“CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE REPLACEMENT OF JUDAS ISCARIOT” ACTS 1:15-26

Thus far in the first chapter of Acts, we have seen Dr. Luke’s account of Christ’s ministry and teaching while He sojourned here on earth.  During Christ’s awesome ministry of three years, He taught with exceptional authority and He wrought many mighty miracles.  However, His great ministry ended in His crucifixion; nevertheless, the great gospel message states that He rose again according to the scriptures (I Corinthians 15:3-4).

In the book of Acts, Dr. Luke give to us an account of Christ’s post-resurrection appearances, appearances that served as convicting proofs of His resurrection (Luke 1:3).  These proofs were indisputable evidences that what Christ said would happen certainly did occur (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31. 9:31; Luke 9:2.8:31-33).  The book of Acts is indeed a remarkable account that shows what Christ will do through His disciples when they are filled with the Holy Spirit.  Yes, even for believers today, we need to be filled by the Holy Spirit so that we might be effective witnesses for Him (Acts 1:8); Ephesians 5:18).

Having ministered to His disciples for forty days, our blessed Lord took a cloud and ascended to Heaven (Acts 1:9).  The ascension of Christ concluded His ministry of being bodily present among His disciples.  However, our blessed Lord’s ministry is still among us, for now He ministers to us from heaven being seated at His Father’s right hand (Hebrews 1:3).  Before our Lord’s ascension, He left two vital commands: the disciples were to wait in Jerusalem on the promise of the Father –the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4), and they were to be witnesses for Him (Acts 1:8).  However, between Christ’s command to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, and His command to be witnesses for Him, they needed to be endued with power (Acts 1:8; Luke 24:49).

Although the Lord had departed from followers in the ascension, we find them engaging in prayer in verse 14.  Prayer should be a characteristic feature of the church (Luke 18:1), especially when important decisions are to be made!   Peter, the established leader of the apostles, directs them to a passage cited by David that prophesied the awful betrayal of Judas Iscariot (vs. 15-17).

In Psalm 41:9, David is pictured as being betrayed by his intimate friend; moreover, just as David was betrayed by his friend, Jesus Christ was betrayed by Judas, a disciple of Jesus for three years.  Judas had listened to Christ’s teachings and witnessed some of His miracles, yet Judas betrayed Christ for thirty pieces of silver!

In verses 18-21, Judas Iscariot’s life of deception ended in a dismal way.  Judas Iscariot’s position had to be replaced.  These disciples acted in compliance with the promise that twelve of them would sit on twelve thrones, reigning in glory with the Lord (Matthew 19:28).  These men acted out of prayerful concern that Judas Iscariot’s position must be replaced.  The one who would replace Judas must be a witness of Christ’s resurrection (v. 22).  Having two men from which to choose, and having made their determination through casting lots (Proverbs 16:33), they chose Matthias as the replacement for Judas.  Although many biblical scholars are not in agreement that Matthias should be Judas’ replacement because the Holy Spirit had not come in an abiding sense to indwell believers, Dr. Luke certainly refers to him as Judas’ replacement as he refers to the twelve apostles (Acts 2:14; 6:2).

May God Bless!