Second-String Disciples

       The focus upon discipleship and the lives of the disciples continues with a discussion of the selection of the person who will fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judas. While Judas’ betrayal of Jesus is one of the widely known Biblical accounts, little is known about the identities and/or the selection process of the disciples considered to replace Judas. It is difficult to avoid mentioning the name of the one who betrayed Jesus and it is difficult to avoid the association of subsequent disciples with the acts of Judas.

     In the first chapter of the book of Acts, Luke describes one of the first tasks of the disciples following the ascension of Jesus—someone has to be selected to complete the list of the twelve apostles. Peter argues that anyone considered for the role of the twelfth disciple has to not only have witnessed the resurrected Jesus, the person has to have been among the 70 original disciples chosen by Jesus shortly after His baptism by John the Baptist.  The twelfth disciple has to be someone who has truly “gone the distance” with Christ—witnessing the miracles, experiencing the rejection, confronting the confusion, pondering the parables, observing the empty tomb and trembling in the upper room.  Interestingly, not even Jesus’ brother, James, met Peter’s qualifications because James did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah until after the resurrection (Mark 3:21; John 7:5; 1 Corinthians 15:7).   Only two individuals meet Peter’s requirements as the potential “replacement disciple”—Matthias and Barsabbas.

    Very little is known about Matthias or Barsabbas. The 120 believers who have gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem conclude that only the Lord can determine which of these two men should be selected and they cast lots to determine the will of God.  Ironically, Barsabbas is an Aramaic name which means “son of God’s will” or “son of the sabbath.” However, Matthias is the one who is ultimately selected to replace Judas.  Matthias is not mentioned again in the Bible other than the first chapter of Acts.  Extra-canonical sources indicate somewhat conflicting information. Some sources note that Matthias preached in Cappadocia and near the Caspian Sea.  Other sources note that Matthias preached in Ethiopia, Judea and “the city of cannibals.” Regarding his death, some sources indicate that he died at Sebastopalis and other sources indicate that he was stoned in Jerusalem and beheaded. Yet another source indicated that Matthias died of old age in Jerusalem.  

      As a venerated saint, Matthias is often designated as the patron saint of alcoholics because of his emphasis on the need to mortify the desires of the flesh in order to experience the peace and joy of the Spirit. He preached that the Holy Spirit would empower people to exercise self-control over their unhealthy physical desires so that they can experience good health in their body and soul.

    The name Matthias means “gift of God.” Clement of Alexandria noted the unique quality of Matthias to prove himself worthy of being selected to be an apostle because of his willingness to withstand the physical abuse and false accusations as a Christian. While Matthias was not included in the initial group of twelve, he demonstrated his patience and unwavering commitment to discipleship.  

     The name Matthias appears to be relatively rare. I’ve only known one person named Matthias—a young man that I met while in college.  It never occurred to me to ask the origin of his name and I never suspected that it had a Biblical connection.  As a name meaning “gift of God” or a name associated with the twelve apostles, it could be easily assumed that this name would be especially popular among Christians. As a name associated with someone who didn’t make “the first team,” it could be the source of encouragement for those who deal with rejection, even rejection within religious spheres.  Part of Matthias’ witness could simply be a message of character and perseverance.  

     As we continue to learn more about the disciples and as we consider our mission to invite others to become disciples of Jesus, which disciples seem to resonate with your journey?  Living as a disciple requires walking with Jesus and with other disciples. Who are the visible disciples with whom you are walking?

      We’ll look forward to seeing you in worship Sunday morning; we’ll look forward to seeing you in the small groups; and we’ll look forward to seeing you engaging in the ministries of the church.

In Christ, 
Jon McCoy