Matthias and the vacant apostolic place
Acts narrates Matthias being chosen after Judas's death. Peter calls the vacancy an episkopē, an oversight or office, but the event concerns membership among the Twelve and does not by itself describe ordinary episcopal ordination.
Scripture
- Acts 1:15-26 — The community proposes two qualified witnesses and Matthias is numbered with the eleven.
Primary sources
Peter quotes the Psalms:
In the Matthias narrative, Acts quotes Scripture describing Judas's vacancy as an office to be taken by another.
Let another take his office.
Passage context and translation
Peter quotes the Psalms before the community identifies qualified companions and selects Matthias to join the eleven. The Greek noun rendered 'office' is episkopē in this verse.
Before the excerpt
For it is written in the book of Psalms
After the excerpt
Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time