Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.
drew lots - "Two names were written on stones and placed in an urn. The one that fell out first was taken to be the Lord's choice (cf. Prov 16:33; Jonah 1:7). The occasion was unique, for the Lord was not there in person to appoint and the Spirit had not been given in the special way of Pentecost." (Ryrie)
"We do not know the mode of their procedure. Possibly, each person present wrote the name of one of the candidates on a small tablet, after which the tablets were placed in a vessel and shaken till one of them fell out, deciding the election. The casting of lots was permissible under the Mosaic law (Lev 16:8; Num 26:55; Prov 16:33); but this is the sole instance of its being employed by the apostolic Church, and it has often been pointed out that it occurs significantly between the ascension and Pentecost, while the disciples were in an orphaned condition. We never find the lot employed in later Scripture. The practice of using lots and lotteries for money purposes finds no support in the New Testament, and is to be strongly deprecated in every way." (T Walker)
See also: http://tis-justme.blogspot.com/2009/07/divine-communication-casting-lots.html
"The question arises at once about the legitimacy of Peter's action. Was it right to act in this way? Was he authorized to address the assembled company and propose the addition of another apostle in the place of Judas? Or was his action another evidence of his impulsiveness, wholly wrong? We are aware that some good brethren, teachers of the Bible, declare that Peter made a mistake. They tell us that this action was not according to the mind of the Lord. They assert furthermore, that not Matthias, but Paul, should have been the Apostle in the place of Judas.
"We do not agree at all with their teaching. Peter and the gathered company did not make a mistake. He acted by inspiration and what they did was not only according to the mind of the risen Christ, according to the Word of God, but it was a manifestation of Christ in their midst. It was the Lord who added Matthias to the twelve. To say that Paul was meant to be the twelfth apostle is a great blunder. Paul's apostleship is entirely different from that of the men, who were called to this office by our Lord, in connection with His earthly ministry. Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles and received from the risen and glorified Christ the double ministry, that of the Gospel, which he called 'my Gospel' and the ministry of the church. Not till Israel's failure had been fully demonstrated in the stoning of Stephen, was Saul of Tarsus called to his apostleship. Furthermore twelve apostles were necessary. Twelve is the number denoting earthly government. Inasmuch as there was to be given another witness to Jerusalem after the ascension of our Lord, a national witness, a second offer of the Kingdom (Acts 3:19, 20) twelve apostles were necessary as a body of witnesses to the nation. If only eleven apostles had stood up on the day of Pentecost, it would not have been in harmony with the divine plan and order. How strange it would have sounded if the record said 'but Peter standing up with the ten' instead of 'with the eleven' (Chapter 2:14). Twelve had to stand up on Pentecost to bear witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, therefore another one had to be added before that day. Besides this, there is positive proof that the Holy Spirit endorsed the action of the disciples in the upper room. In 1 Corinthians 15:5 the Holy Spirit mentions the twelve, who saw the Lord, to whom He appeared. Paul then is mentioned apart from the twelve; he saw the Lord in glory as one born out of due season (Verse 8).
"A closer examination of the record of their action shows that the Lord guided them in this matter. Peter begins by quoting scripture. He does it in a way which clearly proves that he was guided by the Lord. 'The Scriptures should be fulfilled' is what Peter said. How different from the Peter in Matthew 16 when he took the Lord aside and said after he had announced His coming death, 'far be it from Thee.' He had then no knowledge of the Scriptures. Repeatedly it is said that they knew not the Scriptures and that their eyes were holden. Here, however, he begins with the Scriptures. Surely this was the right starting point, and thus ordered by the Lord. He quotes from the Psalms. Part of Psalm 70:25 and Psalm 109:8 are given by him as the foundation of the purposed action. These Psalms are prophetic of the events, which had taken place. The Lord Himself had opened his understanding as well as that of the other disciples. In Luke 24 we read that He spoke of what was written in the law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms. 'Then He opened their understanding to understand the Scripture (Luke 24:46). It was a gift of the risen Lord and here Peter guided by the Spirit of God uses the prophetic Word. All the company is one with Him in the undertaking. It must be done. The Lord moved them in this matter.
"Here [Acts 1:21-22] defines the qualification of an apostle. He must be a witness of the resurrection of Christ as well as of what He said and did in His earthly ministry.
