The passage
      v15-17. Luke tells us that the Christian community in Jerusalem (or possibly all believers) numbered around one hundred and twenty. At a main meeting Peter takes the lead and identifies the necessity to replace Judas the betrayer. The betrayal of the messiah was all part of God's plan, long revealed in the scriptures. Sadly, Judas, one of the twelve apostles, had chosen to play the part. Peter mentions the Psalms as the main source of the testimonies concerning Jesus' betrayal.
      v18-19. Luke introduces an editorial aside to tell us what happened to Judas. Luke's account differs somewhat from Matthew's. When the two accounts are compared, Luke's is less generous.
      v20. The aside concluded, the texts concerning Judas are quoted. The testimonies come from Psalm 69:25 and 109:8. The point is that because of his wickedness, Judas rightly has no place numbered among the apostles and his position of authority should now be offered to another.
      v21-22. Peter outlines the qualifications and job description for the new apostle. He must be someone who has journeyed with Jesus from the time when John the Baptist was preaching through to the resurrection. The idea of travelling with Jesus implies that the candidate has been taught by Jesus. The job description defines an apostle as a "witness" to the "resurrection." Not just an eye witness, but someone who declares the truth of the resurrection - the message of new life in Christ, the gospel. An apostle is a preacher of the resurrection.
      v23. Two candidates are put forward: Joseph, whose surname is "son of the Sabbath" and who also has a Roman name, and Matthias whom Eusebius says was one of the seventy disciples. In tradition, Matthias was the missionary apostle to the Ethiopians.
      v24-26. Having selected the two candidates, the gathering prayed, placed the names in a hat and drew out Matthias. Judas had abandoned his apostolic authority, sold it as it were, and left this life for a place known only by God. The twelve were again restored to head messiah's mission to all the tribes of Israel and beyond.

Judas the traitor
      In our passage for study Luke recounts the demise of Judas, but interestingly, what he says is not quite what Matthew says. Matthew says that Judas regretted his betrayal of Jesus, returned the money to the Jewish authorities and went and hanged himself. As the money was blood money, the authorities purchased the potter's field as a cemetery for aliens. Luke says that Judas purchased the field and came to grief on it somehow. We are actually not quite sure what the Greek word, translated in the NIV as "fell headlong", actually means. In the first centuries of the Christian church it was understood as "swelled up". So, it was commonly believed that Judas' stomach swelled up and burst open. Not a nice image! Christian scholars down the ages have tried to align the two stories. For example, many have suggested that the authorities purchased the field in Judas' name, so it was his, although he didn't sign the papers. Augustine suggested that when Judas hung himself, the rope broke and he fell headlong, bursting open his stomach in the fall. Well, who knows!
      What we actually have in the two stories is a generous description of Judas' end and a less generous description. Is Luke keeping in with the leaders of the Jerusalem church by playing down the more generous aspects of Judas' end? Even so, Luke records Peter's (the apostles?) words that "Judas left to go where he belongs." Some suggest that Peter is implying the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth, but that's not what Peter says. He is non committal, for he doesn't know where Judas has ended up, either heaven or hell, for that is between the Lord and Judas. Yes, it is true that Judas is called "the son of perdition", and that the word perdition is used of the Antichrist, but the word means loss, destruction, or ruin and that well describes the end of the Antichrist as it does of Judas, but it does not say whether he is in heaven or hell.
      Even more fascinating is the use of a word in Matthew's description of Judas' end, translated in the NIV as "was seized with remorse." It actually means "repent", to change one's mind for the better. Again, some will counter with the reference to his suicide and argue that a person who commits suicide cannot be forgiven and share in eternity, but there is no scripture to support this argument.
      So, there it is, do with it as you will. Was Judas saved? There is little evidence that the apostles forgave him, but then God has a bigger heart than any of us. His grace is boundless; He forgives beyond measure. If Judas did actually repent, did turn to God and ask forgiveness for turning on Jesus, what do you think, is God big enough to forgive? And what of all our garbage, is he big enough to forgive our many sins?

