Jesus appeared to Cephas, then to the TWELVE

After Jesus' ascension, Acts 1:

26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

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1 Corinthians 15:

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

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Wait a minute. Judas died. There were only eleven.

Paul might not have been perfectly accurate here. By "twelve", he meant "eleven". Alternatively, Matthias could have been there with the eleven before he was chosen to replace Judas.

6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

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Pulpit offered another possible explanation:

"the twelve" is here the designation of an office, and great ancient writers are always indifferent to mere pragmatic accuracy in trifles which involve nothing.

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