Matthias

Matthias was a disciple of Jesus who was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot as one of the twelve apostles after Judas' betrayal and death. In the days following Jesus' ascension, the apostles gathered to pray and choose a replacement for Judas. The criteria for the new apostle were that he had to have been with Jesus from His baptism by John until His ascension and be a witness to His resurrection. Two men were proposed: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. After praying, the apostles cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias, who was then numbered with the eleven apostles (Acts 1:21–26). Although not much is known about Matthias' life and ministry after this event, his selection as an apostle demonstrates the importance of maintaining the twelve as the foundation of the early church, representing the twelve tribes of Israel.