Acts
1:15-26
1. The early church in Jerusalem, 1:1-5:42
iii] The restoration of the twelve
SynopsisAt this point in his account, Luke records the first official act of the Christian community in Jerusalem, namely, the appointment of a new apostle to replace Judas. There were not many who could say they were with Jesus from the beginning of his ministry, but from this group two were proposed and Matthias elected. The issue is managed by Peter who has obviously taken on a leadership role in the church. Luke also, in an aside, gives an account of Judas' demise.
Teaching
The appointment of a replacement for Judas reinforces the truth that the Christian church is the new Israel of God.
Issues
i] Context: See 1:1-11. A second scene separating Christ's ascension from the coming of the Holy Spirit.
ii] Structure: The restoration of the twelve
Setting, v15;
Peter addresses "the believers", v16-17;
Editorial comment, v18-19:
The betrayal of Judas.
Peter continues his address, v20-22;
The election of Matthias, v23-26.
iii] Background:
Jerusalem in the first century.
![[Jerusalem]](images/acts2.jpg)
iv] Interpretation:
Luke's intentions are best discerned by asking a number of salient questions. Why has Luke bothered to record this rather insignificant event? Why did the apostles replace Judas; they never replaced James when he was executed? If they were going to fill such a vacancy, wouldn't they have been better advised to wait for God's man, Paul? How can two seemingly unrelated verses from the Psalms authorise this new appointment?
What we have in this passage is big-picture theology. The twelve apostles represent the twelve tribes of Israel, the remnant gathered from all Israel by God's Messiah Jesus; a people saved by grace through faith. Like Esau, Judas gave up his heritage and so he must be replaced, for the new age has dawned and the mission to all Israel and beyond now proceeds with urgency.
"The Scriptures had to be fulfilled", v16: 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 are 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 likewise to Judas' betrayal, eg. Ps.41:9 in John 13:18.
Texts supporting the necessity for twelve apostles, and therefore the need to replace Judas, are less easily identify. Of course, Jesus wasn't really into proof-texting. The messiah's ministry sits firmly on the Biblical theology of the kingdom of God, such that 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, 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.
The difference in Luke's account of Judas' betrayal and death, and that of Matthew, v18-19. The account here of the demise of Judas does not fit well with 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 prhnhV, 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.
What we have in the two stories is a generous description of Judas' end by Matthew and a less generous description by Luke. Is Luke reflecting the views of the leaders of the Jerusalem church by playing down Matthew's more generous description of Judas' end? For Luke, Judas is beyond all hope, but was he?
Luke records Peter's (the apostle's?) 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 - that is between the Lord and Judas.
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 doesn't actually say where Judas ended up - heaven or hell.
Even more fascinating is the use of a word metamelhqeiV, "having repented", in Matthew's description of Judas' end, translated in the NIV as "was seized with remorse." The word means 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, was Judas beyond all hope? There is little evidence that the apostles forgave him, but then Jesus has a bigger heart than the apostles - his grace is boundless; his forgiveness beyond measure. If Judas did actually repent, did turn to God and ask for forgiveness, then he is surely forgiven, since betraying Jesus is not an unforgivable sin, cf., Matt.12:31.
We need to beware of judging a failed brother for "the last will be first and the first will be last", Matt.20:16.
v] Exposition: A simple exposition of this passage may be found in the linked pew-level Sermon Notes.
Text - 1:15
The restoration of the twelve, v15-26: i] Setting, v15. Luke tells us that the Christian community in Jerusalem (or possibly all believers) numbered around one hundred and twenty. At a gathering of the disciples, Peter takes the lead and calls for the replacement of Judas the betrayer.
en + dat. "in" - [and] in [those days]. Temporal use of the preposition; "at that time", Barclay.
anastaV (anisthmi) aor. part. "stood up" - [peter] having arisen. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the verb "said"; "Peter stood up .... and said."
twn adelfwn (oV) gen. "the believers" - [in the midst] of the brothers [said]. The genitive is adjectival, partitive. 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 gender specific language is in decline, so "Brethren", "fellow believers."
te "-" - and. The conjunction here is used to introduce a parenthesis, so bracketed as NIV.
