Acts (Written)

Friday, 26 November 2021

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:36

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Peter has finished his citing of Psalm 110. Based on what he presented, it is understood that the words of David were evidently not referring to David himself, but to the coming Messiah. He is greater than David, He is sitting at the right hand of the Lord, and He is there until the Lord’s enemies have been made His footstool.

With this clearly presented and now perfectly understood, Peter says, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly.” The Greek order (which is how the verse will be evaluated) reads, “Assuredly, therefore, let know all the house of Israel.” There is a strong emphasis that the matter Peter will speak of is firmly established.

The word translated as “assuredly” is one which indicates “not to totter.” Thus, it is that which is secure. Its other two uses, Mark 14:44 and Acts 16:23, both refer to someone being securely guarded. Peter indicates that the truth of the matter is secure and sure. One might say, “This is an inescapable truth.”

As such, the next word – translated as “therefore” – is then supported by the words that follow. They are words that are to be heard, understood, and (hopefully) accepted as absolute truth. Hence Peter follows with “let know.”

It is the common Greek word ginóskó, signifying “to come to know,” “to recognize,” “to perceive,” and so on. Peter is indicating that the result of the surety of the matter that he has presented is intended to “let all the house of Israel” come to understand that – whether they like it or not, and whether they accept it or not – that the matter is established.

The term “house of Israel” is a way of saying “family.” Israel was the father of twelve sons. He also adopted two sons of Joseph as his own. It is this family which comprises the whole house of Israel.

Descendants from all of these tribes were gathered at the temple, they had seen the effects of the coming of the Spirit upon the apostles, and they had heard the explanation of the event. From there, they were to accept what was presented and continue to convey this message to all others in this nation – the “house of Israel.”

And what is it specifically that Israel is to hear, understand, and (hopefully) accept? Well, it is a thought that is based on what Peter had just presented right from Scripture, and which was fulfilled in the coming of Jesus. It is “that God…”

What has occurred is an act of God, and thus it stands as an eternal edict of God. What God has done is set, it is fixed, it is firm, and it is fully resolved. With this being perfectly understood from Scripture, and from the fact that God is both the Creator and the One who directs His creation, it is He who determines what will come to pass.

As such, and as His words spoke forth of the coming of the Messiah, and as His Messiah had come (just as God determined), and as His Messiah had fulfilled His will (just as God stated), then it is established that He “has made this Jesus.”

It is “this Jesus” who Peter has explicitly referred to in verse 22 and verse 32 –

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— (Acts 2:22)

&

This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses (Acts 2:32)

This same Jesus of Nazareth, who was attested to Israel by God, and whom God raised up from the dead, is the One that Peter is referring to. It is also He, as Peter says to Israel, “whom you crucified.”

These words would have been like sharp arrows pointing directly at the hearts of the men standing there. What had occurred was an event that was prophesied, and it was an event that was then fulfilled. But it was an event that Israel had been responsible for.

They were the people of the Lord. They were the stewards of the Scriptures. They were to be the people of the Messiah who was prophesied to come. And yet, they were the same people who did exactly what the Scriptures foretold, meaning the things they had done. They had crucified this Man – their Messiah. But Peter had said in verse 23 that this was “by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God.”

As such, there must be hope. It is the next verse that will both show their reaction to the words, and which will reveal that they will want to know if there is anything that they can do to make things right. For now, however, Peter finishes his thought concerning “this Jesus.” It is that God has made Him “both Lord and Christ.”

The word translated as “Lord” (kurios) signifies a master. In the Greek, it can indicate the Lord (YHVH), but it does not necessarily signify that. It can simply mean one greater than another, such as the “lord” or “master” of a house. The context decides the ultimate meaning. In this case, the context is that Jesus is the “Lord” or “Master” of Israel – its Messiah – based on the decision rendered by God. This is clearly understood from the word “Christ.”

