The Book of Acts
Lesson Number 24
TRANSLATION LEGEND: ALT = Analytical-Literal Translation (2005), AMPLIFIED = Amplified Bible (1965), ASV = American Standard Version (1901), BBE=Bible in Basic English (1949), DRA = Douay-Rheims (1899), ERV = English Revised Version (1885), ESV = English Stand Version (2001), GNB = Good News (1966), GWN = God’S Word (1995), IE = International English, ISV = International Standard Version (1967), JPS = Jewish Publication Society (1917), KJV = King James Version (1611), L.ITV = Literal Translation of the Bible ((1976), LIVING = Living Bible (1971), MKJV = Modern KJV (1962), MONTGOMERY = Montgomery’s New Testament (2001), MRD = Peshitta-James Murdock Translation (1852), NAB = New American Bible (2002), NASB = New American Standard Bible (1977), NAU = New American Standard Bible (1995), NIB = New International Bible, NIV = New International Version (1984), NJB = New Jerusalem Bible (1985), NKJV = New King James Version (1979), NLT =New Living Translation (1996), NRSV = New Revised Standard Version (1989), PHILLIPS = J B Phillips New Testament (1962), PNT = BISHOP’S New Testament (1595), RSV = Revised Standard Version (1952), TNK = JPS Tanakj (1985), Webster = The Webster Bible (1833),WEYMOUTH = Weymouth’s New Testament (1903), WILLIAMS = William’s New Testament (1937), TYNDALE = Tyndale’s Bible (1526), WYCLIFFE = Wycliffe New Testament (1382), YLT =Young’s Literal Translation (1862).
---------- Lexicon and Bible Translation Codes with Identification -----------
LEXICON LEGEND: FRIEBERG = Friberg Lexicon, UBS = UBS Lexicon, LOUW-NIDA = Louw-Nida Lexicon, LIDDELL SCOTT = Liddell Scott Lexicon, THAYER = Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, LEH = LEH Lexicon, GINGRICH = Gingrich Lexicon
DISCLAIMER: The quoting of other translations is not to be taken as a condoning of them. My purpose is rather to show the remarkable diversity, and sometimes outright contradictions that exist among these various versions of Scripture. Our understanding of the Word of God ultimately depends upon our comprehension of the Lord Himself and His eternal purpose. Where this understanding is not present, we are shut up to scholasticism and conjecture, both of which are of the world, not of God.
PETER AND THE APOSTLES ANSWER
“ 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. 33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.” (Acts 5:29-33)
INTRODUCTION
Having been commanded by the Jewish council to cease from speaking in the name of Jesus, and not even to mention His name anymore, the Apostles have chosen to obey an angelic messenger from heaven. This confirms where their hearts were tuned, as well as their priorities. The spiritual focus of an individual is made known in the times of stress, when pressure is exerted upon the mind and the soul to adjust life’s course.
When men faint in the day of adversity, Solomon wrote, it is because their “strength is small” (Prov 24:10). As stated under the New Covenant, it is because their faith is “little” (Matt 6:30; 8:26; 14:31), or “weak” (Rom 4:19; 14:1). That is, they do not see the things of God clearly, and are therefore lacking in the vital areas of “substance” and “evidence” (Heb 11:1). Their vision is flawed, and therefore they do not know now to negotiate in the straits of difficulty.
During their time with Jesus prior to His ascension, these very same men encountered times when their faith was weak (Matt 8:26). Sometimes the Lord asked them where there faith was, for there was no evidence of it (Lk 8:26). Once they could not conceive of the Lord supplying a multitude of people with five loaves and two little fishes (John 6:9). Another time, when Jesus revealed that He was going to suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, be killed, and be raised again the third day, Peter responded, “Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee” (Matt 16:21-22). On another occasion, when the city of Samaria refused to receive the Lord, James and John asked Jesus, “Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?” (Luke 9:54). When Jesus was arrested, all of the disciples fled (Matt 26:56), and during that awful night, Peter denied Him three times (Matt 26:69-74).
Those were times when the disciples did not yet see clearly. The reason for Christ coming into the world was not yet perceived by them. Therefore, even though their hearts were pointed in the right direction, and they had left everything to follow Jesus, they often spoke and acted out of keeping the agenda within which Jesus was operating.
