Acts 1:12-26

Matthias Replaces Judas

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day’s journey away. ^[a]

13 When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.

14 With one accord they all continued in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said,

16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus.

17 He was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”

18 (Now with the reward for his wickedness Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong and burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out.

19 This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ ^[b] and, ‘May another take his position.’ ^[c]

21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

22 beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

23 So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.

24 And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen

25 to take up this ministry and apostleship, which Judas abandoned to go to his rightful place.”

26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was added to the eleven apostles.

Acts 1:12-26 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ACTS

This book, in some copies, is called, "The Acts of the holy Apostles". It contains an history of the ministry and miracles of the apostles of Christ, and is a sort of a journal of their actions, from whence it takes its name. It begins at the ascension of Christ, and reaches to the imprisonment of the Apostle Paul at Rome; and is a history of upwards of thirty years: it gives an account of the first Gospel church at Jerusalem, and of the progress of the Gospel there, and in Judea, by the means of all the apostles, and particularly Peter, the minister of the circumcision, and who also first opened the door of faith to the Gentiles: it shows how the Gospel went forth from Jerusalem, and was spread in the Gentile world, especially by the Apostle Paul, whose companion Luke was, that was the writer of this book; for that it was written by him is very evident from the beginning of it, it being dedicated to the same person his Gospel is, and of which he makes mention; and in the Complutensian edition the book is called, "The Acts of the Apostles of Saint Luke the Evangelist"; and so the title of it in the Syriac version is, "the Book of the Acts: that is, the history of the blessed apostles, which my Lord Luke the Evangelist collected for the saints". It was by him written in the Greek language; and we are told {a}, that there was a version of it into the Hebrew language, and which was laid up in the library of the Jews at Tiberias; and is cited by R. Azarias {b} under the name of twlweph, "the Acts": of the authority of this book there has been no doubt, among the ancients, only Cerinthus the heretic endeavoured to discredit it; and it was not received by another sort of heretics called Severiani, from Severus, a disciple of Tatian {c}. It is a most excellent and useful work, showing the first planting of Christianity, and of Christian churches, both among the Jews and Gentiles; the spread and progress of the Gospel in several parts of the world; what sufferings the apostles endured for the sake of it; and with what patience and courage they bore them; and what success attended them; and is a standing proof and confirmation of the Christian religion.

{a} Epiphan. Contr. Haeres. l. 1. Haeres. 30. {b} Meor Enayim, p. 167. {c} Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 4. c. 29.

Footnotes

• [a]. A Sabbath day’s journey is 2,000 cubits (approximately 3,000 feet or 914.4 meters)
• [b]. Psalms 69:25
• [c]. Psalms 109:8