Sent

The concept of being ‘sent’ has a profound, specialised theological meaning in the New Testament. It represents a divine commissioning where the person sent acts as a fully authorised legal representative of the one who sent them.

The English word ‘apostle’ is derived directly from the Greek verb apostello and its noun form apostolos, which literally means "one who is sent forth”.  In the ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish legal worlds, an apostolos was a delegate or ambassador.  The legal principle of Shaliah in Jewish tradition dictated that ‘a man's agent is like the man himself.’

When Jesus sends someone, they do not just carry information; they carry His personal authority, presence, and power.

The first apostle

The Gospel of John emphasises that Jesus is the ultimate ‘Sent One’, using ‘sent’ language nearly 60 times to establish Jesus’ identity as God’s Messiah.  Jesus continuously refers to God as ‘the Father who sent me’ to emphasise his relationship with his heavenly Father and his submission to his Father's will.

Jesus is God’s ultimate representative sent from heaven to earth.

“. . . the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.”  Hebrews 3:1

The church consists of ‘sent ones’

The New Testament transitions the identity of Jesus' followers from ‘disciples’ (learners) to ‘apostles’ (sent ones) to establish the mission of the Church. Jesus said to his disciples after his resurrection

“As the Father has sent me, I also send you.”   John 20:21

Christians are expected to live as active, deployed ambassadors of the Kingdom of God rather than passive consumers of religion.

The New Testament writers, especially John, alternate between two primary Greek verbs for ‘sent’, each carrying a slightly different shade of meaning:

Apostello means to send out on a specific, official mission with delegated authority. It emphasises the official status, the commission, and the specific task of the messenger. The messenger represents the sender's very person.

Pempo is a more general term for sending. It focuses on the act of sending itself or the relationship between the sender and the sent, emphasising that the sender remains the source of authority.

When Jesus uses both words in the Gospel of John, He underscores that He is not acting on His own, but is fully backed by the authority of the Father who sent Him.

The New Testament distinguishes between a specific office and a general identity when it comes to being ‘sent’.

The Twelve (capital "A" Apostles) were men like Peter and John who held a unique, unrepeatable historical office. They were eyewitnesses to the resurrected Christ, personally chosen by Him, and given unique authority to establish the foundational doctrine of the Church.

All Christians (small "a" apostles) share in the mission of Christ, of being sent. While believers do not hold the governing office of the original Twelve, we are all called to be ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). Every Christian is ‘sent’ into their workplace, family, and community to represent the Lord Jesus and share his message.

Jesus is the model that all Christians should emulate:

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’” John 20:21

In Jesus' final prayer, he emphasised that believers are sent into the culture and should not be isolated from it:

“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” John 17:18

Our calling as Christians is to be like Jesus, the ultimate ‘sent one’.

“Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. . . .” Hebrews 3:1

What a privilege it is to know that we are sent into the world as Christ’s ambassadors and therefore have God’s authority:

“And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” Romans 10:14-15

Just as Jesus has put us right with God, so we have the responsibility and his authority to pass on the Christian message to others.

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Our message is simple:

“We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20

BVP