The Vacancy in the Apostolic Company

The book of Acts opens with the eleven apostles gathered after the ascension of Jesus Christ. Their number, originally twelve, had been diminished by the defection and death of Judas Iscariot. Judas, who had been chosen by Christ Himself to be one of the twelve, succumbed to the temptation of greed, betraying his Master for thirty pieces of silver. His subsequent repentance, marked by the return of the blood money, led not to restoration but to despair and a gruesome end, as recorded in Acts 1:18: “Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.” The vacancy called for God’s choice and the church’s obedience, to restore the number of the apostles upon whom the early church would be built.

The Scriptural Mandate for Replacement

In the days immediately following Christ’s ascension, and prior to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter, ever the leader among the apostles, rose to address the brethren. Approximately one hundred and twenty disciples were gathered, and Peter, guided by the Holy Spirit and the prophetic Scriptures, laid out the necessity of replacing Judas. He did not act on impulse or personal preference, but with reverence for the written Word of God. Peter declared:

Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

Acts 1:16
KJV

He then cited two specific prophecies from the Psalms, demonstrating that Judas’s actions and fate were not unforeseen by God, but were part of a divine plan foretold centuries earlier. The first prophecy concerned the desolation of his habitation:

For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

Acts 1:20
KJV

This verse combines two distinct prophecies: Psalm 69:25, which speaks of desolation, and Psalm 109:8, which says, “and let another take his office” (Acts 1:20 renders the thought as “his bishoprick let another take”). Peter’s reliance on these ancient prophecies underscored the divine imperative for a replacement. The number twelve was not arbitrary; it symbolized the twelve tribes of Israel and would later represent the twelve foundations of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:14), signifying the apostles’ foundational role in the new covenant.

Qualifications for an Apostle

Peter then outlined the qualifications for the office. The apostles were to be witnesses to the life, ministry, death, and above all the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Their testimony rested not on hearsay or secondary accounts, but on direct, personal experience. Peter stated the criteria:

Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

Acts 1:22
KJV

The qualifications Peter named were these:

  • Consistent Companionship: The individual must have “companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us.” This implies a continuous and intimate relationship with Jesus and the other apostles throughout His public ministry.
  • Witness from John’s Baptism: The candidate’s association with Jesus must have begun from the very outset of His public ministry, specifically “from the baptism of John.” This marks the beginning of Jesus’s public anointing and ministry.
  • Witness to the Ascension: The companionship must have extended “unto that same day that he was taken up from us.” This ensures that the candidate was a witness to the culmination of Jesus’s earthly ministry.
  • Witness to the Resurrection: The ultimate purpose of the replacement was “to be a witness with us of his resurrection.” The resurrection of Jesus was the cornerstone of the apostolic message (1 Corinthians 15:14), and only those who had seen the resurrected Christ could authoritatively proclaim this truth.

These requirements kept the apostolic testimony that of eyewitnesses to the saving acts of God in Christ.

The Candidates and the Process

Two men were put forward who met these criteria:

  • Joseph called Barsabas: Who was also surnamed Justus.
  • Matthias: Whose full name and background are not further detailed in Scripture, but who clearly met Peter’s stipulations.

The selection process shows the early church’s reliance on divine guidance. They did not begin by casting lots or voting. Their first step was prayer:

And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

Acts 1:24
KJV

This prayer acknowledges God’s omniscience and His sovereign prerogative to choose. They understood that the selection of an apostle was not a human decision but a divine appointment. Following their prayer, they cast lots.

And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Acts 1:26
KJV

Casting lots was a recognized method in Israel for discerning God’s will, a way for God to reveal His choice when human judgment alone was insufficient. Proverbs states, “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD” (Proverbs 16:33). The lot was cast before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, after which the church would experience direct prophetic guidance and spiritual discernment through the Spirit. In this transitional period it was a legitimate means by which God’s will was revealed to His people.

The Divine Choice and Its Significance

The lot fell upon Matthias, and he was immediately “numbered with the eleven apostles.” This event completed the apostolic college, restoring the number twelve. Matthias is not named again in Scripture, but he was “numbered with the eleven apostles,” and he belongs to the company called “the twelve” in Acts 6:2. His inclusion ensured the continuity of the apostolic witness of the group that would carry the gospel to the ends of the earth.

The choosing of Matthias teaches the church several principles:

  • Divine Sovereignty: God’s plan is immutable. Even through human failure and betrayal, His purposes are fulfilled, and His church is built upon the foundation He ordains.
  • Biblical Authority: Peter’s reliance on Old Testament prophecy to justify the replacement affirms the supreme authority of Scripture in guiding the decisions of the church.
  • Earnest Prayer: The early church’s commitment to prayer before making significant decisions is a model for today.
  • Qualifications for Leadership: The specific criteria for apostleship emphasize the importance of character, experience, and fidelity to truth for those in spiritual leadership. While apostleship in its foundational sense is unique to the original twelve, the principles of integrity and witness remain vital for all who serve in the church.

The choosing of Matthias kept the apostolic foundation of the church intact, ready to receive the power of the Holy Spirit and carry the gospel to the ends of the earth.