The Full Number

Between the Ascension and the outpouring of the Spirit, the Apostles prayed and appointed Matthias to complete their number - Acts 1:12-26. The eleven Apostles returned to Jerusalem after Christ’s Ascension. Between their return and the Day of Pentecost, they appointed Matthias to the apostolic office held by Judas Iscariot. They needed twelve representatives to demonstrate continuity with the People of Yahweh, and along with the “120 men and women” assembled for prayer, the entire covenant community was present to receive the Holy Spirit.

[Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash]

The work that Jesus “began to do” was in fulfillment of the redemptive promises of God recorded in the Hebrew Bible. The Gospel of Luke inserted this next story into the account of the Church’s receipt of the Holy Spirit to contrast the period before the outpouring of the Spirit with all that occurred afterward, but also to show continuity between the story of Israel, and the community of believers established by Jesus.

• (Acts 1:1, 1:12-14) – “The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach until the day in which he was received up… Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is nigh unto Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey off. And when they arrived, they went up into the upper chamber, where they were abiding, both Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. These all with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.”

The passage confirms that Jesus ascended to Heaven from the Mount of Olives. This observation stresses the nearness of these events to Jerusalem, the designated place where the long-awaited redemption of Israel and the Gentile nations would commence.

The age of the Spirit began in the City of Jerusalem. From there, the Gospel would spread to the far corners of the Roman Empire. All this was in fulfillment of Scripture and occurred under the guidance and empowerment of the Spirit.

During the ten days between the Ascension and Pentecost, the newly formed community remained incomplete without the Gift of the Spirit and the complete company of the Apostles. It was not yet equipped to carry out its mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God to the “ends of the Earth.”

ALL THE APOSTLES

• (Acts 1:15-17, 20-26) – “And in these days Peter stood up among the brethren and said (and there was a multitude of persons gathered together, about a hundred and twenty): ‘Brethren, it was needful that the Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered among us and received his portion in this ministry…’ And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed, and said: ‘O, Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, show of these two the one whom you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.’ And they gave lots for them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”

This passage highlights the differences between the period following Christ’s Ascension and life after the outpouring of the Spirit. The story does not disparage what the Apostles did or the former era when Israel was under the Law. It demonstrates how much more glorious the age of the Spirit was and remains.

The Apostles used the tradition of “lots” to discern God’s will. After the receipt of the Spirit, they would be led by the Spirit in appointing ministers and deciding other matters of church policy. However, the apostolic company must be whole before the outpouring of the Spirit on the Body of Christ - (Leviticus 16:7-10, Acts 6:1-6).

The Apostles needed to add a twelfth member so the Church would have the full complement of “eyewitnesses” to Christ’s resurrection. The Church of Jesus Christ was in continuity with Ancient Israel and its Twelve Tribes, but it would also be distinct from it, especially in the possession of the Spirit, its witness to Jesus, and the proclamation of his “Good News.”

Not just anyone could be appointed to the Apostolic office. Only men who had “accompanied with us all the time… from the baptism of John until the day that Jesus was received up from us, of these must one become a witness with us of his resurrection” – (Acts 1:21-22).

Not only must the number of Apostles be complete, but each one must be an eyewitness to all that Jesus did, especially his resurrection. The importance of eyewitness testimony to the Death and Resurrection of Jesus is stressed elsewhere in the New Testament (“This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we all are witnesses” - Acts 2:32). For example:

• “For I delivered to you first of all that which also I received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried; and that he has been raised on the third day according to the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James; then to all the Apostles. Last of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared to me also” – (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).

When the Apostles selected Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot, they did not yet possess the Gift of the Spirit, and therefore, they resorted to “lots.” They prayed in earnest for God to show them His choice, and they certainly believed He had done so. The use of “lots” does not suggest their choice of Matthias was without Divine approval - (“You, Lord, show of these two men the one whom You have chosen”).

Nothing is said here regarding whether the group of Apostles could ever number more than twelve. The point is on the need for the whole company of Apostles corresponding to the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and on the necessity of having men who had witnessed Christ’s baptism, ministry, death, and resurrection.

Paul distinguished between James, the brother of Jesus, and the apostles (“Then he appeared to James, and then to all the Apostles”). Likewise, Luke’s account does not include James among the Twelve Apostles. Whether James became a recognized apostle in later years, he was not one of the Twelve – (Acts 1:14 – “These all with one accord continued in prayer with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers”).

Paul certainly identified himself as an apostle,  but he treated his appointment as exceptional (“Last of all, he appeared even to me as if to an unseasonable birth”). It would be a mistake to assume from his later appointment to the apostleship alone that other men could also become apostles.

The term “unseasonable birth” represents the Greek clause ‘ektrômati hôphthé’, referring to an untimely and unexpected birth as in a miscarriage. He was chosen as the “Apostle to the Gentiles” when Jesus appeared to him on the Road to Damascus. Thus, like the other apostles, Paul was an eyewitness of the risen Jesus - (Acts 9:3-5).

Furthermore, the Book of Acts opens by stating that Jesus gave commandments to the “apostles whom he chose,” referring in the first place to his instructions for the apostles to wait in Jerusalem until they received the Spirit (Acts 1:2). One must be “chosen,” selected and appointed by Jesus. to become an apostle, and Paul certainly qualified for this. As Jesus told Ananias regarding Saul of Tarsus:

• “Go your way, for he is a chosen vessel for me” – (Acts 9:15).

• “Paul, called to be an apostle, separated for the gospel of God” - (Galatians 1:1).

• “Paul, an apostle, not from men, neither through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead” - (Galatians 1:1).

• “Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?” – (1 Corinthians 9:1).

The reconstitution of the Twelve Apostles in the first chapter of Acts is related directly to the description of “about 120 men and women” gathered in prayer. The number is a multiple of twelve, the number of the Tribes of Israel, and this is not coincidental.

Thus, the entire covenant community, including all twelve of Christ’s chosen Apostles, was assembled in prayer and worship “in one accord” waiting to receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit.

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SEE ALSO:

• My Witnesses - (The Gift of the Spirit equips the Assembly to bear witness to Jesus, especially concerning his Resurrection from the dead)

• Wait in Jerusalem - (Jesus commanded his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received the Spirit, empowering them to be his witnesses on the earth- Acts 1:1-11)

• Spirit and Mission - (Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to his people, empowering them to proclaim the Good News of his Kingdom to the Nations of the Earth)

• Les Douze Apôtres - (Entre l'Ascension et l'effusion de l'Esprit, les apôtres prièrent et désignèrent Matthias pour compléter leur nombre - Actes 1:12-26)