Acts 13:30-34 sits inside this longer paragraph.
16Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen. 17The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it. 18For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. 19When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance for about four hundred fifty years. 20After these things, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ 23From this man’s offspring, God has brought salvation to Israel according to his promise, 24before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel. 25As John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’ 26Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you. 27For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they didn’t know him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed. 29When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead, 31and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. 32We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers,
33
that God has fulfilled this to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father.’
34“Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ 35Therefore he says also in another psalm, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’ 36For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, was laid with his fathers, and saw decay. 37But he whom God raised up saw no decay. 38Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins, 39and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv30–34 30. God hath raised him up. The death of…
30. God hath raised him up. The death of Christ was the salvation of the godly, yet joined with the resurrection; therefore doth Paul stand longer upon this second point. For he should never have persuaded his hearers that they were to seek salvation in Christ’s death, unless the power of Almighty God had appeared in raising Christ from death.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv30, 33, 34 We must set the glory of the resurrection against…
We must set the glory of the resurrection against the shame of the cross, and grave. And the resurrection is proved as well by witnesses which saw it, as by the testimonies of the Prophets.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv30–34 30 But God raised him from the dead:
30 But God raised him from the dead:
Ver. 30. {See Trapp on "Mat 28:6"}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv30–34 Lest they should be offended at our Saviour’s dying…
Lest they should be offended at our Saviour’s dying so shameful and cursed a death, and to take away the scandal of the cross, he shows, that his resurrection was as glorious as his death could be ignominious, being by it declared to be the Son of God with power, Rom 1:4.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv30–34 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children,....…
God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children,.... The natural descendants of them, as Paul and Barnabas, and the Jews in the synagogue, were:
in that he hath raised up Jesus again; which may not be understood of his resurrection from the dead, since the promise made, and now fulfilled, has not a single respect to that; but of his being raised up, and sent forth into the world, to be a Saviour and Redeemer, and to sit upon the throne of David, as in Act 2:30 of which raising of him up to regal dignity, mention is made in Psa 2:1, Psa 6:1 which is produced as a testimony of it; and the rather this seems to be the sense, since the article of the resurrection of the dead is spoken of in the next verse, as distinct from this; and other passages of Scripture are produced, as speaking of it; though admitting that Christ's resurrection from the dead is here intended, as the Alexandrian copy reads, what follows is very applicable to it, without any detriment to the doctrine of Christ's eternal generation and sonship, as will be hereafter made to appear:
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as it is written in the second psalm: Beza's most ancient copy, and other very ancient copies, read, "in the first psalm"; for the first and second psalms seem to have been reckoned by the ancient Jews but one psalm, or one section; for so they say (d).
""blessed is the man", &c. and "why do the Heathen rage", &c. , are one "parasha", or section: and they further observe (e), that "every section that was dear to David, he began it with "blessed", and ended it with "blessed"; he began with "blessed", as it is written, Psa 1:1 "blessed is the man", &c. and he ended it with "blessed", as it is written, Psa 2:12 "blessed are all they that put their "trust in him":'' though it is elsewhere said (f), "blessed is the man", &c. Psa 1:1 "and why do the heathen rage", &c. Psa 2:1 are two sections; and "to the chief musician on Muth Labben", Psa 9:1) and "why standest thou afar off", &c. (Ps 10:1-18) are two sections.''
And Kimchi calls (g) this psalm, as the generality of copies here do, saying,
"this psalm is , "the second psalm."''
And that this psalm belongs to the Messiah, is evident from the mention made of him in Psa 2:2 from the mad counsel, and vain attempts of the kings of the earth against him, Psa 2:1. God's decree and resolution to make and declare him King of Zion, notwithstanding all their efforts upon him, Psa 2:4 from his asking and having the Gentiles, and uttermost parts of the earth for his inheritance, which is true of no other, Psa 2:8 and especially from that reverence, worship, and adoration, which are to be given to him, and that trust and confidence to be placed in him, Psa 2:10 which can by no means agree with David, nor with any mere creature whatever; and as for Psa 2:7 which is here cited, what is said in that is inapplicable even to angels, Heb 1:5 and much more to David, or any mere man. The whole psalm was, by the ancient Jews, interpreted of the Messiah, as is confessed by some of their later doctors. R. David Kimchi says (h),
"there are that interpret it of Gog and Magog, and the Messiah, he is the King Messiah; and so the Rabbins of blessed memory interpret it.''
