Acts Part 07
The replacement for Judas needed to meet two requirements. First, the person had to have accompanied the apostles throughout Christ’s ministry, beginning with the baptism of John and continuing until Christ was taken up into heaven. Second, the person had to be able to serve as a witness of Christ’s resurrection.
During the days between Christ’s ascension and Pentecost, Peter stood among the disciples and addressed the need to replace Judas Iscariot in Acts 1:15. There were about 120 disciples gathered. Peter had become a natural leader among them, having witnessed important events during Christ’s ministry, including the Transfiguration with James and John. Jesus had also given Peter responsibility to feed and tend His sheep, as recorded at the end of John’s Gospel.
Luke 10:1-7 records that Jesus had previously sent seventy others out in pairs to preach ahead of Him. He had sent them two by two. Now that there was a missing spot among the disciples, a replacement for Judas would be chosen according to specific requirements that Peter explained.
Peter stated that Scripture had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who had been numbered among the apostles and shared in their ministry but later betrayed Jesus by aiding those who arrested Him. Acts 1:18-19 describes Judas’s death and the field associated with the wages of his betrayal, which became known as Akel Dama, meaning the Field of Blood.
Peter then quoted from the Book of Psalms:
“Let his dwelling place be desolate and let no one live in it”; and “Let another take his office.”
These passages come from Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8. Through prayer and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter applied these Scriptures to the events surrounding Judas and the need for someone else to take his place.
Judas had been one of the twelve disciples, yet he could not provide legitimate testimony against Jesus. Matthew 26:59-61 records that the chief priests, elders, and council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they could not find valid testimony, even with numerous witnesses. This must have been perplexing to the religious leaders, especially since Judas had been one of Jesus’ closest followers.
Matthew 27:3-9 records that Judas later became remorseful and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, declaring, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” The chief priests refused to take responsibility for his actions, and Judas threw the silver into the temple before departing and hanging himself. The chief priests then used the money to purchase a potter’s field for burying strangers, which became known as the Field of Blood, as mentioned above.
Peter’s statement that Judas had “obtained a part in this ministry” is also significant. We see a contrast in Acts 8:20-21, when Peter rebuked Simon Magus for thinking he could purchase the gift of God with money. Peter told him,
“You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.”
A place in God’s work was not something that could be bought with money.
In verse 21, Peter explained that the replacement for Judas needed to meet two requirements. First, the person had to have accompanied the apostles throughout Christ’s ministry, beginning with the baptism of John and continuing until Christ was taken up into heaven. Second, the person had to be able to serve as a witness of Christ’s resurrection.
Two men were proposed who met these requirements: Joseph called Barsabas, who was also surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
The disciples prayed, asking the Lord, who knows the hearts of all, to show which of the two He had chosen to take part in the ministry and apostleship from which Judas had fallen. They then cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias. He was numbered with the eleven apostles, restoring the number to twelve.
Proverbs 16:33 states,
“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”
Proverbs 18:18 also says,
“Casting lots causes contentions to cease, and keeps the mighty apart.”
The disciples trusted God to direct the outcome as they selected Judas’s replacement.
With Matthias chosen, chapter one concludes with the apostles restored to twelve. Acts 2 then moves into the fulfillment of the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was given, and Peter delivered his first Holy Day sermon.
Acts of the Apostles is a course taught at ABC by Mr. Darris McNeely. Recordings from the 2022–2023 class year are available on the ABC website.
UYA Team | uya@ucg.org
United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.
