Acts 13:26-41 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Acts 13:26-41. Let’s go!
Acts 13:26-31 (NIV)
26 “Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.
28 Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.
29 When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.
30 But God raised him from the dead,
31 and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.
On verses 26-31: Here Paul continues his sermon to the Jews at the synagogue in Pisidian Antoich. Paul points out a number of ironies relating to the way Jesus was treated by the people of Jerusalem:
– Although the people of Jerusalem would read the words of the prophets every Sabbath, they did not recognize who Jesus is (v27).
– Although the people of Jerusalem did not see that Jesus was the one the prophets prophesied about, they unwittingly fulfilled the prophets’ prophecies about the Messiah by condemning him to death (v27, 29a).
– Although the people of Jerusalem had no proper ground for Jesus’ death sentence, they managed to get Pilate to have Jesus executed (v28).
– Although they killed and buried Jesus, Jesus rose from the dead and was seen by many (v29-31).
God is so sovereign and in control that He accomplishes His will even through our sinful actions and despite our wrong choices. Does that mean we should go ahead and sin? Of course not. Why make yourself and others more miserable than necessary? Still, when sin does happen, praise God that He is greater than our sin and is still faithful to work all things out for His glory and our good.
Acts 13:32-37 (NIV)
32 “We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers
33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: “‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father’.
34 The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’
35 So it is stated elsewhere: “‘You will not let your Holy One see decay.’
36 “For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed.
37 But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.
On verses 32-37: In a message custom-made for Jewish people who worship in the synagogue, Paul shows how Scriptures like Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 55:3 and Psalm 16:10 speak of the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. Paul points to the resurrected Jesus as the Messiah that the Jews have been waiting for, the one the Scriptures have been prophesying about, and the fulfillment of God’s promises to the Jewish people.
Acts 13:38-41 (NIV)
38 “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
39 Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.
40 Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:
41 “‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.'”
On verses 38-41: Since it is only through Jesus that we have forgiveness of sins (v38) and find justification (that is, we are declared righteous and not-guilty before God, v39), Paul warns his Jewish audience not to take this message lightly but to take Jesus and this message of salvation that has been entrusted to them very seriously (v40-41). May we take this message seriously too.
Father, I praise You for being the Sovereign God who uses even our mistakes, our wrong choices and our sinful behaviour to accomplish Your will. And thank You most of all for Jesus, through whom I am forgiven and justified (i.e. declared righteous before You). In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
