The 13th Apostle
Who was the 13th Apostle?
It is a little tricky question but Matthias was the 13th Apostle although some say that Paul was the 13th Apostle.
According to Jesus, a man who testifies himself should not be believed:
“He who talks of himself wants his glory, but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is genuine, and no unrighteousness is in him.” (John 7:18)
With Judas having betrayed Christ and subsequently committed suicide, the 11 surviving apostles resolved to choose an apostle to replace Judas (Acts 1:16; Acts 1:17; Acts 1:18; Acts 1:19; Acts 1:20).
At what point in time did Jesus “turn” the disciples turn into apostles? At what point in time became the pupil the messenger?
Was Judas an apostle? According to Luke 6:12; Luke 6:13; Luke 6:14; Luke 6:15; Luke 6:16 Judas was an apostle.
When Saint Peter decided to choose a new apostle to replace Judas, the contenders were José, also known as Barsabas and Matas.
After praying to the Holy Spirit for insight, they cast lots, and it was Matas’ turn. As a result, he was linked to the eleven apostles.
The prerequisites were that the individual had been with them during Jesus’ mission and had seen the resurrection and ascension (Acts 1:21; Acts 1:22).
What about Matthias, the least-mentioned Apostle in the New Testament?
After this remarkable meeting, where did his life take him?
Matthias or Paul
The manner the apostles made their choice in Acts 1 is neither condoned nor condemned in the New Testament. Casting lots was a biblically permitted way of decision-making (Proverbs 16:33).
While Matthias is never referenced again in the New Testament, the majority of the other 11 apostles are. Matthias, like the other apostles, except for John, died as a martyr for Christ, according to church history.
Yes, Paul was more prominent than Matthias, but Paul was more prominent than all except Peter and John of the 12 apostles.
Furthermore, Paul would not have met the qualifications established by the apostles (Acts 1:21; Acts 2:22).
As a result, there is no compelling scriptural argument for the 11 apostles’ choice of Matthias being invalid.
Furthermore, God is supreme. Matthias would not have been selected if it had not been His sovereign desire for him to be chosen. It may be argued that, whereas Matthias was selected by God’s sovereign will (what He decreed), the apostles were chosen by God’s perfect will (what He wanted).
However, this is sheer guesswork, since the Bible nowhere opposes Matthias being picked as the 13th apostle.
Matthew was the 13th apostle even though Judas committed suicide.
Apostle Matthias Childhood
Matthias was born in the early first century AD during Caesar Augustus’ reign. His birth, with the moniker “Gift of God,” must have been a wonderful occasion for his family.
After the new emperor, Tiberius had been in government for fifteen years, a prophet arrived preaching about departing from worldly ways to serve God while he was a young man.
The prophet resembled the legends of the prophet Elijah.
When Matthias arrived to listen, John the Baptist had pointed to a local man named Jesus. As a result, he joined the mob in search of the new rabbi from Nazareth. After that, nothing was the same.
Life as a Disciple
Being a follower of a well-known rabbi included learning not just from his teachings, but also from his way of living.
Matthias was moved by the Master’s message and compassion for people seeking recovery.
When the message became divisive, many of the audience dispersed, returning to their towns, but Matthias stayed with him, admitting that no other teacher had a better grip on the truth than the Nazarene.
As “the Twelve” had time alone with the Master, he may have gone home to see his family at times, but he was dedicated to the Master wherever he led.
One of the most difficult times in his life occurred a little over three years after he first encountered Jesus.
The Master had enraged the Jewish authorities by proclaiming himself to be the “Son of God” and breaking Sabbath labor laws.
As a result of this, Jesus was caught and killed as a heretic and seditionist. Matthias, along with the majority of the disciples, fled from the Jews, terrified that the Master’s followers would be the next to be slain.
However, news from the eleven reached the others on the first day of the week after the execution. Jesus had resurrected, precisely as he had predicted.
For the next forty days, he joined the tiny throng of roughly 120 people assembled to listen to the Master once again.
The lectures in the Judean hills were jam-packed with wise words as three years of research were summarized in six weeks.
After forty days, Jesus instructed them to travel throughout the world, far beyond Judea, and tell people about what God had done and was still doing.
Then Jesus urged them to stay in Jerusalem for 10 days to receive a unique anointing.
While little is known about Matthias, certainly, he was there for all of Jesus’ career, from his baptism through the Resurrection and Ascension.
Matthias was an eyewitness to these occurrences, which would later qualify him for candidacy as an Apostle.
Appointed as an Apostle
While they waited for the Feast of Weeks, Simon Peter approached the core group with an offer.
The Chief Apostle was worried about the odd number of Apostles. There needed to be twelve specific leaders since Jesus had prophesied that the Kingdom to come would have “twelve thrones.”
Peter spoke about how long ago David predicted the one who would become Judas. He reminded them of a passage in the Book of Psalms that they would need to replace.
Matthias was proposed for the job, along with Joseph Justus, nicknamed Barsabbas.
He recalled how this other guy, well-known for his family (he was the son of Tsabas), had abandoned everything to follow Jesus.
They had both joined the disciples about the same time. These two individuals were equally competent among over a hundred disciples.
It all came down to a secret ballot known as the “lot” (Aramaic: Purim).
Everyone voting had a black and a white stone, similar to the Urim and Thummim used by the high priest to determine God’s will.
Each applicant was given a color, and after praying, they each placed one of their stones in the box.
Then, with the light-to-dark ratio undetermined, someone reached inside the box and brought out a single stone.
Matthias and Barsabas, maybe expecting that the other man would be selected, held their breath as the chosen mediator between God and man and were utilized to reveal God’s decision.
The stone portraying Matthias was extracted and shown to the gathering, and that was how Apostle Matthias became the 13th Apostle.