APOSTLES
APPARITION
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place. Their inexperience did not permit them to deliver addresses in public. The Twelve were sent on their mission by twos ; that is, .six different enterprises were carried on by them at once. The wisdom of this arrangement is obvious. It was desirable that they should overtake as many of the population as possible, but it was not less important that they should be encouraged and strengthened by one another's presence. Had each of the Twelve entered on the work alone, he would have felt isolated and discouraged, and often have been at a loss how to act. No agreement exists among scholars as to the length of time occupied by the mission. Some consider that it lasted only a single day, others two days, others several weeks, and others again, several months. It may be pro- nounced with confidence that it took up some weeks at least.
The Twelve strictly followed the commands they received, passing through the villages, preaching repentance and the gospel, and casting out demons and healing everywhere. How their message was received does not appear. It is simply known that on their return they told our Lord what they had done and taught. No reference is made to the experience they had acquired or to the conclusions they had been led to form. It would have been most profitable had any information on these points reached us. Not less advantageous would it have been for us to know how they felt when they wrought their first miracles. Were they startled ? Did they exult ? Or were they grateful and humble? We can but speculate on these points, but we may feel assured that the Apostles profited not a little by this their first mission. Besides those lessons of confidence in the wisdom and power of their Master which they were always receiving, they were taught how to apply the truths they had learned, and how to use the powers OTth which they were clothed. They were forced to act for themselves, to reflect and decide in a way which elicited their latent capabilities.
From this point the education and training of the Apostles may be regarded as merged in the life of our Lord, and the further treatment of the subject must be sought under the relevant articles. The intercourse between our Lord and the Apostles should be regarded from their side if the work He accomplished in their case is to be fully appreci- ated and understood. To study the life and teach- ing of Jesus through the eyes and minds of the Apostles is advantageous in no common degree, because of the many new questions which are thus raised, and which cannot be determined without a clearer and fuller insight being obtained into the wisdom of the methods He followed in prepar- ing them to expound His thoughts and to extend His kingdom. A list of some of the more important topics to be considered may be serviceable. They are such as these : the question put to the Twelve at the crisis in Galilee, 'Will ye also go away?' the confession of Peter, and its significance for the Apostles ; the predictions of the death and resurrection made, it would appear, to the Apostles only ; the strife for the first places in the King- dom, and the action taken by our Lord regarding it ; the words spoken to the Apostles on the night of the betrayal, some of which form a parting charge to them ; the appearances to the Eleven ; the final commands addressed to them. Two sub- jects besides are deserving of particular notice: the mner circle of the Apostles— Peter, James, and John, the Three within the Twelve ; and the many questions connected with the name of Judas Iscariot.
The Christian Church rests on the Apostles, for the Christian Church is their creation. But they, in turn, were the creation of Jesus. That He trans-
formed them in so brief, a space of time from the men they were when called, as to be able to con- vince the world that He was tlie Messiah of Israel, the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind, is not the least of His titles to the admiration and the grati- tude of men ; for His success proves what can be made of ordinary men when they surrender them- selves to the guidance of His spirit.
Literature. — The chief books to be consulted are the Com- mentaries on the Gospels and the Lives of Christ, together with art. ' Apostle ' in the different Bible Dictionaries and Encyelo- pcedias, though the best of these are meagre and inadequate for the purposes of the student of the Gospels. For a general treatment two valuable works in English should be named — Bruce's Training of the Twelve and Latham's Pastor Pastonim. On the name and office of an Apostle see Lightfoot. Gal.^ 92-101 ; Hort, Christian Ecclesia, 22-41 ; and on the Apostolic group, Expositor, I. i. [1876] 29-43, iii. ix. 11889J 100 if., 187 «f., 434 ff.
W. Patrick. APPARITION.—
In AV this word occurs thrice, in the Apocr. only : Wis 173 (Gr. :,i,c>.fia, RV 'spectral form'), 2 Mac S^ (Or. iT,(fi„m, RV 'apparition,' RVm 'manifestation'), and 54 (Or. i^sifimx, RV 'vision,' RVm ' manifestation'). In RV it occurs thrice only : Mt 1426 II Mk 649 ^fi,rxs■^lcl, AV 'spirit'), and 2 Mac S»* (as above).