1
Ne 12:8 Were the Nephite Twelve apostles or
disciples?
¡°Question: ¡®In our class the
question was asked if the twelve chosen by the Savior among the Nephites were
apostles? At the same time the apostles chosen by Jesus in Palestine were on
the earth the Lord chose twelve also on the American continent whom he called
disciples. I have felt that there could not be more than one set of apostles on
the earth at any given time, but some members of the class thought otherwise,
and we have been confused.¡¯
¡°Answer:
The twelve men chosen by our Savior among the Nephites are called disciples in
the Book of Mormon¡¦(quotes 1 Ne. 12:8-10)
¡°In
fulfilment of this prophecy when the Savior came to the Nephites, he chose
twelve men and gave them authority to minister in his name among the Nephites
on this American continent in all the ordinances essential to their salvation.
These twelve went forth healing the sick and performing many miracles and
administering the ordinances as they had been commanded to do. The fulness of
the gospel with the power and the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood were
given to the Nephites the same as they were to the Church on the Eastern
Hemisphere
¡°While in every instance the Nephite
twelve are spoken of as disciples, the fact remains that they had been endowed
with divine authority to be special witnesses for Christ among their own
people. Therefore, they were virtually apostles to the Nephite race, although
their jurisdiction was, as revealed to Nephi, eventually to be subject to the
authority and jurisdiction of Peter and the twelve chosen in Palestine. According
to the definition prevailing in the world an apostle is a witness for Christ,
or one who evangelizes a certain nation or people. ¡®A zealous advocate of a
doctrine or cause.¡¯ Therefore the Nephite twelve became apostles, as special
witnesses, just as did Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Dispensation of
the Fulness of Times.¡± (Answers to Gospel Questions, 5 vols. [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1957-1966], 1: 120-122.)