Female Apostles?

[Matariel]

You are referring to John 20:22-23:

“And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.’”

It should be noted though that there are only 10 Apostles present for this. Obviously, Judas isn’t around. The missing Apostle is Thomas, who we read about in the section falling this.

Then how did Thomas recieve the sacramental authority? Did they ordain him later?

 

[fellowChristian]

There were NO female apostles. The Apostles were the twelve plus Paul.

Acts 1

21 "Therefore it is necessary that **of the men **who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us–

**22 beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us–one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection." **

23 So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias.

24 And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of **these two You have chosen

25 to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." **

26 And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

There were women there also. Yet the Apostles, led by Peter, chose men only and out of all the men there the only ones that could “occupy this ministry and apostleship” had to have been an eye witness “beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us–one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

And Mattias makes 14 if you include Paul.

 

[JMJ_coder]

And Mattias makes 14 if you include Paul.

I don’t think most people count Judas after his betrayal and suicide.

 

[fellowChristian]

Acts1:15

15 At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said,

16 "Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

17 “For **he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.” **

18 (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out.

19 And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

20 "For it is written in the book of Psalms,
‘LET HIS HOMESTEAD BE MADE DESOLATE,
AND LET NO ONE DWELL IN IT’;
and,
’LET ANOTHER MAN TAKE HIS OFFICE.’

So Judas did “count” somebody had to take his “office” because he died.

John 6:71
71 Jesus answered them: Have not I chosen you twelve? And one of you is a devil. 72 Now he meant Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon: for this same was about to betray him, whereas he was one of the twelve.

Jesus knew and still counted Judas as one of the twelve.Brings us back to 14.

 

[Veritas248]

The Didache Series book The History of the Church lists Barnabas as an Apostle too. Since that book is free of doctrinal errors(Nihil Obstat), the list is up to 15.

 

[TMC]

The Didache Series book The History of the Church lists Barnabas as an Apostle too. Since that book is free of doctrinal errors(Nihil Obstat), the list is up to 15.

I have no idea what the apostle count is, but I would like to point out that Nihil Obstat does not mean that the book is correct. It means “no obstacle” or “nothing stands in the way.” It is the lower level of Church approval, below the Bishop’s Imprimatur, but even the Imprimatur doesn’t mean the Bishop agrees with everything in the book, just that it may be printed. In other words, it should mean that nothing in the book contradicts doctrine, but it doesn’t mean that everything in the book is doctrine.

 

[Isa_Almisry]

Saint Paul was an Apostle, in the same sense as Saint Peter. Saint Paul was part of the nascent episcopacy. There was never a time when any woman was ordained as a priest or bishop.

Not by Catholics.

The Gnostics did. But then, they thought all matter was evil, so if our friends want to walk in their ways, let them knock themselves out.

 

[Veritas248]

By the way, that book also has the Imprimatur.

 

[Veritas248]

“When the **apostles **Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting,”-Acts 14:14
I’m not saying we know the full count, but among the ones we do know, Barnabas is listed as well. No disrespect or anything…

 

[JMJ_coder]

Not by Catholics.

The Gnostics did. But then, they thought all matter was evil, so if our friends want to walk in their ways, let them knock themselves out.

Yeah, the Gnostics aren’t exactly the kind of role models we should be looking to.

 

[JMJ_coder]

So Judas did “count” somebody had to take his “office” because he died.

Jesus knew and still counted Judas as one of the twelve.Brings us back to 14.

(12)Originals - (1)Suicidal Betrayer + (1)Replacement + (1)Convert = 13.

Even according to your words, Judas’ replacement shouldn’t add to the count, since he was just taking over Judas’ office.

*- Not really that important one way or the other, but interesting to think about none-the-less - *

 

[JMJ_coder]

As an aside, there is nothing significant in the total number of Apostles, other than that of the original twelve representing the twelve tribes of Israel.