Apostle (Latter Day Saints) he chose and ordained (John 15:16) to be his closest disciples during his ministry on earth, and whom he sent forth to represent him after his ascension into heaven. The calling of an apostle is to be a special witness of the name of Jesus Christ in all the world, particularly of his divinity and of his bodily resurrection from the dead (; ). Twelve men with this high calling constitute an administrative council in the work of the ministry. When a vacancy occurred with the death of Judas Iscariot, Matthias was divinely appointed to that special office as a
Judas Iscariot truest disciple." The article points to some evidence that the original document was extant in the 2nd century: "Around A.D. 180, Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon in what was then Roman Gaul, wrote a massive treatise called "Against Heresies" [in which he attacked] a 'fictitious history,' which 'they style the Gospel of Judas.'" Before the magazine's edition was circulated, other news media gave exposure to the story, abridging and selectively reporting it. In December 2007, a "New York Times" op-ed article by April DeConick asserted that the "National Geographic"s translation is badly flawed: For example, in one instance the "National Geographic"