The word Christ (Greek: Christos) comes from the word chrió, signifying “to anoint by rubbing or pouring olive oil on someone to represent the flow (empowering) of the Holy Spirit. Anointing (literally) involved rubbing olive oil on the head, etc., especially to present someone as divinely-authorized (appointed by God) to serve as prophet, priest or king” (HELPS Word Studies). As such, it means “Anointed One.” Thus, it is a direct translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah.”

God has made this Jesus both the Lord of Israel and the Messiah of Israel. This is the culminating thought of what has been presented to the ears of the people by Peter as he speaks forth his words of explanation concerning the events that have occurred before them.

Life application: There is absolute surety in the words of Scripture concerning Jesus. If the New Testament is the word of God, then there is no other possibility than that Jesus is the full, final, and forever expression of what God has done in Christ. As such, there is no other way to be reconciled to God except through Him.

There are people that believe Jews can be saved through adherence to the Law of Moses. This is the set doctrine of, surprisingly, the Roman Catholic Church. This is also the heretical teaching of John Hagee and other dual-covenant “theologians.”

There are others who say that even Jews who believe in Jesus (and some add in the Gentiles) must still adhere to the Law of Moses (in part or in whole). These are also heretics. The New Testament clearly reveals that the law is annulled, obsolete, and set aside in Christ. It is nailed to the cross.

As such, to teach such things (which is exactly what Paul refers to in the book of Galatians) is, as Paul states it, anathema. It is accursed –

“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, ⁷ which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-9

Let us carefully heed the words of Scripture, and let us trust solely in the finished work, and thus in the merits, of Jesus Christ. It is He alone who is to receive our attention in our walk before the Lord. He alone fulfilled that which stood against us, meaning the Law of Moses.

Lord God, thank You for having done that which we could never have done. You sent Christ to accomplish the mission, to prevail over sin and death, and to rise again in order to give us a new hope and a new direction. Thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.

Thursday, 25 November 2021

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’ Acts 2:35

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Peter referred to David in the previous verse, noting that he did not ascend into heaven, but he did prophesy in the 110^th Psalm that Messiah would. In this, the Lord said to Him, “Sit at my right hand.” The Lord Jesus ascended to the position of all authority and power in heaven at that time. Peter finishes his quote with the next words, saying, “Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

The Greek more precisely reads, “the footstool for Your feet.” The Lord Jesus will remain in His heavenly position until the course of human events comes to the right point where Christ will return again and intervene in the stream of time. The enemies of Christ are any who do not accept His offer of peace and reconciliation with God.

This has been, and it continues to be, the normal course of the world. Some have come to Christ while others have rejected Him. The gospel grew immensely at times, but it has also come under great attack in almost all places it has been preached.

In the world today, even the nations who have been most friendly to Christianity are becoming more and more hostile to it. This will increase as the world drums up reasons that Christians are the problem in society. A worldwide targeted agenda against the true faith is in motion as the world continues to devolve into moral perversion and ungodly agendas.

However, and actually, because of this, the world will devolve into being a place of death and destruction. This is clearly outlined in the pages of Revelation. Without faith in God as presented in the Bible, there can only be enmity with God and a life-course that will follow an unsound, even wicked, path. Chaos will be the inevitable result.

Those who do hold to the true faith as presented in Scripture will be harassed and martyred in enormous numbers. But this period of global wickedness will end. It is the time prophesied throughout Scripture, and it is simply defined in David’s words as when the Lord has made the enemies of Christ a footstool for His feet.

