Acts chapter 1

vs 14

Ok, so Mary isn't one of the women? It is interesting to note that Jesus' family suddenly have all joined the cause. That is good. And it is interesting that they get together constantly for prayer. I guess there's nothing else particularly Christian to do yet.

vs 15

So this went on for some time, because it was 'in those days'. 120 believers isn't bad. I mean, it's not a great percentage of the world population, but for so soon after the death of Christ, it's a fair number.

vs 16

In the end, that is how Peter saw Judas' role - as a necessary fulfilment of Scripture. I think that's the best way of seeing it too.

vs 17

We always paint Judas as a bastard. But Peter says that he was one of them. That he shared in the ministry. When the 12 were sent out to talk to people, he went too. He left everything he had to follow Jesus too. I wonder how long it was in history before Judas became as despised as he was.

vs 18

What a lovely story.

vs 19

I wonder if that is Hebrew or Aramaic?

vs 20

We don't read psalms this way - and with good reason - because we don't live in the immediate time of the Messiah. Who else among the 12 apostles was prophesied about to appear during messianic times? I think only Judas. So it's fitting that they read more about him in those psalms.

vs 21-22

It's interesting that they take this as the one thing they must have - witness of Jesus' baptism by John. That's when they measure the whole thing as starting. Also interesting that God himself calls an Apostle who doesn't even fill this one requirement.

vs 23

So many names!

vs 24-25

Why is this two verses?

vs 26

We don't pick elders this way :P Seriously, though, the use of urrim and thurrim and the casting of lots is used more often in the Bible to divine God's voice than we would like to remember. God does work through it, though. Some people argue that he didn't in this case - because Paul was God's Apostle, not Matthias. But I would say that there needed to be 13 Apostles. 12 for the 12 tribes of Israel, and a 13th for the gentiles. Which makes it even more fitting that Paul is an 'abnormally born' Apostle. But we'll get to him later.