Apostle (Latter Day Saints) he chose and ordained (John 15:16) to be his closest disciples during his ministry on earth, and whom he sent forth to represent him after his ascension into heaven. The calling of an apostle is to be a special witness of the name of Jesus Christ in all the world, particularly of his divinity and of his bodily resurrection from the dead (; ). Twelve men with this high calling constitute an administrative council in the work of the ministry. When a vacancy occurred with the death of Judas Iscariot, Matthias was divinely appointed to that special office as a
Judas Iscariot the most famous depictions of Judas Iscariot and his kiss of betrayal of Jesus is "The Taking of Christ" by Italian Baroque artist, Caravaggio, done in 1602. In "Memoirs of Judas" (1867) by Ferdinando Petruccelli della Gattina, he is seen as a leader of the Jewish revolt against the rule of Romans. Edward Elgar's oratorio, "The Apostles", depicts Judas as wanting to force Jesus to declare his divinity and establish the kingdom on earth. In "Trial of Christ in Seven Stages" (1909) by John Brayshaw Kaye, the author did not accept the idea that Judas intended to betray Christ, and