Apostles’ Doctrine

Feature 3 – January 2020 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Apostles’ Doctrine

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. —Acts 2:42 NKJV

The Church was formed on the day of Pentecost when the initial group of 120 believers were baptized in the Holy Spirit into one body (1 Cor. 12:13). Following the preaching of the gospel by Peter, another 3,000 souls were added to their company (Acts 2:41). Together, they all had fellowship in the things of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:9). In Acts 2:42, Luke defined these things as:

The apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, The breaking of bread, andPrayers.

The fundamental concept in this verse is Christian fellowship, meaning the apostles’ fellowship (1 Jn. 1:3). The apostles’ doctrine and the apostles’ fellowship are so closely linked that they are termed together. Furthermore, the close relation of all the topics in Acts 2:42 is very clear. First, the apostles’ doctrine explains and regulates the fellowship. Second, the breaking of bread is the fundamental expression of the fellowship. Third, the prayers sustain believers in the good of the fellowship.

What Is The Apostles’ Doctrine?
Primarily, the apostles’ doctrine mentioned in Acts 2:42 was the entire teaching that the Lord had given the twelve apostles during His earthly ministry and the instructions, called “the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (1:3), they had received from their risen Lord (vv.1-3). However, by extension for present-day believers it must mean the total body of Christian truth, written by those apostles in the Epistles, including Paul’s letters. It is “the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3), the whole revelation of truth given to Paul to “complete the word of God” (Col. 1:25 JND).

The Lord Jesus Taught The Apostles Before He Died
During His earthly ministry the Lord astonished the Jews with His public teaching, “for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Mk. 1:22 NKJV). When they marveled at Him, He claimed His doctrine was not His own but the Father’s who had sent Him; which anyone who wants to do God’s will can verify for himself (Jn. 7:16-17). So then, Jesus taught the apostles “the doctrine of God” (Ti. 2:10).

The Lord also taught the apostles privately. For example, while the first four parables of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 13 were spoken to the general public, their meaning was explained only to the disciples in “the house” (v.36, see vv.10-17). Likewise, the last three parables were only for the disciples so they would become “instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven” and thus able to teach others (v.52). One of the main themes of Matthew’s gospel is the sayings of Christ, such as those found in Matthew 7:28 and 26:1. Of importance for Christian disciples are His other similitude parables1 – making comparisons – and His teachings about the kingdom of God/heaven.2

Perhaps the most important lesson the apostles were taught by the Lord was that He, the Son of Man, had come to earth to suffer, die and rise again from the dead.3

The Lord Also Taught The Apostles After His Resurrection
After His resurrection the Lord was able to explain the above teaching with clarity and give new depths to the meaning of His death. Luke 24:27 records His conversation with two disciples on the road to Emmaus: “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Later that day He said to the disciples gathered together in Jerusalem, “‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’ And opened He their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day’” (vv.44-46). For the next 40 days He continued teaching the apostles these realities and those of the kingdom of God (Acts 1:1-3).

The Holy Spirit Also Taught The Apostles
Acts 1:2 states that the risen Lord commanded the apostles through the Holy Spirit, who, He promised, they would soon receive (vv.4-5). Thus, the Lord continued to teach His apostles from heaven by the Spirit, who was their Helper sent from the Father in Jesus’ name. The Spirit taught them all things and brought to their remembrance everything that the Lord had said to them (Jn. 14:26). The apostles were able to assimilate, or understand and practice, the truth by the indwelling Spirit (15:26). His role was to guide them into all truth (16:13-14). Finally, the Lord said the Spirit would testify of Him and enable the disciples to bear witness to Christ (15:26-27).

The Apostles’ Doctrine
The Lord advised the Twelve that the Holy Spirit would assist them to:

• Remember everything that He had taught them (Jn. 14:26). We now have the record of that in the Gospels. They taught the word which they had heard from “the beginning” – from the Lord Himself (1 Jn. 2:7).
• Witness to Himself (Jn. 15:26-27). This activity is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.
• Understand all truth (16:13). Later, they wrote this down in the Epistles.
• See the future, the things to come (v.13). This is the prophetic part of many of the New Testament books, especially Revelation.

With respect to preaching, the apostles majored on sin, the provision of salvation, the need for repentance towards God and faith in the risen, exalted Savior followed by baptism in His name. “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33). They used the Old Testament Scriptures as their authority, such as Peter’s statements in Acts 2:25-28.

