Like all of you, I have known a lot of folks in my time. Until recently, my mother lived in the town where I was raised and kept me apprised of my school classmates—who married who, if they still lived in the area, and so forth. I have lived for decades in the city where I went to college and every so often a face is recognized or a name remembered. While there were hundreds of people at the seminary where I studied, it was an amazingly close group, and numerous relationships have endured. Of course, in my previous pastorates, I drew close to many individuals, and they remain part of my prayers.
Having said all that, it is not at all uncommon for me to say, “Whatever happened to them anyways?” People who I knew casually, and often those I knew very well, have dropped off my radar. I’m interested in where God has taken them, but am frequently left wondering, “What happened to them?” Not being a social media participant, I am often pleasantly surprised when Kelly is able to give me an update on someone’s life. I like hearing of God’s work in their lives—the rest of their stories and what happened next.
This same desire has driven my interest in the biblical characters, particularly, in the lives of the Apostles. On balance, we know very little of the apostles, their lives before meeting Jesus, their posture during the three years following Him, and especially, what happens after Jesus was resurrected and departed. The Book of Acts records the beheading of the Apostle James (Acts chapter 12). We have a lot more information regarding the Apostle Paul, but otherwise, we are left largely with Church tradition, speculation, and legend. That is not to say, incidentally, that we cannot rely on church tradition to point us in the right direction here, but it is the case that we simply do not have a lot of concrete, historical evidence for the fate of most of the apostles.
Take, for instance, the “hero” of our scripture this week—Matthias (Acts 1:12-26). Chosen to replace Judas who betrayed Jesus, Matthias is accounted with the original Twelve Apostles. The only mention of him in Scripture is here in these verses. We can learn a bit about him here—but only a bit. The requirements for finding Judas’ replacement (verse 21-22) meant that Matthias was with the disciples and following Jesus from the very beginning, from the baptism of John through the resurrection. Matthias met with the resurrected Lord, he is able to witness to this truth, his life was shaped and molded by that reality (verse 23). But, beyond this description of “the twelfth disciple,” we know very little.
Church tradition has Matthias, with the other Apostles, preaching in Jerusalem following the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts chapter 2). While not explicitly mentioned, Matthias undoubtably suffered under the persecution of the early church that followed. Leaving Jerusalem to take the Gospel “to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), Matthias is believed to have traveled to Armenia and Georgia, according to some legends, being crucified there. In contrast, Matthias is also said to have been stoned in Judea and beheaded there. Again, all the information we have on Matthias’ subsequent ministry following his appointment as a disciple is fragmentary and vague. We simply do not know “whatever happened to him.”
But we do know that he was chosen, as we are, to fulfill that calling that is upon each and everyone of us, to be a witness to the resurrection of Jesus our Savior. And in this, Matthias serves as a model for us all.
In preparation for worship this week, read Acts 1:12-26.
- Read Acts 1:8 again. In what ways does this verse shape our understanding of verses 12-14? Who was there? Why did they go to Jerusalem? What was their prayer time like? etc.?
- What does it look like to “with one accord devote yourself to prayer” (verse 12)?
- How does Peter model for us submission to the Holy Spirit by his reliance on the Scripture in verses 16-20?
- List the qualifications for being added to the ranks of the Apostles (verses 21-22)? How can we be successors of the Apostles in light of these qualifications?
- The Lord is said to “know the hearts of all” (verse 24). What does this mean for us today? Assuming we are properly called to witness to the resurrection, how might this phrase inspire us?
By Henry Knapp