The verse highlights Joseph's multiple names – Joseph, Barsabbas, and Justus. This suggests he was a man who navigated different cultural spheres, likely using the Roman name Justus to connect with non-Jewish people, mirroring how others like Simon Peter and Saul Paul also adopted new names.
And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The disciples, recognizing a vacancy among the twelve apostles after Judas’ betrayal and death, are now tasked with choosing a replacement. They’ve prayed and agreed on the qualifications, and now they present two men, Joseph Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias, as candidates to fill the crucial role. This decision, a weighty one for the future of the church, is about to be settled by divine intervention through the casting of lots.
Why did the disciples present two candidates for this crucial role, not just one? It wasn't a lack of options, but a strategic move guided by wisdom.
The text tells us that the gathered believers "put forward two" men, Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias. This wasn't a blind selection; they likely recognized these two as having specific qualifications, possibly being among the seventy disciples who had followed Jesus.
Joseph Barsabbas had three names, while Matthias is known by one. What do these names reveal about their identities and the cultural context?
The men presented were known by different names, reflecting the cultural landscape of their time.
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These names help us understand how individuals navigated different cultural spheres and how a personal name could be supplemented by an adopted one for broader reach.
Understand the original words
apostolē · Greek Noun
Refers to one who has been personally chosen and commissioned by Jesus Christ, possessing special authority to testify to the resurrected Lord and serve as a foundation for the Church.
kardia · Greek Noun
Refers to the inner self, the seat of human intellect, emotion, will, and conscience; God is understood to have perfect, penetrating knowledge of the hidden depths of every human.
diakonia · Greek Noun
A general term for service, particularly sacred service or office within the community of faith, emphasizing the responsibility of stewardship under divine authority.
klēros · Greek Noun
The practice of determining a divine decision through external, objective means. In the Bible, it was often used to seek God's guidance or resolve disputes, acknowledging His sovereignty over outcomes.
apostolos · Greek Noun
One sent with a commission; specifically, a messenger of Jesus Christ commissioned to preach the gospel and establish the church. An apostle held a unique, foundational authority based on having witnessed the resurrected Christ.
sunkatapsēphizō · Greek Verb
To be officially counted, enrolled, or associated with a specific group or rank. In a biblical context, it implies formal recognition of one’s inclusion in a spiritual or covenantal community.
This selection process highlights the early church's commitment to divine guidance, even in practical matters like replacing an apostle, and shows how historical context shapes the spiritual practices of believers.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Ascension
Jesus ascends into heaven after his resurrection, commissioning his disciples to spread the gospel.
c. AD 30
Formation of the Early Church
The remaining eleven apostles and other followers meet in Jerusalem, praying and waiting for the promised Holy Spirit.
c. AD 30
Betrayal and Death of Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, dies, leaving a vacancy in the twelve apostles.
c. AD 30— this verse
Selection of Two Candidates
The assembled believers identify two men, Joseph Barsabbas (also called Justus) and Matthias, who meet the criteria for apostleship.
c. AD 30
Casting of Lots
The disciples cast lots to make the final decision between Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias, entrusting the outcome to God's will.
c. AD 30
Matthias Chosen as Apostle
Matthias is chosen to replace Judas Iscariot, restoring the number of the twelve apostles.
c. AD 30
Pentecost and the Holy Spirit's Arrival
The Holy Spirit descends upon the believers in Jerusalem, empowering them to begin their ministry.
Jesus promises the twelve apostles that they will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, highlighting the significant role and authority entrusted to them.
Luke 6:13This verse describes Jesus choosing the twelve apostles, establishing the foundational group that Matthias would later join to maintain its number.
1 Corinthians 15:5Paul lists Matthias among the apostles who saw the risen Christ, confirming his inclusion in the apostolic circle and his witness to the resurrection.
John 15:16Jesus tells his disciples that he chose them and appointed them to go and bear fruit, underscoring the divine purpose behind the selection of apostles like Matthias.
cambridgeActs 1:23: "And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias."
23 . they appointed two ] Thus exercising their own judgment to a certain degree in the appointment, as they could rightly do from their three years intimacy with those who had been disciples from the beginning. Joseph called Barsabas [Barsabbas in the best MSS.] who was surnamed Justus ] From the identity of the names Joseph and Joses (see note on Acts 1:14 ) it has been thought that this Joseph…
vincentActs 1:23: "And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias."
BarsabasA patronymic, son of Saba: like Bar Jona, Matthew 16:17.
The verse highlights Joseph's multiple names – Joseph, Barsabbas, and Justus. This suggests he was a man who navigated different cultural spheres, likely using the Roman name Justus to connect with non-Jewish people, mirroring how others like Simon Peter and Saul Paul also adopted new names.
The disciples, recognizing a vacancy among the twelve apostles after Judas’ betrayal and death, are now tasked with choosing a replacement. They’ve prayed and agreed on the qualifications, and now they present two men, Joseph Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias, as candidates to fill the crucial role. This decision, a weighty one for the future of the church, is about to be settled by divine intervention through the casting of lots.
The disciples, recognizing a vacancy among the twelve apostles after Judas’ betrayal and death, are now tasked with choosing a replacement. They’ve prayed and agreed on the qualifications, and now they present two men, Joseph Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias, as candidates to fill the crucial role. This decision, a weighty one for the future of the church, is about to be settled by divine intervention through the casting of lots.
"And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry a…" — The verse highlights Joseph's multiple names – Joseph, Barsabbas, and Justus. This suggests he was a man who navigated different cultural spheres, likely using the Roman name Justus to connect with n…
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Last reviewed October 2026
