Chapter XII.—Doctrine of the rest of the apostles.
1. The Apostle Peter, therefore, after the resurrection of the Lord, and His assumption
into the heavens, being desirous of filling up the number of the twelve apostles, and in
electing into the place of Judas any substitute who should be chosen by God, thus addressed
those who were present: “Men [and] brethren, this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled,
which the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of David, spake before concerning Judas, which was
made guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered with us:818 … Let his habitation
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be desolate, and let no man dwell therein;819 and, His bishoprick let another take;”820—thus
leading to the completion of the apostles, according to the words spoken by David. Again,
when the Holy Ghost had descended upon the disciples, that they all might prophesy and
speak with tongues, and some mocked them, as if drunken with new wine, Peter said that
they were not drunken, for it was the third hour of the day; but that this was what had been
spoken by the prophet: “It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of
my Spirit upon all flesh, and they shall prophesy.”821 The God, therefore, who did promise
by the prophet, that He would send His Spirit upon the whole human race, was He who did
send; and God Himself is announced by Peter as having fulfilled His own promise.
2. For Peter said, “Ye men of Israel, hear my words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved
by God among you by powers, and wonders, and signs, which God did by Him in the midst
of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determined counsel and
foreknowledge of God, by the hands of wicked men ye have slain, affixing [to the cross]:
whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that
he should be holden of them. For David speaketh concerning Him,822 I foresaw the Lord
always before my face; for He is on my right hand, lest I should be moved: therefore did my
heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also, my flesh shall rest in hope: because
Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt Thou give Thy Holy One to see corrup-
tion.”823 Then he proceeds to speak confidently to them concerning the patriarch David,
that he was dead and buried, and that his sepulchre is with them to this day. He said, “But
since he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit
of his body one should sit in his throne; foreseeing this, he spake of the resurrection of
Christ, that He was not left in hell, neither did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus,” he said,
“hath God raised up, of which we all are witnesses: who, being exalted by the right hand of
818 Acts i. 16, etc.
819 Ps. lxix. 25.
820 Ps. cix. 8.
821 Joel ii. 28.
822 Ps. xv. 8.
823 Acts ii. 22–27.
Chapter XII.—Doctrine of the rest of the apostles.
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Chapter XII.—Doctrine of the rest of the apostles.