Wednesday, May 14, 2025

It is the 14th of May 2025. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

When I was a kid, there were only three Star Wars. No prequels or sequels or Disney+ shows, and such fan fiction was rampant (that is, creating additional storylines for characters that seem underrepresented). Boba Fett was one such character - mysterious and speaks only four lines in six and a half minutes of screen time.

I tell you this because today is the feast day of the Boba Fett of the Bible- at least back in the day, he was the disciple Matthias, who is celebrated in many churches on this, the 14th of May. He used to be celebrated in February, but that could fall during Lent, and since he only appears around Pentecost, it’s appropriate to remember him in Eastertide.

So, the story in Acts goes like this: Judas does his thing in the field that he purchased, and the disciples have now become Apostles (a disciple is one who is taught, an apostle is one who is sent). They read Psalm 109 as pertaining to Judas:

“Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy; let an accuser stand at his right hand. When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayers condemn him. May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.”

Another take his place! And the text is thus:

Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. 

He’s at Pentecost because we read “Peter, with the eleven,” but that’s it! And so you know, the early church had a field day. Someone wrote “the Gospel of Matthias” (sometimes called “the Traditions of Matthias”) likely in Egypt sometime in the 2nd century. Clement of Alexandria and Origen both make references to it, but only in passing, while our boy Eusebius, the early church historian, states that this text was written by and for heretics, perhaps those associated with the mysterious Nicolaitans that appear in the book of Revelation.

But friends, I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t tell you about one of the more, well… peculiar? Unhinged? It’s called the Acts of Andrew and Matthias, and it goes like this: the Apostles draw lots to decide who goes where. Matthias gets the assignment to go to the anthropophagoi… ok… until you learn that this means “people eaters” or the city of cannibals. Matthias is arrested and beaten and prepared to become the meal. Andrew is visited by Jesus, who then, along with two angels, goes with Andrew to rescue Matthias. On the way, they meet some unbelieving Jewish priests. Jesus has the sphinx come to life to testify to Jesus’ divinity, and then the patriarchs are resurrected, and they too confirm Jesus’ identity, but the priests still don’t believe. Oh well, Andrew rescues Matthias, who is carried off by a cloud to meet Peter on a mountain, while Andrew stays behind and converts the cannibals, who repent and are baptized. Matthias can’t even get the main action in this book- forever the secondary character despite being one of the 12, at least eventually.

Was Matthias forgotten because he was improperly chosen? This is a minority position in the history of the church. Perhaps his lack of fame (and thus subsequent fan fiction) reveals him to be a true servant leader in the steps of Jesus and a model for us, even if he never went to the City of Cannibals or wrote a secret Gospel as some have suggested. Inching towards Pentecost, in the time he was chosen to replace Judas, we remember Matthias on this, the 14th of May.

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and John 10:

31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

This has been the Christian History Almanac for May 14, 2025, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man wondering which disciple could be compared to Jar Jar Binks… he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who could be 1517’s Yoda- not because I’m smart but because I’m hidden away somewhere and some people think I talk weird… I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.