> Download these notes in PDF here: https://www.studyyourbible.org/new-testament/acts/2026/handouts/session-04-judass-end-the-psalms-and-matthias-numbered-with-the-eleven/ # Session 4 Judas's End, the Psalms, and Matthias Numbered with the Eleven ## Before You Read **Big idea:** Acts 1:18-26 completes the matter Peter began in Acts 1:15-17. Judas's betrayal brought public shame, Scripture called for another to take his office, and Matthias was numbered with the eleven before Pentecost. **How to use this guide:** Read each KJV verse first. Then mark what the verse says before deciding what it means doctrinally. **Three words to keep watching** - **Blood** - Judas's betrayal money and disgrace become tied to a field known in Jerusalem. - **Bishoprick** - An older English word for office or oversight, here referring to Judas's apostolic place. - **Witness** - The replacement apostle must be an official witness of the resurrection with the eleven. **A simple right-division reminder:** Acts 1 is still before Pentecost, before Saul's conversion, and before Paul's later revelation of the mystery. Matthias belongs to the twelve-apostle, kingdom-witness setting; Paul will be called later in a different way. ## Acts 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. **What does the passage say?** - Judas is connected with a field purchased with the reward of iniquity. - His end is described in graphic terms. - The verse records shame, judgment, and public disgrace connected to his betrayal. **Words to notice** - **Purchased a field** - Judas is associated with the field bought with the betrayal money. - **Reward of iniquity** - The wages of his sinful betrayal. - **Falling headlong** - A violent fall. - **Burst asunder** - A graphic description of his body breaking open. **Cross-references worth marking** - Matthew 26:14-16 - Judas agrees to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. - Matthew 27:3-10 - The chief priests use the returned money to buy the potter's field. - Zechariah 11:12-13 - Thirty pieces of silver and the potter are prophetically connected. **Do not miss** - Acts 1 and Matthew 27 are not enemies. Matthew emphasizes Judas returning the money and the priests buying the field; Acts connects Judas with the field because it was bought with the reward of his iniquity. ## Acts 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. **What does the passage say?** - Judas's end and the field became known in Jerusalem. - The field received the name Aceldama. - Luke explains the meaning: "The field of blood." **Words to notice** - **All the dwellers at Jerusalem** - This was publicly known locally. - **Proper tongue** - The local language of the Jerusalem people. - **Aceldama** - The field's name. - **Field of blood** - A name tied to Judas's betrayal and death. **Cross-references worth marking** - Matthew 27:8 - The field was called "The field of blood." - Acts 1:12 - The company is still in the Jerusalem setting. - Acts 2:5 - Jerusalem is full of Jews from many nations at Pentecost. **Do not miss** - Luke keeps the reader in Jerusalem. The setting is local, Jewish, and public before the Pentecost witness begins. ## Acts 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. **What does the passage say?** - Peter quotes the book of Psalms. - One Psalm speaks of a desolate habitation. - Another Psalm speaks of another taking the office. - Peter sees both Judas's judgment and Judas's replacement in Scripture. **Words to notice** - **It is written** - Peter appeals to written Scripture as authority. - **Habitation** - Dwelling place. - **Desolate** - Empty, abandoned, without inhabitant. - **Bishoprick** - Office, oversight, or charge. **Cross-references worth marking** - Psalm 69:25 - "Let their habitation be desolate." - Psalm 109:8 - "Let another take his office." - Luke 24:44-45 - The risen Lord opened the apostles' understanding of the Psalms. - Acts 13:33-35 - Paul later also reasons from the Psalms concerning Christ. **Do not miss** - Peter is not inventing a replacement plan by human preference. He argues from Scripture, especially the Psalms, which Christ had recently opened to the apostles' understanding. ## Acts 1:21 > Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, **What does the passage say?** - Peter gives the necessary qualification for Judas's replacement. - The man must have accompanied the apostolic company. - He must have been present during the Lord Jesus's earthly ministry among them. **Words to notice** - **Wherefore** - Because Scripture says another must take the office. - **These men** - The candidate must come from among the qualified men present. - **Companied with us** - He must have shared the Lord's ministry path with the apostles. - **Went in and out among us** - A phrase for the Lord's public movement and ministry among them. **Cross-references worth marking** - John 15:27 - The apostles could bear witness because they had been with Christ from the beginning. - Luke 8:1-3 - Others traveled with the Lord and the twelve during His ministry. - Acts 10:37-41 - Peter later describes the witness beginning from John's baptism and ending with the resurrection appearances. **Do not miss** - This qualification cannot be applied to Paul. Paul's apostleship is real, but it is not this kind of apostleship. Paul is later called by the risen, ascended Christ from heaven. ## Acts 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. **What does the passage say?** - The candidate's experience must reach from John's baptism to the ascension. - One man must be appointed. - The purpose is that he become a witness with the apostles of Christ's resurrection. **Words to notice** - **Beginning from the baptism of John** - The required witness period begins with Israel's kingdom-preparation ministry. - **Taken up from us** - The ascension of Acts 1:9. - **Must** - Necessity tied to the Scripture in verse 20. - **Witness with us** - The replacement joins the apostolic witness company. **Cross-references worth marking** - Matthew 3:1-6 - John's baptism ministry in Israel. - Acts 1:8 - The apostles are commissioned as witnesses. - Acts 2:32 - Peter says, "whereof we all are witnesses." - 1 Corinthians 15:8 - Paul distinguishes his later appearance of Christ as "one born out of due time." **Do not miss** - The replacement is not chosen because the apostles needed an administrator. He is chosen to be a resurrection witness with the apostolic company. ## Acts 1:23 > And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. **What does the passage say?