Understanding Ellen White

The apostle word group

The root meaning of apostle concerns one who is “dispatched for a specific purpose,” a messenger or ambassador of some kind. While used in Scripture as a noun, it is really an adjective, “the sent one.” This word is related to the verbal form apostello, which is usually translated “send.” The status of an “apostle” depends on the status of the one who sends him or her (John 13:16). The apostle can be simply a messenger between ordinary individuals. But when the “apostle” is sent by a king or by God, their status becomes extraordinary. In the New Testament, therefore, the apostle is highly honored by other believers as a special envoy direct from God. ¹² UEGW 15.4

In the fullest sense, then, Jesus is the ultimate Apostle (Heb. 3:2), the One in whom the definitive revelation of God has taken place (Heb. 1:1-3). ¹³ All other apostles derive their authority from Him. The earliest definition of apostleship in New Testament times, therefore, limits the office to those “who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection” (Acts 1:21, 22, NIV; cf. 25). UEGW 16.1

This would seem to limit the office to those who walked with the God-man throughout His time on earth. Paul expands this definition, however, as his connection with Jesus was limited to visionary experience well after the Resurrection (1 Cor. 9:1, 2; 15:1-11; Gal. 1:15, 16). So apostleship was not limited to the twelve disciples. Nevertheless, the office requires some sort of direct calling from the New Testament Jesus, in Paul’s case a call to reach out to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; Eph. 3:1, 8). Individuals such as Apollos and Timothy who meet the other criteria, but did not have a direct call from Jesus, are not called apostles (1 Cor. 3:3-9; 2 Cor. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; 1 Thess. 3:2). While apostles were generally men, such as Peter (1 Pet. 1:1; 2 Pet. 1:1), James (Gal. 1:19), and Paul (Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:1, etc.), one apostle in the New Testament was perhaps a female, named Junia (Rom. 16:7). ¹⁴ The apostles, driven by the Spirit, take up the role that Jesus had played on this earth (John 14:12-17). UEGW 16.2

As a result, the apostle is to be obeyed just as much as the word of the Lord Himself (1 Thess. 2:13). This is true not only of the apostle’s personal presence, but in the apostle’s absence his written word substitutes for his presence (1 Cor. 5:3, 4; Col. 2:5; 2 Cor. 13:10; Eph. 3:4). It is to be obeyed without question (1 Cor. 7:6, 10, 25, 40; 9:14; 14:37, 38; 1 Thess. 4:11; 2 Thess 3:4, 6, 10, 14). The unique authority of the apostle is due to his or her nearness to the Christ event. UEGW 16.3

The duties of the office centered on traveling from place to place, proclaiming what the apostle had experienced with Jesus (1 Cor. 9:1, 5; Eph. 3:5). In the process, apostles would found and administer new churches (1 Cor. 15:10, 11; Eph. 2:20). ¹⁵ UEGW 16.4

It is interesting that although Paul speaks prophetically to the churches (1 Cor. 14:6), ¹⁶ he never calls himself a “prophet.” His own self-identity is as an apostle (Rom. 11:13; 1 Cor. 9:1, 2; 2 Cor. 12:11, 12; 1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim 1:11, also in the opening lines of most of Paul’s letters). This suggests that the designation “apostle” includes the gifts and activities of the prophet and more (2 Cor. 12:1-7; Eph. 3:3-7). ¹⁷ UEGW 17.1

In 1 Corinthians 12:28-31, the gifts of the Spirit are listed with ordinal numbers that point to a hierarchy of authority. Paul also urges believers in Corinth to strive for “the greater gifts” (1 Cor. 12:31, NIV). That Paul intends a hierarchy in this list is further substantiated by two elements in the context: (1) In 1 Corinthians 14:5, the gift of prophet is listed as more important than speaking in tongues, which is listed eighth in order (1 Cor. 12:28). (2) As important as apostle and prophet are to the church, in the chapters that follow this list, genuine love is portrayed as superior even to the greatest of the gifts (1 Cor. 13:13). So in terms of offices, apostle is listed as first in rank in the church and prophet is second. This ranking is grounded in the direct knowledge the apostles had of the Christ event and the personal commission each had received from Jesus. UEGW 17.2

The apostle is everything the prophet is and more, according to the New Testament. They are equal when it comes to being the objects of direct revelation. But the apostle’s authority of office is even greater than the prophet because of the special commission of leadership and the unique relationship in time to the first-century Christ event. In the Old Testament, Moses—who was more than a prophet—led the children of Israel and established the “church structure.” In the same way, the New Testament apostles were commissioned to begin the Christian church and establish its structure. The Old Testament prophets were called to reform the people when they fell away from God. They did not lead the “church,” rather they spoke to the “church” from outside the leadership structure. The same can be said for New Testament prophets. UEGW 17.3

No later prophet can fill the apostolic role. Although Ellen White plays an important authoritative role for Seventh-day Adventists, she will never be placed in the canon; she is a “lesser light” that points us to the “greater light” of Scripture. ¹⁸ Ellen White wrote clearly that her writings were not a part of the canon: UEGW 17.4

During the ages while the Scriptures of both the Old and the New Testament were being given, the Holy Spirit did not cease to communicate light to individual minds, apart from the revelations to be embodied in the Sacred Canon. The Bible itself relates how, through the Holy Spirit, men received warning, reproof, counsel, and instruction, in matters in no way relating to the giving of the Scriptures. And mention is made of prophets in different ages, of whose utterances nothing is recorded. In like manner, after the close of the canon of the Scripture, the Holy Spirit was still to continue its work, to enlighten, warn, and comfort the children of God. ¹⁹ UEGW 17.5

Inclusion in the New Testament canon is grounded in the context of the first advent of Christ. UEGW 18.1