And Jarchi confesses the same, and is somewhat more open in giving his reason for interpreting it otherwise.
"Our Rabbins (says he) expound this affair concerning the King Messiah; but according to its literal sense, and for an answer to the heretics (or Christians), it is right to explain it concerning David himself.''
he clause, "and for an answer to the heretics", is left out in later editions, but was in the more ancient ones; it being so open and barefaced, that the Jews did not choose to let it stand. Aben Ezra is in a doubt whether to interpret the psalm of David, or of the Messiah; though he thinks the former is best; and particularly this seventh verse is, by several of their ancient writers, applied to the Messiah; in one of their writings, esteemed very ancient, are these words (i);
"from thence shall come forth, in that day, the Messiah of David; and this is the mystery of, "I will declare the decree, the Lord said unto me, thou art my Son", &c.''
And this is the sense of R. Ame (k), a famous ancient doctor of theirs: upon mention of those words in Jer 31:22 "the Lord hath created a new thing", &c.
"says R. Hone, in the name of R. Ame, this is the King Messiah, as it is said, Psa 2:7 "this day have I begotten thee".''
And in like manner in the Talmud (l), it is understood of the Messiah, where are these expressions;
"the Rabbins teach, that Messiah, the son of David, who shall be revealed in haste in our days, the holy blessed God said unto him, ask anything of me, and I will give it thee, as it is said, Psa 2:7 "I will declare the decree, &c. this day have I begotten thee".''
And that this was the sense of the Jews in the times of the apostle, need not be doubted, since the apostle cites these words before a Jewish assembly, in one of their synagogues, and applies them to the Messiah, without any hesitation, or any further reasoning upon it, as being a thing generally agreed on, and out of doubt; wherefore the Jew (m) has no reason to charge the apostle with an error in citing a passage in this psalm, and applying it to Christ, since their ancient doctors have allowed, that it belongs to him, and even the very passage which the apostle produces; which passage Maimonides (n) himself applies to the Messiah. This objector would have it, that David spoke the whole psalm by the Holy Spirit concerning himself, and that he calls himself the Lord's anointed; and that being anointed by the will of the Lord, what was against his kingdom, was against the Lord himself; and that he is called the Son of God, because he attended to the worship of God; and that the begetting of him refers to the time of his unction by Samuel; and that it can by no means agree with Jesus of Nazareth, who never ruled in any place, but others ruled over him, when they condemned him to death as the meanest of the people; and who himself says, that he came not to be ministered unto, Mat 20:28 especially he thinks those words, "ask of me, and I will give the Heathen", &c. greatly militate against the application of the psalm to Jesus; for if he is God, what need has he to ask of another? But since the Jewish doctors themselves have applied this psalm to the Messiah, the apostle ought not to be blamed for making such an application; and there are many things which cannot be applied to David himself; for whatever may be said of his anointing, begetting, and sonship, the uttermost parts of the earth were never given for his possession; and much less can he be the son the kings of the earth are called upon to kiss and worship, or he be the object of trust and confidence; and though Jesus in the days of his humiliation was not ministered unto, but ministered to others, and ruled not over others, but submitted to the death of the cross; he has since been made and declared Lord of all, and his kingdom has taken place in the nations of the world, and ere long all the kingdoms of it will become his; and though he is God, it is no ways inconsistent with him, as man and Mediator, to ask anything of his Father, and especially what has been agreed between them shall be given: the words cited by the apostle are, "thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee"; in Beza's ancient copy, the verse following these words is added, "ask of me", &c. The words are to be understood of the eternal filiation of Christ, and are produced, to set forth the greatness and dignity of his person; whom God had raised and sent forth in human nature, to be the Saviour and Redeemer of his people: though should they be applied to the resurrection of Christ from the dead, it will no ways prejudice the doctrine of Christ's proper and natural sonship, as being the only begotten of the Father; since the resurrection of Christ is not the cause of his sonship, or the reason why he is called the Son of God, but a manifestation of it; Christ was the Son of God, before his resurrection from the dead; he was declared to be so by a voice from heaven, was believed on by his disciples as such, and confessed by others, both men and devils: besides, if his resurrection was the cause of his sonship, he must beget himself, which is absurd, for he was himself concerned in his resurrection from the dead; more over, his sonship would not be proper, but figurative and metaphorical, whereas he is God's own, or proper son; besides, on this account he could not be called God's only begotten Son, because there are others that have been, and millions that will be raised from the dead besides him: but the reason why these words are applied to the resurrection of Christ, allowing them to be so, is not because he was then begotten as the Son of God, but because he was then manifested to be the eternally begotten Son of God; things are said to be, when they are only manifested to be; so Christ is said to be that day begotten, because he was "declared to be the Son of God with power, by the resurrection from the dead", Rom 1:4 Hence these words are applicable to any time or thing wherein Christ is manifested to be the only begotten Son of God, and accordingly are applied to different times and things; see Heb 1:3.