The symbolism of this is where the foot is placed upon the neck of one’s enemies, thus indicating total authority over them as they lie in helpless subjugation. It is seen, for example, in Joshua 10 –

“So it was, when they brought out those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him, ‘Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings.’ And they drew near and put their feet on their necks. ²⁵ Then Joshua said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.’” Joshua 10:24, 25

This time of Christ reigning in heaven is alluded to by Paul in Ephesians 1 –

“and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰ which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” Ephesians 1:19-21

It is also quite clearly expressed in 1 Corinthians 15 –

“The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For ‘He has put all things under His feet.’ But when He says ‘all things are put under Him,’ it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. ²⁸ Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:26-28

Paul’s words do not provide all of the information in the timeline, but they provide a broad brushstroke of how these things are laid out. Without going into all the detail, the anticipated timeline is:

– The church age. This ends at the rapture of the church (may that day be soon!).
– The seven final years of the Law of Moses for Israel (Daniel 9:24-27), also known as the Tribulation Period. This period ends when Israel as a nation calls out to Christ, acknowledging Him as their Messiah (Matthew 23:27-39, and etc.).
– The millennial reign of Christ.

The reason that the rapture is placed in this general timeline before the tribulation period is because that is what the Bible teaches.

Life application: One of the serious deficiencies in replacement theology (well, one of many) is that they believe the world will continue to be evangelized until a state of peace is realized. When this occurs, the marvelous time prophesied in the Old Testament will be realized. The church will have overcome the wickedness of the world and the gospel of Christ will be universally known and accepted.

That is not at all what the Bible teaches, nor does it even hint at this. The enemies of Christ will continue until the end. The world will come apart at its seams as wickedness increases. The enemies of the gospel will all but overpower the saints. But Christ will return and slay those who have come against them.

The church will have been removed before the tribulation period, and Israel will become the primary focus of world events. This is not because they will be right with God, but because God is faithful to His covenants. They will eventually come to this realization, they will call out to Him for deliverance through Christ Jesus, and Jesus will respond. The national salvation of Israel is clearly presented in Scripture, and it will come to pass.

This demonstrates the great faithfulness of the Lord to His word. As this is the case, each person who has been saved by the blood of Christ should be perfectly assured that his salvation is secure. Our unfaithfulness to the Lord will never negate His faithfulness to His covenant promises. Israel is a template of this. In His faithfulness to Israel, we can be assured of His faithfulness to us.

Thank God today for His unlimited grace and mercy toward the objects of His covenantal promises. The shed blood of Christ has secured our salvation. Yes, thank God for Jesus Christ our Lord.

How good it is, O Lord, to wait upon You. Though times may get very terrible in the days ahead, we have a sure and blessed promise of eternal joy in Your presence. Whatever happens now is but a light and temporary affliction as we await the glory that is yet ahead. And so, O Lord, how very good it is to wait upon You. Amen.

Wednesday, 24 November 2021

“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand, Acts 2:34

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Peter just said that Jesus was exalted to (or by) the right hand of God. Peter is clearly implying that Jesus is God, thus it is signifying that God – through Jesus – has poured the Spirit out upon the believers. In order to substantiate what he is saying is not only possible, but is actually provable based on Scripture itself, he cites the 110^th Psalm. It is a psalm cited by Jesus in all three of the synoptic gospels (Matthew 22:44, Mark 12:36, and Luke 20:42). It is also cited in Hebrews 1:13.

Before citing the psalm, Peter begins with, “For David did not ascend into the heavens.” He has already noted that David had died, he was buried there in Jerusalem, and implied that his body had corrupted. The obvious meaning is that David was in Sheol (Hades) awaiting the resurrection of the dead. Therefore, what Peter will cite from the 110^th Psalm, which was written by David, could not be referring to himself. Instead, it is a prophesy about the coming Messiah.

Peter confirms this line of thought by continuing with, “but he says himself.” This is referring to David. David wrote the psalm, David did not ascend into heaven, and yet, the psalm speaks of someone who has ascended into heaven. And so, David cannot be speaking of himself.

But more, David uses particular words that exclude any possibility at all that he could be referring to himself, even in metaphor or allegory. Peter now cites those words of David, beginning with, “The LORD.”

