A letter from one of our readers prompts us to take up the subject of what is known as "apostolic succession." A careful examination of all the scriptures that could possibly bear on it will show that God never intended that there should be the perpetuation of a line of apostles.
In Eph. 4 we read that the ascended Christ "gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." vv. 11, 12. But in the second chapter it says that the Church is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone." v. 20. The apostles and New Testament prophets laid the foundation; the evangelists, pastors and teachers continue the work until the Church is all gathered home to be with Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon." 1 Cor. 3:1010According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. (1 Corinthians 3:10). Now it is self-evident that a foundation of a building is laid only once. Foundation stones are not used for the superstructure.
Of those who laid the foundation, Paul occupied a special place, for to him was given by special revelation the whole truth of the Church. His epistles not only give the foundation truths, but they also give instructions for the ordering of the Church on earth in all ages (alas, sadly neglected in this day).
Before the New Testament scriptures were completed, prophets were used to communicate the mind of God, as we read: "And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed [strengthened] them." Acts 15:3232And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. (Acts 15:32). Luke and Mark were never called apostles, but the former wrote the Gospel that bears his name and The Acts; the latter wrote another of the four gospels. Apostles and prophets were definitely used of the Lord for the establishment of the Church, but then they ceased. The Apostle John was the last of the apostles to be taken home, and with his divinely inspired book of Revelation the Word of God was complete. Nothing has been or can be added to it or taken from it (Rev. 22:18, 1918For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:18‑19)).
The Apostle Paul, who was used of the Lord to give instructions to the Church, did not once refer to a successor to himself or to other apostles as such. When he was nearing the end of his course, he sent from Miletus to Ephesus to have the elders come to meet him. There he gave them a farewell address and if there could be any place' where Paul would have mentioned a successor it should have been there. He said: "And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.... Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost bath made you overseers, to feed the church of God.... For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." Acts 20:25-3025And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. 26Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 28Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:25‑30).
Paul as an apostle had appointed elders to look after the flock; they were not apostles, and, in view of his departure, he told them what would come in after he left the scene. Some of them would speak perverse things to draw disciples after them. Perhaps these pretended to be his successors, for the Lord later addresses the Church at Ephesus commending them for trying some who said they were apostles, but were not (Rev. 2:22I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: (Revelation 2:2)).
In view of Paul's decease, what was the resource of the Church? Acts 20:3232And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (Acts 20:32) gives the answer: "And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up." Nothing but "God, and the word of His grace" would be needed by the Church. God and His Word would be sufficient for every exigency of the path. They could pray to God and count on His succor and help, and His Word would give every needed instruction. The Church was not committed to any man or group of men, however faithful they might be. Nothing and no one was to come between the Church of God and God Himself, and He was to be known through His Word.
In Paul's last epistle, 2 Timothy, he gives specific instructions for conduct in the last days of Christendom. Evil would come in like a flood, and it would be so hard to distinguish between mere professors and real Christians that it would come down to only the Lord's really knowing who were His (chap. 2: 19). Would there then be some new revelation, some new dogma or creed instituted to keep the saints? No. They were to continue in the things Timothy learned from Paul, and rely on the unerring and unchangeable "holy scriptures," which were divinely given, and would be all-sufficient "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect [complete], thoroughly furnished unto all good works." What place is there for a successor to the Apostle Paul? None whatever.
In view of the assumption of some to be Peter's successors, it would be well to examine Peter's last letter to the Church. Here we should find a mention of his successors, if it was ever to be found. In the Second Epistle of Peter he says: "Shortly I must put off this my tabernacle [his body], even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me." Chap. 1:14.
He was here looking forward to his martyrdom which he knew was not far distant. This, then, was the place to speak of committing the saints to his successor, if there were to be such. He said: "Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty." vv. 15, 16. Nothing new was to be given them, but simply what he had already taught them. This they were to keep in memory.
In the second chapter, Peter describes the moral corruption that would come in at the end, into the very place of profession; then he says, "This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior." Chap. 3:1, 2. The resource of the faithful would be a constant remembrance of what was given at the beginning by Peter and the other apostles, as well as what was written by the "holy prophets."
One has only to read the rest of this last chapter of his last writing to see how incongruous the thought of a successor is with the whole tenor of this inspired writing. It looks forward through all of the Church age to the "day of the Lord," even through it, on to its end, and the beginning of "the day of God"—the eternal state. He makes references to Paul's apostolic writings as an integral part of the "Scriptures" which were for their edification, and closes with: "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen." v. 18.
The Apostle John was another prominent one of the twelve apostles. He also wrote about the last days, and the coming of the antichrist. What was his manner of preparing the saints for evil days? He brought before them the manifestation of the true life in the Person of the Son of God on earth. They were cast back upon that which "was from the beginning"—even the revelation of that life on earth, and of the Father and the Son, or true Christianity as known from the beginning of it. Nothing was to supplant or improve it. They had all they needed then and ever. If there were false teachers, bringing false doctrine, the saints had the Holy Spirit dwelling in them as the anointing to teach them the difference between truth and error. The Holy Spirit would guide the lambs and sheep so they would only recognize the voice of the true Shepherd and not be misled by wolves in sheep's clothing.
In John's second epistle, when warning a sister against receiving false teachers into her home, he said, "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God." v. 9. This would be better translated, "He that goes forward and abides not in the doctrine"; that is, to leave the very foundation and add anything to it under the specious plea of progress is not to abide in the doctrine of Christ. It is a fatal delusion.
If the first chapter of The Acts be alleged as the proof of the apostolic succession, it should be understood that Christianity proper did not begin until the second chapter where the Holy Spirit came down and baptized believers into one body. In the first chapter, the disciples were in a transitional period which was largely Jewish in character. They acted upon Old Testament scriptures in appointing Matthias to take the place of the apostate Judas; and this was done according to an Old Testament provision for casting lots to decide a matter (Josh. 7:14-1814In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the Lord taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the Lord shall take shall come by households; and the household which the Lord shall take shall come man by man. 15And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel. 16So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: 17And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: 18And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. (Joshua 7:14‑18); 1 Sam. 14:40-4240Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee. 41Therefore Saul said unto the Lord God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped. 42And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. (1 Samuel 14:40‑42); Pro. 16:3333The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33)). This is foreign to the New Testament teaching of the Church, where the Lord's guidance by the Spirit according to the Scriptures is sought.
In the foundation of the Church there were more than twelve apostles; Ephesians says merely "some apostles," and numbers are not connected with the Church. The number twelve had a special connection with Israel. Paul, Barnabas, James the Lord's brother, who were not of the twelve, are mentioned in the New Testament as apostles.
It was needful, however, that the gap left in the twelve by the defection of Judas should be filled, for in the coming age the twelve apostles are to sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:2828And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28)), so Matthias was chosen for that place. In the millennial display of the Church in heavenly glory, the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel are to be written on the twelve gates of the celestial city. The gates are emblematic of the place of judgment, and the twelve apostles will administer judgment from the gates of the heavenly city to Israel on earth. See Rev. 21:1-141And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. 9And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (Revelation 21:1‑14).
Thus we see that the procedure followed in Acts 1 is no warrant whatever for a human arrangement of setting up successors to Peter or any other apostle. May we adhere fully and only to the written Word of God, and give no ear to the traditions of men.