(d) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 9. 2. (e) Ib. fol. 10. 1. (f) Piske Tosephot in T. Bab. Megilla, art. 34. (g) In Psal. ii. 1. (h) In Psal. ii. 12. Vid. T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 3. 2. (i) Zohar in Numb. fol. 82. 2. (k) In Abarbinel. Mashmia Jeshua, fol. 37. 2. (l) T. Bab. Succa, fol. 52. 1. (m) R. Isaac, Chizzuk Emuna, par. 2. c. 68. p. 454, &c. (n) In Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 11. sect. 1.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv31, 33, 34 He was seen many days by them who came…
He was seen many days by them who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem - This last journey both presupposes all the rest, and was the most important of all.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv30–34 Verse 30. But God raised him from the dead]…
Verse 30. But God raised him from the dead] And thus gave the fullest proof of his innocence. God alone can raise the dead; and he would not work a miracle so very extraordinary, but on some extraordinary occasion.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v32 Act 13:32-37. And we declare unto you glad tidings…
Act 13:32-37. And we declare unto you glad tidings — Tidings which should be in a particular manner acceptable to the Jews; that the promise which was made unto the fathers — And was the hope and joy of their posterity through so many succeeding ages; God hath fulfilled unto us their children — Most signally and manifestly; in that he hath raised up Jesus again — From the dead, and thereby hath declared, in the most convincing manner, that he is indeed his Son, the Messiah; as it is also written in the second Psalm — By this it appears that the Psalms were then placed in the same order as they are now; and it is observable that this is the only quotation of the Old Testament so circumstantially made in the New. Thou art my Son, this day, &c. — It is true, he was the Son of God before his incarnation, yea, from eternity. See notes on Joh 1:1-5; Heb 1:2-12; Heb 7:3. The meaning, therefore, here is, I have this day declared thee to be my Son, as (Rom 1:4) Paul says, he was declared to be the Son of God with power, by the resurrection from the dead. And it is with peculiar propriety and beauty that God is said to have begotten him when he raised him from the dead, as Jesus seemed then to be born out of the earth anew. And to show that he raised him up, no more to return to corruption — That is, to die no more; he said, I will give you the sure mercies of David — The blessings promised to David in Christ, which are sure, certain, and firm to every true believer in him. Or, “mercies by the resurrection of him whom I have now set upon the throne of David, are made sure to you, and shall prove eternal as his life and reign.” The resurrection of Christ, therefore, is implied in the words: for without it those blessings could not have been given. Wherefore he saith also, (namely, Psa 16:10,) Thou shalt not suffer thy Holy One to see corruption — Words which, it is evident, must refer, not to the inspired writer himself, but to some other person; for David — By whom this Psalm was written; after he had served his own generation, by the will of God — Or, as the words may be rendered, had served the will of God in his generation; fell asleep — That is, died; and saw corruption — In the same manner as other human bodies do, when the soul is separated from them. Observe, reader, the character here given of David; he served the will of God, or, served his generation according to the will of God. This was his business here on earth: he lived for this purpose. What is thy business? Why art thou here? Thou who art yet in the world? Is it not that thou also mayest serve the will of God? Art thou serving it now? Doing all his will? O remember, only he that doth the will of God shall enter the kingdom of heaven, Mat 7:21.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv30–34 But God raised him ... - See the notes…
But God raised him ... - See the notes on Act 2:23-24.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv33–34 He then shews them that Jesus was their Messias,…