v15
      anastaV (anisthmi) aor. part. "stood up" - having arisen. "Standing up."
      twn adelfwn (oV) "the believers" - of the brothers. Although masculine, the term is used collectively of men and women. The use of "brothers" for a group of men and women is acceptable, but causes a problem today, since we do try to avoid language that is gender specific. "Brethren", "fellow Christians."
      epi to auto "a group" - at the same. A technical phrase for a crowd; "there was a crowd", Moffatt.
      wJsei "about" - like, as, about. Luke regularly tells us that his head counting is approximate. Here the count is approximately 120. Is this the whole number of believers, or is it only the Jerusalem community? The count may not include those in Galilee or the countryside of Judea, or possibly women and children. At any rate, Jesus' church is a small one, which should encourage ministers today who are serving in small congregations.

v16
      andreV adelfoi "brothers" - men brothers. Is Luke being gender specific making the point that only men were present, or is Peter being typically Jewish in only addressing the men?
      edei (dei) imperf. + inf. "[the scriptures] had [to be fulfilled]" - it was necessary, inevitable. The Western reading has "is necessary", but a past tense is better attested. Both the betrayal of Judas (or more properly the betrayal of one of his own; Judas chose to play the part) and the appointment of someone to replace him, was necessary because it was subject to the overarching theology of the kingdom of God, as detailed in Old Testament prophecy. Note how Peter is the one who knows what "was necessary" and how he identifies the supporting scripture. This ability relates to Jesus, who used the Old Testament messianic testimonies to both shape and explain his ministry and then opened the minds of his disciples to the messianic prophecies in the scriptures, Lk.24:44-45
      plhrwqhnai (plhrow) aor. pas. inf. "be fulfilled" - [it was necessary] to be fulfilled. The events around the messiah's life, his sacrifice and glorification, are the subject of fulfilled Biblical prophecy. It seems that early in the life of the apostolic church, Old Testament texts were assembled as testimonies to Jesus' fulfilment of prophecy. Texts concerning Judas' betrayal were part of this proof-texting process. The mention of David as the source of some inspired texts is simply a reference to the Psalms, whose author, it was believed, was David. Verses about persecution, betrayal etc. of the psalmist were inevitably applied to Jesus and so used of Judas' betrayal, eg. Ps.41:9 in John 13:18. Texts supporting the necessity of twelve apostles and therefore the necessary replacement of Judas are less easy to identify. Yet, neither Jesus nor the apostles were really into proof-texting. The messiah's ministry sits firmly on the Biblical theology of the kingdom of God and scriptural texts or testimonies are but pointers to this theology. This is why they are at times less than convincing. So, Jesus is the long awaited saviour of the house of Israel, and that to all Israel, to the twelve tribes of Israel. The apostolic band now represents this new Israel, the whole twelve tribes of Israel, and since Jesus has ascended to glory, the mission to all Israel must continue, the mission to save a people unto the Lord. So, the one who sold his birthright for a mess of pottage must be replaced.
      proeipen (prolegw) aor. "spoke long ago" - spoke before, said beforehand, foretold. "My friends, long ago by the Holy Spirit, David said", CEV.
      dia + gen. "through" - through, by means of. "By the lips of David", Moffatt.
      oJdhgou (oV) "guide" - a leader, guide. "He brought the mob to arrest Jesus", CEV.
      toiV sullabousin (sullambanw) aor. dat. part. "those who arrested" - [Judas, the one having become a guide] to the ones having seized, arrested [Jesus].

v17
      oJti "-" - that, because, since. The vacancy had occurred "because" Judas, who was one of the 12 apostles, had abdicated his position.
      kathriqmhmenoV (katariqmew) perf. pas. part. "[one of our] number" - being numbered [among us]. In the sense of included in a group. "He was one of us."
      elacen ton klhron "shared" - obtained, received, assigned by lot a portion. Here "appointed to the rank of apostle to share in our ministry."
      thV diakoniaV (a) gen. "in [this] ministry" - of [this] service, ministration. In the narrow sense, "waiting on tables", although clearly here apostolic ministry is intended. Jesus set the pattern of leadership in the Christian fellowship by describing it "like one who serves", Lk.22:26. Waiting on tables was a menial task in the first century and was performed by servants and women. Apostleship is service. The English word "ministry" has long lost this impact, in fact the word is often used now in the sense of authority rather than service.

