Good Old Matthias. He was one of the seventy who were sent out two by two to cast out demons, heal the sick, and proclaim the Good News of forgiveness of sins and the coming of the Reign of God. He won the lot-drawing against Joseph Barsabas, and replaced Judas in The Twelve. Outside of that, we know nothing about him, which is actually more than we know about some of the original Twelve! The tradition is that he was crucified in Ethiopia. Origen and Jerome refer to a Gospel of Matthias and it is possible that this apocryphal gospel was quoted by Clement of Alexandria in discussing the traditions of Matthias according to the heretics Valentinus, Marcion, and Basilides. My friend Dr. Thomas Ferguson, calls Matthias "The Boring Disciple." I agree, no great stories here. But, he was an Apostle, and he did know Jesus and follow him and his life was changed by Jesus, and that's gotta count for something!
1 comment:
Padre, you and Dr. Ferguson are both wrong. No one could walk with Jesus for three years and be boring.
But, he was an Apostle, and he did know Jesus and follow him and his life was changed by Jesus, and that's gotta count for something!
That's the part you get right, mi querido padre.
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