Acts 1:23, 26.
Matthias (Gr. Maththías or Matthias, “gift of God”; abbreviated form of the Heb. Mattithyâh, Matthias, common name since the Maccabean era). Disciple chosen by lot to take the place of Judas (Acts 1:21-26). He had followed Christ from the days of his baptism and witnessed his acts and preaching, although he was not one of his closest disciples. Nothing more is known of his history. Clement of Alexandria identifies him with Zacchaeus, and others with Barnabas or Nathanael. Eusebius claims that he was one of the 70 sent by Jesus (Luk 10:1). Various apocryphal writings, attempting to supply what inspiration left out, have made him the central figure in some of his accounts. Scrub. See thorny bush.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
(gr., Matthias or Maththias, gift of Jehovah). The one who was chosen by lot to take the place of Judas Iscariot among the 12 apostles after Judas’ death (Acts 1:15-26).
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
(Yahweh’s gift).
Apostle chosen to replace Judas. It was the first thing the Apostles did in Acts 1:15-26.
Christian Bible Dictionary
Dr. J. Dominguez
http://bible.com/dictionary/
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
(Gift of Jehovah). Disciple who was chosen by the group of the eleven apostles to occupy the position of Judas Iscariot. Peter proposed that someone be chosen “from these men who have been together with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day that he was received up from among us” (Acts 1:21-22), from which it follows that M. was present throughout the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and it is likely that he was one of the 70 sent by him to preach and heal (Luke 10:1, Luke 10: 17). No other mention of him is made in the NT. There is a tradition that says that he was stoned to death in Judea and another that puts his death in Ethiopia.
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
tip, BIOG APOS HOMB HONT
vet, (prob. variation of Mattathias, “gift of Jehovah”; cf. 1 Chr. 25:21 in the LXX). A Jew who became part of the Lord’s disciples from the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan. He was an eyewitness to his resurrection. This made him a candidate to take the place vacated by Judas. The apostles prayed and then cast lots to leave it to God to determine whether Matthias or the other candidate was called to take the place among the apostles. Matthias was the chosen one (Acts 1:21-26). Nothing else is known about him.
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
(probably an abbreviated form of the Hebrew Matthias, meaning: “Gift of Jehovah”).
The disciple who was selected by casting lots to replace Judas Iscariot as apostle. After Jesus’ ascension to heaven, Peter, noting that the psalmist David had not only foretold Judas’ betrayal (Ps 41:9), but had also written (Ps 109:8): “Your position of oversight take another †, proposed to the approximately one hundred and twenty assembled disciples that the vacant position be filled. José Barsabás and Matías were presented as candidates, and after praying, lots were cast, and Matías was chosen. As this occurred only a few days before the outpouring of the holy spirit, this was the last recorded occasion in the Bible when casting lots is used to determine God’s decision on a matter. (Ac 1:15-26.)
According to Peter’s words (Acts 1:21, 22), Matthias had been a follower of Christ throughout his three and a half year ministry. He had a close relationship with the apostles and was most likely one of the 70 disciples or evangelizers whom Jesus sent out to preach. (Lu 10:1) After his selection, “he was numbered together with the eleven apostles” by the congregation (Ac 1:26), and when “the apostles” or “the twelve † , Matthias is counted among them. (Acts 2:37, 43; 4:33, 36; 5:12, 29; 6:2, 6; 8:1, 14; 9:27; see PAUL.)
Source: Dictionary of the Bible
Successor of Judas Iscariot when he abandoned the Twelve (Acts 1.15-26). His election, and the manner in which it was carried out, have sometimes been viewed as hasty and unspiritual, thereby filling Paul’s intended place (cf., e.g., G. Campbell Morgan, Acts, 1924, ad loc., but in Luke we find no indication that this was the case: the basis on which the lot was cast, with its Old Testament precedent (cf. 1 Sam. 14.41; * Urim and Thunim), was that God had already chosen his apostle (v. 24), and it was fitting that the number of apostles be completed before the Holy Spirit descended on the church and it was preached for the first time (* Apostle). The fact that Matthias met the requirements of vv. 21–22 makes Eusebius’s claim (HE 1.12) that he was one of the seventy likely.
We know nothing about his later activities. His name was often confused with that of Matthew, a situation undoubtedly stimulated by the Gnostic groups that claimed to possess secret traditions about him (Hippolytus, Philos. 7.8). Clement of Alexandria knew a book with those pretended traditions (Strom. 2.9; 3.4; cf. 7.17). There were other apocryphal works that were attributed to his person.
The early identification of Matthias with Zacchaeus (Clement, Strom, 4.6) also arises, perhaps, from the confusion with Matthew the publican. The replacement of “Ptolemy” in the old version sir. of Acts 1 is more difficult to understand.
It is probable that this name is a contraction of Mattathias.
AFW
Douglas, J. (2000). New Biblical Dictionary: First Edition. Miami: United Bible Societies.
Source: New Bible Dictionary