“The LORD” is the Hebrew name for God, Yehovah (Yahweh, YHVH, etc.), used over 6000 times in the Old Testament. It refers to Him and only Him. He is the I AM THAT I AM of Exodus 3, and the One that claims there is “no other god” in Isaiah 44 (and elsewhere) –

“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel,
And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
‘I am the First and I am the Last;
Besides Me there is no God.’” Isaiah 44:6

Peter continues the citation, saying, “said to my Lord.” Here, “my Lord” is the Hebrew word adoni. It means, “my master,” or “my lord.” In this case, David is subordinating himself to the One he is referring to. This is what Jesus was conveying to those before Him –

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ⁴² saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”
They said to Him, “The Son of David.”
⁴³ He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:
⁴⁴ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”’?
⁴⁵ If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” ⁴⁶ And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore. Matthew 22:41-46

It was understood that David was obviously referring to the Messiah (the Christ). However, in the Bible, the father is always considered greater than the son. And yet, though the Messiah would descend from David (another precept clearly taught in Scripture), David still subordinates himself to his own Seed. “The LORD said to my Lord,” or paraphrased, “Yehovah said to my Master (the One greater than me).”

As this Son is greater than David, it implies that He was before David, even if He came after him. It is an implicit note of deity. Because of their inability to respond to Jesus’ question, they realized they were not as smart as they thought. What was presented to them was beyond their understanding.

Peter is taking what he learned from Jesus’ instructions of the Pharisees, and he is making his case that Jesus is – in fact – the incarnate Yehovah. It has been implied in the analysis of David’s words, and it continues to be supported by his next words, saying, “Sit at My right hand.”

Peter’s words earlier in the passage confirm that the Christ would die, He would be buried, and that He would resurrect. The words of this psalm confirm that He is greater than David. And more, they confirm that He not only resurrected, but ascended. To sit at the right hand of God means that He is in heaven at the position of all power and authority.

And more, He has taken the words of Joel, cited earlier, to directly equate Jesus with Yehovah. Joel, quoting the Lord (Yehovah) said, “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh” (Acts 2:17). Peter said in Acts 2:33 that Jesus was the One who accomplished this.

The picture that Peter is painting is one that clearly portrays Jesus as the Christ, and that Christ is God. Any other analysis of his words would cause damage to what is being conveyed.

Life application: The Bible slowly and progressively reveals the beautiful thought that God loves the world, meaning humanity, so much that He was willing to do the incredible in order to restore us to Himself. He created man in His image. The implication is that He desired to bond with him in a unique way. But the Bible shows that this cannot be the case when sin is present.

But, without having sinned, man would not have had the knowledge of good and evil. Thus, we can see that God was willing to give man a conscience, and to use that conscience – even to his own harm – in order to make a full and mutual relationship with Him possible.

The sin still had to be dealt with though, and so, in due time, God entered into the stream of time and human existence in order to correct that part of the equation. In the coming of Jesus, He was able to do this. Now, God continues to give us the choice to accept Him or reject Him through His offer of peace. This is not forced, and so it is a mutual relationship.

To think on the enormity of what God has done in Christ leaves the mind bewildered. And yet, it is true. The message of God in Christ is one of wonder. Thank God for Jesus who has made our reconciliation with God possible. Yes, thank God for JESUS!

Lord God, thank You for the coming of Christ our Lord who has made all things new. We wait for the day when they will be realized. May Your glorious name be praised forever and ever! Amen.

Tuesday, 23 November 2021

Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. Acts 2:33

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Peter just said that God had raised up Jesus. With that understood, He next says, “Therefore being exalted.” The word means “to lift up,” or “to raise on high.” Thus, it signifies “to elevate.” This happened to Christ who was dead. He was found worthy, and death could not hold Him.

As such, He was raised up – from the grave to the throne, and from the humiliation of the cross and death to the glory and power of the eternal King. The next words of Peter are debated over, “to the right hand of God.”