v18
      ek "with" - out of, from. "From the reward from his betrayal of Jesus, Judas purchased a field."
      misqou (oV) "the reward" - wages, pay. "The pay his villainy had earned for him", Barclay.
      thV adikiaV (a) gen. "wickedness" - of unrighteousness. Possibly, but unlikely, "his unrighteous reward", Bruce. Interestingly, Matthew says that Judas metamelhqeiV "was seized with remorse" or more properly "repented", which in the NT usually means "turned back to God." Judas' wickedness remains and is repeatedly condemned in the scriptures, but if his repentance was genuine, is he not forgiven? "His unrighteous act."
      ekthsato (ktaomai) aor. "bought" - acquired, bought, got for oneself. Matthew has the Chief Priests and Elders buying the field with the money Judas gave back to them. Possibly they bought the field in Judas' name.
      prhnhV genomenoV "he fell headlong" - There is some debate over the meaning of this phrase. Initially it was thought to mean "become swollen or inflamed." In early Christian tradition, eg. Papias, it was believed that Judas swelled up and burst open, but probably this was based on a later understanding of the word in this text. Research favours a meaning of "forward / prostrate / headlong", possibly related to hanging himself as recorded in Matthew, so "there he hung himself." Barrett is unconvinced, opting for lit. "having come to be prone", so, "he fell flat on his face", Barrett.
      elakhsen (lakew) aor. "his body burst open" - he burst open.
      mesoV "-" - middle. Judas burst open in the middle, that is, his stomach, or more likely his bowels, burst open and his intestines came out.
      execuqh (ekcew) aor. pas. "spilled out" - poured out

v19
      oJ kai gnwston egeneto "[Everyone in Jerusalem] heard about this" - which became known [to all]. The relative pronoun is only found in some manuscripts, therefore "and it became known."
      katoikousin (katoikew) pres. dat. part. "in [Jerusalem]" - living in, dwelling in.
      wJste + inf. "so" - This construction forms either a purpose clause (rare), or a result clause.
      th/ idia/ dialektw/ "in their language" - in their own language. The language being Aramaic. The word "Akeldama" is Aramaic, the meaning of which is disputed. It is suggested by some that it means "field of sleep" ie., "field of the dead" = "cemetery".

v20
      gegraptai (grafw) perf. pas. "it is written" - it has been written. The perfect tense indicating a past act with ongoing consequences, namely, the scriptures ongoing authority.
      hJ epauliV (iV ewV) "[his] place" - the dwelling, property, estate, homestead, residence. The reference may be to the property of Judas, or the field of blood / the dead. The psalmist is certainly praying that the dwelling-place of his enemies becomes desolate, Psalm 69:25. Yet, Peter is probably quoting the text to support the desolation of Judas, not just his property. The idea is similar to the old First World War saying, "he aught to be shot and his cloths burnt" - all memory removed. For his wickedness, Judas loses his place of honour and is left with nothing other than a stained reputation.
      thn episkophn (h) "place of leadership" - the oversight, supervision, office. In Psalm 109:8 the psalmist prays that his enemy be no more and that the now vacant position be given to someone else. As noted above, such testimonies are not proof-texts, but take on a prophetic nature through the theology of the kingdom of God. It is through the Biblical theology of messiah's mission to all Israel, represented by the twelve, that the psalmist's vacant position becomes the apostles' vacant position.

