from ἀπό and στέλλω; set apart, i.e. (by implication) to send out (properly, on a mission) literally or figuratively:--put in, send (away, forth, out), set (at liberty).
### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek verb ἀποστέλλω (apostéllō, `{{G649}}`) is a compound word derived from the preposition ἀπό (apo), meaning "from" or "away from," and the verb στέλλω (stellō), which means "to arrange," "to prepare," or "to send." This etymological foundation reveals the core meaning: "to send away from" a starting point, often with a specific purpose or commission.
The semantic range of ἀποστέλλω is rich and varied, encompassing:
1. **Commissioned Sending:** The primary and most significant meaning is to dispatch someone with a particular mission, authority, or purpose. This implies that the sender has a specific intention for the one being sent, and the one sent acts as an agent.
2. **Dispatching/Sending Out:** A more general sense of sending, but still often implying a direction or destination.
3. **Sending Away/Dismissing:** In certain contexts, it can mean to send someone away, dismiss them, or even release them. This nuance is seen in phrases like "to send away free" or "to set at liberty."
Unlike πέμπω (pempō, `{{G3992}}`), which can denote a general act of sending, ἀποστέλλω nearly always carries the connotation of a deliberate, purposeful, and often authoritative dispatch.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The verb ἀποστέλλω appears frequently in the New Testament, particularly in the Gospels and Acts, underscoring its theological significance. Its usage reveals several key patterns:
1. **God Sending Jesus:** This is perhaps the most profound usage. The Father is consistently depicted as "sending" Jesus into the world to accomplish His redemptive plan. Examples include:
* "For God did not ἀποστέλλω His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him." [[John 3:17]]
* "The works that the Father has given Me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about Me that the Father has ἀποστέλλω Me." [[John 5:36]]
* "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has ἀποστέλλω." [[John 6:29]]
* This highlights Jesus' role as the Father's authoritative agent and the divine initiative in salvation history.
2. **Jesus Sending His Disciples/Apostles:** Jesus, having been sent by the Father, in turn "sends" His disciples to continue His ministry. This is the direct etymological root of the term ἀπόστολος (apostolos, `{{G652}}`), meaning "one who is sent."
* "These twelve Jesus ἀποστέλλω, instructing them, 'Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'" [[Matthew 10:5]]
* "And He called the twelve and began to ἀποστέλλω them two by two and gave them authority over the unclean spirits." [[Mark 6:7]]
* "After this the Lord ἀποστέλλω seventy-two others ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to go." [[Luke 10:1]]
These instances emphasize the transfer of authority and the continuation of the divine mission through human agents.
3. **Sending the Holy Spirit:** The Holy Spirit is also described as being "sent," often by the Father in Jesus' name, or by Jesus Himself.
* "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will ἀποστέλλω in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." [[John 14:26]]
* "But when the Helper comes, whom I will ἀποστέλλω to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about Me." [[John 15:26]]
4. **Other Contexts:** The word also appears in more general contexts of sending, often with a specific purpose:
* Sending servants or messengers: [[Matthew 21:34]], [[Mark 12:2]] (parable of the wicked tenants).
* Sending away/releasing: "and they begged him to ἀποστέλλω them to the pigs, so that they might enter them." [[Mark 5:10]]
* "to ἀποστέλλω the oppressed away free." [[Luke 4:18]] (quoting Isaiah 61:1, highlighting liberation).
### Related Words & Concepts
1. **ἀπόστολος (apostolos, `{{G652}}`):** This noun, meaning "apostle" or "messenger," is directly derived from ἀποστέλλω. It signifies "one who is sent with a commission" and is central to understanding the office and function of the apostles in the early church. The apostle is not merely a messenger but an authorized representative.
2. **πέμπω (pempō, `{{G3992}}`):** While also meaning "to send," πέμπω is often more general. ἀποστέλλω tends to highlight the purpose, authority, and specific mission of the one sent, whereas πέμπω can be used for any kind of sending, without necessarily implying a deep commission. For instance, one might πέμπω a letter, but one ἀποστέλλω an ambassador.
3. **ἐξαποστέλλω (exapostellō, `{{G1821}}`):** This is a strengthened form of ἀποστέλλω, often emphasizing the sending *out* from a place or with greater urgency.
4. **Commissioning:** The concept of ἀποστέλλω is intrinsically linked to commissioning. To be ἀποστέλλω is to be given a task, authority, and resources by the sender to accomplish a specific goal.
5. **Agency:** The one ἀποστέλλω acts as an agent, representing the will and authority of the sender. This is crucial for understanding Jesus' relationship with the Father and the disciples' relationship with Jesus.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of ἀποστέλλω is profound and multifaceted:
1. **Divine Initiative in Salvation:** The consistent portrayal of God the Father "sending" Jesus underscores the divine initiative in redemption. Salvation is not a human invention but a gracious act originating from God Himself. Jesus' entire ministry is defined by His being the "Sent One," obediently fulfilling the Father's will.
2. **Christology:** Jesus' identity as the Messiah is deeply intertwined with His being ἀποστέλλω by the Father. He is the ultimate divine agent, perfectly embodying God's purpose and character. His authority, words, and works are all validated by the One who sent Him.
3. **Missiology:** The concept of ἀποστέλλω forms the very foundation of Christian mission. Just as the Father sent the Son, and the Son sent the disciples, the Church is "sent" into the world. This missional imperative is not optional but inherent to the nature of the Christian faith. It implies that believers are called to participate in God's ongoing work of reconciliation and redemption.
4. **Authority and Empowerment:** Being ἀποστέλλω implies receiving authority from the sender. When Jesus sent His disciples, He empowered them to preach, heal, and cast out demons. Similarly, the Holy Spirit is sent to empower believers for witness and service. This highlights that divine tasks come with divine enablement.
5. **Purpose and Direction:** Every act of ἀποστέλλω has a clear purpose. It speaks to God's intentionality and His sovereign plan for creation and humanity. For the one sent, it implies a divine calling and a specific direction for their life and ministry.
### Summary
The Greek verb ἀποστέλλω (apostéllō, `{{G649}}`) fundamentally means "to send away with a specific purpose or commission." Its etymology from ἀπό ("from") and στέλλω ("to send, arrange") highlights the deliberate and purposeful nature of the sending. In the New Testament, this word carries immense theological weight, most notably in describing God the Father "sending" Jesus into the world as His authoritative agent of salvation ([[John 3:17]], [[John 5:36]]). Subsequently, Jesus "sends" His disciples, giving rise to the term "apostle" (`{{G652}}`), thereby commissioning them to continue His ministry with delegated authority ([[Matthew 10:5]], [[Mark 6:7]]). The Holy Spirit is also ἀποστέλλω to empower believers ([[John 14:26]]). This word underscores God's active initiative in redemption, the unique identity and mission of Christ, and the foundational call to mission for the Church. It consistently conveys the idea of divine authority, specific purpose, and the empowerment necessary to fulfill a sacred commission.
TRV