#1551 Acts 3 Part 2 You Asked For a Murderer Instead

 

11 And while he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the portico called Solomon’s, full of wonder. 12 But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 but put to death the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. 16 And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which is through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.

17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. 18 But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers; to Him you shall listen to everything He says to you. 23 And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also proclaimed these days. 25 It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.” Acts 3: 11-26 LSB

Acts 3: 11-26

V. 12 But when Peter saw this - A man who was lame had just been healed. Peter sees a crowd forming so instead of taking a bow he sees a far more glorious opportunity. This is the man that begged daily at the Gate called Beautiful. 

V. 12 b&c Why do you marvel at this, or why do gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk - Yes, the guy who you saw laying here crippled every day for so many years, this guy here, is now walking and leaping, completely whole. That is the this that they are marveling over. He calls them men of Israel, as it came first to the Jews, the wonderful news of the gospel, that their Messiah had arrived, that He had gone to cross for the forgiveness of their sin. Peter makes it very clear that the reason for this man's healing had nothing to do with anything inherent to Peter. It was the power of God through Peter as the messenger, the jar of clay. He is seizing this opportunity by taking the glory that is being placed upon him by the eyes of those watching, and redirecting their gaze to Christ. 

…3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood, 4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. 5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen.… Romans 9: 3-5

…7So he asked the officials of Pharaoh who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why are your faces so downcast today?” 8“We both had dreams,” they replied, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.” 9So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream: “In my dream there was a vine before me,… Genesis 40: 7-9

…15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16“I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.” Genesis 41: 15-16

…27John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’ 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.… John 3: 27-29

…17If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own. 18He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is a man of truth; in Him there is no falsehood. 19Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps it. Why are you trying to kill Me?”… John 7: 17-19

V. 13 The God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant Jesus - He makes it abundantly clear that he is a Jew, and which God he is referring to. 

…5“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 7The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.… Exodus 3: 5-7

1“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations. 2He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the streets. 3A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.… Isaiah 42: 1-3

V. 13b -14 Whom you delivered and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him - Not only did you turn Him into the authorities, your Messiah that is, but they were willing to let Him go, and you made sure that they didn't. Pilate realized Christ's innocence, that this was about ego, about jealousy on the part of the Pharisees, and he was willing to release the Messiah. "But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you." This is so important, they are being indicted once again, this is your sin, but they are also being offered forgiveness for this unparalleled crime. They not only pushed for this, but the reality of it is they needed this to happen. They weren't Holy or Righteous, Holy as in set apart, otherly, as God is to us, and it is the eternal God that we offend, so Jesus is that, Holy, eternally so. He is also our righteousness, in becoming a man, fulfilling all the righteousness of the law which we didn't keep. 

…39But it is your custom that I release to you one prisoner at the Passover. So then, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40“Not this man,” they shouted, “but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist.) John 18: 39-40

V. 15 But put to death the Author of life - There's actually no comparison for what you did. You murdered God. 

Wiersbe - There must be conviction before a sinner can experience conversion. Unless a patient is convinced that he is sick, he will never accept the diagnosis or take the treatment. Peter turned the temple into a courtroom and laid all the evidence out for everybody to see. How could two ordinary fishermen perform such a great miracle unless God was with them? Nobody would dare deny the miracle because the beggar stood there before them all in “perfect soundness” (Acts 3:16; 4:14). To accept the miracle would have been to admit that Jesus Christ is indeed the living Son of God and that His name has power. (Borrow Be Dynamic). (Bolding added)

But put to death the Prince of life - NET has "You killed the Originator of life, whom God raised from the dead." What a pithy accusation Peter levels against the Jews! Death to the very One Who was Originator of Life (Jn 1:3+) and Sustainer of Life (Col 1:17+, Heb 1:3+ = "upholds [present tense] all things by the word of His power"), "the Word of Life" (1 Jn 1:1), "the Bread of Life," (Jn 6:48), "the resurrection and the life," (Jn 11:25), "the life" (Jn 14:6), the very One in Whose Name all believers "may have life" (Jn 20:31).

John Phillips - Life from nothing began through Him. It was His idea; He was its Creator and Sustainer. There was not a man, woman, or child in that audience who did not owe life itself to Him. The very breath they breathed was in His hand. This One, the Prince, the Author of life, had come into the world as a man, and they had killed Him. Could crime be greater? The enormity of their sin had to be brought home to them. Not indeed that they were worse than we. Any rejection of Christ in any age is a manifestation of the same spirit. (Exploring Acts)

As the Prince or Author of life, Jesus was the one who prepared the worlds by His Word (Heb 11:3) Through Jesus the Creator God breathed life into one created from the dust of the earth (Ge 2:7). And finally, and most importantly, Jesus is the Author of Eternal Life, declaring " I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand." (Jn 10:28) - Precept Austin

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.…

…4In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1: 1-5

V. 16 And on the basis of faith in His name - They were doing these things by the power of God, attributing these things to the Author of Life, the One Who had risen from the dead. These men are presenting the gospel, and testifying as eye witnesses, but with power, because the people have witnessed the miracle, yet the disciples are associating it with the name of Jesus, not their own piety or power, it's all Jesus. Your faith need not rest in these disciples, but in the person and work of Jesus Christ. 