He then shews them that Jesus was their Messias, and the Son of God, begotten of his Father from eternity, who rose from the dead, and he applies these words, (Psalm ii. 7.) to prove Christ’s resurrection, thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. It is true, these words regard chiefly the eternal generation of Christ, as they are applied by St. Paul, (Hebrews v. 5.) but the resurrection was a necessary consequence of his divinity, since death could have no power over him. St. Paul here also proves Christ’s resurrection by the following predictions. (Witham) --- Second psalm. The oldest copy reads, first psalm. The difference is merely in words; for the division of the psalter at present is very different from what it formerly was: sometimes a single psalm of ours being divided into many, and many of our divisions making only one, according to the Hebrews. The latter are not even now agreed among themselves on the same division of the psalms. (Calmet) --- Some suppose, that what we call the first psalm was originally looked upon as a preface to the psalter; others, that our first and second psalms united in one. (Mat. Polus.)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv31, 33, 34 he was seen many days of them which came…
he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, &c.--that is, by those who, having gone out and in with Him in closest intimacy during all His public ministry, which lay chiefly in Galilee, and having accompanied Him on His last journey to Jerusalem, could not possibly be mistaken as to the identity of the risen One, and were therefore unexceptionable and sufficient witnesses.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv30–34 30. God raised him—Here by one bold stroke the…
30. God raised him—Here by one bold stroke the malefactor is made divine. Jesus not only worked miracles, but he was in his history and in himself the greatest of miracles. Is the Sanhedrin great? this Jesus is infinitely greater.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv30–34 30. But God raised him from the dead] This…
30. But God raised him from the dead] This was the proof that God had now fulfilled the promise made unto Abraham and to David, that of their seed should one come, in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed, even as St Paul says below, by being justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses. And elsewhere (Rom_1:4) the Apostle says that Jesus “was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv31, 33, 34 (31) And he was seen many days.—The language is…
(31) And he was seen many days.—The language is that of one who had conversed with the witnesses, and had convinced himself of the truth of their testimony. We find what the Apostle had in his thoughts in a more expanded form in 1Co_15:3-8.
Who are his witnesses.—More accurately, who are now his witnesses.
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Unto the people.—The word is used in its distinctive sense as applied to those who were the people of God. (Comp. Act_26:17; Act_26:23.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv31–34 For many days for many days, A.V.; that for…
For many days for many days, A.V.; that for which, A.V.; who are now for who are, A.V. and T.R. St. Paul thus confirms the statement in Act_1:3. (see note to Act_1:11) From Galilee to Jerusalem. Who are meant? and what ascent from Galilee to Jerusalem is here intended? The answer to the first question is, the eleven apostles, whose special office it was to bear witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. (Act_1:22, note) The answer to the second is, that the ascent from Galilee, where most of our Lord"s appearances took place, to Jerusalem, shortly before the Ascension, is here intended, and that this passage is a distinct recognition by St. Luke of the Galilaean appearances. There is, as is well known, great obscurity, and apparent discrepancies in the accounts of our Lord"s appearances after the Resurrection. St. Matthew seems to place them exclusively in Galilee. (Mat_28:7, Mat_28:10, Mat_28:16) St. Mark likewise; (Mar_16:7) but in the section 9-20 he mentions the appearance to MaryMagdalene and to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, but gives no clue as to where the appearance to the eleven took place. St. Luke seems to place them exclusively in Judaea, but very curiously puts a mention of Galilee in the angel"s mouth in the very place where, according to St. Matthew, he announced the Lord"s appearance in Galilee. St. John, again places the three first appearances in Jerusalem, (Joh 20) but describes at length a third as having taken place in Galilee. (Joh_21:2, Joh_21:14) St. Paul (1Co_15:6) speaks of an appearance to five hundred brethren at once, which in all probability took place in Galilee, as only a hundred and twenty names were numbered at Jerusalem. (Act_1:15) It is, therefore, satisfactory to have this confirmation of the residence of the apostles in Galilee between the Resurrection and the Ascension in St. Luke"s report of St. Paul"s speech. Observe that St. Paul distinctly separates himself from these witnesses by the emphatic hJmeiv in ver. 32.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that…
Act_13:32-34
And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise … God hath fulfilled.
