17 May 2015
7th Sunday of Easter
“For
it is written in the Book of Psalms: May another take his place.” Psalm 109:8
As
one engages in Bible Study, it is fascinating to explore the distinctive meanings
Scripture places on particular numbers. For example, in today’s first reading
we find of the selection of the twelfth apostle, to take the place of
Judas, who betrayed Jesus. Surely eleven apostles could have carried on the work of Jesus, and there
are certainly more than twelve people called “apostles” in the New Testament (eg., the Apostle Paul).
But for the author of Acts, it seemed necessary that the original complement of
twelve be restored.
Twelve
is a very significant number in biblical theology, as are three and seven. Cited
more than 180 times, the number twelve is a symbol of completion and fullness.
It also may suggest the authority of God.
The
choosing of the Twelve is built on the foundation of the twelve tribes of
Israel, derived from twelve patriarchs, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. The
church as the “New Israel” is seen as connected closely to the foundation of the twelve tribes.
The
Book of Revelation is replete with references to twelve and its various
multiples. For example, twelve gates encompassed the New Jerusalem, with a
dozen precious stones adorning these gates. The dimensions of the holy city were derived from multiples of twelve. Revelation 7 describes twelve thousand to be saved from each tribe and a similar number ordained to serve the Lamb. The Bride of Christ, the
Church, is adorned with a crown containing twelve stars.
The
authors of Sacred Scripture here, as elsewhere, are engaging the symbolism of
their time and culture to convey something important about the election of the
Twelve. In the Acts of the Apostles, the election of Twelve assures readers that
Jesus’ ministry continues in its fullest
sense, even after his Ascension, through the ministry of the apostles and their
successors under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The author, Ms. Barbara Gawle, leads Bible studies at her parish, Incarnation Church of Wethersfield, CT. She is a CBS graduate and the 2012 recipient of the Biblical School's highest award, the Lawrence Boadt Memorial Medal.