onomatwn (a atoV) gen. "[a group]" - [the crowd] of names = persons [was]. An example of a metonymy where a word is replaced by another linked word, so "names" = "persons"; "the company of persons", ESV. The genitive is adjectival, partitive, or epexegetic, specifying "the brothers", "a company consisting of persons"; "there was a crowd", Moffatt.
epi + acc. "-" - upon [the same place]. Spatial; "in [that place]. Often epi to auto takes the idiomatic sense "altogether", Culy, possibly "in church fellowship", Omanson, although Culy is not convinced; "the company of persons assembled there numbered about one hundred and twenty."
wJsei "about" - like, as = about [a hundred and twenty]. Variant wJV. As for wJV, when used with numbers this particle expresses an approximation, as NIV. 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 (and getting smaller!).
v16
ii] Peter proposes the replacement of Judas, v16-17. Peter argues that the betrayal of the messiah was all part of God's plan, long revealed in the scriptures. Sadly, Judas, one of the twelve apostles, has chosen to play the part. Peter mentions the Psalms as the main source of the testimonies concerning Jesus' betrayal. Both the betrayal of Judas (or more properly the betrayal of one of his own) 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. Jesus used the Old Testament messianic testimonies to both shape and explain his ministry, and Peter is simply following his lead, Lk.24:44-45
adelfoi (oV) "brothers" - [men,] brothers. "Brothers" stands in apposition to "men". Is Luke being gender specific making the point that only men were present, or is Peter being typically Jewish in only addressing the men?
thn grafhn (h) "the Scripture" - the writing. Accusative subject of the infinitive "to be fulfilled"; "the scripture to be fulfilled was necessary" = "the scripture had to be fulfilled."
plhrwqhnai (plhrow) aor. pas. inf. "to be fulfilled" - to be fulfilled [was necessary]. There is some debate over the classification of an infinitive with an impersonal verb. Traditionally, the infinitive / infinitival phrase was classified as a substantive, subject of an impersonal verb. In the Baylor HGT series, this traditional classification is relegated. Culy and company hold the view that if the verb is impersonal, then the infinitive is properly complementary. Only if the verb is not impersonal can the infinitive function as its subject. In this commentary, verbs like existin, "it is permissible", or dei, "it is necessary", are treated as impersonal, and a related infinitive as their subject. So here we end up with "the scripture which foretold the Holy Spirit through ........ to be fulfilled was necessary." The modified noun "the scriptures" serves as the accusative subject of the infinitive. Note that the Western reading has "is necessary", but a past tense is better attested. The word is often used of divine necessity
proeipen (prolegw) aor. "spoke long ago" - [which] spoke before, said beforehand, foretold [the holy spirit]. "My friends, long ago by the Holy Spirit, David said", CEV.
dia + gen. "through" - through, by means of [david]. Instrumental, agency (intermediate agency, ie. "by the mouth"); "by the lips of David", Moffatt.
peri + gen. "concerning" - concerning [judas]. Expressing reference / respect; "with respect to, about, concerning Judas."
tou genomenou (ginomai) gen. aor. part. "who served" - the one having become [a leader, guide]. The participle is adjectival, attributive, genitive in agreement with Judas, as NIV. "He brought the mob to arrest Jesus", CEV.
toiV sullabousin (sullambanw) aor. dat. part. "for those who arrested" - to the ones having seized, arrested [jesus]. The participle serves as a substantive, dative of interest, advantage, as NIV.
v17
oJti "-" - that, because, since. Here probably expressing cause / reason; introducing a causal clause explaining why the vacancy occurred, "because" Judas, who was one of the 12 apostles, had abdicated his position, so Barrett. Barrett notes that, although unlikely, it could be recitative, ie., serving to express what the Holy Spirit said. Kellum also opts for reason arguing that it "presents the grounds for the assertion that Judas fulfilled Scripture; only a member of the Twelve could betray Christ."
kathriqmhmenoV h\n perf. pas. part. "number" - being numbered [in = among us]. The participle, with the imperfect verb to-be, forms a periphrastic pluperfect construction, probably emphasising durative aspect; "he had been all along one with us."
