Apostles

n. disciples of Jesus

n. one of the 12 disciples of Jesus; missionary of the early Christian church; one who spreads the teachings of Christianity; one who advances an important cause or idea

The Twelve Apostles (, apostolos) were men who, according to the Synoptic Gospels and Christian tradition, were chosen from among the disciples (students) of Jesus for a mission. According to the Bauer lexicon,  Walter Bauer's Greek-English Lexicon of the NT: "...Judaism had an office known as apostle (שליח)". In Islam, the Qur'an called The Twelve Apostles "الحواريون".
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Noun
1. an ardent early supporter of a cause or reform; "an apostle of revolution"
(hypernym) believer, truster

In the British courts of admiralty, when a party appeals from a decision made against him, he prays apostles from the judge, which are brief letters of dismission, stating the case, and declaring that the record will be transmitted.

This term was used in the civil law. It is derived from apostolos, a Greek word, which signifies one sent, because the judge from whose sentence an appeal was made, sent to the superior judge these letters of dismission, or apostles.
   

This entry contains material from Bouvier's Legal Dictionary, a work published in the 1850's.

APOSTOLI. FAUTORI. MISIONARI CRISTIANI. PROPAGATORE. CAPI DELLA CHIESA MORMONE