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Questions & Answers

Apostles

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Our Lord and the Faith › Apostles

The question

What is the difference between the terms 'disciple' and 'apostle'? Who is entitled to the first and who to the second?

The answer

All those who followed our Lord, adhered to His teachings and transmitted them to others are called disciples "And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles" (Luke 6:13). The Lord chose twelve of those and called them apostles. An apostle literally means one who is sent forth. All apostles are disciples, but not all disciples are apostles. The seventy also would be called apostles for they were sent by the Lord Himself. St. Mark was one of the seventy therefore he is called apostle. As for St. Paul, the Holy Bible tells us that he was chosen and was sent by the Lord Himself (Acts 9:15).

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Related questions

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 1335 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.