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The glad tidings
I. What they are. The origin of the gospel conception is connected with Jewish history. The people were often assailed by enemies, and in Jerusalem they waited with anxiety to learn the issue. By agreement, a messenger was to be sent, and especially when God crowned them with victory. And as the watchman lifted up his eyes, and the people saw the sight, they cried, How beautiful upon the mountains, etc. Hence, when the angel spoke on the plains of Bethlehem, he used words with which the shepherds were familiar. So when our Lord rose, He gave the disciples commandment to proclaim these glad tidings, to which Paul was obedient here. What, then, is the gospel?
1. It is news. Man did not know it--could not find it, or invent it. Not the least proof that the gospel comes from heaven is that it is beyond the intellect and contrary to the temper of man.
2. It is good news. All the attributes of goodness are in it. Mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
3. It is good news about a Person, and that Person the Son of God--the adequate revelation of the Father--and Son of Man--the typical manifestation of humanity. The Person also the atonement for the worlds guilt, and its Deliverer from condemnation and death.
II. To whom they are sent. To you--i.e., everyone.
1. To the sad heart. They come to the wakened mind, to the alarmed conscience, to the despairing spirit. What glad tidings to know that the burden of guilt has been borne and the punishment of sin endured by Christ!
2. To a sad world, whose disappointment, sorrow, and tears makes it a very Marah, which nothing can sweeten but the Cross.
III. With what end. To produce joy--pure, deep, everlasting. (J. Aldis.)
Gods promises fulfilled
God is always true to what He promises to do. He will fulfil every word of what He has promised; yet how few take Him at His word! When I was a young man I was clerk in the establishment of a man in Chicago, whom I observed frequently occupied sorting and marking bills. He explained to me what he had been doing; on some notes he had marked B, on some D, and on others G; those marked B he told me were bad, those marked D meant they were doubtful, and those with G on them meant they were good. And, said he you must treat all of them accordingly. And thus people endorse Gods promises, by marking some as bad, and others as doubtful; whereas we ought to take all of them as good, for He has never once broken His word, and all that He says He will do will be done in the fulness of time. (D. L. Moody.)
The resurrection of Christ glad tidings
He speaks of Christs resurrection--
I. As an accomplishment of prophecy (cf. Psa_118:22, with Luk_20:17)
. We must not, however, suppose this to be an uninteresting fact; for the apostle further speaks of it--
II. As glad tidings to the soul. To the disconsolate disciples the tidings of Christs resurrection were doubtless exceeding joyful. But they ought to be no less so to us, since that event ascertains--
1. The virtue of His sacrifice. Had He not risen, His death had been in vain (1Co_15:14; 1Co_15:17-18). But His resurrection clearly proved that He had satisfied the demands of law and justice.
2. His sufficiency for our help. If He were still dead, it would be in vain to look to Him for help.
3. The certainty of our own resurrection. Because He liveth, we may be sure that we shall live also (Joh_14:19).
As a further improvement of this passage, permit me to observe--
1. How deeply are we interested in the writings of the Old Testament! In them are promises of which we receive the accomplishment.
2. What enemies are they to themselves who despise the ministry of the gospel!
3. What a near relation subsists between believers in all ages! (Theological Sketch book.)
The resurrection of Christ the great promise
I. God promised to the patriarchs and prophets that He would raise Christ from the dead.
1. To Adam, as we read in Gen_3:1-24. The whole four themes of revelation are contained in these words: the first coming of Christ in the flesh; her seed. His death; thou shalt bruise his heel. His resurrection, and the present state of the Church; I will put enmity between thee and the woman. His coming in glory, when He shall bruise the serpents head.
2. To Abraham (Gen_22:1-24; cf. Heb_11:17-19). Isaac was dead, in design; and on the third morning he was raised up. In this transaction Abraham saw the day of Christ, and rejoiced. This would also be a promise to Isaac.
3. To Moses also. Let us examine some types.
(1) The manna represented Christ coming down from heaven, that the Church might feed on Him and live. We learn that a portion of manna was to be brought into the holy place, and there set before the testimony of the Lord. Which teaches us that He who came down from heaven was also to go up thither again, to appear in the presence of God for us.
