In brief
Matthias is the man who took Judas's place among the twelve apostles, a few days after Jesus' ascension. The disciples gathered in Jerusalem, about a hundred and twenty, looked for someone who had accompanied Jesus from John's baptism until his ascension, to be a witness of his resurrection. After praying, they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias, who was counted with the eleven apostles.
What does the name Matthias mean?
Matthias is generally considered a Greek form of a Hebrew name, often linked to Mattithiah, which suggests the gift of the Lord. The Bible does not explain the name. His name is not mentioned anywhere else in the New Testament outside this account.
The world of Matthias
The election of Matthias takes place in Jerusalem, a few days after the ascension of Jesus and before Pentecost. For forty days, Jesus appeared alive to his disciples, and then he was taken up to heaven from the Mount of Olives before their eyes (Acts 1:3, 9, 12). The apostles then return to the upper room where they usually stay. There are eleven of them, because Judas, one of the twelve, betrayed Jesus and left his ministry. The gathered group also includes women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and the brothers of Jesus. Peter addresses about one hundred and twenty people. He starts from Scripture, quoting the Psalms, to explain what happened to Judas and to set the course of action. For the first disciples, the mission lies ahead: Jesus has announced that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them, and that they will be his witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the earth. The replacement of Judas belongs to this time of waiting, before the coming of the Spirit. Matthias is named only in this passage.
The story of Matthias
Forty days and a promise
Acts 1:3-8After his suffering, Jesus shows himself alive to his apostles for forty days and speaks to them about the things concerning the Kingdom of God. He commands them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father has promised: they will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from then. He also tells them that they will receive power and will be his witnesses, from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.
The ascension and the return to Jerusalem
Acts 1:9-14Jesus is lifted up while the apostles are watching, and a cloud takes him out of their sight. Two men in white clothing tell them that this same Jesus will come back in the same way. The disciples return to Jerusalem and go up to the upper room. Luke names the eleven. All of them continue with one accord in prayer, together with the women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Peter stands up about Judas
Acts 1:15-20In those days Peter stands up in the midst of the brothers, who number about one hundred and twenty. He declares that the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas. Judas was counted among them and received his portion in the same ministry. Peter recalls his end and the field called Akeldama, the field of blood, known to everyone living in Jerusalem. Then he cites Scripture: “Let another take his office.”
The conditions for becoming a witness
Acts 1:21-22Peter sets out the condition: among the men who accompanied them all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among them, beginning from the baptism of John to the day he was received up, one must become a witness with them of his resurrection. The resurrection is therefore at the heart of the role in view. The one chosen will have to be able to testify to it because he followed Jesus closely.
Two candidates and a prayer
Acts 1:23-25The assembly puts forward two men: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. The disciples pray: “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship”. They do not take the initiative of choosing by appearances: they entrust the matter to the one who knows each heart. They also specify that the task is a ministry and an apostleship, which Judas abandoned.
The lot falls on Matthias
Acts 1:26They draw lots, and the lot falls on Matthias, and he is counted with the eleven apostles. Luke gives no further detail about his family, his origin or his ministry. The text is content to say that he joins the apostles. In the next chapter, Pentecost gives the whole community the promised power. The group of the twelve is complete again to receive the mission that Jesus entrusted to his witnesses.
What Matthias teaches us
- Before deciding, the disciples pray and entrust the choice to the Lord who knows every heart.
- A witness of the resurrection is someone who followed Jesus closely, and the church's testimony rests on facts.
- God can call people about whom little is known: Matthias is mentioned only in this account, yet he is fully counted among the apostles.
- The place left empty by Judas is filled without haste, relying on Scripture.
- The disciples wait for the promise of the Spirit in unity and persevering prayer.
Key verses
Jesus announces power through the Holy Spirit and the mission of his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. It is within this setting that the group of the twelve is restored.
Peter defines the role of the twelfth apostle: a companion of Jesus from John's baptism until his ascension, joined with the others as a witness of the resurrection. These verses explain the reason for this election.
The church prays and casts lots, and the lot falls to Matthias, who is counted with the eleven apostles. The account stresses dependence on the Lord who knows the heart, in an act that takes place before the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Bible verses to meditate on
Frequently asked questions
Who was Matthias in the Bible?
Matthias is the man who replaced Judas among the twelve apostles. He had accompanied Jesus from John's baptism until the ascension. The disciples prayed, cast lots, and the lot fell to him. He was then counted with the eleven apostles as a witness of the resurrection.
What does the name Matthias mean?
Matthias is generally linked to Mattithiah, a Hebrew name suggesting the gift of the Lord. This is a common connection, but the Bible does not explain the name. It also gives no information about his family or his place of origin.
Where can I find the story of Matthias in the Bible?
It is found in the book of Acts, chapter 1, verses 15 to 26. Verses 21 to 23 give the criteria for the choice, and verses 24 to 26 tell of the prayer and the casting of lots. Matthias does not appear elsewhere by name in the Bible.
Why did Judas need to be replaced?
Peter relies on Scripture. He cites the Psalms: “Let another take his office” (Acts 1:20). Judas had received his portion in the same ministry as the other apostles, and he fell away from that apostleship to go to his own place (Acts 1:17, 25). The place left empty is therefore understood as an office to be filled. The text does not develop the reasoning further. It shows that the disciples act in the light of the word of God, before deciding and without haste.
Why did the disciples draw lots?
The text says only that after praying they drew lots, and the lot fell on Matthias (Acts 1:26). The means is used after a prayer that entrusts the choice to the Lord: “show which one of these two you have chosen”. We do not find this procedure again in the book of Acts to appoint leaders. We should therefore not turn it into a rule without foundation, but retain the attitude: praying first, then depending on the Lord who knows every heart, before Pentecost has even come.
Who was the other candidate, Joseph Barsabbas?
Acts 1:23 names him Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus. This is the only place where he appears under this name. The text says nothing else about him. It specifies only that he met, with Matthias, the conditions set by Peter. We should not attribute other traits to him: the Bible gives us only these names, which show that two men had accompanied Jesus from the baptism of John to his being taken up, and that the final choice is left to the Lord.
What do we know about Matthias after Acts 1?
The Bible no longer mentions him by name. We can simply note that Acts afterward speaks of the twelve, for example in Acts 6:2, when the twelve summon the multitude of the disciples. Everything beyond what the text says, such as the place of his ministry or the manner of his death, belongs to late traditions that the Bible does not confirm. The essential point is that he was counted with the apostles as a witness of the resurrection, which the Bible clearly affirms.
What does it mean to be a witness of the resurrection?
In Peter's speech, a witness is someone who accompanied the apostles all the time that Jesus lived among them, from the baptism of John to the Lord's being taken up (Acts 1:21-22). He can therefore affirm what he saw and heard, including Jesus alive after his suffering. This function matches the promise of Jesus in Acts 1:8, that his followers would be his witnesses. The role rests on lived facts, not on mere ideas. That is why Peter insists on a continuous presence beside Jesus.