But these are not the kind of men of which we are now reading. They have been transformed by the exalted Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. Their thinking has been cleared, so that they are walking in the light “as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7). When they speak, they are not talking in a trance, uttering things without their hearts and minds being engaged. Having been illuminated by the Holy Spirit, they actually know why Jesus came. They have detailed insight into matters relating to His death. They know what happened after He died, and that he has been exalted to the right hand of God. These are not facts they have learned like men becoming aware of history. These are things they comprehend through the Holy Spirit, and because they do, they are bold beyond the capacities of natural men. Peter, who was once intimidated by a “maid” is not moved one millimeter by the greatest religious men in the Jewish system – men who, according to appearance, had the power of life and death.
In these apostles we are witnessing what happens when the heart of stone is removed and a heart of flesh is given (Ezek 11:19). Here is how men react who have been filled with the Holy Spirit. When individuals have been shown the things of Christ by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), this is what they do. When they know whom they have believed, and have been persuaded that He is able to keep what they have committed to Him unto the final day (2 Tim 1:12), they respond to adversity in the manner recorded in our text. This is how walking “in newness of life” (Rom 6:4) impacts upon men in the “day of adversity” (Eccl 7:14). When “the whole armor of God” that has been provided to the children of God is actually “put on” (Eph 6:10-18), men respond to trouble as the apostles do in this text.
We are not reading about super-men, or individuals who have been pumped up in some kind of religious rally. These are men who are on “the way of holiness” (Isa 35:8), and know it. They are men who are doing what is right, and they are keenly aware, and fully persuaded of it.
It is imperative that we see these things because of the times in which we are living – “perilous times” (2 Tim 3:1). It is important that we comprehend that no spiritual supply has diminished in its strength. The same faith – a “like precious faith” (2 Pet 1:1) – that sustained the apostles, is the very same faith that will sustain you! Nothing in the New Covenant economy has changed in the nearly 2,000 intervening years between 2007 and the time of our text. All of the benefits are still in place. The same promises are all in tact. The message is the same, as well as the Intercessor and Comforter. If you are in a time of challenge, you can read this text and personally profit from it. All of the resources that sustained these holy men are still in place, and they will sustain you as well! You can believe that!
Here we have a record of the apostles who are in trouble with the religious authorities because they have continued to preach in the name of Jesus, doing so in the Temple itself. Their message was at a variance with that of the teachers of the day. They have even been charged with trying to rally the people against the Jewish leaders who are opposing their good work. They are significantly outnumbered – at least according to appearance. However, there is more here than appearance. Already a holy angel had come down and released them from heaven, bringing them a message from the Throne: “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:20). Fearlessly, they have resumed teaching in the Temple with boldness and a total lack of fear. Earlier they had prayed that God would grant them boldness to preach the Word by stretching forth His hand to heal, and that signs and wonders might be done in the name of His holy child Jesus (4:29-30). What we are witnessing is the answer to that prayer.
Now, facing the questioning of the high priest, they are reminded they have been threatened and strictly commanded to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. With confidence, power, and insight, “Peter and the other apostles” do not hesitate to answer. Knowing they do not have a long period of time allotted to them, they deliver one of the most masterful summaries of Christ’s death, resurrection, and exaltation that is contained in Scripture. The scope of their answer is remarkable. It is a marvelous condensation of great bodies of reality, and is conducive to much profitable contemplation. Their answer declares the duty of men, Divine intervention, human depravity, Divine power, Divine purpose, the effects of the atonement, and the gift of God. Only the Spirit could move men to speak in such a marvelous manner.
It is important to comprehend the manner of the Holy Spirit here. These men are speaking in harmony with “the mind of the Spirit” (Rom 8:27). While He was yet with them in the body, Jesus told them, “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you” (Matt 10:19-20). In our text, they have been delivered up – brought before the religious authorities after being arrested in the Temple. They will be interrogated, and answers will be expected from them. However, they will not employ the wisdom of men in their answer. They will not reason as mere men, or present their case with their own interests being primary. Their focus will be concentrated on the propagation of the Gospel, and their reasoning for doing so will be clearly articulated.