** - The gathered company appoints two qualified men for consideration. - One is Joseph, also called Barsabas and surnamed Justus. - The other is Matthias. **Words to notice** - **Appointed two** - Two men met the qualifications Peter named. - **Joseph called Barsabas** - A man known by more than one name. - **Justus** - A surname, likely a Latin name. - **Matthias** - The man who will be numbered with the eleven. **Cross-references worth marking** - Acts 15:22 - Another Judas called Barsabas appears later, though the text does not say he is the same family. - Colossians 4:11 - "Justus" appears as a surname elsewhere, though not for this same man. - Acts 1:26 - Matthias is chosen by lot. **Do not miss** - The text does not criticize Joseph or praise Matthias by personal biography. The issue is qualification and the Lord's choice. ## Acts 1:24 > And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, **What does the passage say?** - The company prays before the decision is made. - They address the Lord as the One who knows all hearts. - They ask the Lord to show which of the two He has chosen. **Words to notice** - **They prayed** - The choice is made in dependence on God. - **Knowest the hearts** - God knows what the gathered company cannot see. - **Shew** - They ask for revelation of the Lord's choice. - **Thou hast chosen** - They do not ask God to bless their preference; they ask Him to reveal His. **Cross-references worth marking** - 1 Samuel 16:7 - The Lord looketh on the heart. - Jeremiah 17:10 - The Lord searches the heart. - Luke 6:13 - The Lord chose the original twelve. - Acts 15:8 - God knows the hearts. **Do not miss** - The prayer is not careless. The company recognizes that only the Lord can identify the man He has chosen for this apostolic place. ## Acts 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. **What does the passage say?** - The chosen man is to take part in the ministry and apostleship. - Judas fell from that place by transgression. - Judas went to "his own place." **Words to notice** - **Ministry and apostleship** - The apostolic service connected to the twelve. - **Transgression** - Judas's fall was sin, not mere misfortune. - **Fell** - He left the place he had been given. - **His own place** - A sobering phrase pointing to Judas's proper destination after betrayal. **Cross-references worth marking** - John 17:12 - Judas is called "the son of perdition." - Acts 1:17 - Judas had obtained part of this ministry. - Romans 1:5 - Paul later speaks of his own apostleship, but in a different calling and setting. **Do not miss** - Judas's fall does not make Matthias a temporary placeholder until Paul arrives. The passage says Matthias is chosen to take the vacated part of this ministry and apostleship. ## Acts 1:26 > And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. **What does the passage say?** - The company gives forth lots. - The lot falls on Matthias. - Matthias is numbered with the eleven apostles. **Words to notice** - **Lots** - An Old Testament method used to discern a decision under God's providence. - **Fell upon Matthias** - Matthias is the selected man. - **Numbered with the eleven apostles** - Matthias is counted with the apostolic company, restoring the number to twelve. **Cross-references worth marking** - Proverbs 16:33 - "The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD." - Leviticus 16:8 - Lots are used in Israel's worship. - Joshua 18:10 - Lots are used in Israel's land division. - Matthew 19:28 - The twelve apostles are connected with twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. - Revelation 21:14 - The wall of New Jerusalem has the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. **Do not miss** - Luke gives no hint that Matthias was a mistake. He was numbered with the eleven before Pentecost. Paul later becomes an apostle by a different calling, not by replacing Matthias. ## Text And Translation Helps - In Acts 1:20, "bishoprick" is older English for an office or oversight. Do not read later church-office systems back into the word before seeing the apostolic vacancy in context. - In Acts 1:25, the KJV says "part of this ministry and apostleship." Some modern translations read more like "place in this ministry and apostleship." Either wording keeps the same main point: Judas's apostolic place is being filled. - No major Textus Receptus vs critical text issue in Acts 1:18-26 changes the doctrine of the passage. ## Common Ideas To Test - "The apostles were wrong to choose Matthias." - Test it by Acts 1:20, 24, and 26: Peter appeals to Scripture, the company prays for the Lord's choice, and Luke says Matthias was numbered with the eleven. - "Paul was supposed to be the true twelfth apostle." - Test it by Acts 1:21-22: the replacement had to accompany the Lord's earthly ministry from John's baptism to the ascension. Paul did not meet that qualification. - "Casting lots proves the apostles were spiritually immature." - Test it by Proverbs 16:33 and the pre-Pentecost setting. The lot belonged to Israel's scriptural world, and the company prayed for the Lord's choice. ## Session Summary - Judas's betrayal money became tied to a public field of blood in Jerusalem. - Peter used the Psalms to show both Judas's desolation and the need for another to take his office. - The replacement had to have accompanied the Lord from John's baptism to the ascension. - The purpose of the replacement was resurrection witness with the apostolic company. - Matthias was chosen after prayer and numbered with the eleven apostles.