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Easter · Seventh Sunday of Easter · Year B

Acts 1:12-26

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

Saint Matthias, Georges de La Tour
Saint Matthias, Georges de La Tour, c. 1625–30Musée Toulouse-Lautrec, Albi
The apostle Matthias, an old man in a heavy brown cloak, peers closely at a book through his spectacles.And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.Georges de La TourA painter of Lorraine, forgotten for two centuries, who painted a set of the apostles as plain working men; this is one of the Albi series.Musée Toulouse-Lautrec, AlbiThe Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi, in the old palace of the bishops.Musée Toulouse-Lautrec, Albi

Overview & Insights

“And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias.” (Acts 1:26)

The period between the ascension and Pentecost was one of waiting, but not of inactivity. Chiefly, for the disciples, it was a time of prayer, but it also saw them finding a replacement for Judas. In this connection, we have the first speech in Acts. Like most of the speeches in this book, it is probably only a summary of what Peter said. Nevertheless, behind Luke’s report we can still catch the original tones of the apostle.

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Why is Matthias chosen?

To restore the Twelve after Judas's fall, the believers put forward two who had followed Jesus from the beginning and, after prayer, cast lots; Matthias is numbered with the apostles as a witness to the resurrection.

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