(2) In Lev_14:1-57, we read of the law of cleansing the leper. There was a bird killed, and a bird flying away. The living bird was to be sprinkled with the blood; the resurrection of Christ is available through the atonement, and the atonement through the resurrection.
(3) So in the history of the two goats. One was to be slain; over the other the priest was to confess all the sins and trespasses of the people, and to send him away into the wilderness. So it is not on Jesus crucified merely that our sins are laid, or they would be there still. But the glory of the gospel is this: He was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification.
(4) In Lev_23:1-44, we read of the waving of the sheaf. Christ is raised from the dead, and is become the first fruits of them that slept. And as the first fruits were to be waved the morning after the Sabbath, which was the first day of the week, on which day Christ also rose.
4. To David. The second Psalm is immediately connected with our text. On the morning of the resurrection, God owned His beloved Son: then He said, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee. Again, in Psa_16:1-11, I have set the Lord always before me, etc. Then, again, in Psa_118:1-29, The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner, etc. Which passage is also quoted by Peter, in Act_4:1-37, when questioned as to the miracle performed on the impotent man.
5. To the prophets. In the context there is one remarkable quotation, from Isa_55:3. In that Christ is raised, never to die again; therefore He says, I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
6. We are taught this promise also by the history of Jonah. As Jonah was three days and three nights in the whales belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
II. He performed this promise. He did what He said. The day after the crucifixion of Christ the priests and Pharisees, who were His enemies, came to Pilate and said, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again, etc. On the day after the Sabbath there was a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord came and rolled back the stone. What avails the vigilance of Roman soldiers against the angels of God! The Lord afterwards showed Himself alive, by many infallible proofs, to Mary, to two of His disciples on their way to Emmaus, to ten of His disciples when they were assembled with the door shut for fear of the Jews. To some of them at the sea of Tiberias, etc. But some will say, Were the disciples proper witnesses? In a court of justice, what are the requisites of a competent witness? He must have known the person of whom he speaks, so that he may know him again when he sees him. And also he must be trustworthy. Now the disciples were fully competent. They knew Christ. And that they knew themselves to be competent witnesses, and that they knew it was necessary that they should be so, is evident from the words of Peter (Act_1:21). And they were trustworthy also. We know the nature of man too well not to know that he will say anything to gain favour. But what did they gain? Scourging, bonds, imprisonments, death.
III. Therefore we declare unto you glad tidings. And how is the resurrection of Christ glad tidings? Because--
1. It has caused the gospel to be preached. It would not have been preached had it not been for this event.
2. It shows that the justice of God is fully satisfied, and sin fully expiated.
3. It directs our minds to our great Intercessor. It is Christ that died; yea, rather, that is risen again; who has also appeared in the presence of God for us.
4. It excites and maintains a lively hope. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, etc.
5. Through this hope it draws up the affections of the soul, and mortifies the deeds of the body. The man who believes that Christ has died and rose again, and whose life is hid with Christ in God, turns away with disgust from that which satisfies others.
6. It is the ground of our expectation of His second coming. If He be not risen, He cannot come again; but He is risen, and He will come again. (H. McNeile, D. D.)
The sure mercies of David.
The words do not seem in themselves to have the nature of a Messianic prediction. To those, however, whose minds were full to overflowing with the writings of the prophets, they would be pregnant with meaning. What were the sure mercies of David (Isa_55:3) but the everlasting covenant of mercy which was to find its fulfilment in One who should be a leader and commander to the people? We may well believe that the few words quoted recalled to St. Paul and to his hearers the whole of that wonderful chapter which opens with He, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. The Greek word for mercies is the same adjective as that translated holy in the next verse, holiness being identified with mercy, and so forms a connecting link with the prophecy cited in the next verse. (Dean Plumptre.)
Sure mercies
Consider--
I. What these mercies are.
1. The knowledge of God in Christ. God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, etc. Great is this mercy. By this alone we are delivered from idolatry. No man can worship the true God, except in Jesus Christ. The poor ignorant heathen is not the only idolater. The Deist, Rationalist, the man that flatters himself that above all men he is the farthest removed from idolatry, is nevertheless worshipping an idol, which he himself creates--the imagination of his own heart.
2. Forgiveness of sin by Christ. The present completeness of this blessing is the distinguishing feature of true religion from all false religion whatever. And therefore the very outset, the very A B C of the gospel, is, By this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.