However, Acts 2:42 refers to those elements of Christian truth the apostles taught by speaking in the assembly. They taught with authority because they spoke the Word of God by the Spirit’s power. The apostles gave themselves “continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (6:4). Their instructions were authoritative and binding on all the disciples so much so that their teachings were called “the decrees to keep” (Acts 16:4, consider 15:19-29). These were effective, “the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily” (16:5).

The Doctrines Of The Apostle Paul
Paul was specifically called to be the apostle of the Gentiles – referring to the non-Jewish nations.4 He preached the same gospel as the other apostles, “whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed” (1 Cor. 15:11). Paul taught the truths of the faith, which he received directly from the Lord in heaven through revelations: the gospel (vv.1-4; Gal.1:11-12), the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:23-34), the mystery (Eph. 3:1-6) and the rapture (1 Th. 4:13-17). His preaching was recognized as “the doctrine of the Lord” (Acts 13:12 JND). His writings were acknowledged as being Scripture (2 Pet. 3:15-16). In fact, Paul’s stewardship was to “complete the word of God” (Col. 1:25). Therefore, he is the major contributor of Christian doctrine.

Paul’s missionary service reached its highest point in Ephesus (Acts 19:10). In his farewell talk to the elders (20:17-38) he outlined the subjects of the faith, which he called “the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus” (v.24). He had taught the Ephesians about the gospel of the grace of God (v.24), the kingdom of God (v.25), the whole counsel of God (v.27) and the Church of God (v.28). In 1 Corinthians 4:17 he referred to his ministry as “my ways ... in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church,” things which he ordained in all churches (7:17). His writings were “the commandments of the Lord” (14:37) – which all believers were/are obliged to hold and to follow (11:2).5

In his pastoral letters to Timothy and Titus he described his teaching as good (1 Tim. 4:6) and sound,6 words of truth7 which accorded with the glorious gospel (1:10-11). Primarily, his doctrines were the “words of our Lord Jesus Christ” (6:3).

The Scope Of The Apostles’ Doctrine
The major subjects of doctrine developed in the epistles of Paul, Peter and John, are compared in the table below.8

PAUL PETER JOHN

God’s disposition
(Savior God) God’s character
(Holy, Righteous God) God’s nature
(God is love)

God’s mind God’s ways God’s heart

Apostle to the Gentiles Apostle to the Jews To both Jew and Gentile

The church of God The kingdom of God The family of God

The purpose and counsel of God The government of God The truth of God

The Christian’s position The Christian’s condition Christian relationships

Faith Hope Love

Practical Implications
Primarily, like the early believers in Acts 2:42, we must continue “steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine.” They were in it for the long haul, totally concentrated and committed to it.

Other practical issues are:

• We must hold/keep the traditions which we have been taught by the apostles (2 Th. 2:15).
• Every Christian must hold fast the apostles’ doctrine in faith and love, which are in Christ Jesus, by treasuring it in the power of Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 1:13-14).
• We must walk orderly, living out the practical requirements set in the apostles’ doctrine (2 Th. 3:6).
• Bible teachers must be nourished in the apostles’ doctrine (1 Tim. 4:6) so believers are instructed in godliness (6:3; Ti. 1:1, 2:12). They must faithfully pass on the truth to the next generation (2 Tim. 2:2).

ENDNOTES
1. Mt. 18:23-35, 20:1-16, 22:1-14, 25:1-13,14-30.
2. For example, Mt. 5–7, 18:1-14.
3. On three occasions the Lord taught them these facts: Mt. 16:21, 17:22-23, 20:17-19. They are repeated in Mk. 8:31, 9:31, 10:32-34,45.
4. Rom. 11:13, 15:16; Gal. 2:8; Eph. 3:8; 1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11.
5. See also: 1 Cor. 3:10, 11:23-26, 14:36-37, 16:1.
6. 1 Tim. 1:10, 6:3 (wholesome); 2 Tim. 1:13, 4:3; Ti. 1:9, 2:1.
7. 1 Tim. 2:4,7, 3:15, 4:3, 6:5; 2 Tim. 2:15,18,25, 3:7-8, 4:4; Ti. 1:1,14.
8. Adapted and used by permission from Ernie Brown, “Apostles’ Doctrine”, T0176 script, www.truthfortoday.org.uk.

By David Anderson