"[Acts 1:23-26] How simple it all is! How can anyone say that they erred in this action! Two are selected. Then they prayed; no doubt Peter led in audible prayer. And the prayer is a model of directness and simplicity. They address the Lord and believe that He had made a choice already. What they pray for is that the one chosen by Him may now be made known by Himself. The lot was perfectly legitimate for them to use. The Scriptures speak of it. 'The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord' (Prov 16:33). As they were still on Old Testament ground, it was perfectly right for them to resort to the lot. It, however, would be wrong for us to do it now. We have His complete Word, and the Holy Spirit to reveal His will. The Lord selects Matthias. His name means 'the gift of the Lord.' Thus the Lord gave him his place. The Apostolate complete, all was in readiness for the great day of Pentecost." (A Gaebelein)
See also: http://tis-justme.blogspot.com/2009/08/matthias-right-man-for-job.html
drew lots - "Two names were written on stones and placed in an urn. The one that fell out first was taken to be the Lord's choice (cf. Prov 16:33; Jonah 1:7). The occasion was unique, for the Lord was not there in person to appoint and the Spirit had not been given in the special way of Pentecost." (Ryrie)
"We do not know the mode of their procedure. Possibly, each person present wrote the name of one of the candidates on a small tablet, after which the tablets were placed in a vessel and shaken till one of them fell out, deciding the election. The casting of lots was permissible under the Mosaic law (Lev 16:8; Num 26:55; Prov 16:33); but this is the sole instance of its being employed by the apostolic Church, and it has often been pointed out that it occurs significantly between the ascension and Pentecost, while the disciples were in an orphaned condition. We never find the lot employed in later Scripture. The practice of using lots and lotteries for money purposes finds no support in the New Testament, and is to be strongly deprecated in every way." (T Walker)
See also: http://tis-justme.blogspot.com/2009/07/divine-communication-casting-lots.html
"The question arises at once about the legitimacy of Peter's action. Was it right to act in this way? Was he authorized to address the assembled company and propose the addition of another apostle in the place of Judas? Or was his action another evidence of his impulsiveness, wholly wrong? We are aware that some good brethren, teachers of the Bible, declare that Peter made a mistake. They tell us that this action was not according to the mind of the Lord. They assert furthermore, that not Matthias, but Paul, should have been the Apostle in the place of Judas.
"We do not agree at all with their teaching. Peter and the gathered company did not make a mistake. He acted by inspiration and what they did was not only according to the mind of the risen Christ, according to the Word of God, but it was a manifestation of Christ in their midst. It was the Lord who added Matthias to the twelve. To say that Paul was meant to be the twelfth apostle is a great blunder. Paul's apostleship is entirely different from that of the men, who were called to this office by our Lord, in connection with His earthly ministry. Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles and received from the risen and glorified Christ the double ministry, that of the Gospel, which he called 'my Gospel' and the ministry of the church. Not till Israel's failure had been fully demonstrated in the stoning of Stephen, was Saul of Tarsus called to his apostleship. Furthermore twelve apostles were necessary. Twelve is the number denoting earthly government. Inasmuch as there was to be given another witness to Jerusalem after the ascension of our Lord, a national witness, a second offer of the Kingdom (Acts 3:19, 20) twelve apostles were necessary as a body of witnesses to the nation. If only eleven apostles had stood up on the day of Pentecost, it would not have been in harmony with the divine plan and order. How strange it would have sounded if the record said 'but Peter standing up with the ten' instead of 'with the eleven' (Chapter 2:14). Twelve had to stand up on Pentecost to bear witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, therefore another one had to be added before that day. Besides this, there is positive proof that the Holy Spirit endorsed the action of the disciples in the upper room. In 1 Corinthians 15:5 the Holy Spirit mentions the twelve, who saw the Lord, to whom He appeared. Paul then is mentioned apart from the twelve; he saw the Lord in glory as one born out of due season (Verse 8).
"A closer examination of the record of their action shows that the Lord guided them in this matter. Peter begins by quoting scripture. He does it in a way which clearly proves that he was guided by the Lord. 'The Scriptures should be fulfilled' is what Peter said. How different from the Peter in Matthew 16 when he took the Lord aside and said after he had announced His coming death, 'far be it from Thee.' He had then no knowledge of the Scriptures. Repeatedly it is said that they knew not the Scriptures and that their eyes were holden. Here, however, he begins with the Scriptures. Surely this was the right starting point, and thus ordered by the Lord. He quotes from the Psalms. Part of Psalm 70:25 and Psalm 109:8 are given by him as the foundation of the purposed action. These Psalms are prophetic of the events, which had taken place. The Lord Himself had opened his understanding as well as that of the other disciples. In Luke 24 we read that He spoke of what was written in the law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms. 'Then He opened their understanding to understand the Scripture (Luke 24:46). It was a gift of the risen Lord and here Peter guided by the Spirit of God uses the prophetic Word. All the company is one with Him in the undertaking. It must be done. The Lord moved them in this matter.
"Here [Acts 1:21-22] defines the qualification of an apostle. He must be a witness of the resurrection of Christ as well as of what He said and did in His earthly ministry.
"[Acts 1:23-26] How simple it all is! How can anyone say that they erred in this action! Two are selected. Then they prayed; no doubt Peter led in audible prayer. And the prayer is a model of directness and simplicity. They address the Lord and believe that He had made a choice already. What they pray for is that the one chosen by Him may now be made known by Himself. The lot was perfectly legitimate for them to use. The Scriptures speak of it. 'The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord' (Prov 16:33). As they were still on Old Testament ground, it was perfectly right for them to resort to the lot. It, however, would be wrong for us to do it now. We have His complete Word, and the Holy Spirit to reveal His will. The Lord selects Matthias. His name means 'the gift of the Lord.' Thus the Lord gave him his place. The Apostolate complete, all was in readiness for the great day of Pentecost." (A Gaebelein)
See also: http://tis-justme.blogspot.com/2009/08/matthias-right-man-for-job.html
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