A Tale of Two Disciples - Acts 1:12-26

© February 16th, 2025 by Rev. Rick Goettsche SERIES: Acts

Charles Dickens’ classic novel A Tale of Two Cities begins with the famous words, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” The story reflects the difference between Paris and London during the French Revolution. Today we get to compare the stories of two disciples, one whom you may not have heard of before, and the other whom you likely have. Acts gives us a bit of background on Judas, the man who betrayed Jesus, and it also introduces us to the man chosen to replace him, Matthias. As we meet these two characters, however, we also gain insight into how the first believers handled adversity and uncertainty. There is much for us to learn from their examples.

The last two weeks we’ve looked at the events of Jesus’ time on earth between His resurrection and His ascension to heaven. We know that Jesus was on the earth for 40 days after His resurrection, and that the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples on the day of Pentecost, which was 50 days after Passover. Today’s passage is the only scripture that gives us insight into what the disciples did during that 10-day period.

Meeting Together

As you might imagine, the disciples were surely at a loss for what they should do next. Jesus had just left them, and before He did, He had said they would be His witnesses to the entire world. But He had also told them they shouldn’t leave Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, Jesus didn’t give them a timeframe for the coming of the Spirit! So they were kind of in limbo, not entirely sure what they should do. Here’s how Luke describes what they did.

12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile. 13 When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying.

Here are the names of those who were present: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the zealot), and Judas (son of James). 14 They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. (Acts 1:12-14, NLT)

The disciples illustrate a helpful principle for us here. When you aren’t sure of what to do, prayer is always a good idea. We are told they gathered and united themselves in prayer. We aren’t told what they prayed about, but it isn’t hard to imagine what might have been on their list. They surely felt unmatched and confused about the job Jesus had given them. They surely were concerned about what they were to do next and how they were supposed to do it. They probably had lots of questions. It seems clear from the verses that follow that they also studied the scriptures to see what God would have them do. These are all good principles for when we are unsure of what to do next.

I believe God sometimes plans a delay for exactly that purpose. It is in times of delay that we learn genuine trust and obedience. It is when we spend time waiting on the Lord that we learn to trust Him fully. Sometimes we may have an idea of what we think God is calling us to do…but it seems slow in coming. Rather than getting impatient or despairing, choose to see that time of delay as purposeful, and see what you can learn.

The other thing to note in this passage is who was gathered with the disciples. Luke mentions the 11 remaining disciples, whom we have met before. They aren’t a surprise. He also says that Jesus’ mother, Mary was there with them. She too shouldn’t be a big surprise, as we know she had been in Jerusalem for the crucifixion. We might also expect that there were several other women, because we know the first people Jesus appeared to after His resurrection were women. They had apparently been spending time with the disciples regularly. The people who are a bit of a surprise to us, however, are Jesus’ brothers!

You may not have even realized Jesus had siblings, but they are referenced in the gospels. The common explanation for this is that Mary and Joseph had other children after Jesus was born, and that’s who these children are. The Catholic Church, however, believes in the perpetual virginity of Mary (which makes Joseph that much more of a saint!), so they conclude these were Joseph’s children from a previous marriage or some other explanation that makes them not really brothers at all. There is nothing in scripture that leads me to believe that any such convoluted explanation is necessary. It seems perfectly reasonable that Mary and Joseph had more children together.

What is surprising about the brothers’ presence, however, is that during Jesus’ ministry (maybe only 6 months earlier), they didn’t believe in Him! Listen to what John said,

2 But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, 3 and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! 4 You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” 5 For even his brothers didn’t believe in him. (John 7:2-5, NLT)

Jesus’ brothers were mocking Him. Maybe they felt threatened or overshadowed by Him. Whatever the case, it is notable that they were now present with the believers. They had seen that Jesus was exactly who He said He was, and they believed. We know one of the brothers, James, later became one of the leaders in the early church

Judas

After introducing us to the group who gathered regularly and united themselves in prayer, Luke points us to the one matter of business they attended to during this time.

15 During this time, when about 120 believers were together in one place, Peter stood up and addressed them. 16 “Brothers,” he said, “the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. 17 Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us.”