They are in the dative case. Simply stated, the Greek dative expresses a thing, or a person, indirectly affected by an action. With this being the case, there are two equally possible translations to these words –

“by the right hand of God”
“to the right hand of God”

Either is possible based on the surrounding context. The right hand signifies power, both in action (ability) and in position (authority). The previous verse just said that God raised Jesus. Therefore, it could be “by the right hand (ability) of God.” However, the next verse quotes David and will say, “Sit at my right hand (position of authority).” Nothing is lost in either translation because both possibilities are true. As such, translations such as Young’s use “at” which can convey both meanings at the same time –

“at the right hand of God having been exalted.”

As such, it can mean “at [by the power of] the right hand,” or “at [to the location of] the right hand of God.”

This may seem niggling, but the words have importance and should be considered. God’s power (His right hand) raised Jesus (Romans 10:9), and Jesus is seated at the right hand (the position of authority) of God (Romans 8:34). With this understood, Peter next says, “and having received from the Father.”

What Peter will refer to is something that had to wait for the full course of these events to occur. Christ was raised from the dead by the power of God, but He remained for a span before ascending to the Father. Only with that action completed would the disciples receive “the promise of the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus stated this explicitly in John 16 –

“But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ ⁶ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. ⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; ¹¹ of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” John 16:5-11

In Christ’s return to the Father (the right hand of power and the position of authority), the Helper was promised to come. This is what Peter is now referring to. In the exaltation of Jesus to this position, they received the Spirit from the Father. But because Jesus is at the position of power and authority, it explains why Jesus went to the Father in order for this to occur –

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26

“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. ²⁷ And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.” John 15:26, 27

There is a unity within the Godhead that is clearly presented in Scripture. Thus, Jesus was able to say –

“Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.” John 14:11

In understanding the words of Jesus, and now the words of Peter as influenced by the Spirit, we see that the Spirit issues from the Father, through the Son. It is this event which Peter refers to by saying, “He poured out this which you now see and hear.”

This is a confirmation of what was prophesied by Joel, and which was cited earlier –

‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
¹⁸ And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.” Acts 2:17, 18

Peter is clearly and unambiguously stating that the promise of the pouring out of the Spirit prophesied in Joel has come. The church has been established, and this is the firstfruits of that event typologically anticipated in Leviticus 23 –

“You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the Lord.” Leviticus 23:17

In the words of Leviticus 23, “two loaves” were to be presented. The loaves were to be “baked with leaven.” This is one of only two times that leaven was to be presented to the Lord in the Old Covenant sacrificial system. Leaven pictures sin, and yet – because of the work of Christ – sinful people could be presented to the Lord, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. The Jews now being filled with the Spirit represent one of the loaves.

The Gentiles (coming later in Acts) represent the other loaf. The symbolism is clear. There is one New Covenant, there is one gospel, and there is one way to receive the promised Holy Spirit. That is through accepting the finished, final, and forever work of Jesus Christ.

Life application: The events of Acts 2 are descriptive in nature. They simply record what occurred. They do not prescribe anything. The reception of the Spirit by various believers in Acts will occur in various ways. Each will give insights into the early working of the Spirit in the church to confirm that Jesus is the Messiah.

Once those early events occurred, there was no longer a need for such outward displays to continue. The verifications are made, the apostles witness the events – confirming the acceptance by God on the various people – and the writings of the prescriptive epistles become the standard for how the church works henceforth.

What occurs now is historical but not normative. We are beholding the work of the Spirit in these demonstrable ways with our own spiritual eyes as we read the book of Acts. In this, we are to demonstrate faith that they occurred, and we are to be convinced that God has accepted all people into His church – Jew and Gentile – according to their belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Lord God Almighty! You possess all power in heaven and on earth. Thank You that despite this glory, You would look with favor upon us – sinners in need of a Savior – and send Jesus. Thank You for Your kind care and gentle hand upon us. Praises to You, O God. Amen.

