Explain Acts 1:20

[James224]

Yes the office was to be filled, but what office? The office of bishop or the office of Apostle? Is there such an office as Apostle? I think you hit on something when you said that “‘habitation’ means the home of Judas” But I need to do some more research first.

It’s both. Acts 1:20 mentions the “Bishphoric” then in verses 23-26 is says Matthias was picked to replace Judas and says he was an “Apostle” (v26). 1 Cor 12:28 says, “And God indeed hath set some in the church; first apostles, secondly prophets…” Now, we don’t have any more apostles after those in scripture (14 in all) but we have bishops as successors. In the early church, no one refers to themselves as an apostle, at least not in the same way as those in scripture. An apostle was a bishop and priest too.

 

[inkaneer]

It’s both. Acts 1:20 mentions the “Bishphoric” then in verses 23-26 is says Matthias was picked to replace Judas and says he was an “Apostle” (v26). 1 Cor 12:28 says, “And God indeed hath set some in the church; first apostles, secondly prophets…” Now, we don’t have any more apostles after those in scripture (14 in all) but we have bishops as successors. In the early church, no one refers to themselves as an apostle, at least not in the same way as those in scripture. An apostle was a bishop and priest too.

Verse 26 in Acts 1 does not say Matthias was an apostle. It says he was numbered or counted with the eleven Apostles. There were eleven Apostles before Matthias was selected so why does verse 26 say there are still eleven apostles after he was selected? Should not verse 26 say he was counted with the twelve Apostles? Matthias takes over Judas’ office of bishop; that is the fulfillment of the second part of Peter’s OT quote in Acts 1:20. But I got a feeling that the first part of that verse [Acts 1:20] refers to Judas’ Apostleship being desolate.

 

[James224]

Verse 26 in Acts 1 does not say Matthias was an apostle. It says he was numbered or counted with the eleven Apostles. There were eleven Apostles before Matthias was selected so why does verse 26 say there are still eleven apostles after he was selected? Should not verse 26 say he was counted with the twelve Apostles? Matthias takes over Judas’ office of bishop; that is the fulfillment of the second part of Peter’s OT quote in Acts 1:20. But I got a feeling that the first part of that verse [Acts 1:20] refers to Judas’ Apostleship being desolate.

It’s just the way it’s worded. I never questioned the way it’s worded until you did so I thank you for it. You made me study! lol Verse 26 says, “And they gave them lot, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered **with **the eleven apostles.” It says “With” the eleven which means, including Matthias, makes 12. Acts 1:20 does
mean Judas’ office and that’s why in the next few verses they replace him (or fill Judas’ Office) with Matthias. That’s the context as I see it.

 

[inkaneer]

It’s just the way it’s worded. I never questioned the way it’s worded until you did so I thank you for it. You made me study! lol Verse 26 says, “And they gave them lot, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered **with **the eleven apostles.” It says “With” the eleven which means, including Matthias, makes 12. Acts 1:20 does
mean Judas’ office and that’s why in the next few verses they replace him (or fill Judas’ Office) with Matthias. That’s the context as I see it.

That is the way I understood verse 26 originally also until I saw that Peter says the same thing of Judas in verse 17. Then I realized that being numbered with something does not mean being the thing you are numbered with. It’s like saying you are with us but you are not one of us. Take Judas for example. In verse 17 Peter says he was numbered with the apostles but is he the same as the other apostles? Note that Judas left the Last Supper and was not present to receive the authority to consecrate the Eucharist. Note also that Judas was dead before Jesus gave the authority to the Apostles to forgive sins. Obviously Judas’ apostleship lacks the full authority of the other eleven. Can Matthias, as Judas’ successor, receive what Judas did not possess?