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We must look at the scripture for patterns and principles (not just PRACTICES) in order to do proper examination of any issue. We fight over texts and practices in the Bible, but rarely do we discern its patterns and principles. The issue you raise was mostly created by the Roman Catholic church who convinced the world that there were no more apostles, and that all authority rested in the office of the bishop (the so-called successors to the apostles). THEN, they convinced the world that the Roman Catholic church was the only church in the world with true apostolic succession from the original 12 via its bishopric. Of course, this would mean that ALL authority in the world and church rested in Europe, its bishops, and ultimately in their Pope. You don't need the Holy Ghost to discern a motive here; and for centuries it worked.
Few dogmatic Christians know that 3/4 of all they believe about the Bible and its intepretation came from the Church of Rome, and that more than half of the remaining 1/4 came from Constatine's RE-FORM of Catholicism. Europe propogated the extinction of the apostolic office, not G_d. Additionally, the idea of a NEW Testament eminated from the same motive. There is nothing new under the sun. Thus, the idea of apostle is NOT a new testament concept...it is simply a GRECO-ROMAN idea of an old office.
The apostolic pattern or model and prophetic processes begin with Adam/Eve, and does not end with Yeshua--we are now the light of the world! I will illustrate momentarily. Your presumption that no apostles pastored is in keeping with Greco-Roman thought that the office began after Yeshua and culminated in Paul and the 12. The writer of Hebrews proclaimed Yeshua was an APOSTLE. The whole book of Hebrews is a comparison of the regimes of Mosheh (Moses) and Yeshua (Jesus). Thus, the book is bogus if Mosheh and Yeshua are not comparible.
Yeshua was an apostle, yet we say that he was the great SHEPHERD of the sheep, the Bishop of our souls and High Priest. Mosheh's ministry of Prophet, Priest, and King fits the same model. Thus he is an apostle. The judges in Old Testament times also served in the role of the apostle, many of them, even women, fitting the prophet, priest, king (or queen) model. This IS the model of the true apostle--a tri-fold ministry as prophet, priest, and governor. Therefore, the apostle is not something that generated with the 12, or 120 who were with Yeshua. If the office was done away with by those men and women, Paul would fit NONE of what we call requirements to be an apostle.
Thus, this office is not new, nor was it ever done away with by G_d. Let me illustrate here by scripture....Yeshua prophetically proclaimed in Luke: 11:47 Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 11:48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. 11:49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 11:50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, will be required of this generation; From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.
This shows that it was the Spirit of Wisdom SPOKE (one of the 7 spirits of G-d) and He SENT the people prophets and apostles. The way we receive them will determine the quantity and quality of our days on earth, as well as our children and grand-children. The folly and arrogance of humanity revoked the prophetic and apostolic office and we are still paying for it. The church is a mess because for years, based on the fallacy of apostolic and papal extinction, it has been run by pastors alone who have neither the rank, authority or anointing to set apostolic order, tap into apostolic/kingdom revelation, and engage, establish, and endure prophetic processes. That was never their job or their calling.
Paul as a church planter pastored some of the churches he founded until he matured bishops and pastors to be oversee those works. The apostle John was the chief apostle (NOT PETER OR PAUL), and pastored the Mother Church in Jerususalem. It is believed that he was not an intinerant preacher like Paul. There is no evidence, old or new, that this office is non-pastoral. The fact that Paul as apostle and bishop had oversight of churches and pastors is evidenced in the Epistles. If he had no apostolic, pastoral jurisdiction over the local churches, we would have no letters bringing correction to these churches. The model of the apostle is prophet, priest, governor (king/queen).
The bad thing is there are many who are called apostles and prophets and are not. SOME body prophesied and laid hands on these people out of their ignorance of divine and biblical patterns and principles as opposed to religous practices. I could go on...but will close out here. Suffice it to say, apostles are pastoral, prophetic governors just as Mosheh and Yeshua were. Contrary to popular belief, all apostles do not plant churches, neither are all those who plant churches Apostles. ANY body can start churches or anything else they want. In the 70s the popularity of the prophet resurged--EVERY body was now the prophet. In the 80s the authrity of the pastor was revived, and EVERY body wanted to be the pastor. In the 90s, bishops started BOOMING, and everybody wanted to be bishops; 90s- 2000s the resurgance of the apostles--NOW everybody is the Apostle....it's almost sickening. At any rate, the true model of antiquity, and of NOW is that prophet, priest, king pattern for apostles. Look for this trifold manifestation in the true apostles. Here is the conclusion of the matter in Ecclessiastes:
Eccl 1:10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. 3:15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
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