throughout the church age or at an end time restoration period for Christ to be the cornerstone! So why do we imagine that many apostles and prophets have to be given later in church history for them to be the foundation? Neither the cornerstone nor the foundation need to be laid more than once. (The author takes a leap of logic. Without evidence he claims that all apostles are definitionally foundational. He does not cite any Scripture for his assertion.)
Therefore, the context provides good reason to take the apostles and prophets of Ephesians 4:11 to be Christ’s apostles and prophets of the New Testament era whose foundational ministries continue to be in effect throughout the church age because of the final and authoritative revelation of truth that was given them. (He introduces yet another irrelevant concept: "Revelation of truth." This is a obfuscating tangent. Not all of the NT apostles gave "revelation of truth." Some who wrote the NT weren't even apostles. The author builds on a faulty assumption.)
Christ gave them to His church, once for all, (No one disputes the unique role of the foundational apostles. We only doubt that there are no more, which remains for the author to establish.
Revelation 21:14 indicates 12 pillars for 12 apostles. Yet there are more than 12 who are called apostles! Clearly the author needs to understand that there are foundational apostles and there are also other kinds of apostles.)
and their divinely inspired teachings are final and authoritative. (Which no one disputes.)
Apostles in particular have certain qualifications that no one today can meet. (No, no, no! Not true. See our commentary here.)
Charles Hodge explains in his comments on Ephesians 4:11:
First, the apostles, the immediate messengers of Christ, the witnesses for him, of his doctrines, his miracles, and of his resurrection; infallible as teachers and absolute as rulers in virtue of the gift of inspiration and of their commission. No man, therefore, could be an apostle unless — 1. He was immediately appointed by Christ. (This is false.)
We have previously written on the apostles, where we assert that the NT names as many as 19 apostles. Link here.)
The so called “five-fold” ministries of Ephesians 4:11 were given to the church upon Christ’s ascension (Ephesians 4:8-10). (We have discovered that it is typical for anti-charismatic types to avoid quoting scripture. Here is the scripture reference he glosses over:
Ep. 4:8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.” [Psalm 68:18] 9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)Now that we have it before us, let us continue and see if the train of logical exposition continues unbroken...)
Their effects will continue on until the end of the age: “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God . . .” (Verse 12). (Again, let's quote the entire passage:
Ep. 4:11-16 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.The Body, that is, all believers, needs to be built up and matured and taught. That is the purpose of all five ministries. And it is clear that the need for the maturation of the Body did not end at the death of the last apostle. In fact, it is preposterous to think that only the first century church was in need of maturing.
Further, the author introduces a word that is foreign to the text: "Effects." That is, the author so badly wants apostles out of the picture that he reduces them to some sort of emanation. We apparently don't have them any more, we only have their "effects."
And what about the pastors, teachers, and evangelists? Does the author think that we do not need them either? Should we be content to live under their "effects" as well?
Lastly, the author imposes a concept foreign to the text, "until the end of the age." There is no indication or implication that Paul was telling the Ephesian church that the purpose of the five-fold would end soon, or at all. Indeed, if Paul is going to such great lengths to teach something that would soon be dispensed with, why would he even teach it all all? Paul spent hundreds of words teaching about prophets in First Corinthians, for example, but apparently he didn't really need to because in a few years it would be all done with.)
The ministries of the apostles and prophets continue throughout the age only in the sense that they gave us the New Testament revelation that serves as the once for all laid foundation, Christ as the cornerstone. (Notice this bare assertion. The author needs to supply us with the scriptural reference that documents such a weighty claim.)
Considering that Paul called Christ the cornerstone, and in Corinthians the foundation itself, we can see that the foundation must be laid once for all. (Which no one disputes.)
Those who claim that there must be a continual giving of apostles throughout the church age for the body to come into the unity of the faith have a huge problem with what Paul taught in Ephesians. (Um, no. The problem is the author's preconceptions. One could only come to his conclusion if one presupposes there is only one purpose for apostles, that is, to be the foundation of the fledgling church. However, the ministry of the five offices are needed today just as they were needed then, to continue the work of maturing each generation of new Christians.)
Obviously many Christ’s (sic) do not have to be given to the church throughout the church age or at an end time restoration period for Christ to be the cornerstone! So why do we imagine that many apostles and prophets have to be given later in church history for them to be the foundation? Neither the cornerstone nor the foundation need to be laid more than once. (The author takes a leap of logic. Without evidence he claims that all apostles are definitionally foundational. He does not cite any Scripture for his assertion.)
Therefore, the context provides good reason to take the apostles and prophets of Ephesians 4:11 to be Christ’s apostles and prophets of the New Testament era whose foundational ministries continue to be in effect throughout the church age because of the final and authoritative revelation of truth that was given them. (He introduces yet another irrelevant concept: "Revelation of truth." This is a obfuscating tangent. Not all of the NT apostles gave "revelation of truth." Some who wrote the NT weren't even apostles. The author builds on a faulty assumption.)
