The earnest of zeal and fidelity exhibited by the Church expectant.
"And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles." The events with which the passage has to do belong to that brief but remarkable interval of some eight to ten days dining which the eleven apostles were bidden to remain in Jerusalem, and were, in a sense, left alone, their Master and Savior having ascended, and the Spirit, the promised Comforter, not having yet descended. The brief interval invites not a little conjecture, but so much the more than it otherwise might have done, because of the silence broken in this very passage. Had the concord of the eleven, and their united worship and services of prayer and praise in company with the large circle of the hundred and twenty brethren (as given Acts 1:12-14), been our only record of the period, there would have been less stir of conjecture. But, as it is, we are led to wonder whether, while Jesus spoke to the eleven apostles of "the things pertaining to the kingdom of God," he had possibly warranted them to add one to their number. We can only doubtfully answer "No." For while, on the one hand, it would seem strange, if Christ had done so, that Peter should not quote the fact to the general assembly, on the other hand it does seem very strange that Peter should take upon himself to assert the necessity of such a step at such a time of unsettledness as regards the constitution of the Church. Again, beyond the fact that the two, Joseph and Matthias, had been companions of Christ and of the disciples from the time of the baptism of John (John 1:26) to the time of the Resurrection, we know nothing of them. We do not know on what principle the two were selected first of all from any others who might have answered to the same qualifications of having "companied with" the disciples; we do not know how the casting of lots was managed; we do not know whether Matthias ever really ranked with the apostles to any practical purpose, though he was 'voted in;" nor do we know one authentic syllable of his succeeding work or of his death. To conjecture is as unsatisfying as it is easy. Setting aside any detail of mere curiosity, we should certainly have liked to know whether the transaction of this election was authorized; if it were not, whether nevertheless it was legitimate, or whether it was possibly a fresh illustration of the ready zeal, without authority, of Peter. It need scarcely be said, however, that in the absence of any evidence or of any strong reason to believe the latter, we assume the legitimateness of the whole proceeding. And on this showing we notice—
I. THE DEVOTED ZEAL OF PETER. He is a born leader. He had often shown a forward zeal. In the fort of many, many characters lurks also their weakness. Purified from this, the strength becomes apparent again, and the advantage becomes real. It is he who now takes the lead, and says, "It behooves" to fill up the perfect number.
II. THE DISCERNING ZEAL OF PETER. He enthrones this great historic fact of the resurrection of Jesus in its proper seat in the Church for all time. The "eleven," to be now strengthened by one more, are to accept this as their chiefest mission and commission, to be "witnesses of the Resurrection."
III. THE CORRECTLY PROPHETIC ZEAL OF PETER. He takes it that part of the work and of the organizing of the work of Christ is to devolve upon man, and upon those who were the already "chosen" apostles, together with the body of his people and disciples. He calls upon all to join, and arranges for all to join in this proposed election.
IV. THE PRAYERFUL AND DEPENDENT ZEAL OF PETER. Still the wisdom and the choice and the appointment are to rest with him whom we call the Head of the Church. It may not be certain that, so far as the terms of Peter's prayer go, he means it to be addressed exclusively to the risen Lord, yet even this is most probable; and all the more so from his likely recalling of the words of Jesus himself (John 15:16; John 6:70; John 21:17).—B.
HOMILIES BY R. TUCK