In brief
Joseph called Barsabbas, also called Justus, is a disciple who accompanied the apostles from John’s baptism to Jesus’s ascension. After Judas’s death, the disciples gathered in Jerusalem put him forward with Matthias to become a witness of the resurrection. After prayer, the lot falls on Matthias. The Bible says nothing more about him. We remember a faithful, qualified disciple, and a choice placed in God’s hands.
What does the name Joseph Barsabbas mean?
Joseph is a Hebrew name that Rachel explains with the wish that Yahweh add another son to her (Genesis 30:24). Barsabbas is generally understood as “son of Sabba,” perhaps “son of the Sabbath.” Justus is a Latin nickname meaning “the just.”
The story of Joseph Barsabbas
Among the gathered disciples
Acts 1:12-15After the ascension the apostles return to Jerusalem and continue in prayer with the women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus’s brothers. Peter stands up among the brothers, about one hundred twenty people. Joseph Barsabbas belongs to this circle of disciples gathered in Jerusalem after the Lord’s departure.
Replacing Judas
Acts 1:16-22Peter explains that Scripture had to be fulfilled about Judas and cites the Psalms: “Let another take his office.” The replacement must have accompanied the apostles all the time the Lord Jesus went in and out among them, from John’s baptism to the ascension, in order to be a witness of his resurrection.
Put forward with Matthias
Acts 1:23Two men meet these conditions: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. Joseph therefore followed Jesus throughout his public ministry, from John’s baptism onward. The assembly judges him fit to become a witness of the resurrection alongside the eleven.
The lot falls on Matthias
Acts 1:24-26The disciples pray: “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen.” They cast lots, and the lot falls on Matthias, who is numbered with the eleven apostles. The book of Acts does not mention Joseph Barsabbas again.
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What Joseph Barsabbas teaches us
- Being faithful without being chosen for a visible role takes nothing away from a disciple’s worth.
- The church’s decisions are made in prayer, entrusting them to God who knows the hearts.
- Christian witness rests on the resurrection of Jesus, of which disciples like Joseph were witnesses.
- God uses many servants of whom Scripture keeps only a name.
Key verses
The criteria Peter sets show that Joseph had followed Jesus from John’s baptism to the ascension. His quiet, lasting faithfulness qualified him for this ministry.
The church does not choose by appearances but entrusts the choice to the Lord who knows the hearts. Joseph and Matthias are presented to God with the same confidence.
Bible verses to meditate on
Frequently asked questions
Why was Joseph Barsabbas not chosen?
The Bible gives no reason. The disciples prayed that the Lord, who knows the hearts, would show the one he had chosen, then cast lots, and the lot fell on Matthias (Acts 1:24-26). Nothing suggests a flaw in Joseph, who met the same conditions.
What does the name Joseph Barsabbas mean?
Joseph is a Hebrew name tied to the wish for one more son (Genesis 30:24). Barsabbas is generally understood as “son of Sabba” or “son of the Sabbath,” and Justus is a Latin nickname meaning “the just.” These nicknames set him apart from other men named Joseph.
Where is Joseph Barsabbas’s story found in the Bible?
He appears only once, in Acts 1:23, in the account of Judas’s replacement (Acts 1:15-26). He should not be confused with Judas called Barsabbas, sent to Antioch with Silas in Acts 15:22, although some wonder whether they were related.