ton klhron (oV) "shared" - [and he obtained, received, assigned by lot] a portion. Accusative direct object of the verb "to receive." Here "appointed to the rank of apostle to share in our ministry."
thV diakoniaV (a) gen. "in [this] ministry" - of [this] service, ministration. The genitive is adjectival, partitive; "one of this ministry." In the narrow sense, "waiting on tables", although clearly here apostolic ministry is intended - apostleship in service. Jesus set the pattern of leadership in the Christian fellowship by describing it as "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. 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
iii] The fate of Judas, v18-19. "The risen Lord is not frustrated by human rebellion and will not allow even apostasy to hinder the fulfilment of his saving purpose", Peterson. Interestingly, Matthew says that Judas metamelhqeiV "was seized with remorse" or better, "repented." In the NT the word for "repentance", of turning back to God, is metanoia, but one wonders if Matthew is leaving the issue of Judas' salvation up in the air somewhat by his choice of metamelhqeiV. If his repentance was genuine, then his betrayal of Jesus falls within the mercy of God. Judas' wickedness is repeatedly condemned in the scriptures, but if his repentance was genuine, is he not forgiven? If Judas can be forgiven then there is hope for all of us!!!! See above.
men "-" - indeed. Often used by Luke to introduce a new section, here obviously a parenthesis and so v18-19 are usually bracketed.
oun "-" - therefore. Serving to introduce a logical connection, linking the parenthesis with the previous sentence.
ek + gen. "with" - [this one] out of, from. Expressing source / origin. "From the reward of his betrayal of Jesus, Judas purchased a field."
misqou (oV) "the reward / payment" - the wages, pay, reward. "The pay his villainy had earned for him", Barclay.
thV adikiaV (a) gen. "for his wickedness" - of unrighteousness. The genitive is adjectival, limiting "reward", probably attributive, "his unrighteous reward", Bruce, but possibly idiomatic / producer, "the reward produced by / consequent on his unrighteousness." "His unrighteous act."
ekthsato (ktaomai) aor. "bought [a field]" - acquired, bought, got for oneself. [a field]. 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.
genomenoV (ginomai) aor. mid. part. "there he fell [headlong]" - [and] having become = fallen [head first]. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the verb "burst open." Possibly adverbial, temporal; "when he fell over" / "after becoming prostrate", Culy. There is some debate over the meaning of this phrase. Initially it was thought to mean "become swollen or inflamed." In early Christian tradition (Papias) it was believed that Judas swelled up and burst open, but probably this was based on a later understanding of the word. 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. There is a reference in Wisdom 4:19 of the wicked falling headlong.
mesoV "-" - [he burst open] in the 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" - [and all the inward parts of him] was poured out. A rather grotesque image, but it is one found in the OT, 2Sam.20:10.
v19
o{ kai "-" - and [it became known]. The relative pronoun o{, "which", is only found in some manuscripts, so "and it became known."
pasi dat. adj. "everyone" - to all. Dative of indirect object. Obviously not exactly "everyone", but the news would get around.
toiV katoikousin (katoikew) dat. pres. part. "in" - the one's dwelling in, inhabiting [jerusalem]. If we read the adjective pasi, "all", as a substantive, "everyone", then the participle is adjectival, attributive; "everyone who dwelt in Jerusalem."
wJste + inf. "so [they called that field]" - so as [that field to be called]. This construction, wJste + an infinitive, forms either a final clause expressing purpose (rare), or a consecutive clause expressing result. The accusative subject of the infinitive is "that field."
th/ idia/ dialektw/ "in [their] language" - in ones own dialect. Dative of reference / respect, "with respect to their own Aramaic dialect."
autwn gen. pro. "their" - of them. The genitive is adjectival, possibly possessive, the language that belonged to Israel, or better, verbal, subjective, "the language which they speak."