3. Renewal of heart in Christ. Unto the perfection of mans happiness, association is indispensable. Man cannot live alone; fellowship with God there cannot be without holiness of heart, leading to sincere obedience. Here, then, is a great mercy--that the man to whom God has given the knowledge of Himself, and to whom He has proclaimed forgiveness of sins, shall also experience in himself such a renewal of his affections, that, instead of shrinking from God, he shall now find a congeniality, a sympathy, an association, and begin to find a happiness of companionship, without which no man can really be happy. These are some of the mercies spoken of in this text. And they are at the same time, as you may observe in the margin of your Bibles, holy or just things. They are holy--
(1) Or God would never have done them.
(2) As the purchase of the holy One.
(3) As procured according to law.
(4) In their results.
II. How these mercies are obtained. In answer to this inquiry, consult the prophecy in Isa_55:1-13, the passage referred to by the apostle. Here is a threefold exhortation to hear: the first in connection with the satisfying of the soul--Hearken diligently, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself; the second in connection with coming to the Lord--Incline your ear and come unto Me; the third in connection with everlasting life thus given--Hear, and your soul shall live. Now, mark these: hearken--incline your ear--hear. They are all explained by that great truth which the apostle proclaims when he says, Faith cometh by hearing. We have all these mercies by faith, because we have Christ by faith, and in no other way. God has appointed this medium in order that the attainment might be manifestly of grace--not of study, not of time, not of hereditary descent, not of instruction by man. Now, see what is attained by the appointment of this medium. It is confidence. Faith is confidence; faith places God and man in their proper places--God in authority, man in dependence. Man fell through an attempt to be independent. Man is recovered through a willingness to be dependent. This is attained through the appointment of faith as the medium through which the blessings are conveyed; and faith comes by hearing--hearing the Word of God. Hence the importance of the ministry of the Word. You cannot have the Word proclaimed without a voice to proclaim it; you cannot have a voice without a man to raise it; you cannot have a man without sustenance and support.
III. The description here given of these mercies. Sure.
1. They are infallibly sure to rest on all for whom they were designed.
2. They are immutably sure to all on whom they rest. (H. McNeile, D. D.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain On vv30–34 30-33. The speaker proceeds to the climax of his…
30-33. The speaker proceeds to the climax of his argument; a proof of the Messiahship still more conclusive, if possible than the testimony of John, or the fulfillment of prophesy. (30) " But God raised him from the dead; (31) and he was seen many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. (32) And we declare to you glad tidings concerning the promise made to the fathers, (33) that God has fulfilled it to us, their children, by raising up Jesus; as it is written in the second Psalm, Thou art my son; to-day have I begotten thee. " The fact of the resurrection of Jesus, so well attested by competent witnesses, is introduced, not only as the final proof of his Messiahship, but as happy tidings to these Jews, being no less than the fulfillment of the promise to the fathers, and the realization of their most cherished hopes.
The difficulty of applying the words of David, "Thou art my son; to-day I have begotten thee," to the resurrection of Jesus, has led many commentators to suppose that both it and the expression, "raising up Jesus," refer to his incarnation. But these words of David, in every other instance of their occurrence in the New Testament, are applied to his resurrection, and not to his natural birth. In Hebrews 5:5 , Paul says: "Christ glorified not himself to be made a priest, but he who said to him, Thou art my son; to-day have I begotten thee." Now, as Christ was not a priest until after he had died as a victim, and was prepared to enter heaven with his own blood, it is clear that these words are applied to his resurrection, at the time of which he entered upon his priestly office. So, likewise, in Hebrews 1:5 , the question, "To which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my son; to-day have I begotten thee?" is adduced as evidence of his superiority to angels, and can not, therefore, refer to the period when he was "made a little lower than the angels." That the term rendered begotten may be properly referred to the resurrection is evident from the fact that he is called the "first begotten from the dead," and the "first born from the dead," in which two expressions the Greek words are the same. He was the "only begotten son of God," by his birth of the Virgin Mary; but he became the "first born from the dead," or the "first born of the whole creation," when he was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead. In applying the quotation from the second Psalm, therefore, to the resurrection, and endeavoring to cheer the Jews in Antioch, with the thought that a long-cherished and familiar promise was thereby fulfilled, Paul was giving his real understanding of the passage quoted, and it is one as much more cheering than that which many commentators have gathered from it, as the exaltation of Christ from the grave to his throne in the heavens was a more glorious birth than that which brought him into this sinful world.
