And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
And they (not the eleven only, but the whole meeting), appointed, х esteesan (G2476)] - rather, 'presented' (as the same word means in Acts 5:27; Acts 6:6); that is, put before the apostles as candidates for the vacant office,
Two - nor could manymore, probably, be found among these hundred and twenty, having all the qualifications expressly demanded.
Joseph called Barsabas - that is, 'son of Sabas;' who was surnamed Justus - or, 'the just.' It was not unusual at this time for Jews to have Gentile names (see Acts 13:9); but whether 'the just' was given, in the present instance, to mark his personal character, cannot be known. (This "Joseph surnamed Barsabas" - of whom we know only what is here stated-is not to be confounded with "Judas surnamed Barsabas," mentioned in Acts 15:22.) From the mention of these small particulars regarding the candidate who was not the object of the divine choice, Calvin ingeniously infers that he had been the apostles' choice; and he and others after him moralize on this selection being divinely thwarted. But there is no reason to suppose that the mention of these particulars had any other design than to distinguish this Joseph from some other or others of the same name.
And Matthias - of whom also we know nothing, except that the lot fell upon him in the present case.