Saint Matthias
Apostle Matthias
Matthias (also known as Saint Matthias in the Catholic church) was chosen by the remaining eleven disciples to replace the betrayer, Judas Iscariot before Jesus’ resurrection. The scriptural recommendation was for twelve disciples and so Si Apostol Pedro declared that they must choose another disciple to take the place of Judas Iscariote.
Matthias was chosen as the twelfth Apostle since he was present with Jesus Christ during his time on Earth as well as through his crucifixion. While two men were chosen to take the twelfth place in the Apostles lots were drawn and Matthias was selected as the twelfth and final apostle.
Sino si Saint Matthias?
According to the biblical “Acts of Apostles 1:21; Acts of Apostles 1:22; Acts of Apostles 1:23; Acts of Apostles 1:24; Acts of Apostles 1:25; Acts of Apostles 1:26,” Saint Matthias was a disciple chosen by the apostles as a replacement for Judas Iscariot after the latter’s betrayal of Jesus Christ. It was important that the community endured even after the crucifixion to spread the Christian faith all around the world, and it was crucial that the number of apostles remained 12, as 12 was the number of tribes of Israel and a twelfth apostle was required for the coming of the new Israel.
Si Hesus mismo ang pumili ng orihinal na 12 mga apostol, at ang natitirang mga apostol ay pinili si Saint Matthias pagkatapos ng Pag-akyat. Nagpadala sila ng kanilang mga boto sa pamamagitan ng maraming at napiling Matthias.
There is no further information about him in the New Testament. It is believed that Matthias placed his faith in Jesus Christ above everything else and was present with the other apostles at Pentecost. He embraced all the teachings of Jesus and sacrificed his life for the service of the Lord, even after being persecuted by many.
He also worked many miracles in the name of the Lord Jesus, which converted many to the Christian faith. He is a patron of carpenters, tailors, and those who are affected by smallpox.
Bata at Maagang Buhay
Saint Matthias was born in the 1st century AD, at Judaea. In his early youth, he studied the Law of God under Saint Simeon. According to the acts, it is said that Matthias had accompanied the Lord from the time of his baptism and was among the 72 disciples paired off and dispatched by Jesus.
Ang Ebanghelyo ni Matias
Ang Ebanghelyo ni Matias ay isang nawalang teksto na inaangkin na isinulat ni Matthias. Ang maagang simbahan ay may magkahalong opinyon tungkol sa pagiging tunay nito, at alam lamang natin ito mula sa mga isinulat ng iba.
Clement of Alexandria quotes it while describing a heretical sect of Christianity known as the Nicolaitanes—whose teachings John the Revelator claims Jesus hated (Revelation 2:6)—telling us it says,
"Dapat nating labanan ang ating laman, huwag bigyan ito ng halaga, at huwag munang umako dito na maaaring magpalambing dito, ngunit higit na dagdagan ang paglaki ng ating kaluluwa sa pamamagitan ng pananampalataya at kaalaman".
Clement of Alexandria
Inangkin ni Eusebius na isinulat din ito ng mga erehe. Ngunit kung wala ang teksto mismo, imposibleng sabihin kung anong halaga ang maaaring mayroon ito.
Misyonero
As one of ang Labindalawa, Matthias was an apostle, which meant he was charged with preaching the gospel and helping it spread throughout the known world. The word we translate as an apostle (Apostolos) literally means “one who is sent,” and all of the apostles were sent somewhere. But where exactly Matthias went depends on which tradition you follow.
Ministry
Ayon sa tradisyon, pinaniniwalaan na, pagkatapos ng Paglapag ng Banal na Espiritu, si Matthias ay naglingkod at nangangaral ng Ebanghelyo sa Jerusalem at sa Judea kasama ang iba pang mga apostol.
Mula sa Jerusalem, nagpunta siya sa Syrian Antioch at naroroon sa lungsod ng Titanium at Sinope. Sa kanyang panahon dito, si Saint Matthias ay nabilanggo ngunit siya ay napalaya ng himala ngSi Saint Andrew ang Unang Tinawag. Pagkatapos nito, naglakbay siya sa lungsod ng Amasea, na nasa baybayin ng Dagat Caspian.
He accompanied Apostle Andrew during a three-year journey and was with him at Edessa and Sebaste. According to tradition, he preached at Pontine Ethiopia (presently known as Western Georgia) and Macedonia. He was constantly persecuted by the people there but kept preaching the Gospel to them.
Sa isang bersyon ng kwento, ang mga Pontine na taga-Ethiopia ay itinuturing na mga pagano at barbarian, at pinilit nilang uminom ng lason ang santo. Ngunit nanatili siyang hindi nasaktan dahil nasa kanya ang proteksyon ng Panginoon, at pinagaling pa niya ang iba pang mga bilanggo na nabulag ng lason.
Iniwan ni Saint Matthias ang bilangguan, at nagalit ito ng mga pagano na patuloy na naghahanap sa kanya nang walang kabuluhan. Nilayon nilang patayin ang santo, at ayon sa kwento, bumukas ang lupa at nilamon sila.
