Acts 1:23

They. This probably indicates the whole company of 120, though the immediate context of vs. 21, 22 might possibly suggest limiting the reference to the eleven apostles only.

Appointed two. Gr. estesan duo; these words may be translated either “they set two forward” or “two stood.” In the former sense, this passage would mean that Joseph and Matthias were proposed by the disciples as candidates upon whom the lot might be cast. If the verb is to be understood in the latter sense, it would imply that when Peter had stated the qualifications necessary for the man to fill Judas’ place, he asked whether there were any such present, and Joseph and Matthias stood.

Joseph. A common Jewish name (see on Gen. 30:24).

Barsabas. Gr. barsabas, a transliteration from the Aramaic, perhaps bar shabba’ meaning, “son of the Sabbath,” that is, one who is born on the Sabbath, or bar saba’, “son of the aged.” Some have tried to identify this Barsabas with Barnabas, the Levite from Cyprus, who became a companion of Paul (chs. 4:36; 9:27; 11:22, 24), but there is no scriptural support for this. It is possible that he was the brother of Judas Barsabas mentioned in ch. 15:22.

Justus. A Latin surname. In Roman times many Jews assumed such names.

Matthias. Perhaps a shortened form of Mattathias, which is from the Heb. Matdthyah, “gift of Jehovah.” He is not mentioned again, apart from v. 26, and there is no reliable tradition concerning his career. Eusebius (Ecclesiastical History i. 12. 3; iii. 25. 6) includes him among the Seventy, and mentions an apocryphal gospel attributed to him. He is said to have been martyred in Ethiopia or in Judea (see p. 36).