Project 119: Acts 1:12-26
| Project 119
“Next Man Up”
Our reading of Scripture tells us that the number twelve was significant to God’s plan of salvation. The Old Testament tells the story of the twelve tribes of Israel, while the gospels recount the twelve disciples of Jesus. Now, however, Judas is no longer with the group and someone else must be chosen to take his place.
Of course, the eleven remaining disciples are not alone. They have been joined by 120 other believers at the Mount of Olives, a place of divine revelation. They have gathered in obedience to Jesus’ command to stay in the city until they are “armed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). How interesting that Jesus’ first command to His disciples, post-Easter, was “to wait.”
The presence of women among the 120 is a sign that everyone has a place in Christ’s church. There is room for everyone, as long as everyone is together in “mind and spirit.”
Simon Peter assumes a leadership role in the early chapters of Acts. His role will later give way to Paul in the Gentile churches and to James in the Jerusalem church. Still, he is a central figure in the book of Acts, as we will see on the Day of Pentecost.
Peter’s speech deals with the necessity of replacing Judas so that prophetic texts might be fulfilled. The one requirement is that the person chosen to take Judas’ place must have been with the group of believers “the whole time.”
The group calls out two men, Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias, but they are reluctant to make the final decision themselves. Instead, they trust the omniscience of God and the way of providence. The casting of lots was an accepted way of determining God’s direction, though one that would diminish soon after the experience of Pentecost. However, here it confirms the selection of Matthias so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.
In some ways Matthias is an “every man” disciple. All of us who come after him find ourselves responsible for participating in the mission of Jesus, becoming witnesses to His resurrection and trusting our future to the direction of God. As we do, we become a part of the New Israel that forms around our testimony to the risen Jesus so that we take our place alongside other faithful followers in proclaiming the good news “to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:12-26 (ESV):
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
“‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’;
and
“‘Let another take his office.’
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.