Acts of Andrew and Matthias

Among the most famous of the apocryphal romances, the [[Acts of Andrew]] and Matthias is extant in various versions, including [[Latin]], [[Greek]] and [[Syriac]]. It was prefixed by [[Gregory of Tours]] to his epitome of the Acts of Andrew (q.v.), but is not part of that work, and is also preserved in the Anglo-Saxon Andreas attributed to [[Cynewulf]] (see Brooks, Andreas and the Fates of the Apostles [1961]). The name [[Matthew]] in some forms of the title is due to confusion of Matthias (<bibleref ref="Acts.1.26">Acts 1:26</bibleref>) with the better-known [[evangelist]].

When the [[apostles]] divide the world into [[missions|mission]] areas, Matthias is allotted the land of the cannibals, who imprison strangers, blinding and drugging them to take away their senses, and finally eating them on the thirtieth day. Matthias is imprisoned and blinded, but retains his senses and prays for help. On the twenty-seventh day [[Jesus]] appears to [[Andrew]], sending him to the rescue. Andrew and his [[disciples]] embark on a [[boat]] piloted, unknown to them, by Jesus, at whose bidding Andrew recounts Jesus’ mighty works, including a visit to a heathen temple where the (Jewish) high priests are confuted by a talking [[sphinx]]. On arrival Andrew rescues Matthias, who with the disciples is carried off by a cloud, leaving Andrew alone. He works [[miracle|miracles]], but is arrested and tortured, then nearly destroys the city by water called forth from a statue; when the inhabitants repent he restores the city, draws plans for a [[church]], and [[baptism|baptizes]] the people.

<h2>Bibliography</h2>

Text in Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha II. 1; summary in ANT 453ff.; literature in NTAp. II. 576. See also Blatt, ZNW Suppl. 12 (1930).