And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, (16) Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus: (17) for he was numbered with us   “Let his dwelling place be desolate, And let no one live it it;” and “Let another take his office”.  (21) “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, (22) beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”  And they proposed two:  Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.  (24) And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen (25) to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.”  (26) And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias.  And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

The Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke as an historical narrative of the early Church.  Our verses today concern the election of an Apostle to take the place of Judas Iscariot.

Jesus Christ had risen from the dead and had reappeared to the Apostles and many of the Lord’s disciples.  He had spent 40 days on this earth after the resurrection and then ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.  He had told his followers to wait in Jerusalem and He would send the Holy Spirit to them  So our verses describe an action that takes place in the ten days between the Ascension and the coming of the Spirit.  Jesus did not Himself call another to be the twelfth Apostle but relied on the 11 Apostles to do this.  Peter, who was a natural leader and clearly not a man for inaction, stepped up and quoted the Old Testament to show that the Scripture had to be fulfilled:  One (Judas) had to betray the Lord and God’s purpose will ever be fulfilled.  So the eleven apostles prayed for wisdom and after careful review they chose two worthy men for consideration.

Luke began this letter which would be known as Acts of the Apostles by saying that the resurrection of Christ Jesus had been proved – and he wrote of many convincing proofs.  Luke then inserts this story showing that the remaining Apostles were reliable and they were doing God’s will by this apostolic election.  There was no uncertainty, no objection and no hesitation to take this step.  They needed one who had witnessed all Christ had done and said  in this world – one who would testify to the resurrection of Christ Jesus.  Authority had clearly been bestowed upon them by the risen Christ and Christ left this to them to act.

The choice of Matthias as the twelfth apostle was not by chance – and we hear no more of Matthias after this.   But two qualified men had been put forward.  The eleven Apostles first used their best judgment and left the pick to God.  They cast lots for the final decision which was a method used all through the Old Testament.

This is the last mention of casting lots in all of Scripture. The Apostles have been prepared by Christ Jesus for His Church and await the Spirit Who will empower them.