Matthias was chosen because he met the qualifications Peter laid out, and Peter acted in God's will in filling Judas's vacant apostleship.
Peter required the replacement to have accompanied Jesus from John's baptism until His ascension and to be a witness of the resurrection. Les emphasizes that Paul could not have filled that place because he had no connection with the twelve and was later commissioned as the apostle to the Gentiles.
Acts 1:21-26 — This passage gives the biblical account of how Matthias was chosen to replace Judas, including the qualifications and the casting of lots.
The account of Matthias's selection is found in Acts 1. After the death of Judas, Peter addressed about 120 believers and explained that one of the men who had accompanied them all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among them, beginning from the baptism of John until the day He was taken up, must be ordained as a witness of His resurrection. Those present appointed two men—Joseph called Barsabas and Matthias—and prayed that the Lord, who knows all hearts, would show which one He had chosen. Then they gave forth their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Les pushes back on the idea that Peter was wrong to choose Matthias and should have waited for Paul. Out of the 120 in the upper room, the person who took Judas's place had to have followed Christ from John's baptism through the whole three years of ministry, witnessed the resurrection, and heard Christ speak in the forty days before His ascension. Paul, Les says, would never have fit. He had no connection with the twelve, he separated himself from them, and he was not a witness of Jesus's earthly ministry. The twelve were apostles of Israel; Paul was chosen later as the apostle of the Gentiles, commissioned on Gentile ground. Peter's prompt action was not presumptuous but was in perfect accord with the will of God, since Peter expected the Lord's return in a short time.
Peter said one of the men who had accompanied them from John's baptism until Jesus was taken up had to be ordained as a witness of the resurrection. Les emphasizes this meant being converted from John's baptism, following Jesus through His three years of ministry, witnessing the resurrection, and hearing Christ in the forty days before the ascension.
Les repeatedly says Saul/Paul would not have fit. Paul had no connection to the twelve and had not been with Jesus during His earthly ministry. He was later separated from them as the apostle to the Gentiles, commissioned on Gentile ground. The twelve were apostles of Israel.
Some Bible teachers have criticized Peter for rushing ahead and not waiting for Paul. Les says Peter was right on, in perfect accord with God's will, because he expected the Lord's return soon.
Qualifications from Acts 1
Les points to Peter's own words in Acts 1 to show that Judas's replacement had to come from the men who had followed Jesus from John's baptism to the ascension.
One of the 120
Les explains that Matthias had to come from the 120 gathered in the upper room and had to have been with Jesus from John's ministry through the resurrection.
Peter Was Not Premature
Les insists Paul could not fit the twelve like a square peg in a round hole, and that Peter was following God's will when he filled the vacancy immediately.
Saul's Background as Persecutor
Les contrasts Paul's earlier persecution of believers with his later commissioning to take the gospel to the Gentiles, showing he was not part of the twelve.
Paul Had No Tie to the Twelve
Les corrects the idea that Peter should have waited for Paul by noting that Paul had no connection to the twelve and separated himself from them.
Apostle of the Gentiles
Les explains that the twelve were Israel's apostles, while Paul was chosen on Gentile ground to be the apostle of the Gentiles, so he never fit Judas's slot.
The 7 "I AM" Names of God — Old Testament to John's Gospel
I want you to pick up the mindset of these 11 men. Now it's still only 11, Judas is gone, and Matthias isn't in yet. But chapter 21, verse 1. Acts 21a "...after these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias, and on this wise He showed Himself.
Why the Jews Called Jesus Accursed — 1 Corinthians 12:3 Explained
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, "...we ought to be God rather than men." Now verse 30, "...the God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew, and hanged on a tree." What's that got to do with it? Come back to Matthew 27. Matthew 27, Judas. In verse 5. Matthew 27, verse 5. Matthew 27, now verse 5.
Acts 1:21-22: Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
Peter states the core qualification for Judas's replacement.
Acts 1:26: And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
This records the actual selection of Matthias as Judas's replacement.
Scripture shows Matthias had to be one of the men who had been with Jesus from John's baptism to the ascension and a witness of the resurrection. When the lot fell on him, he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Les says no; Peter was in perfect accord with God's will. Good teachers have criticized Peter, but Paul never would have fit the twelve.
Paul was not a follower of Jesus during His earthly ministry, had no connection to the twelve, and was later called as a separate apostle to the Gentiles.
Watch the Teaching: What Really Happened at Pentecost? Acts 2 Explained