Quotation from Psalms

Peter quoted Psalms 69:25 and 109:8: “For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his residence be made desolate, and may there be none living in it; and may another take his office.’” (1) Within the Psalms, there are verses where prayers are made for God’s judgment on the wicked. These are not prayers seeking “revenge,” but prayers hoping for the preservation of “God’s righteousness.” Psalms 69 and 109 that Peter cited both fall into this category. (2) David wrote these Psalms, but he was not specifically prophesying about Judas’ betrayal. So, why are these verses applied to Judas? (a) The two quoted verses are prayers for the judgment of rebels against the king. (b) The king is a type of the Messiah. (c) Judas, who betrayed Jesus, is likened to the “rebels against the king” mentioned in the Old Testament. (d) If “the rebels against the king” received judgment, then Judas, who betrayed Jesus, surely cannot escape judgment. (e) The above argument is a Jewish style of reasoning known as “kal va-homer” (what is true in a less important case will certainly be true in a more important case).

A witness of the resurrection of Jesus

“Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” (1) Peter outlines two qualifications for becoming an apostle. (a) One must have accompanied Jesus throughout His public ministry, which spans from the time of John the Baptist’s activity to Jesus’ ascension. (b) One must be a witness to the resurrection of Jesus. The mission of the apostles is to be witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection, which is the core of the Gospel. Through the testimonies of the apostles, many people come to believe in Jesus as the Savior. (2) Only two people among the 120 met these criteria. God had already decided which one it would be. Therefore, the only way to find out the one chosen was to ask God Himself. So, they casted lots for this purpose. While the believers were waiting for the Holy Spirit to come, they were not passing the time in idle. They prayed, sought God’s will, and worked on organizing their group. They were doing what they could. We, too, should fulfill our roles while being mindful of not running ahead of God.