18 (Judas had bought a field with the money he received for his treachery. Falling headfirst there, his body split open, spilling out all his intestines. 19 The news of his death spread to all the people of Jerusalem, and they gave the place the Aramaic name Akeldama, which means “Field of Blood.”) (Acts 1:15-19, NLT)

Peter, who had been recognized as a leader among the disciples, spoke to the group who gathered. There were about 120 believers there, which is more than we might expect! Peter declared that Judas’ actions were predicted in advance by God, and his betrayal proved to be the fulfillment of this prophecy.

Still, Peter points out that Judas had been one of them and had shared in the ministry with them. He acknowledged that Judas’ failure, even if it was used by God to accomplish His purpose, was still a terrible betrayal. Think about how the disciples had to have felt because of this. They surely felt blindsided, as Judas had been there with them all along. They hadn’t suspected him; when Jesus said one of them would betray Him, they didn’t immediately say, “It’s Judas, right?” He had been part of the ministry.

Unfortunately, betrayal by people within the church is common. Some have a crisis of faith when someone they cared for, someone they served next to, someone they thought they knew does something they didn’t expect. Maybe they lash out at you. You discover some sin that shocks you. They walk away from the church or actively seek to harm it. Or they renounce their faith. These things are sadly common experiences in the church—many people carry wounds from people within the body of Christ.

Peter acknowledged the hurt and pain of Judas’ betrayal, but he did not allow that hurt to distract him from what he knew to be true. He was unwilling to allow Judas’ failure to undermine his own faith, or to paralyze him with bitterness. Sometimes we are so wounded by another’s betrayal that we are sidelined from what God has called us to do. This is Satan’s goal. Our goal should be to cling to what we know is true, rather than being surprised, or worse, paralyzed or bitter when sinful people fail.

These verses do introduce a bit of controversy, however. Luke says Judas bought a field with the money he received for betraying Jesus, and then he fell in the field, spilling his intestines, and that’s why the field is known as “field of blood.”

But Matthew tells the story a bit differently.

5 Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself. 6 The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.” 7 After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. 8 That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood. (Matthew 27:5-8, NLT)

Matthew says Judas returned the money to the temple, wracked with guilt over what happened, and then hung himself. Matthew’s account says the priests bought the field with the money Judas had returned to the temple. So which account is correct?

These two accounts are not contradictory and can be reconciled without much trouble. As for who purchased the field, it was the money given to Judas which enabled the field to be purchased. The priests ended up purchasing it on Judas’ behalf, because they couldn’t accept the money themselves. So, it’s perfectly reasonable to say either party was who purchased it—it’s just a difference in perspective.

As for the manner of Judas’ death, this field was in the Valley of Hinnom, which is rough and rocky. It is not hard to imagine that Judas hung himself, and then his body may have fallen on the rocks and ruptured (possibly after hanging for a couple of days), spilling blood everywhere. There is no contradiction between the accounts, even though they seem very different at first glance. It’s worth noting that the eyewitnesses who were still living when these books were written did not see these accounts as contradictory, otherwise they would have discredited one of them. Both were accepted by the early church, which means both give different but accurate perspectives of the same event.

Matthias

After acknowledging Judas’ failure, Peter turned his attention to his real point—they needed to replace him.

20 Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’ 21 “So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus—22 from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.”

23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they all prayed, “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen 25 as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven. (Acts 1:20-26, NLT)

Peter points to several passages in the Old Testament as justification for the fact that they needed to replace Judas with another disciple. Admittedly, looking at the passages Peter quotes, it is difficult to see how he arrived at this conclusion from them. This has caused some people to question whether Peter’s actions were correct. And it causes some to question whether the man they selected, Matthias, was a genuine apostle or not. Some argue that God had a plan to replace Judas with Paul, who would come sometime later.

While I understand this logic, nothing in scripture leads us to the conclusion that Peter’s recommendation was wrong, nor does it tell us that Matthias was not a real apostle. Some have argued that since we never hear of him again, it proves he wasn’t really an apostle. But we don’t hear from 8 of the other apostles again, yet we don’t question the fact that they were genuine apostles.

What we do learn is a couple of things. First, that there was apparently a large group of people who had been following Jesus throughout His ministry. It wasn’t just the 12 who traveled with Jesus. It seems there may have been an even larger group who went wherever He did, and it was from this group that the replacement was to be selected. This person would have seen and heard most of the same things as the 12, though he obviously would not have been privy to the private conversations only the 12 got to experience.

