Who was appointed to replace Judas Iscariot as a disciple?

The moment of choosing Matthias as the replacement for Judas Iscariot is a compelling story found in Acts 1:26. After Jesus' resurrection and ascension, the eleven remaining disciples were in dire need of a twelfth member to complete their ranks. Why did they cast lots, you ask? It reflects a practice of the time where divine guidance was sought in decision-making, similar in spirit to the ancient practice referenced in Proverbs 16:33, which states, "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord."

Matthias is interesting because he was apparently a lot like the other disciples—the text doesn’t provide explosive backstories or dramatic miracles attributed to him. Instead, he simply stood ready, being a witness of Jesus' ministry from the beginning, which connected him with early followers. That lack of focus on flashiness underscores a beautiful biblical truth: sometimes, the most faithful can be the most overlooked.

Here's a tidbit—can you think of the other candidate’s name, Barsabbas? An intriguing contender, too, even though Matthias is the one who ends up taking the role. This situation shines light on how God’s work isn’t strictly about the spotlight; it’s also about the faithful people walking alongside Him, in both obscurity and visibility. Matthias’ appointment sets the stage for the explosive growth of the early church, igniting a spark still lit in communities of faith worldwide.