St Matthias the Apostle (Feb 24)

The Lot Fell on Matthias

Isa. 22:15-25; Ps. 15; Acts 1:15-26; John 15:9-17

‘[Jesus said], “You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”’ John 15:16-17

A humble novitiate

Judas’ defection left a gap in the Twelve, which after Jesus’ ascension the disciples sought to fill. The criteria for selection were that each candidate must have served a ‘novitiate’ of having been in the wider mission team of Jesus since its inception, and had seen him since his resurrection. Matthias and Joseph Barsabbas were eligible – and the lot fell on Matthias (Acts 1:26). This is practically all we know of Matthias, apart from a tradition that he suffered martyrdom by an axe on the shores of the Caspian Sea, and a reference to him by Clement of Alexandria:

He, then, who has first moderated his passions and trained himself for impossibility, and developed to the beneficence of gnostic perfection, is here equal to the angels. Luminous already, and like the sun shining in the exercise of beneficence, he speeds by righteous knowledge through the love of God to the sacred abode, like as the apostles. Not that they became apostles through being chosen for some distinguished peculiarity of nature, since also Judas was chosen along with them. But they were capable of becoming apostles on being chosen by him who foresees even ultimate issues. Matthias, accordingly, who was not chosen along with them, on showing himself worthy of becoming an apostle, is substituted for Judas.
Clement, Stromateis, VI.105.1

Still God’s choice

Why, one may ask, was it so important to bring the number of apostles back up to twelve? Presumably so that they could in glory sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30). And, mindful of Jesus’ caution: ‘You did not choose me, but I chose you’, the matter was decided by lot, so that it could be said that God still made the choice.

God is still exercising his right to choose: not only on the question of who will follow him, but of how he will guide us on to glory; the individual talents he gives us; the unique opportunities he brings knocking on our door; our friends and colleagues; our joys, and our times of testing. All these are not of our choosing, however at times we may try to persuade ourselves (and others) that we are the masters of our destiny.

In the casting of those lots, one man would be chosen, and one would not. We may reverently pray today for Joseph Barsabbas, as well as for Matthias – Joseph, who equally faithfully had been a part of Jesus’ ministry and had seen the resurrected Christ. His mission would continue, please God, even though the lot had not fallen his way.

Suggested hymns

Breathe on me, breath of God; Come and see the shining hope; Strengthen for service, Lord, the hands; Thy way, not mine, O Lord.