15 During this time, Peter stood up in the company - there were about one hundred twenty of them in the room at the time - 16 and said, "Friends, long ago the Holy Spirit spoke through David regarding Judas, who became the guide to those who arrested Jesus. That Scripture had to be fulfilled, and now has been. 17 Judas was one of us and had his assigned place in this ministry. 18 "As you know, he took the evil bribe money and bought a small farm. There he came to a bad end, rupturing his belly and spilling his guts. 19 Everybody in Jerusalem knows this by now; they call the place Murder Meadow. 20 It's exactly what we find written in the Psalms: Let his farm become haunted So no one can ever live there. "And also what was written later: Let someone else take over his post. 21 "Judas must now be replaced. The replacement must come from the company of men who stayed together with us 22 from the time Jesus was baptized by John up to the day of his ascension, designated along with us as a witness to his resurrection." 23 They nominated two: Joseph Barsabbas, nicknamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, "You, O God, know every one of us inside and out. Make plain which of these two men you choose 25 to take the place in this ministry and leadership that Judas threw away in order to go his own way." 26 They then drew straws. Matthias won and was counted in with the eleven apostles.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 1:15-26
Commentary on Acts 1:15-26
(Read Acts 1:15-26)
The great thing the apostles were to attest to the world, was, Christ's resurrection; for that was the great proof of his being the Messiah, and the foundation of our hope in him. The apostles were ordained, not to wordly dignity and dominion, but to preach Christ, and the power of his resurrection. An appeal was made to God; "Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men," which we do not; and better than they know their own. It is fit that God should choose his own servants; and so far as he, by the disposals of his providence, or the gifts of his Spirit, shows whom he was chosen, or what he has chosen for us, we ought to fall in with his will. Let us own his hand in the determining everything which befalls us, especially in those by which any trust may be committed to us.