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April 20, 2009, Bright Monday of the Resurrection
From the start, the Church has considered it essential to have twelve chief Apostles. In
addition, the election of St. Matthias to replace the traitor Judas shows that each Apostle had to
have accompanied the others "...all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among [them]."
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Acts 1:12-17, 21-26 (4/20) Apostle for the Monday of Bright Week
The Apostolic Church: Acts 1:12-17, 21-26, especially vs. 26: "And they cast their lots, and the
lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles."
In confessing the Nicene Creed, Orthodox Christians affirm belief in, commitment to, trust in,
and submission to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Today's Apostle reading
focuses on some of what is meant by professing allegiance to the Orthodox Church as
"Apostolic."
This portion of Acts discloses that, from the start, the Church considered it essential to have
twelve chief Apostles: eleven were named (vs.13), and a twelfth was elected and revealed as
God's choice, and "numbered with the eleven" (vs. 26). The passage also shows that it was
necessary that each Apostle have accompanied the others "...all the time that the Lord Jesus went
in and out among [them]" (vs. 21). Thus, each could "...become a witness with [the others] of
[the Lord's] resurrection" (vs. 22). The care of the Evangelist Luke to record their names for the
historical record affirms the lasting significance of these particular individuals for the Church.
With the Lord Jesus "taken up" (vs. 22) and no longer physically present, St. Peter assumed
leadership in the process of restoring the necessary number of Twelve (vss. 15-22). Why
specifically twelve? Why the insistence to replace an office vacated by the traitor? Of first
importance, recognize that the number was set by the will of God (Mk. 3:14). Then from Paul,
the Apostle to the Gentiles, learn that "...not all Israel...are of Israel" (Rom. 9:6). Finally, recall
that Jacob, the man whom God named "Israel" (Gen. 32:28), had twelve sons (Gen 35:22) who
were the forebears of the twelve tribes of the ancient People of God. St. Paul adds that Israel
after the flesh were "...ignorant of God's righteousness, and [sought] to establish their own
righteousness, [having] not submitted to the righteousness of God" (Rom. 10:3).
Therefore, Paul declared, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who
believes" (Rom. 10:14) so "...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in
your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one
believes unto righteousness..." (Rom. 10:9,10). Jesus selected a cadre of twelve whom He would
send to teach and proclaim this, so that men might believe in Him as the crucified and risen
Christ (Mk. 3:14). God did not cast away His people. From a remnant of them, "...according to
the election of grace," He acted to reconcile the world to Himself (Rom. 11:5,15), not to create a
new Israel, but under a new Covenant to open Israel to all nations through faith in Jesus Christ.
The Twelve assure continuity between the old Israel and the Church, bonding all Israel together
as one People.
All of the Twelve were hereditary members of Israel, but observe: the present lesson emphasizes
that they "accompanied" the Lord Jesus, becoming thereby authentic witnesses "...of His
Resurrection" (Acts 1:21). Historically, the Church, in building "...on the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone..." (Eph. 2:20), has
always fiercely insisted on complete continuity with the teaching, worship, and prayer of the
Twelve, firmly retaining every connection with these particular, named, actual persons.
Continuity with the Twelve is essential in the right sharing of the truth of Christ to every
generation.
Our English versions describe the unified witness of the Apostles with a variety of terms: "with
one accord," "with one mind," or "with one heart" (Acts 1:14). The word in the original is from
the same root as the word "soul," implying a shared experience and will. This "soul" the Church
retains as She calls Herself "Apostolic," by faithfully continuing their witness.
O Christ the Rock, Who doth openly glorify the rock of faith manifest in the Twelve whom Thou
didst forechoose from the Disciples, enable us faithfully to continue their witness.
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