After this, he returned to Judaea and continued enlightening his countrymen about Christ’s teachings. He also told them how he was able to perform miracles in the name of the Lord Jesus and motivated many to have faith in Christ.
Nagalit ito ng Hataas na Saserdote ng mga Judio na si Ananias, na kinamumuhian si Cristo. Inutos na niya ang pagpatay kay Apostol James noong nakaraan at nagpasyang arestuhin si Matthias. Ang santo ay dinala para hatulan sa harap ng Sanedrin sa Jerusalem.
Sa panahon ng pagdinig, pinahiya ng High Priest Ananias ang Panginoon sa isang mapanirang salita. Ngunit si Matthias, na gumagamit ng mga propesiya ng Lumang Tipan, ay nagpaliwanag na si Jesucristo ay "ang Tunay na Diyos, ang ipinangakong Mesiyas, ang Anak ng Diyos, Consubstantial at Coeternal kasama ng Diyos Ama."
Pagninilay
Ano ang kabanalan ni Matthias? Malinaw na, siya ay angkop para sa pagka-apostol sa pamamagitan ng karanasan na makasama si Jesus mula sa kanyang bautismo hanggang sa pag-asenso. Dapat ay personal din siyang nababagay, o hindi siya hinirang para sa napakalaking responsibilidad.
Hindi ba natin dapat ipaalala sa ating sarili na ang pangunahing kabanalan ni Matthias ay ang kanyang pagtanggap ng masayang relasyon sa Ama na inalok sa kanya ni Jesus at nakumpleto ng Banal na Espiritu?
Kung ang mga apostol ay mga pundasyon ng ating pananampalataya sa pamamagitan ng kanilang pagsaksi, dapat din silang maging mga paalala, kung implicit lamang, na ang kabanalan ay ganap na usapin ng pagbibigay ng Diyos, at inaalok ito sa lahat, sa pang-araw-araw na pangyayari sa buhay. Tumatanggap tayo, at kahit para sa Diyos na ito ay nagbibigay ng kapangyarihan ng kalayaan.
Kamatayan at Legacy
Ayon kay Nicephorus, si Saint Matthias aybinato hanggang mamataysa Ethiopia (modernong-araw na Georgia). Ang isang umiiral na Coptic na "Mga Gawa nina Andrew at Matthias," ay nagpapatunay sa kuwentong ito. Ang isang marker na inilagay sa mga lugar ng pagkasira ng kuta ng Roman sa Gonia ay sinasabing ang santo ay inilibing sa lugar na iyon.
The Synopsis of Dorotheus also talks about a similar story. It claims that Matthias was preaching the Gospel in the sea harbor of Hyssus and at the mouth of the river Phasis. He died at Sebastopolis and was buried near the Temple of the Sun.
Sa ibang tradisyon, si Saint Matthias ay binato ng mga tao ng Jerusalem matapos niyang magalit si Ananias. Pagkamatay niya, pinugutan siya ng ulo ng mga Hudyo upang maitago ang kanilang krimen. Ang kanyang mga mamamatay-tao ay tatak sa kanya bilang isang kaaway ni Cesar. Ayon kay Hippolytus ng Roma, ang santo ay namatay sa katandaan sa Jerusalem.
It is said that Empress Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine I, brought the saint’s remains to Italy. Part of these relics was placed in the Abbey of Santa Giustina and the remaining in the Abbey of St. Matthias.
The Latin Church celebrates the feast of Saint Matthias on the 14th of May, and the Greek Church celebrates it on the 9th of August.
Key Takeaway
Matthias, whose name means “gift of God”, was the disciple chosen to replace Judas as one of the twelve Apostles. The Acts of the Apostles state that he was also one of the 72 disciples that the Lord Jesus sent out to preach the good news. Matthias was with the Lord since His Baptism, and was “a witness to Christ’s Resurrection,” according to St. Peter in Acts. He remained with Jesus until His Ascension.
Ayon sa iba`t ibang tradisyon, si Matthias ay nangaral sa Cappadocia, Jerusalem, sa baybayin ng Caspian Sea (sa modernong Turkey), at Ethiopia. Sinasabing natagpuan niya ang kanyang kamatayan sa pamamagitan ng paglansang sa krus sa Colchis o sa pagbato sa Jerusalem.
Mayroong ebidensya na binanggit sa ilan sa mga naunang ama ng Simbahan na mayroong isang Ebanghelyo ayon kay Matthias na nagpapalipat-lipat, ngunit mula noon ay nawala ito at idineklara ng apocryphal ni Papa Gelasius.
He is invoked for assistance against alcoholism, and support from recovered alcoholics.
Mga katangian
The remaining eleven disciples chose characteristics of Saint Matthias to replace the betrayer, Judas Iscariot, before Jesus’ resurrection. According to the characteristics of the 12 apostles, it was believed that these twelve witnesses would represent the twelve tribes of Israel. Thus, these followers of Christ gathered together to cast lots between two candidates: Joseph called Barsabas (Justus), and Matthias.
