Role of the Apostolic: What Does the Word "Apostle" Mean?

The word “apostle” comes from the Greek word, αποστέλλω or apostellō, which means “sent one.” The latin translation of the word “send” is mittō, where we get our English word “missionary.” Therefore, the word missionary also means “sent one.” In the Hebrew, the word shilo’ach, also means “sent one” and the pool of Shilo’am in Jerusalem (or pool of Siloam, Eng.) literally means, “the sending pool.” Today, when Jewish people say the word for apostle in Hebrew, they use the word Shilo'ach.

These words in both the Greek and Hebrew always imply an actual act of being sent—not just by the church, but also a divine sending by the Lord.

Many of us think that a missionary or “sent one” is someone who is sent from one nation to another. Although there is truth to that because of the way the word has developed in our language, a “sent one” can be sent from one side of their street to the other side. They can be sent from one neighborhood to the next; it does not necessarily mean that they have to go to the other side of the world, but that God has sent them as a messenger to do a specific task.

The Apostles in the Book of Acts were “sent” by Jesus when He said, “Tarry in the city, until you are endued with power from on high…” (Luke 24:49). And He also said, “Go and make disciples in all nations"..."from Jerusalem, Judeah, Samaria, to the ends of the earth…” (Matthew 28:19, Acts 1:8).

It is amazing that when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples in the upper room, the impact on the nations was immediate (Acts 2). Immediately, tongues of fire came on the apostles and they were preaching the Good News of the Gospel in the languages of many nations, and all those gathered, heard the story of Jesus in their native tongue.