Akeldamac "Akeldama" - akeldama. Accusative noun standing in apposition to "that field." The meaning of this Aramaic word is disputed. It is suggested by some that it means "field of sleep" ie., "field of the dead" = "cemetery".
ai{matoV (a atoV) gen. "[field] of blood" - [that is, field] of blood. The genitive is adjectival, probably attributive; "the bloody field", Culy.
v20
iv] Peter continues his address, v20-22. Either the editorial comment continues in v20, or Luke picks up on Peter's address again where Peter quotes scripture to support his argument. 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. Peter goes on in v21-22 to outline 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 and all the way through to the resurrection. The idea of traveling 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, ie., the gospel. An apostle is a preacher of the resurrection.
gar "'For', said Peter" - for. More reason than cause, explaining the previous assertion by quoting scripture.
gegraptai (grafw) perf. pas. "it is written" - it has been written [in book of psalms]. The perfect tense indicating a past act with ongoing consequences, namely, the scriptures' ongoing authority.
hJ epauliV (iV ewV) "[his] place" - [let become desolate] the dwelling, property, estate [of him]. Nominative subject of the verb "to become." 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 ought to be shot and his cloths burnt", ie., all memory removed (often said of the officers at the time). For his wickedness, Judas loses his place of honour and is left with nothing other than a stained reputation.
oJ katoikwn (katoikew) pres. part. "[no] one to dwell [in it]" - [and let not be] the one dwelling [in it]. The participle serves as a substantive, nominative subject of the verb to-be.
thn episkophn (h) "place of leadership" - [and let take, receive another] the oversight, supervision, office [of him]. Accusative object of the verb "to take." In Psalm 109:8 the psalmist prays that his enemy be no more and that his now vacant position be given to someone else. As noted above, such testimonies are not proof-texts, but take on a prophetic nature through Biblical theology. It is through the theology of messiah's mission to all Israel, represented by the twelve, that the psalmist's vacant position becomes the apostles' vacant position.
v21
oun "therefore" - therefore. Inferential, drawing a logical conclusion.
dei "it is necessary" - it is 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 [one of these]. The sentence actually spreads out over two verses with this infinitive appearing at the end of v22; "it is necessary of the men journeying with us ..... to become a witness with us of his resurrection." The infinitival clause formed by the infinitive stands as the subject of the verb "is necessary"; for a complementary classification see plhrwqhnai, v16. For the sake of a clear reading, the NIV has moved this infinitive with its accusative subject e{na, "one [of these (partitive genitive)]", to the beginning of v 21, "one of these to become = to 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 ..... andrwn (hr roV) gen. "of the men" - men. The genitive here could be taken as adjectival, partitive, but e{na, "one", does not syntactically belong here, so the genitive is actually ablative, expressing source / origin; "therefore, it is necessary from the men having accompanied us ......
sunelqontwn (sunercomai) gen. aor. part. "who has been with us" - having accompanied, gone together with [us]. The participle is adjectival, attributive, limiting "men", genitive in agreement. 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.
en + dat. "[the whole time]" - in [all the time]. Temporal use of the preposition; "during the time."
w|/ dat. pro. "-" - in which. The dative is local, expressing space.
eishlqen kai exhlqen aor. "went in and out" - [the lord jesus] 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 (epi) acc. "among" - among [us]. Spatial; "among us."
v22
arxamenoV (arcw) aor. part. "beginning" - having begun. This nominative participle is probably best viewed 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.
apo + gen. "from" - from. Expressing separation.
Iwannou (hV ou) "of John" - [the baptism] of john. The genitive is adjectival, usually treated as verbal, subjective; "the baptism performed by John." Obviously not referring to the time when John was baptised, possibly when John baptised 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]. Here the preposition takes a temporal sense, of time up to; "until".
hJV gen. rel. pro. "when" - of which = when [he was taken up from us]. The genitive is adjectival, idiomatic, of time, as NIV.
toutwn gen. pro. "[for one] of these" - [one] of these. The genitive is adjectival, partitive.
martura (uV uroV) "witness" - a witness, one who testifies. Defining the function of an apostle, and therefore Christian ministry in general.
thV anastasewV (iV ewV) gen. "of [his] resurrection" - of the resurrection [of him]. The genitive is adjectival, usually classified as verbal, objective.