Moody Bible Commentary on faith in this passage - Peter took no credit for the healing. After the resurrection, Jesus’ name possessed the same power as the name of God. The lame man’s spiritual condition prior to the healing is not stated in the text. His healing was not a result of his faith, and in fact he did not even expect to be healed. The primary function of miracles in Acts is Christological—to prove that Jesus was alive and thus Israel’s promised Messiah. - PA

Vs. 17-18 I know that you acted in ignorance - That is as soft an approach as it gets considering what they had done, what we all have done. God shows this sort of mercy inside the indictment, "you did this, and it's heinous, but your pretty clueless." Now this is not the same as "ignorance is bliss", don't buy into the cliché gospel of the universalist. God still owes you justice for being a sinner, Christ had come for this very fact, that God might righteously extend His hand to those who are lost. Look at v. 18 "that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled." Jesus was on a very specific mission as the only means by which mankind could be made right with God. That was the sum of the Old Testament. You are fallen in Adam, an offense to a Holy God, God owes you death, but has graciously provided Christ to take your place. He decided all this from eternity, before you and I were ever born, before the birth of the universe.  

…33When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right and the other on His left. 34Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots. 35The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”… Luke 23: 33-35

V. 19 Repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away - This is the course your on, heading for destruction, quit believing in yourself and your good works, change course, follow Christ. It is interesting that Peter starts this off by denying his own piety and turning the spot light on Jesus. 

…24And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing. 25 He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. 26Then they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will.… 2 Timothy 2: 24-26

V. 20 And that He may send Jesus the Christ appointed for you - Ah the remedy, the one that Isaiah heralded, that Psalm 22, the sacrifices, and the temple all spoke of, all pointed to. 

…8Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” 9So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live. Numbers 21: 8-9

V. 21 Until the period of restoration of all things - This is the period marking Christ's return, when He reigns over all and brings order to the world.

John MacArthur writes "The period of restoration of all things is another name for the future earthly reign of Christ, the millennial kingdom. It is reminiscent of our Lord's description of the kingdom as the "regeneration" (Mt 19:28). It is then that the apostles' question in Acts 1:6+ will be answered (cf. Mark 9:12). The kingdom will be marked by peace, joy, holiness, the revelation of God's glory, comfort, justice, knowledge of the Lord, health, prosperity, and freedom from oppression. The universe will be dramatically altered in its physical form (Joel 2:30, 31+; Joel 3:14-16+; Rev. 16:1-21+) as the curse on man and his world is reversed. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Acts) - PA

…11And on that day I will give Gog a burial place in Israel, the Valley of the Travelers, east of the Sea. It will block those who travel through, because Gog and all his hordes will be buried there. So it will be called the Valley of Hamon-gog. 12For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. 13All the people of the land will bury them, and it will bring them renown on the day I display My glory, declares the Lord GOD.… Ezekiel 39: 11-13

Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,

And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

2 The Spirit of Yahweh will rest on Him,

The spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The spirit of counsel and might,

The spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh.

3 And He will delight in the fear of Yahweh,

And He will not judge by what His eyes see,

Nor render a decision by what His ears hear;

4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor,

And decide with uprightness for the afflicted of the earth;

And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,

And with the breath of His lips He will put the wicked to death.

5 Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins,

And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

6 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb,

And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,

And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;

And a young boy will lead them.

7 Also the cow and the bear will graze,

Their young will lie down together,

And the lion will eat straw like the ox.

8 And the nursing baby will play by the hole of the cobra,

And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.

9 They will do no evil nor act corruptly in all My holy mountain,

For the earth will be full of the knowledge of Yahweh

As the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11: 1-9

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were finished. After these things he must be released for a short time.

4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their witness of Jesus and because of the word of God, and who also had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. Revelation 20: 1-6

Vs. 22- 23 Moses said, "the Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers" - Moses is referring to Jesus, and Peter is preaching in the Emmaus way, taking his Jewish listeners back to the Pentateuch and showing them Jesus from the OT. V. 23 gives a stern warning about the souls of those who refuse to listen to the One God sends. He is greater than Moses, the Son of God, the Seed from the garden, the Lamb without blemish, the Ram in the thicket, and the righteousness needed to stand before a Holy God. He is our righteousness, and He is the only Way. This is the gospel.

More on Deuteronomy 18

V. 24 From Samuel and his successors onward - They all spoke of Christ, all of history is about the need, the wait, the OT looking forward to His coming to die for our sins, and the NT pointing back to this most pivotal point in history. B.C. (Before Christ) A.D. (Anno Domini meaning "in the year of our Lord"). Samuel anointed David, who was of the tribe of Judah, the lineage of Jesus.  

Vs. 25-26 You who are the sons of prophets and of the covenant. He is here speaking to Jews who have as yet not believed.

He has remembered His covenant forever,

The word which He commanded for a thousand generations,

9 Which He cut with Abraham,

And His oath to Isaac.

10 Then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,

To Israel as an everlasting covenant,

11 Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan

As the [b]portion of your inheritance,”

12 When they were only a few men in number,

Of little account, and sojourners in it.

13 And they wandered about from nation to nation,

From one kingdom to another people.

14 He permitted no man to oppress them,

And He reproved kings for their sakes:

15 “Do not touch My anointed ones,

And to My prophets do no evil.” Psalm 105: 8-15

Who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers - The Jews were the descendants of the prophets and they were sons of the covenant in the sense of being Abraham's physical offspring. To which covenant does Peter refer? We do not have to guess for Peter quotes from Genesis describing the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant that was cut with the Jewish patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Notice they are called "sons...of the covenant" (the Abrahamic Covenant) indicating that the Abrahamic promises to the Jews has not be abrogated in the New Testament, contrary to what many teach today!

John MacArthur makes an interesting observation in light of the increasing number of folks who hold to the false teaching of replacement theology - The amillenialist who comes along and says that because the Jews crucified Jesus Christ, they forfeited the covenant doesn’t understand the Scriptures. He says to them right here, this is obvious. This is what you have done, but he says in Acts 3:25, “You are the sons of the...covenant.” And he still treats them as the men of Israel, covenant people. God is not yet through with Israel. They have not been totally set aside. Only temporarily blinded as Paul clearly brings in Romans 9, 10, and 11. (Peter Preaches Christ) - Precept Austin