Christ gave them to His church, once for all, (No one disputes the unique role of the foundational apostles. We only doubt that there are no more, which remains for the author to establish.
Revelation 21:14 indicates 12 pillars for 12 apostles. Yet there are more than 12 who are called apostles! Clearly the author needs to understand that there are foundational apostles and there are also other kinds of apostles.)
and their divinely inspired teachings are final and authoritative. (Which no one disputes.)
Apostles in particular have certain qualifications that no one today can meet. (No, no, no! Not true. See our commentary here.)
Charles Hodge explains in his comments on Ephesians 4:11:
First, the apostles, the immediate messengers of Christ, the witnesses for him, of his doctrines, his miracles, and of his resurrection; infallible as teachers and absolute as rulers in virtue of the gift of inspiration and of their commission. No man, therefore, could be an apostle unless — 1. He was immediately appointed by Christ. (This is false.)
2. Unless he had seen him after his resurrection and had received the knowledge of the Gospel by immediate revelation. (This is false.)
3. Unless he was rendered infallible by the gift of inspiration. (Undocumented assertion.)
These things constituted the office and were essential to its authority. Those who without these gifts and qualifications claimed the office, are called “false apostles.”11
There is good Biblical evidence for this claim that there were only a limited number of authoritative apostles and it is explained by Orrel Steinkamp’s article in this issue of CIC. (What does the author mean by "limited number?" What does he mean by "authoritative?" Is he now acknowledging that there are other kinds of apostles?)
True Apostolic Authority
We can see even within the New Testament itself that apostolic teachings were considered final and authoritative. (Again, no one disputes this.)
Jude is a good example. (Jude was not an apostle.)
He wrote, “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). After describing the practices and teachings of false teachers, Jude returns to this theme: “But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:17). The teachings of the apostles are considered authoritative and having been given once for all. (Which no one disputes.)
Likewise Paul’s writings are called “Scripture” even in the New Testament: “And regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction” (2Peter 3:15,16). (Which no one disputes.)
Paul told Timothy to transmit his teachings to others who would teach others after them: “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2Timothy 2:2). This helps us understand how the building proceeds to be built upon the foundation. (Which no one disputes.)
Christ’s death provided atonement for our sins, once for all, He is the cornerstone. He appointed apostles and commissioned them to communicate the mystery of God (Ephesians 3:5,6). As the recipients of the New Testament revelation, they are the foundation of the church, which shall remain throughout the ages. These truths were given to others to teach as Paul told Timothy. (Which no one disputes.)
One of the very earliest writings of the church after the death of the apostles saw this process as follows:
The apostles have preached the Gospel to us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ [has done so] from God. Christ therefore was sent forth by God, and the apostles by Christ. Both these appointments, then, were made in an orderly way, according to the will of God. Having therefore received their orders, and being fully assured by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and established in the word of God, with full assurance of the Holy Ghost, they went forth proclaiming that the kingdom of God was at hand. And thus preaching through countries and cities, they appointed the first-fruits [of their labors], having first proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons of those who should afterwards believe.12
This was written by Clement of Rome who may well have been the same Clement mentioned in Philippians 4:3 (the early church considered this to be the case). Likely written around 97AD, this document showed that rather than a succession of apostles, the teaching of the apostles was entrusted to people they appointed. (An argument from silence. But more to the point, who is proposing a "succession of apostles?" The existence of apostles is a separate issue as to how they come about.)
Eventually the canon of the New Testament was agreed upon. The apostles were unique in ministry and authority. There would be no more authoritative apostles after the death of those who Christ appointed. There is no Scripture in the Bible that predicts God will raise up new apostles much later in church history. (Weasel words. There is no requirement that apostles will be "much later in church history," or that they would be "new." And he has yet to dispense with the scriptures that actually do name apostles as being active and needed in the church.
Again, we want the biblical case. So far, the author has established that there are "authoritative apostles," but has not addressed the fact that there are other apostles who were not pillars.)
Ephesians 4:11-13, taken in the context of Paul’s building analogy in Ephesians, shows how the apostles and prophets whom Christ gave the church continue until the consummation of all things. Just as Christ’s work continues for ever, so does the work of the apostles and prophets. (No scripture reference for this assertion.)
Through their preaching and teaching, they constituted the foundation of the church once for all. (The author continues to hammer a point no one disputes.)
They are still ministering to all of us through their teachings, (Do we not need pastors, then?)
which are “the faith,” the unity of which Ephesians 4:13 says we are to attain. They and their teachings are the rock solid foundation that enables us to withstand the “waves” and “winds of doctrine” Paul mentioned in Ephesians 4:14. The foundation stands strong and authoritative to this day and until will continue to do so.
The evangelists, pastors and teachers who Christ provides throughout church history cannot claim any legitimacy if they depart from the foundation of the apostles and prophets. (Waaaait. Why do these offices continue to present day while the apostles do not? Again, no scriptures are provided to document this assertion. And what about prophets?)
