Matthias

The Biblical Account

Matthias appears only in Acts 1:15–26. After Jesus' ascension, Peter stands up before a gathering of about one hundred and twenty people and speaks of the betrayal and death of Judas Iscariot. Quoting Psalms 69:25 and 109:8, Peter says that another must take Judas's office (Acts 1:20).

Peter sets out two qualifications for a candidate. First, he must have accompanied the disciples the whole time, from the baptism of John the Baptist until the day Jesus was taken up; second, he must be one who would bear witness to Jesus' resurrection (Acts 1:21–22). The assembly put forward two men: "Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus," and Matthias. They then prayed that the Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, would show which one He had chosen, and they cast lots. The lot fell on Matthias, "and he was numbered with the eleven apostles" (Acts 1:26). After this event, Scripture never mentions Matthias by name again.

Significance Within Scripture

This selection restored the number of apostles to twelve. Many interpreters connect the number twelve with the twelve tribes of Israel (Luke 22:30). In the chapter immediately following Matthias's selection, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost takes place, and Acts 6:2 refers to "the twelve."

By contrast, when James was martyred in Acts 12:2, there is no record of a successor being chosen. For this reason, some interpret Matthias's selection as filling a vacancy created specifically by betrayal. Although Matthias is not included in the lists of the Twelve Disciples, he is frequently cited as an illustration of the concept of a "witness of the resurrection" presented as a qualification for apostleship.

Interpretations and Debates

• Legitimacy of the selection: Many commentators and church tradition regard the selection as legitimate. Some interpreters, however, consider it a hasty act undertaken before the coming of the Holy Spirit and argue that the twelfth apostle appointed by God was Paul. Others reject this view, noting that the text does not criticize the selection and afterward refers to "the twelve."
• The casting of lots: This passage is the last instance in the New Testament of casting lots to discern God's will. Consequently, opinions differ on whether it is appropriate for the church to use lots after Pentecost.
• Extrabiblical traditions: One tradition holds that Matthias was among the seventy of Luke 10. Later accounts also relate that he preached in regions such as Judea and Ethiopia and died a martyr. These traditions, however, vary in their details, and none of them is found in Scripture. Ancient patristic writings also record the existence of apocryphal works bearing Matthias's name. The Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church commemorate him as a saint.

In the Korean Church

In Korean church preaching, Matthias is treated chiefly under three themes: the "witness of the resurrection" as a qualification for apostleship; the community that prayed and waited in anticipation of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit; and faithfulness in keeping one's appointed place even when one's name does not appear again. In Sunday schools he is introduced as the apostle who took the place of Judas Iscariot. Acts 1 is also sometimes cited, either in support or in objection, in discussions of using lots in church elections or in the selection of church officers.