v21
      dei "it is necessary" - it is now necessary. Present tense this time, cf. v16. When James was executed some years later, it was not deemed necessary to fill the apostolic vacancy. See above for the theology.
      genesqai (ginomai) aor. inf. "to choose" - to happen, become, born [one of these]. The sentence actually spreads out over two verses with this main verb appearing at the end of v22. "It is necessary of the men journeying with us ..... one become a witness with us of his resurrection." For the sake of a clear reading the NIV has moved this verb to the beginning of v 21, one of the men to become = choose one of the men, and has also repeated it in v22 with "for one of these must become". See Barclay, NJB, for a translation that follows the Greek order. "So we need someone else to help us tell others that Jesus has been raised from death. He must also be one of the men who was with us from the very beginning", CEV.
      twn sunelqontwn (sunercomai) aor. part. "[to choose one of the men] who has been with us" - the [men] having accompanied, gone together with. The new apostle must be someone who journeyed with Jesus, ie. sat under his instruction from the time of the preaching of John the Baptist through to the resurrection.
      eishlqen kai exhlqen aor. "went in and out" - went in and went out. The aorist is a strange choice of tense for what is obviously repeated action, unless we have an ellipsis here, a shorthand way of saying "during the whole time that Jesus came to be with us and then later left us."
      ef hJmas "among us" - Possibly "over us".

v22
      arxamenoV (arcw) aor. part. "beginning" - having begun. Probably best taken as "a nominative absolute that has become adverbial", Begs. Defining the actual commencement of an apostles' witness during the time of Jesus' going "in and out among us", ie. while "Jesus lived his life with us", Phillips.
      tou baptismatoV Iwannou "the baptism of John" - Obviously not referring to the time when John was baptized, possibly when John baptized Jesus, but more likely to John's baptismal ministry and therefore his preaching ministry; "beginning with the preaching ministry of John the Baptist."
      eJwV + gen. "to" - until [the day].
      hJV gen. rel. pro. "when" - which. Probably a genitive of time, as NIV.
      martura (uV uroV) "witness" - a witness, one who testifies. Defining the function of an apostle, and therefore Christian ministry in general.

v23
      esthsan (iJsthmi) aor. "they proposed" - they put forward, stood up, set up. Augustine has "he proposed", "he" probably meaning Peter. The subject is most probably the apostles, but possibly the whole congregation; "they nominated."
      ton kaloumenon (kalew) pres. pas. part. "called" - the one being called. The participle is adjectival, "who was called."
      Barsabban "Barsabbas" - the one born on the Sabbath.
      oJV epeklhqh (epikalew) aor. pas. "also known as" - who was also called [Justus]. Obviously "Justus" was his Roman name. "Known as", CEV.

v24
      proseuxamenoi (proseucomai) eipan aor. part. "then they prayed" - having prayed [they said]. The participle probably forms a temporal clause, as NIV.
      kardiognwsta (hV ou) voc."[you] know [everyone's] heart" - knows, understands the inner life, the heart, the center of being. "O Lord (probably Jesus), the one who knows the innermost secrets of us all."
      anadeixon (anadeiknumi) aor. imp. "show" - show clearly, show forth. "Declare which of these two you have chosen", REB.
      oJn exelexw (eklegomai) aor. "whom you have chosen" - whom you chose, picked out. Jesus is doing the choosing. The use of a method of chance has Old Testament precedence and followed careful selection and prayer. Remember, "an 'is' is not an 'aught'". Just because they did it at that time doesn't mean we should do it now, although having witnessed numerous ecclesiastical appointments one wonders if it wouldn't be worth a try!!!!

v25
      labein (lambanw) aor. inf. "to take over" - to take, receive . The infinitive probably forms a purpose clause, "in order to take over." "To fill the place of this apostolic ministry", Moffatt.
      ton topon (oV) + gen. "-" - the place, position. Fill the vacancy of the apostolic office, not so much replace the person.
      thV diakoniaV tauths kai apostolhV "this apostolic ministry" - of this ministry and apostleship. A hendiadys where a single idea is expressed in the Greek through two words joined by "and", so NIV.
      parebh (parabainw) aor. "left" - deviated, transgressed, went aside from, turned aside.
      poreuqhnai eiV ton topon ton idion "to go where he belongs" - to go, depart, travel, journey to his own place. The infinitive probably introduces a purpose clause, "in order to go." The phrase is meant to be indefinite and does not specifically say that Judas went to a place apart from God, the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Still, the disciples probably believed that Judas was indeed eternally damned. Where Judas ended up is in God's hands. Possibly just describing Judas' rebellion rather than his end; "Judas left to go the way he had chosen for himself", Barclay.