Matthias
“Gift of God”
Summary
Matthias was the disciple chosen by lot to replace Judas Iscariot as the twelfth apostle after the Lord's ascension.
☩Qualifications and Selection
After the ascension of Jesus and before Pentecost, Peter addressed approximately 120 disciples gathered in Jerusalem concerning the need to fill the vacancy left by Judas's betrayal and death. The qualification required was significant: the candidate must have been a constant companion of the apostles 'all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among them, beginning from the baptism of John, unto the day that he was received up,' in order to be a witness of the resurrection. Two men meeting this requirement were nominated: Joseph Barsabas (also called Justus) and Matthias.
☩The Casting of Lots
The selection between the two candidates was committed to the Lord in prayer, acknowledging Him as the one who knows the hearts of all men. Lots were then cast, following the Old Testament practice of seeking divine guidance through this method. The lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. This was the last recorded instance of casting lots for guidance in Scripture; after the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost, such methods were no longer employed, as believers received direct spiritual guidance.
☩Later History
Scripture records nothing further about Matthias after his election. According to Eusebius and Epiphanius, he was probably one of the seventy disciples whom Jesus had sent out during His ministry. Tradition holds that he preached the gospel in Ethiopia (or according to some accounts, Judaea) and eventually suffered martyrdom, though details vary between stoning by the Jews and other accounts. An apocryphal 'Gospel of Matthias' was mentioned by early church fathers but was rejected as spurious.
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Matthias," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. V (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Matthias," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.James Hastings (ed.), "Matthias," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Matthias," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).