ABSTRACT
While knowledge of the final four apostles is undoubtedly limited, information about Matthias may be the most scarce. He appears only once in the New Testament, when he is chosen to replace Judas among the 12 apostles (Acts 1:12–25). The name Matthias is a shortened version of Mattathias, which means “Gift of God.” He has been suggested as a possible candidate for the Beloved Disciple.1 According to Eusebius, Matthias was a member of the Seventy before being chosen as an apostle.2 Many of the earliest extra-biblical citations simply refer to his replacing Judas without providing further information about his life and ministry.3 Some early accounts where the apostles are assigned places of ministry do not even include Matthias.4
