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Monday, May 25, 2009

Bible Lesson: Symbols Of Biblical Characters- Matthias

Symbols Of Biblical Characters:
Church Symbol: Double-edged battle axe, open Bible (Symbols of Matthias: Mat-tath-ee-as; Gift of Jehovah.)

Luke 3:25 KJV (Son of Amos)
Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos,...”

Matthias, was elected to take Judas Iscariot's place.

Acts 1:12-26 NLT
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile.
13 When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying. Here are the names of those who were present: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the Zealot), and Judas (son of James).
14 They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.
15 During this time, when about 120 believers were together in one place, Peter stood up and addressed them.
16 “Brothers,” he said, “the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David.
17 Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us.”
18 (Judas had bought a field with the money he received for his treachery. Falling headfirst there, his body split open, spilling out all his intestines. 19 The news of his death spread to all the people of Jerusalem, and they gave the place the Aramaic name Akeldama, which means “Field of Blood.”)
20 Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’
21 “So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus—
22 from the time He was baptized by John until the day He was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.”
23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
24 Then they all prayed, “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen
25 as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs.”
26 Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven.

The criteria upon which the apostle would be chosen was....
1)Someone who was a witness of John the Baptist's baptism of Jesus, to the time of Christ's resurrection, and ascension, also...
2)He had to be divinely selected.

Matthias, met these criteria.

Neither of these two, Justus Barsabbas, or Matthias are mentioned elsewhere in the new testament.
It has been assumed that both, Justus, and Matthias were among the seventy that Jesus commissioned. (;Eusebius)

Luke 10:1, 17-19 KJV
[1] After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before His face into every city and place, whither He Himself would come.
[17] And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
[18] And He said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
[19] Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

There are a few, who think for some reason, later on, Matthias, did not meet all the qualifications, so James the brother of the Lord, was chosen in his place, and here are the scriptures, they base their speculation on.

Galatians 1:19 KJV
But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

Galatians 2:9 KJV
And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

This would all be fine, but for the fact that James, was not converted until after the resurrection of Christ, clearly not putting him in the criteria needed.

Be this as it may, we are well lead to believe that there were more than twelve individuals who were thought to be Apostles in the early church.

Was it important to replace Judas, with Matthias?
It was because each Apostle represented a tribe of Israel ( i.e. 12, tribes, 12 apostles.)
Old church manuscripts, state that a tribe had been assigned to each Apostle.

Church tradition states that Matthias preached to cannibals in Mesopotamia, yet still others state that, in Jerusalem, he was lanced or axed to death by the Jews, and yet still that he was martyred in Ethiopia.

Revelation 2:10 KJV
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.