June 2, 2019 (Evening)

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

The text calls Jerusalem a Sabbath’s day journey away, probably a distance of anywhere from a little over 1,000–1,200 yards, about three-quarters of a mile.

When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, 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.

The Twelve are reduced to eleven because of Judas’s defection and suicide, which is described in verses 17–19. Jesus chose and assembled them as an identifiable group in (also ; ). Their formation was a symbolic way of saying Jesus was leading a reorganization of Israel.

These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

Jesus’s mother, Mary, and his brothers are also present. James will be noted as the leader in Jerusalem after the apostles move out in mission (; ; ). This is the last mention of Mary in the NT.

Ø “one mind” it is a term that points to the fundamental unity within the church. Here the group is operating in obedience, waiting for the Spirit and praying in preparation as they wait. The church is showing some of its most fundamental characteristics: gathered, seeking the Lord’s will with one mind in prayer, and assembled to carry out God’s mission.

“one mind” it is a term that points to the fundamental unity within the church. Here the group is operating in obedience, waiting for the Spirit and praying in preparation as they wait. The church is showing some of its most fundamental characteristics: gathered, seeking the Lord’s will with one mind in prayer, and assembled to carry out God’s mission.

At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said,

Judas is said to be filled with Satan, making this the initial note of Satan’s effort to sidetrack the disciples from within.

“Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

Scripture can guide the disciples because it is the Spirit of God at work. The psalms Peter will cite in verse 20 are no exception.

Jesus had promised the Twelve that they would inherit twelve thrones on his return. This promise might well have motivated Peter here (; ). So the slot must be filled, and when Matthias is elected, he will fill the twelfth slot of this special class of apostles once and for all

“For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.”

(Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out.

The fact that Judas died a horrific death there soon after his defection indicates that God was aware of and judged his unrighteousness (like the divine judgment that befalls Ananias and Sapphira in ). Such judgments of bodily destruction are common, especially associated with dropsy, conditions of severe bodily swelling, or severe bodily damage. The verse notes that Judas bought the field with the money he obtained,

And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

“For it is written in the book of Psalms,

‘Let his homestead be made desolate,

And let no one dwell in it’;

and,

‘Let another man take his office.’

The psalm discusses the enemies of God. The psalmist cries to God to be delivered from them and calls for God’s judgment so that their camp is left desolate and no one is able to live in their tents. Peter applies the psalm typically-prophetically to indicate that Judas has experienced such a judgment.

“Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us—

22 beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

This candidate must be a man qualified as a “witness to the resurrection,” one who accompanied them during the entire time the Lord Jesus was with them, from the baptism of John until the day he was “taken up”.

The speeches in and 10 show how resurrection and Jesus’s ministry are linked in the preaching. and 10:36–39 refer to Jesus’s ministry as a backdrop for the proclamation of resurrection.

So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias.

24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen

.

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”

Judas’s transgression and fate are treated next. The term means to go aside from a way or turn aside. It can mean to transgress. The ministry of apostleship was a commission to testify to Jesus and his resurrection for those who had had a direct experience of the Lord through his teaching and vindication.

Ø Judas’s transgression and fate are treated next. The term means to go aside from a way or turn aside. It can mean to transgress. The ministry of apostleship was a commission to testify to Jesus and his resurrection for those who had had a direct experience of the Lord through his teaching and vindication.

And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

In the OT one can examine texts such as and and 19:51, where the allotment to the nation’s tribes was done by casting lots. One can also see the use of lots in ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and . Several texts use the image negatively as a sign of judgment in which spoils are divided (; ; ). These texts in Joshua and 1 Chronicles show that such an act is tied to elements of the foundation of Israel.

Ø In the OT one can examine texts such as and and 19:51, where the allotment to the nation’s tribes was done by casting lots. One can also see the use of lots in ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and . Several texts use the image negatively as a sign of judgment in which spoils are divided (; ; ). These texts in Joshua and 1 Chronicles show that such an act is tied to elements of the foundation of Israel.

The lot is cast into the lap,

But its every decision is from the Lord

(NASB95)

The cast lot puts an end to strife

And decides between the mighty ones

Fernando (1998: 79) observes that lots cease to be used after the Spirit comes, as the next two selections in and 13 take place with only prayer