All true evangelists, pastors and teachers are ministering and building because of what Christ has done once for all and bringing no other message than the “faith once for all delivered to the saints.” The preaching of the true evangelist is nothing more than the message of the gospel that was given by Christ and His apostles. The ministry of the pastor must be to shepherd Christ’s flock in a manner consistent with His teachings and example. The teacher must carefully and accurately bring the “whole counsel of God” to those Christ purchased with His blood. (The author totally sidesteps the issue as to why we would have pastors, teachers, and evangelists but not prophets. He tried to dismiss apostles but has failed.)
When Is the Building Completed?
One of the key ideas of the latter day apostles movement is that the church must be fully perfected on earth before Christ can return. (We are not interested in the assertions of "latter day apostles." We want the biblical case.)
(...)
(Large section deleted. The author once again diverts to present-day issues and departs from his attempt to make the biblical case for the cessation of the apostolic.)
Conclusion
There are no authoritative apostles after the death of the Biblical ones. (Agreed.)
The Biblical ones continue to serve foundationally through their inspired teachings. Just as Christ continues to be the cornerstone, and Head of the church, though not bodily present, His apostles and prophets continue to be Christ’s authoritative teachers. Evangelists, pastors and teachers who are true to Christ have no message but that which has been once for all delivered to the saints. God has given all of these to the church to assure that His purposes for her shall come to pass. However, the completion and perfection must await the return of Christ. Those who are claiming new revelations, new power, new authority, and are claiming apostolic status are false. (Unsupported assertion.)
They are leading us farther from the unity of the faith, not closer to it.
Issue 66 – September/October 2001
The evangelists, pastors and teachers who Christ provides throughout church history cannot claim any legitimacy if they depart from the foundation of the apostles and prophets. (Waaaait. Why do these offices continue to present day while the apostles do not? Again, no scriptures are provided to document this assertion. And what about prophets?)
All true evangelists, pastors and teachers are ministering and building because of what Christ has done once for all and bringing no other message than the “faith once for all delivered to the saints.” The preaching of the true evangelist is nothing more than the message of the gospel that was given by Christ and His apostles. The ministry of the pastor must be to shepherd Christ’s flock in a manner consistent with His teachings and example. The teacher must carefully and accurately bring the “whole counsel of God” to those Christ purchased with His blood. (The author totally sidesteps the issue as to why we would have pastors, teachers, and evangelists but not prophets. He tried to dismiss apostles but has failed.)
When Is the Building Completed?
One of the key ideas of the latter day apostles movement is that the church must be fully perfected on earth before Christ can return. (We are not interested in the assertions of "latter day apostles." We want the biblical case.)
(...)
(Large section deleted. The author once again diverts to present-day issues and departs from his attempt to make the biblical case for the cessation of the apostolic.)
Conclusion
There are no authoritative apostles after the death of the Biblical ones. (Agreed.)
The Biblical ones continue to serve foundationally through their inspired teachings. Just as Christ continues to be the cornerstone, and Head of the church, though not bodily present, His apostles and prophets continue to be Christ’s authoritative teachers. Evangelists, pastors and teachers who are true to Christ have no message but that which has been once for all delivered to the saints. God has given all of these to the church to assure that His purposes for her shall come to pass. However, the completion and perfection must await the return of Christ. Those who are claiming new revelations, new power, new authority, and are claiming apostolic status are false. (Unsupported assertion.)
They are leading us farther from the unity of the faith, not closer to it.
Issue 66 – September/October 2001
(This is a wholly disappointing presentation, full of half-formed thoughts and undocumented assertions based false presuppositions.)
End Notes
- Dr. Bill Hamon, Apostles and Prophets and the Coming Moves of God; (Destiny Image: Shippensburg PA, 1997) p 248.
- Ibid. 234.
- Ibid. 271.
- see Ibid. 232, 233 for numerous grandiose claims. For example, Hamon writes, “As mentioned earlier, they [end-time prophets and apostles] will manifest all the miracles and judgement ministries of Moses and Elijah and the two prophetic witnesses in Revelation chapter 11.” p 232.
- Ibid. 131.
- Ibid. 58, 59.
- “Therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed” Isaiah 28:16.
- F.F. Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians To Philemon and to the Ephesians in NICNT, (Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, 1884) 304.
- R.C.H. Lenski, Galatians Ephesians Philippians in “Commentary on the New Testament,” (Hendrickson: Peabody, original copyright 1937, Hendrickson edition 1998) 452.
- Charles Hodge, Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians, (Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, written 1857, 1994 edition) 150.
- Ibid. 222, 223.
- Clement of Rome, Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapter 42
- Cited by Hamon Apostles and Prophets page 104, and interpreted as the gradual recovery of the church from the dark ages up through the present time, culminating in restored apostles and prophets.
- Ibid. 104.
- Ibid. 107.
- Ibid. 146.
- For example see, D.R. McConnell, A Different Gospel, (Hendickson: Peabody, 1988).
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