Acts 13:23-37
23 From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus,
24 after John had proclaimed, before His coming, a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25 And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, One is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
26 “Brothers, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent.
27 For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the declarations of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him.
28 And though they found no grounds for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed.
29 When they had carried out everything that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb.
30 But God raised Him from the dead;
31 and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people.
32 And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers,
33 that God has fulfilled this promise to those of us who are the descendants by raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son; today I have fathered You.’
34 As for the fact that He raised Him from the dead, never again to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and faithful mercies of David.’
35 Therefore, He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.’
36 For David, after he had served God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, and was buried among his fathers and underwent decay;
37 but He whom God raised did not undergo decay.
Pisidian Antioch (6)
Presentation of the gospel (3)
Paul continues to present the gospel: “And for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people.” Jesus appeared to the twelve disciples for many days, and they became witnesses to the Jews of His resurrection. “And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to those of us who are the descendants by raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son; today I have fathered You.’” (1) The gospel that Paul is proclaiming is not a new teaching but is the very promise that God gave to the ancestors. (2) To prove that Jesus is the resurrected Messiah, three Messianic prophecies are quoted: (a) Psalm 2:7, (b) Isaiah 55:3, (c) Psalm 16:10. (3) Psalm 2:7 states: “You are My Son; today I have fathered You.” (a) God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted Him. (b) Through His resurrection, Jesus was proven to be the Son of God. (c) Paul’s interpretation aligns with the traditional Jewish understanding. “As for the fact that He raised Him from the dead, never again to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and faithful mercies of David.’ Therefore, He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.’” Here, Paul is quoting Isaiah 55:3 and Psalm 16:10. Three conclusions are drawn from these two verses: (1) God promised to give a son of David who would reign forever. (2) God will not leave His “Holy One” in the grave to undergo decay. (3) God raised Jesus from the dead, making Him the One who will not see decay. “For David, after he had served God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, and was buried among his fathers and underwent decay; but He whom God raised did not undergo decay.” (1) David died and decayed in the grave. Therefore, Psalm 16:10 could not have been applied to David. Jesus, whom God raised, did not undergo decay. The Old Testament prophesied the death and resurrection of the Messiah. The Lord Jesus fulfilled this prophecy, and the apostles were appointed as witnesses to it. Blessed are those who believe in the testimony of the apostles.
Today's prayer
Father God, the Lord Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, and the apostles became witnesses to it. I believe in the testimony of the apostles. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.