Acts 1:23 describes the moment the early church put forward two men to replace Judas Apostle as one of the twelve. The verse tells us that the believers nominated Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias, and that the choice between them was then left to prayer and the casting of lots. It is the first recorded decision the church made after Jesus ascended, and it was spoken by Peter, who led the group of about 120 believers gathered in Jerusalem.
They put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.
Acts 1:23 (WEB)
What Acts 1:23 Means
The phrase “they put forward two” means the community did not simply appoint one person. They offered two qualified candidates for the group to consider. Both men are named clearly, with Joseph also called Justus, which suggests he had a second name that his friends used. The verse shows a church that took care over who would serve in an important role, rather than acting in haste.
The verse does not explain how the two were judged to be suitable, and it does not say that either man was more gifted than the other. It records a process: candidates were named, and the decision was placed in God’s hands. Readers should not take from it a formula for choosing leaders in every setting. It describes one historical act at a unique moment in the church’s life.
The Context of Acts 1:23
Luke wrote the book of Acts as a second volume to his Gospel, addressed to Theophilus, and it traces how the message of Jesus spread from Jerusalem outward. The events of this chapter come just after Jesus’s ascension, when the apostles were waiting in the upper room for the promised Holy Spirit. Peter quotes the Psalms in verse 20 to show that the vacancy left by Judas was foretold in Scripture, which gives the church a reason to fill it.
Verse 22 sets the standard for candidates: they must have been with Jesus from John’s baptism until his ascension, so they could testify to his resurrection. Because the verse sits inside that requirement, it reads less as a general procedure and more as the careful application of a specific qualification. The chapter then ends in verse 26 with Matthias being counted among the eleven.
Key Phrases in Acts 1:23
Acts 1:24
They prayed, and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen
(WEB)
This verse follows directly after our passage and shows the prayer the believers offered before the lot was drawn. It reveals their reliance on God as the one who knows every heart, which explains why they left the final choice to him rather than to their own judgment.
Proverbs 16:33
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
(WEB)
This proverb speaks of the lot being cast into the lap, with its outcome determined by the Lord. It helps explain why the early church trusted the lot as a way of seeking God’s decision, and it reminds us that our own plans are finally placed under his direction.
