Page 11 - acts_study_book1

Act 1:23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and
Matthias.

Act 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew
whether of these two thou hast chosen,

Act 1:25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by
transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

1:25 transgression, parabaino (par-ab-ahee-no); Abandoning a trust, departing, stepping
aside, overstep, violation, rebellion, aberration, apostasy, disobedience, deviation from
an original and true direction. In order to go his own way, Judas abandoned his position
of service as one of the Twelve.

Act 1:26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered
with the eleven apostles.

Jesus did not instruct His followers to go to the upper room and choose an apostle. It was Peter
who took it upon himself to lead the group into choosing an apostle to replace Judas.
In Galatians 1:1 Paul calls himself, “an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ,
and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.” The Greek says, “not from the source of
men, neither by the source of man.”

Apostleship cannot be conferred by a group of men or by an individual. An apostle also cannot
be elected by casting lots or by natural birth. Apostleship is sovereignly given by God the Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:1 says, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at
Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.” Paul was an apostle not based upon a vote or the
selection of men, nor was he qualified because of natural qualifications. He was an apostle by
the will of God.