The Gospel of Matthias is a lost text from the New Testament apocrypha, ascribed to Matthias, the apostle chosen by lots to replace Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:15-26). The category of New Testament apocrypha reminds the modern reader of the wide range of responses that were engendered in the interpreting of the message of Jesus of Nazareth during the first several centuries of the Common Era, as mainstream Christianity emerged. ... Saint Matthias is the Apostle chosen by the remaining eleven apostles to replace Judas Iscariot, following Judas betrayal of Jesus and suicide (Acts 1:21 - 26). ... The Twelve Apostles (in Koine Greek απόστολος apostolos [1], someone sent forth/sent out, an emissary) were probably Galilean Jewish men (10 names are Aramaic, 4 names are Greek) chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth by Jesus of Nazareth to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles... For the American black metal band, see Judas Iscariot (band). ...

The content has been surmised from various descriptions^{[citation needed]} of it in ancient works by church fathers (see below). It apparently was distinct from the Gospel of Matthew, and is generally thought also to be distinct from the Traditions of Matthias, although a few academics consider the latter to be the gospel. The (Early) Church Fathers or Fathers of the Church are the early and influential theologians and writers in the Christian Church, particularly those of the first five centuries of Christian history. ... The Gospel of Matthew (literally, according to Matthew; Greek, Κατά Μαθθαίον or Κατά Ματθαίον) is one of the four Gospel accounts of the New Testament. ...

Historical References

Though the work is lost, Clement of Alexandria (Stromateis, III, 4) records a sentence that the Nicolaitanes ascribe to Matthias: "we must combat our flesh, set no value upon it, and concede to it nothing that can flatter it, but rather increase the growth of our soul by faith and knowledge". The Gospel of Matthias was mentioned by Origen (Homily upon Luke. i); by Eusebius (Historia Ecclesiae, III, 25), who attributes it to heretics; by Jerome (Preface to Matthew), and in the Decretum Gelesianum (VI, 8) which declares it apocryphal. It comes at the end of the list of the Codex Barroccianus (206). Clement of Alexandria (Titus Flavius Clemens), was the first member of the Church of Alexandria to be more than a name, and one of its most distinguished teachers. ... This entry incorporates text from Eastons Bible Dictionary, 1897, with some modernisation. ... Origen (Greek: Ōrigénēs, 185–ca. ... Eusebius is the name of several significant historical people: Pope Eusebius - Pope in AD 309 - 310. ... Look up Heretic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Jerome (ca. ... Apocrypha (from the Greek word απόκρυφα meaning those having been hidden away[1]) are texts of uncertain authenticity or writings where the authorship is questioned. ...

This lost gospel is probably the document whence Clement of Alexandria quoted several passages, saying that they were borrowed from the traditions of Matthias, Paradoseis ("Paradoxes"), the testimony of which he claimed to have been invoked by the heretics Valentinus, Marcion, and Basilides (Stromateis, VII.17). According to Philosophoumena, VII.20, Basilides quoted apocryphal discourses that he attributed to Matthias. These three writings: the Gospel, the Traditions, and the apocryphal Discourses were identified by Zahn (Geschischte des neuetestamentlichen Kanon, II, 751), but von Harnack (Chron. der altchristlichen Litteratur, 597) denies this identification. Robert Boyles self-flowing flask fills itself in this diagram, but perpetual motion machines cannot exist. ... -Quevedo Valentinius, also called Valentinus (c. ... Marcion of Sinope (ca. ... Basilides redirects here. ... Theodor Zahn or Theodor von Zahn (1838 - 1933) was a biblical scholar born in Rhineland, Prussia (now Germany). ... Adolf von Harnack, German theologian Adolf von Harnack (May 7, 1851 - June 10, 1930), was a German theologian and science administrator. ...

Tischendorf (Acta apostolorum apocrypha, Leipzig, 1851) published after Thilo, 1846, Acta Andreae et Matthiae in urbe anthropophagarum , which, according to Lipsius, belonged to the middle of the second century. This apocryphal text relates that Matthias went among the cannibals and, being cast into prison, was delivered by Andrew. The narrative has no historical value. In the apocryphal writings Matthew and Matthias have sometimes been confounded. Lobegott Friedrich Constantin (von) Tischendorf (January 18, 1815 at Langenfeld, Saxony near Plauen – December 7, 1874 in Leipzig) was a noted German Biblical scholar, the son of a physician. ...

References in Popular Culture

A copy of gospel which describes the Usher of Destruction and Avatara in general is given by Wilfred Talbot Smith to Brother Justin Crowe in the HBO series Carnivàle. See Avatar (disambiguation) for other meanings. ... Clancy Brown as Brother Justin Brother Justin Crowe is a fictional character from the HBO drama, Carnivàle played by Clancy Brown. ... Carnivàle [car-nih-VAL] was an American dramatic television series produced by HBO. Created by Daniel Knauf, it starred Nick Stahl and Clancy Brown. ...

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia.