Post by John on Aug 27, 2020 7:22:57 GMT -5
Who is Matthias? He is one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ. He is also the only Apostle who was not called directly by Jesus Christ to be one of the 12. Matthias became one of the 12 Apostles as a result of the failure of another, Judas Iscariot.
What an honor it would have been to have been hand picked by Jesus Christ himself to be one of His disciples. Judas Iscariot had that honor. Only 12 men who would ever live would have one of those positions, but Judas Iscariot threw it all away because of the love of money. He sold out the Lord for 30 pieces of silver. Now, Judas Iscariot was dead, and it was necessary that someone else should take his place.
The disciples, a group consisting of roughly 120 people, both men and women, were meeting together in a large upper room, when the Apostle Peter stood up and spoke. In Acts 1:16-19, he reminds them of how Judas Iscariot guided those who sought to take the life of Jesus directly to him. Peter states that Judas Iscariot had been numbered among them, and had obtained part of their ministry. Now, he was gone, and based on the scriptures, specifically Psalm 69:25, he had to be replaced. It was not enough that the eleven carry on without him, but it was God's will that there be 12 to complete their number.
Psalm 69:25 states, "Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents." It was revealed to Peter that this referred to Judas Iscariot, and the position he held and gave up. He says in Acts 1:20, "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." The word bishoprick here comes from the Greek word episkope, and it means superintendence. The twelve were overseers above all other overseers.
Now, they had to choose the replacement, and it could not be just anyone. It was essential that they get it right, so after having discussions about the matter, they narrowed the field down to 2 men, one called Joseph who went by the name Barsabas, whose surname was Justus, and a man by the name of Matthias. Their method of deciding which of these two men would take the place of Judas Iscariot was an interesting one. Apparently, both had their supporters. Since they could not decide which was the best choice, they cast lots. Basically, they did something similar to what we do when we flip a coin to make a decision, and they left it in the hands of God to decide which of these men should hold this position. The lot fell upon Matthias, so he became the replacement for Judas Iscariot.
What do we know about Matthias? Not much, but we do know that Matthias walked in the company of the other Apostles, all the way back to the time of the baptism of John, till the Lord was taken up before them. They felt like whoever had this office, that was essential. In Acts 1:21-22, Peter says of Judas' replacement, "Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, until that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection." Shortly before this meeting took place, the disciples had witnessed the Lord Jesus Christ being taken up from them. Acts 1:9 says, "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." We know that Matthias was with them at the time Jesus was baptized of John, and he remained with them until this event took place, and was now among them in their gathering in the upper chamber.
This also tells us something else. While we know that Jesus Christ had 12 men that he hand picked, we also know that there were others that followed him faithfully from the beginning till the end. We do not know how many there were, but we know that there were many who came and went. The Bible speaks of a time where Jesus sent out seventy men. In Luke 10:1, it says, "AFTER these things, the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he would come." Was Matthias in that number? The Bible does not say. We also know that there was a time when a large number of Jesus' followers abandoned him. We see in John chapter 6, Jesus speaking to his followers, and after he had finished, it says in verse 60, "Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?" In verse 66, it says, "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." You could get the impression that only the 12 remained, but the Bible does not say that. We do not know how many stayed with Jesus Christ, but we do know that Matthias remained faithful and in that company.
Who is Matthias? We do not know many details about him, but we do know that he was a man that faithfully followed Jesus Christ from the very beginning of his ministry till he was taken up, and as a result of his faithfulness, he became one of the twelve, something I would imagine never entered his mind when he began to walk with the Lord. How could it? There were only twelve, but now he had become one of them, and he remains in that special place to this day in the Kingdom of Heaven. It makes one wonder what God might have in store for them if they remain faithful.
What an honor it would have been to have been hand picked by Jesus Christ himself to be one of His disciples. Judas Iscariot had that honor. Only 12 men who would ever live would have one of those positions, but Judas Iscariot threw it all away because of the love of money. He sold out the Lord for 30 pieces of silver. Now, Judas Iscariot was dead, and it was necessary that someone else should take his place.
The disciples, a group consisting of roughly 120 people, both men and women, were meeting together in a large upper room, when the Apostle Peter stood up and spoke. In Acts 1:16-19, he reminds them of how Judas Iscariot guided those who sought to take the life of Jesus directly to him. Peter states that Judas Iscariot had been numbered among them, and had obtained part of their ministry. Now, he was gone, and based on the scriptures, specifically Psalm 69:25, he had to be replaced. It was not enough that the eleven carry on without him, but it was God's will that there be 12 to complete their number.
Psalm 69:25 states, "Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents." It was revealed to Peter that this referred to Judas Iscariot, and the position he held and gave up. He says in Acts 1:20, "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." The word bishoprick here comes from the Greek word episkope, and it means superintendence. The twelve were overseers above all other overseers.
Now, they had to choose the replacement, and it could not be just anyone. It was essential that they get it right, so after having discussions about the matter, they narrowed the field down to 2 men, one called Joseph who went by the name Barsabas, whose surname was Justus, and a man by the name of Matthias. Their method of deciding which of these two men would take the place of Judas Iscariot was an interesting one. Apparently, both had their supporters. Since they could not decide which was the best choice, they cast lots. Basically, they did something similar to what we do when we flip a coin to make a decision, and they left it in the hands of God to decide which of these men should hold this position. The lot fell upon Matthias, so he became the replacement for Judas Iscariot.
What do we know about Matthias? Not much, but we do know that Matthias walked in the company of the other Apostles, all the way back to the time of the baptism of John, till the Lord was taken up before them. They felt like whoever had this office, that was essential. In Acts 1:21-22, Peter says of Judas' replacement, "Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, until that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection." Shortly before this meeting took place, the disciples had witnessed the Lord Jesus Christ being taken up from them. Acts 1:9 says, "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." We know that Matthias was with them at the time Jesus was baptized of John, and he remained with them until this event took place, and was now among them in their gathering in the upper chamber.
This also tells us something else. While we know that Jesus Christ had 12 men that he hand picked, we also know that there were others that followed him faithfully from the beginning till the end. We do not know how many there were, but we know that there were many who came and went. The Bible speaks of a time where Jesus sent out seventy men. In Luke 10:1, it says, "AFTER these things, the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he would come." Was Matthias in that number? The Bible does not say. We also know that there was a time when a large number of Jesus' followers abandoned him. We see in John chapter 6, Jesus speaking to his followers, and after he had finished, it says in verse 60, "Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?" In verse 66, it says, "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." You could get the impression that only the 12 remained, but the Bible does not say that. We do not know how many stayed with Jesus Christ, but we do know that Matthias remained faithful and in that company.
Who is Matthias? We do not know many details about him, but we do know that he was a man that faithfully followed Jesus Christ from the very beginning of his ministry till he was taken up, and as a result of his faithfulness, he became one of the twelve, something I would imagine never entered his mind when he began to walk with the Lord. How could it? There were only twelve, but now he had become one of them, and he remains in that special place to this day in the Kingdom of Heaven. It makes one wonder what God might have in store for them if they remain faithful.