Matthias or Paul: Who Replaces Judas?

A Study of Acts 1:12-26

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Blake Hudson

Matthias or Paul: who replaces Judas
Matthias, Painting by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri

Introduction

In Acts chapter one, after the ascension of the Lord, the remaining eleven apostles declare that Judas’ apostasy and replacement had been foretold in the Psalms. The apostles choose two men, Joseph and Matthias, who had been with them from Jesus’ baptism. They then pray that God make his choice known and cast lots to determine Judas’ replacement. The lot falls on Matthias and henceforth “he was numbered with the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:12-26). But was Matthias really supposed to be the twelfth apostle? There are many who suggest that it was in fact Paul who Jesus intended to replace Judas. So Matthias or Paul: who replaces Judas? I’m going to argue that Matthias is the legitimate replacement of Judas.

Arguments against Matthias being Judas’ replacement

  1. The remaining apostles before Pentecost acted on their own with no command from the Lord when they chose Matthias
  2. The Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on the apostles and so they were not yet inspired. Their decision to replace Judas was a mistake.
  3. Casting lots is an illegitimate method for selecting Judas’ replacement
  4. Jesus clearly chooses Paul later on
  5. We hear nothing more about Matthias
  6. There is a heavy focus on Paul throughout Acts and the New Testament

Response to the arguments above

  1. We don’t know what the apostles were told between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. Jesus may have given them the qualifications for Judas’ replacement for all we know.
  2. It is true that the Spirit had not yet fallen on the apostles, but Acts is written after the Holy Spirit had fallen on them. Their inspiration never leads them to repudiate the selection of Matthias. Matthias’ selection has the Spirit’s retroactive approval.
  3. Matthias and Joseph are both put forward, the apostles pray that God makes known his decision, then lots are cast to reveal God’s decision. After the Spirit falls upon the apostles this method is never used again. However, this was the method chosen during the unique interval between Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost. Once again, these facts are written long after the inspiration of the Spirit and the actions are never repudiated.
  4. Jesus does choose Paul, but not as a replacement of Judas. We are told that Paul was chosen for the special task of taking the gospel to the Gentiles.
  5. We don’t hear anything more about most of the twelve apostles
  6. The focus on Paul does not make him one of the twelve any more than not hearing about the actions of Thomas or Andrew makes them no longer part of the twelve.

Arguments against Paul being Judas’ replacement

  1. Paul never refers to himself as one of the twelve or as Judas’ replacement. In 1 Corinthians 15:3 Paul refers to the twelve as a separate group from himself and then declares that “Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me” (1 Cor 15:8).
  2. Also, as noted above, we are not left to wonder what Jesus’ intention was when he chose Paul. Paul was not chosen to replace Judas, rather he was a “chosen instrument” to “carry [Jesus’] name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15).
  3. Judas’ replacement had to have been a disciple beginning with Jesus’ baptism and lasting through the ascension. Paul, while a witness to the resurrection, was not a disciple of Jesus during Jesus’ earthly ministry.

Arguments in favor of Matthias being Judas’ replacement

  1. After his selection he is said to be numbered with the original eleven (Acts 1:26)
  2. After Matthias’ selection, and before Paul’s conversion, the apostles are numbered at twelve. Acts 2:14 says “Peter, standing with the eleven” and Acts 6:2 refers to the group of apostles as “the twelve”.
  3. Matthias fulfills the requirement of being a disciple from Jesus’ baptism through the ascension.
  4. Matthias’ selection is recorded once and never called into question by Peter, Paul, or anyone else throughout the Bible.

Conclusion

So Matthias or Paul: who replaces Judas? Taken all together it is safe to say that the eleven apostles did not make a mistake in Acts 1. Matthias, not Paul, is the legitimate successor to Judas’ position as one of the Twelve.

Further Reading