Act 1:13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
Act 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Act 1:15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
In short there were about a hundred and twenty give or take a few people in the midst of the disciples.
Act 1:16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
Act 1:17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
Act 1:18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
Act 1:19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.
Act 1:20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
Act 1:21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Act 1:22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
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.
Act 1:26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
If they appointed two, why was only one chosen...simple. There had to be 12 exactly. Not eleven. Not thirteen. Just as there were 12 tribes. We know that they were certainly not the last apostles. For Paul himself was an apostle, called by God. So why 12?
And why was only 2 out 120 people chosen. Did they perhaps know how to identify another apostle? If we look at the writings of Paul, he makes it clear that there were Apostles,Prophets,Evangelists,Teachers and Pastors and in other verses again he discribed different gifts. However the key principle is that they could identify the diffenence between an apostle, a prophet an evangelist and so forth. Just like you can diffentiate these days between (stupid example : introverts and extroverts.)
So they identified 2 people out 120. Which makes more sense. And then God selected Matthias, I believe to fulfill the role in the ministry.
Being one of the 12. So each of them apostles fulfilled a different function.
After all, he took 3 up the mountain. Why 3? Why not all of them? God understands how apostles work...after all He created them. If you take a look at Samuel you notice God called him before He was born to be a prophet. Samson, one of the Judges, was called to be who he was going to be before he was born. He had God's strenght with him even though his actions did not seem to be always the best choices.
People do not become apostles because they choose to become them. Just as little as a prophet choose to be a prophet. When a child of 3 can start to predict who is on the other side of a phone line, or a child has dreams and they come true, very few people don't think immediately something in the line of prophet.
Samuel was the ideal prophet for God, because He wasn't distorted by the opinions of others. But as we know he diffinenately wasn't the first or last. Moses called by God before his birth. Being spared when all others died.
John the Baptist we know moved in the womb, and Jesus himself refered to him as being the greatest prophet that there ever will be.
These people knew and understood the difference between a prophet and evangelist and an apostle.
But God had a plan. He needed exactly 12 apostles. There is still a lot we don't know. How do people identify apostles these days? Is it not God who appoint man into his gift? Why did Jacob have 12 sons. And 12 different sons. For we know Joseph was not as the others. Or do you believe that the twelve tribes of isreal and the twelve apostle merely have the same number in coincidence(if there is such a thing).
I don't believe I am wrong. But if you think I am. Why do you think so?
