Acts - Week 2 (Acts 1:12-26)
Acts 1:12-26
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Acts 1:12-26
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Acts 1:12-26 〰️ Acts 1:12-26 〰️
Week two of our series in Acts picks up immediately following Jesus’ ascension. The disciples returned to Jerusalem as Jesus commanded in 1:4, and the first thing that the men and women who followed Jesus did was pray. More specifically, verse 14 tells us that they were “united in prayer.” There are some cool things going on in this passage, particularly regarding their community. Some scholars suggest that the size of this community (v15) is mentioned because “in Jewish law a minimum of 120 Jewish men was required to establish a community with its own council’; so already the disciples were numerous enough ‘to form a new community.’”¹ Unsurprisingly, there were enough men and women who followed Jesus and remained that they could formally form their own community. What is surprising and encouraging in this passage is that, in v14, we read that “They all were continually united in prayer.” So while they waited, they prayed. This was immediately following 1) Jesus’s death and resurrection, roughly 40 days prior, 2) His promise of baptism by the Holy Spirit (v7-8), and 3) the angels informing them that Jesus will return in the same way he left. Looking back 2000+ years, we know that Jesus has yet to return, but there was very likely a sense of tension and anticipation that it could happen any day. We don’t live or pray with this kind of on-edge urgency today, but this was a very real feeling for them, especially for the disciples who witnessed this in person. Though we don’t get much more information, we know they’re united in prayer. But what does it mean to be united in prayer like Jesus’s followers here in this passage? Before diving into this, we can probably define what ununified prayer looks like more easily. Have you ever been part of a community that seems to want contradicting things, even if it’s down to non-moral preferences? I remember hearing a story of a church that “fought” over the color of the new carpet they were putting in the sanctuary. They had to come to a church vote to decide between maroon red (you know the one) and a blue carpet. My thought was that if we struggle to be unified in a preference like this (where, let’s be honest, it’s not that important; we should just lay down our preferences for the sake of the body of the church), then how on earth can we be unified in our mission as followers of Jesus? It’s a silly example, but I doubt there are many of us who haven’t seen some form of disunity between a faith community. Being unified as followers of Jesus means placing Jesus at the heart of our prayers and mission. While it’s not a bad thing at all, we can sometimes be praying for a specific desired outcome that we lose sight of the fact that God knows better than we do. I find myself asking God for one specific thing I want to happen, rather than submitting to Him and saying, “God, Your will be done” (which, if we recall, Jesus shows us how to pray in Luke 11:1-4).
So they were unified, but what were they praying for? Unfortunately, we don’t know for sure what they were praying for. The Greek word used here by Luke means to be “busy” or “persistent” in prayer.² For a community of 120+ people to be praying together, it was likely something grand and lofty, like the return of the Messiah. The best guess we have is that they were praying for this “baptism of the Holy Spirit” and for Jesus to return soon. The last piece we’ll touch on in this section is Luke addressing those present during their unified prayers: “along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” (v14) In this cultural context, it was assumed that a group only counted the men, so Luke makes a point to inform us that the women who faithfully followed Jesus during His ministry were also there and, in a particular place of honor by being mentioned by name, Jesus’s mother, Mary.³ Luke also mentions Jesus’s (half) brothers. Their mention is implied to be because they did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God during His ministry, but, because of an encounter with Him after the resurrection, they came to believe.
The second portion of this passage is the account of Peter standing before the congregation and acknowledging Judas Iscariot’s betrayal and eventual death. In this passage, his death is described in gory detail in v18: “Now this man acquired a field with his unrighteous wages. He fell headfirst, his body burst open and his intestines spilled out.” Now, this description isn’t and doesn’t contradict the account we have in the Gospels, as we know Judas Iscariot hung himself out of guilt and shame after betraying Jesus, and it was most likely that his decaying body fell from the rope after some time. But what’s important in this passage is yet another fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, as Peter quotes two Psalms regarding Judas Iscariot’s betrayal and death and then regarding his replacement (Ps. 69:25 and 109:8). They then decide to find someone to replace one of the twelve, and, naturally, they knew they needed someone who had been there to see Jesus’s ministry in person. They came down to two men: Joseph (aka Barsabbas, aka Justus) and Matthias. It’s very interesting to see the methods by which they came down to these two men:
“Cluster of factors which contributed to the discovery of God’s will in this matter. First came the general leading of Scripture that a replacement should be made (16–21). Next, they used their common sense that if Judas’ substitute was to have the same apostolic ministry he must also have the same qualifications, including an eyewitness experience of Jesus and a personal appointment by him. This sound deductive reasoning led to the nomination of Joseph and Matthias. Thirdly, they prayed. For though Jesus had gone, he was still accessible to them by prayer and was acknowledged as having a knowledge of hearts which they lacked. Finally, they drew lots, by which they trusted Jesus to make his choice known. Leaving aside this fourth factor, because the Spirit has now been given us, the remaining three (Scripture, common sense and prayer) constitute a wholesome combination through which God may be trusted to guide us today.”⁴
Let’s pause here. I know what you’re thinking: “I thought drawing lots wasn’t okay?” You’d be right, at least for us today. But back then, at least at this point in Christian history, they didn’t have the Holy Spirit within them for the direct God-to-man discernment we have access to today. It’s important to note that drawing lots was approved in the Old Testament (before the baptism of the Holy Spirit) in Lev. 16:8; Num. 26:55; Prov. 16:33; Lu. 1:9).
The passage then closes with the lots being cast and them falling to Matthias. They trusted God’s provision in this and added him to the eleven apostles, bringing them back to twelve.
Discussion Questions
Could someone read Acts 1:12-26 for us?
What stood out to you from the passage?
Does this passage remind you of another part of Scripture?
Do you have any questions?
Verse 14 says they were “united in prayer.” What do you think they were praying for?
What does it mean for us to be “united in prayer” as a community group?
Why did they cast lots for Matthias?
How do you think they narrowed the options down to two men in v21-23? Other than casting lots, what wisdom can we gain from this in determining God’s will in other things?
1. Howard I. Marshall, Acts: Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Lisle, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980), 64.
2. John R. W. Stott, The Message of Acts: The Spirit, the Church & the World, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 53.
3. Ibid., 54.
4. Ibid., 58-59.