What we will read does not reflect the manner in which a professional clergyman would answer the charges leveled against the apostles. It is not what you would expect to hear at a Christian convention, where the representative of a movement that had yielded well over 8,000 converts in a few days would be asked to speak. There is not an ounce of institutional fervor in the words of the apostles. There is no effort to promote a religious movement, or to draw attention to some special methodology. The personality and gifts of the apostles will not be mentioned. No school will be promoted. None of the elements of supposedly successful Christian movements will be presented. There will be no appeal for community involvements, or crusades to reach neglected people-groups. No Temple tours will be given, and no classes on successful evangelism will be held. There are also none of the workshops that are so prevalent in our time.
Notwithstanding the absence of such things, we are being faced with the real work of God. Jesus Himself is in this work. The Holy Spirit is illuminating and leading the speakers. The purpose of God is being fulfilled. The truth is being made known effectively. If there is a great difference between what is happening in this text, and the popular religion of our day, it is because our day is darker, and fewer genuine spiritual leaders are present. Jesus has not changed – He is “the same yesterday, and today, and for ever” (Heb 13:8).
WE OUGHT TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN
“ 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Remember the words of Caiaphas: “Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us” (Acts 5:28). Peter’s answer will go straight to the point. He will not resort to oratory, or some distracting form of reasoning. He will not plead like an oppressed man, or call for just treatment or the imposition of human rights.
PETER AND THE OTHER APOSTLES
“Then Peter and the other apostles answered . . .” Other versions read, “Peter and the apostles,” NASB and “But Peter answering, and the apostles,” DARBY
The idea here is that Peter is speaking for the rest of the apostles. They do not all speak at once, but Peter delivers the answer each one of them individually would have delivered. They are united in heart and soul, understanding and commitment. There is no variance among them.
Peter was not the only spiritually knowledgeable man among them, but had been given “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 16:19). Paul referred to Peter’s appointed prominence in his letter to the Galatians. “But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles)” (Gal 2:7-8). This did not mean that Peter was like a boss for the rest of the apostles, for that is not the manner of the kingdom of God, being strictly forbidden by Christ (Matt 20:25-26). When writing to the Galatians, Paul also recognized James (the Lord’s brother) and John as leaders. “And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision” (Gal 2:9).
However, in our text, when the answer was given, Peter spoke – not as the one with superior rank and authority, but as the spokesman for the united apostles. This is precisely what he did on the day of Pentecost as well (Acts 2:14).
Those who have been involved to any measurable degree in religious groups know how exceedingly rare it is to have one person who can speak for all. However, where people “speak the same thing,” and are actually “joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor 1:10), this can be done. For some churches – like the one in Corinth – such marvelous unity was an objective from which a departure had taken place. However, in our text, that unity was a reality.
WE OUGHT
Other versions read, “We must,” NASB “We have to” BBE “God must,” DARBY “comes before,” NJB“We ought more,” PNT “it behoveth,” YLT“It is necessary,” PHILLIPS“It is our duty,”” ALT and “It is right.” LITV
The word “ought” comes from a small, yet meaningful, Greek word – dei(die). The lexical meaning of the word is, “it is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right and proper . . . suggestive of moral obligation, denoting especially that constraint which arises from divine appointment,” THAYER “expressing compulsion, necessity . . . compulsion of duty one ought, one should, one has to, one must,” FRIBERG “That which must necessarily take place,” LOUW-NIDA “it is binding on one to do a thing,” LIDDELL-SCOTT “it is needful to,” LEH and “necessary, one must, or has to,” GINGRICH
Even though these definitions satisfy scholastic requirements, they do not fully convey the meaning of the word as used here. This is not the compulsion of law – obeying a commandment, or fulfilling a duty. Theoretically, that can be done without the involvement of the heart. The compulsion to which Peter refers is an inward one, where conduct is pushed forward by a driving inward obsession. It is the kind of drive to which Jeremiah referred when he said, “But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not” (Jer 20:9). Elihu expressed the compulsion in these words: “For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles. I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer” (Job 32:20). David said it this way: “My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue” (Psa 39:3).
These examples had to do with speaking. Our text refers to the same kind of drive in regards to obeying: “We must obey God rather than men!” AMPLIFIED It is true that they were responsible to do so, but that is not the point of the text. They also WANTED to do so, and that desire could not be dampened by the foolish mandate of the Jewish court.
When the laws of God are “put” into the heart and “written” in the mind (Heb 10:16), they constrain the person from within. There is a hearty agreement with what God has declared and required. However, there is also a burning desire to do those things – a desire that cannot be stifled when it is heeded. That is the kind of thing that is declared in this text.