Misyonero
As one of the Twelve, Matthias was an apostle, which meant he was charged with preaching the gospel and helping it spread throughout the known world. The word we translate as Apostle (Apostolos) means “one who is sent,” and all of the apostles were sent somewhere. But where exactly Matthias went depends on which tradition you follow.
Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos was a fourteenth-century historian who built on the work of his predecessors and had access to important texts that no longer exist. He claimed Matthias preached in Judea, then Aethiopia (modern-day Georgia).
One of the Seventy
In the Gospel of Luke, we learn that Jesus appointed 70 disciples (or depending on the manuscript, 72) to spread the gospel in pairs of two; these believers were sent out to test the hospitality of the towns Jesus was heading to and gauge their receptiveness to the gospel.
They were given the authority to heal the sick and cast out demons (Luke 10:9, Luke 10:17), and they preached the gospel.
Interestingly, Luke is the only gospel writer to mention them, and he doesn’t tell us their names (that’d be about as thrilling to read as Matthew’s genealogy).
While that saves us from slogging through seventy (or seventy-two) names of people we’d likely never read about again, it also, unfortunately, prevents us from learning about these important early followers of Jesus. They were probably leaders in the first-century church.
Witness the Resurrection
The first qualification is laid out in verse 22:
‘He must become a witness with us of His resurrection.’
This is interesting phrasing as he would have witnessed the resurrection having been with Jesus from baptism to ascension.
I think the emphasis here is that he must be prepared to become united with them in their witness. Given that the atmosphere of the church was one of unity and prayer, the new person needed to commit to this and become a witness ‘with us.’ There was no space here for a different plan.
This was a group of people that would be witnessing the resurrection amidst opposition. The church would be staking its reputation on the resurrection of Jesus. This crucial doctrine was foundational teaching, and the new member of the Twelve needed to be prepared to witness this.
Purity of Heart
A shortlist of two men is drawn up. Both, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias are ideal candidates. The final decision is committed to God in prayer before lots are drawn. God is addressed as the One ‘who knows the hearts of all men’ or the ‘heart-knower, and He is asked to choose the man He wants.
Ultimately, this is both the most important characteristic of the new Apostle and the one most hidden from us. Who can know the real motives of a man’s heart? Only God. He alone knows our hidden and deep motives. The fact that Matthias is selected speaks volumes of his character.
So Matthias, a man of exemplary character and a persevering witness of the resurrection, is selected by lot and is ‘added to the eleven apostles. Exciting times are ahead for all the apostles as the church is birthed at Pentecost and established throughout the known world.
Perseverance
The last qualification is that he must be one of ‘the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us – beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us’. He must have been present throughout Jesus’ ministry.
This was a new movement and the people who were to ensure that the church got off the ground needed to be people who had seen the whole story unfold. They needed to have been part of what was going on when Jesus was conducting His earthly ministry. They needed to be people who could answer the cynics who questioned who Jesus was.
They needed to be people who could accurately report what Jesus had taught so that they could combat any dubious perversions of His teaching. They needed to be people who Jesus had commissioned to go out preaching the message of the kingdom and healing the sick.
This was an issue of credibility and was important since the new church was being established in an atmosphere of hostility. The individual who was chosen therefore needed to have proven that they had perseverance and not left Jesus when the teaching became difficult or when opposition from the authorities had come.
Mga Katangian ng Buod
Before 120 followers of Christ, Peter gave an account of the life, ministry, and death of Judas Iscariote. Because of the loss of Judas, a replacement was to fill the gap within the original twelve disciples. It was necessary to select one who had known them since the Lord’s baptism by John to the resurrection of the Son of Man.
“And they drew lots for them, and the lots fell to Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles”
Gawa 1:26
Many believe that Barsabbas and Matthias were among the seventy disciples who were sent out to proclaim the gospel (Luke 10:1). However, neither one has been mentioned again in Scripture, nor is there any account for their later ministries.
Read more about Saint Matthias in the Bible.
Resources Characteristics of Saint Matthias
https://www.exploringlifesmysteries.com/twelve-disciples/#thaddeus
https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/misc/apostles.cfm
https://overviewbible.com/matthias-the-apostle/
Konklusyon Saint Matthias
The Bible tells us almost nothing about Matthias. But what we do know is that he’d been following Jesus from the beginning despite not receiving a personal invitation, like the orihinal na mga miyembro ng Labindalawa. At kung si Matthias na isang apostol ay disenyo ng Diyos o kay Pedro, siya ay naging isang mahalagang pinuno sa unang siglong simbahan at gampanan ang isang mahalagang papel sa pagpapalaganap ng ebanghelyo sa buong mundo.
Kayamanan
https://overviewbible.com/matthias-the-apostle/
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/saint-matthias-37245.php
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-matthias