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v30 The argument from the resurrection of Christ:
The argument from the resurrection of Christ:
v. 30. But God raised Him from the dead;
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v. 31. and He was seen many days of them which came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses unto the people.
v. 32. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
v. 33. God hath fulfilled the same unto us, their children, in that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the Second Psalm, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee.
v. 34. And as concerning that He raised Him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, He said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
v. 35. Wherefore He saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption.
v. 36. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption.
v. 37. But He whom God raised again saw no corruption.
Paul boldly places the statement at the head of this section of his discourse: But God raised Him from the dead. The full importance of the resurrection of Jesus for Christian faith must ever be kept in mind, since it is fundamental for the understanding of Christ’s redemption. The first proof which Paul brings for the resurrection is the testimony of the eye-witnesses. Jesus was seen many days by those that had traveled with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who were now kept busy bearing witness of that fact to the people. Because of the certainty of this miracle not only the eye-witnesses, but also the present speaker and Barnabas were bringing their hearers the Gospel-news, that the promise given to the fathers God had fulfilled for those that were present, their children, in this fact, that He raised Jesus from the dead. And in case the testimony of the eye-witnesses were not deemed sufficient by them, Paul brings proof from Scriptures. There were the words of the Second Psalm: Thou art My Son, today have I begotten Thee. He was the eternal Son of God, in full possession of eternal life. It was impossible for Him, therefore, to remain in death; He must arise and give full expression to the life which was His from eternity. The second Scripture-passage which Paul adduces to prove that the resurrection of Christ was in accordance with prophecy, that God raised Him up from the dead, and that He should never return to corruption and decay, which seemed to envelop Him as He lay there in the tomb, was taken from Isa 55:3, quoted from the Greek text. There God promises His people to make an everlasting covenant with them by giving them the holy and sure blessings of David. The sacred promises given to David could be realized only in the triumph, the resurrection, of God’s Holy One; only by the living Christ can the blessings of the Gospel be ratified and assured. "If now this Christ, through whom this covenant is made, true man, as He was promised to David of his blood and flesh, should bring and give eternal grace, for which reason He must be God, to whom alone it pertains to give this: then He must not remain in death, though He die like a natural man, but Himself must rise from the dead, in order that He may deliver others also from death and give them eternal life, that He may in truth be called and be an eternal King of grace, righteousness, and life, as God has firmly promised. " The final passage which Paul quotes is the same one which Peter had used in his great Pentecost sermon, Psa 16:10: Thou wilt not give Thy Holy One to see corruption. For, as the speaker rightly argues, these words cannot apply to David, since he, after having performed the work of his office for his own generation, fell asleep according to the will of God and did see corruption and decay in death. But this Christ, whom God raised up from the dead and also exalted to heavenly glory, did not see corruption, did not become subject to decay. A more direct and explicit prediction of the resurrection of Jesus cannot be found in the entire Old Testament, and the force of the words must have been felt by all the hearers.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv30, 32 But God raised him
But God raised him
"But" indicates a strong contrast between what the people did and what God did.
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raised him from the dead
"raised him from among those who were dead." To be with "the dead" means that Jesus was dead.
raised him
Here, to raise up is an idiom for causing someone who has died to become alive again. AT: "caused him to live again" (See: Idiom)
from the dead
From among all those who have died. This expression describes all dead people together in the underworld. To raise someone from among them speaks of making that person alive again.
He was seen ... Galilee to Jerusalem
This can be stated in active form. AT: "The disciples who traveled with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem saw him for many days" (See: Active or Passive)
many days
We know from other writings that this period was 40 days. Translate "many days" with a term that would be appropriate for that length of time.
are now his witnesses to the people
"are now testifying to the people about Jesus" or "are now telling the people about Jesus"
translationWords
God
raise
die
Galilee
Jerusalem
testimony
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v31 13:31 The fact that Jesus was raised from the…
13:31 The fact that Jesus was raised from the dead was well documented by witnesses.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.