Monday, 22 November 2021

This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Acts 2:32

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verse noted that David “spoke concerning the resurrection of Christ.” Peter now directly states this prophecy is fulfilled, saying, “This Jesus.” It is who he openly proclaimed in verse 2:22, after which he explained the events leading to his citing of the psalm –

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— ²³ Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; ²⁴ whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.” Acts 2:22-24

With his subject clearly understood to be “This Jesus,” he now repeats the fact stated in verse 2:24, saying, “God has raised up.” The repetition is to demonstrate that what he had claimed is perfectly in line with the prophecy of David. And more, for emphasis, he used the verb form of the noun used in the previous verse –

Concerning the resurrection (anastasis) of the Christ
God has raised (anistémi) up

The mental idea conveyed to the ears of the people would be, “David spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, and God resurrected Christ, who is JESUS.” It is of this amazing event that Peter next says, “of which we are all witnesses.”

These words certainly extend beyond the thought of that stated concerning the selection of a replacement for Judas –

 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²² beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” Acts 1:21, 22

The apostles’ office was specifically to proclaim what they had seen, bearing witness to the events as a united group. This is noted, for example, in Acts 8:1 –

“At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”

Because of the office, the apostles remained together while all the others were scattered. Understanding this, Peter’s words now that “we are all witnesses” is most likely speaking of whatever size of group of disciples were gathered and upon whom had been poured out the Holy Spirit. As there were more than twelve languages identified by Luke, it is probable that it was a gathering of all of the disciples, and Peter is referring to all of them.

Be it twelve, one hundred and twenty, or more, the matter is legally established before the people with his words. Deuteronomy 19:15 set the standard for witnesses in any testimony concerning iniquity or sin as “two or three witnesses.” That became the standard for any testimony in Israel. Jesus noted that to the Pharisees in John 8:17 because it was a clearly accepted provision among the people.

Therefore, the matter of the resurrection is clearly established through the multiple witnesses standing before the people.

Life application: The Bible is the written record of what has occurred in redemptive history. It details God’s workings in and through Christ in order to reconcile us to Himself. Is it reliable? If you are unsure, it is incumbent upon you to verify it in your own mind. Or, if you are challenged by someone as to why you believe it, can you defend your faith? Even if you cannot, if someone challenges you, the onus is on that person to make his claims for or against the word.

This was the case with Simon Greenleaf. He was a non-believer, but he was one of the greatest legal minds in history. He was a principal founder of Harvard law school. At one point, he was challenged by a student to look at the gospels from a legal standpoint.

As an intellectually honest person, he took the challenge, setting aside any presuppositions or biases. In doing so, he came to the conclusion that the gospels hold the topmost weight of legal accuracy. His basis for this was that “Every document, apparently ancient, coming from the proper repository or custody, and bearing on its face no evident marks of forgery, the law presumes to be genuine, and devolves on the opposing party the burden of proving it to be otherwise.”

His conclusion was that the gospels bore this stamp of authenticity and were, in fact, what they claimed to be. As such, he states –

“The foundation of our belief is a basis of fact – the fact of the birth, ministry, miracles, death, resurrection by the Evangelists as having actually occurred, within their own personal knowledge it was therefore impossible that they could have persisted in affirming the truths they have narrated, had not Jesus actually rose from the dead, and had they not known this fact as certainly as they knew any other fact.”

Simon Greenleaf surrendered his life to Christ, knowing that no legal case could suitably challenge the Bible’s genuineness.

Be sure of your faith by being sure of what the basis for your faith is. Read this word, study this word, and cherish this word. Be ready to defend it, and also be ready to challenge those who dismiss it. Implore them to be as intellectually honest as Simon Greenleaf and to do their own evaluation of it – to the glory of God.

Thank You Lord God that our faith, the faith we possess in Jesus Christ, is grounded in a word that is reliable, verifiable, and accurate in all that it contains and proclaims. Thank You that we have the surety of the truth of Jesus Christ and His gospel. He died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again – according to Scripture. Thank You, O God, for the surety we possess. Amen.