v23
v] The election of Matthias by lot, v23-26. Two candidates are put forward: Joseph, whose surname is "son of the Sabbath", and Matthias whom Eusebius says was one of the seventy disciples. In tradition, Matthias is recognised as the missionary apostle to the Ethiopians. Having selected the two candidates, the gathering prays, places the names in a hat and draws out Matthias. As for Judas, he abandoned his apostolic authority, sold it as it were, and left this life for a place known only to God. The twelve are again restored to head messiah's mission to all the tribes of Israel and beyond.
esthsan (iJsthmi) aor. "they proposed" - [and] 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."
duo adj. "two men" - two. The adjective serves as a substantive, as NIV, accusative object of the verb "to put forward". Both "Joseph" and Matthias stand in apposition to "two men."
ton kaloumenon (kalew) pres. pas. part. "called" - [joseph] the one being called [barabbas, and matthias who was called justus]. The participle is adjectival, attributive, limiting "Joseph"; "Joseph who was called Barsabbas (the one born on the Sabbath)." As for Matthias, "Justus" may be his Roman name, or a given apostolic name. "Known as", CEV.
v24
The use of a method of chance has Old Testament precedence and follows careful selection and prayer, but we are wise to remember that an is is not an ought. 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!!!!
proseuxamenoi (proseucomai) aor. part. "then they prayed" - [and] having prayed [they said]. The participle is adverbial, best treated as introducing a temporal clause, as NIV.
kardiognwsta (hV ou) voc."[you] know [everyone's] heart" - [you lord] heart-knower (one who understands the inner life) [of all]. "O Lord (probably Jesus), the one who knows the innermost secrets of us all."
o}n aor. "[show us] which" - [show clearly, show forth = reveal the one] whom you chose, picked out. Although situated at the end of the verse, the substantive adjective eJna, "the one", accusative direct object of the verb "to show clearly", likely serves as the head of the relative clause introduced by o}n, "who". Jesus is doing the choosing. "Declare which of these two you have chosen", REB.
ek + gen. "of [these]" - of [these two men you chose]. The preposition here serves in place of a partitive genitive.
v25
Luke's construction is indefinite and so he isn't specifically saying 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. Luke is possibly just describing Judas' rebellion rather than his end;
labein (lambanw) aor. inf. "to take over" - to take, receive. The infinitive probably introduces a final clause expressing purpose, "in order to take over." "To fill the place of this apostolic ministry", Moffatt.
thV diakoniaV tauthV kai apostolhV gen. "this apostolic ministry" - [the place = position (vacancy of the apostolic office)] of this ministry and apostleship. The genitive is adjectival, epexegetic, of definition, specifying the "vacancy"; "take up the vacancy in this ministry." The NIV treats "ministry and apostleship" as a hendiadys where a single idea is expressed in the Greek through two words joined by kai. Culy suggests that kai here is epexegetic, "even apostleship."
poreuqhnai (poreuomai) aor. pas. inf. "to go [where he belongs]" - [from which judas deviated, transgressed, turned aside] to go, depart, travel, journey to [his own place]. The infinitive is probably adverbial, final, expressing purpose, "in order to go." "Judas left to go the way he had chosen for himself", Barclay.
v26
edwkan (didwmi) aor. "they cast" - [and] they gave = cast. We would expect the verb "throw, cast" rather than "give". The lot is "cast" by placing the selected names on stones in a jar and throwing it about until one flies out. It is possible that "gave" here means "gave votes for them" = "and they voted for them and Matthias won."
klhrouV (oV) "lots" - lots. Accusative direct object of the verb "to give." A specially marked pebble, piece of pottery, or stick employed in making decisions based upon chance*.
autoiV dat. pro. "-" - for them. Dative of interest, advantage.
epi + acc. "to [Matthias]" - [and the lot fell] upon [matthias]. Spatial.
sugkateyhfisqh (sugkatayhfizw) aor. pas. "added" - [and] he was numbered. As a hapax legomenon, a once only use in the New Testament, it is difficult to work out the meaning of this word; possibly "voted in and reckoned", Johnson. BAGD records only one other use outside the NT where it takes the middle voice, "join in a vote of condemnation". This further supports the possibility that here "gave lots" means "gave votes."
meta + gen. "to [the eleven apostles]" - with [the eleven apostles]. Expressing association, accompaniment.
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