AfterWords: Who is Matthias?

 

Acts 1:15-17, 20-26

When we think of the disciples, Peter is often the first who jumps to mind. Then, there’s James and John. Almost immediately after these, we think of Matthias, right? Matthias? Wait. Who is Matthias?

He is mentioned exactly two times in Scripture—and both mentions are in today’s reading. The disciples-now-apostles (apostle means “sent”) decide they need to fill the place left by Judas who died in some 'we’re-not-sure' fashion. The requirements of the one who could take his place?
“…One of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us…” (Acts 1:21-22). So, we know that Matthias has been a faithful disciple all this time. And, we confirm here that more than just the Twelve were with Jesus during his ministry.

But, Matthias is not mentioned in the Gospels…and neither Paul, James, Peter, nor John mention him in the rest of the New Testament writings. Matthias lives and serves as one of the “quiet witnesses”—those who do not stand in the spotlight, those who do not call the attention of the world. In fact, Matthias comes to represent the vast majority of the Christians in the world, the disciples through the centuries.

Between the 1^st Century AD and the 4^th Century AD, the Christian faith grew from the “120 believers” mentioned in today’s reading to over 25,000,000. That is staggering, phenomenal, unimaginable. How did it grow like that? Well, it wasn’t because of those Twelve disciples—they were gone in a single generation. So, we realize that the “quiet witnesses” of the ages continued and continue today to tell the story, to invite others to know Jesus, to share with others what they had found in this thing called the Christian faith.

Matthias is us--you and me. We are not in the spotlight. No one will ever talk about us in seminaries. We won’t show up in the church history books. We are the quiet witnesses who befriend, invite, pray, share, encourage, and spend time with others.

Think about your own life: Who was the quiet witness that brought you to faith, invited you to a Bible study, prayed with you in your time of need, first told you about Jesus? Was it a Sunday School teacher, a youth leader, a children’s director…a neighbor…a grade-school teacher…a VBS leader…a parent…a relative? Someone, somewhere along the way quietly lived and witnessed to the faith that impacted your life.

And now, for whom are you a quiet witness? Who will come to faith because of your quiet witness to the Good News of God in Christ Jesus? Who life will be changed because you listened, prayed, helped, sat with, invited, taught, shared with...?

Sunday, June 1, 2025
“Who is Matthias?”
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