Second, Peter’s requirements for the position seem reasonable. If the person was to be a witness to Jesus, then they should only consider people who had been there for it all. The group then discussed who, from among that group, would be a good fit. Two men were brought forth, Matthias and another man, Barsabbas (also called Justus or Joseph). They prayed that God would give them insight because only He knew the men’s hearts. They understood that ministry depends more on a man’s heart than on his skill. So they asked for God to reveal which of these two men He had selected, and they did so by casting lots.

Casting lots would be kind of like drawing straws or rolling dice today. While it seems like a pagan way of making decisions, it was a common way to seek the Lord’s guidance in ancient Israel. The essence is that even though the casting of lots seemed random, God was still in control of it and could answer through it. So, the lot fell to Matthias, and he became the new 12th apostle.

Conclusion

While this narrative fills in the details of some of what happened in the ten days between Jesus’ ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirt on the day of Pentecost, you might be tempted to think there isn’t much to learn from such a passage. But I don’t think that’s true. I’ve got several lessons we can glean from this brief narrative passage.

First, sometimes faith requires “active waiting.” The disciples knew the task Jesus had called them to. They knew they were supposed to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. But they also knew they were supposed to stay in the city until the Holy Spirit came. Unfortunately, they didn’t know when that would happen. So, they spent their time preparing. They prayed, they studied, they encouraged one another. This is a lesson for us. Sometimes we get frustrated when God doesn’t act on our timetable. We pray for something, or we feel led to do something, but the pieces just aren’t coming together yet. Rather than get discouraged, we should recognize that God’s delay has a purpose. Use that time to build your relationship with Him, to make preparations, to study and grow, and to keep being faithful. More likely than not, God has a lesson for you to learn while you’re waiting. So don’t wait passively, wait actively!

Second, we should select leaders carefully and with the Lord’s guidance. Christian leadership is fraught with danger. It is not an easy calling, and it paints a target on your back for both Satan and the world at large to take aim. The most important characteristics of Christian leaders should be their hearts. Selecting leaders whose hearts are fully devoted to the Lord does not guarantee they will not fail or make mistakes, but it does ensure they are seeking to be led by God. As our church faces a time of transition, we want to be careful not to appoint people to positions of leadership simply because it’s convenient. We should work to understand their heart and character before we do so. This reminds us that prayer must be central to the task. The disciples recognized that they could not see a person’s heart as clearly as God can. So, we should bathe every aspect of our leadership searches in prayer.

Third, meeting together as believers is important. The disciples recognized they had a task set before them, and that they could not accomplish that task in their own strength. They needed one another, so they met together regularly to encourage one another, to pray together, and to learn from each other. Many today will tell you that attending church isn’t important. It’s true that attending church isn’t what gets us into heaven. But that’s not the only aim of the Christian life. God has given us a task to do—and if we take it seriously, we realize we cannot do that task alone. We need to be a part of a body of believers who can encourage us, instruct us, challenge us, and hold us accountable. The disciples understood that, but it is something that seems lost in our culture today.

Finally, the failure of an individual should not stop or discredit the work of the gospel. There is a trend among many today of “deconstructing” their faith. These are people who, for whatever reason, have become disillusioned by the church. Often this is a result of hurt that has been dealt to them at the hands of church people, or because they have seen the failures of people they once respected. The church, especially lately, has been littered with scandals of the failures of some prominent leaders. Those failures hurt. They make people question Christianity and whether it can be true. Some conclude the church is outdated and settle for some kind of lone-ranger Christianity or worse, a kind of hybrid mysticism. People in the church are going to fail. It’s a sad reality of an organization that deals with and is led by sinful people. Sinful people fail. Sometimes those failures will be exceedingly painful. But we face a choice when that happens. Are we going to turn our back on Jesus and on His bride, the Church? Or are we going to recognize that the failure of one person (or even a group of people) does not discredit God’s Church, nor does it stop the work He’s called us to do. The early disciples were wounded by Judas’ failure, but they didn’t let it keep them from what they knew was true.

As we go through Acts, we will discover that these early disciples faced many of the same challenges and temptations we do. But we will also see how they handled them. There is one consistent theme: when in doubt, they got together and turned to the scriptures and to prayer. They may have lived a long time ago, but I think they were on to something. Maybe we ought to follow their example.

© February 16th, 2025 by Rev. Rick Goettsche SERIES: Acts