After Judas by transgression fell from his apostleship (Acts 1: 25), and
hanging himself out of despair ended his life with a wretched and shameful
death (Matt. 27: 5), then, that the number of the Twelve not be lacking, all
the disciples gathered in one place after the Ascension of the Savior (the
number of men and women being 120), and they chose two men from among them,
Joseph, called Barsabas, who was also surnamed Justus, and Matthias, and they
set them in the midst. Then they prayed to God and cast lots, "and the lot fell
upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven Apostles" (Acts 1: 15-26).
And thus, having taken the place of Judas, Matthias fulfilled the work of
apostleship and the prophecy concerning Judas, which the Holy Spirit foretold
by the mouth of David: "And his bishopric let another take" (Ps. 108:7). After
this, it is said, Matthias preached the Gospel in Ethiopia, and completed his
life there in martyrdom.
hanging himself out of despair ended his life with a wretched and shameful
death (Matt. 27: 5), then, that the number of the Twelve not be lacking, all
the disciples gathered in one place after the Ascension of the Savior (the
number of men and women being 120), and they chose two men from among them,
Joseph, called Barsabas, who was also surnamed Justus, and Matthias, and they
set them in the midst. Then they prayed to God and cast lots, "and the lot fell
upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven Apostles" (Acts 1: 15-26).
And thus, having taken the place of Judas, Matthias fulfilled the work of
apostleship and the prophecy concerning Judas, which the Holy Spirit foretold
by the mouth of David: "And his bishopric let another take" (Ps. 108:7). After
this, it is said, Matthias preached the Gospel in Ethiopia, and completed his
life there in martyrdom.