O for the day when the church of our time will be noted for such obedience – when no governmental mandate or inimical threat can stop them from rendering heartfelt obedience to the Lord. The New Covenant provides for such obedience. The Holy Spirit promotes such obedience. The Lord Jesus strengthens for such obedience. The Gospel contributes to such obedience. The new heart and new spirit are inclined to such obedience. If obedience is not found, it is not owing to any deficiency in salvation, or any lack of needed resources. Peter and the apostles had simply tapped in to the rich resources that are made available in Christ Jesus.
TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN
Other versions read, “obey God rather than men,” NASB “do the orders of God, not of man,” BBE “God must be obeyed rather than men,” DARBY “obey God rather than people,” GWN “Obedience to God comes before obedience to men,” NJB “obey God rather than any human authority,” NLT “to obey God then men,” PNT “To obey God it behoveth, rather than men,” YLT “obey God, not men!” IE “to be obeying God rather than people! “to obey the orders of God rather than the orders of men,” PHILLIPS” ALT “We don't obey people. We obey God,” CEV and “to obey God rather than man,” LITV
There is, then, a sense in which God and men are at variance, else this statement would make no sense. This does not refer to godly men, or men through whom Jesus is speaking. Jesus Himself said to His disciples, “if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also” (John 15:20). However, in such a case, the hearers would actually be obeying Christ, for the apostles spoke in his behalf, delivering His mind and purpose to the people.
Peter is saying that any requirement of men that contradicts the word of the King will be ignored by the apostles. They will not obey what men say at the expense of disobeying God. Their ear is pointed toward heaven, not earth. Their hearts desire is to obey the word of Jesus, not that of men.
“Obey”
What does it mean to “obey?” Lexically it means, “to obey a ruler or superior,” THAYER “obey one in authority,” FRIBERG “obey, listen to,” UBS and “to submit to authority or reason by obeying. “ LOUW-NIDA It means to strictly comply with the requirements of one who rules. It is to conform one’s conduct to the demands of one who is greater. In true obedience, when self-will asserts itself, the one who obeys defers to the Lord, ignoring self-will. If one is asked to satisfy the demands of someone other than the Lord, he chooses to honor the demands of God. If there is some competing interest to be carried out, completed, or fulfilled, the person chooses to fulfill what God has specified. This is because one recognizes the true authority, and is able to distinguish it from feigned dominance.
This is obedience “from the heart” (Rom 6:17) – obedience that is willingly and gladly rendered in recognition of, and agreement with, the One who is over all. This is a way in which we honor the Lord, yielding to His will. When Israel did not obey the Lord, He said to them, “if then I be a Father, where is Mine honor? and if I be a Master, where is My fear?(Mal 1:6).
An example of someone obeying God rather than men is seen in Joseph. This particular example did not take place when he was old and seasoned in the faith, but when he was young, and subject to “youthful lusts” (2 Tim 2:22). When Potiphar’s wife, to whom Joseph was, in a sense, subject, demanded that he lie with her. He responded, “how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen 39:9). His heart would not let him do this. He knew he had to obey God rather than Potiphar’s wife, even if he had to suffer for doing so.
There is no substitute for obedience – for doing what the Lord requires. Satan will tempt men to offer God something in the place of obedience – perhaps even a sacrifice, as king Saul did. He refused to destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions as the Lord commanded. He said the people took the best of “what should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord thy God in Gilgal.” Upon uttering these words, he heard the thundering assessment of Samuel, the man of God. “Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king” (1 Sam 15:22-23).
God cannot be pleased with some convenient sacrifice that falls short of what He actually requires. Such a response is nothing less than rebellion, stubbornness, and rejecting the word of the Lord. Informed souls know that this kind of conduct is rampant in the professing church. Men are withholding from the Lord what he has required in deference to lesser requirements of men. It is not acceptable – not one whit of it.
Peter and the apostles refused to dishonor God by disobeying Him, and refused to honor the council by obeying them. Their love for and commitment to the Lord would not allow such deviate conduct. They knew what they “ought” to do, and they did it.
Trends and Fads
In our day, it has become fashionable to follow religious trends and fads. Is it right to do so? Is it really necessary to adapt our manners to a contemporary society? I am not speaking about “using the world” (1 Cor 7:31) taking advantage of amoral things in order to labor for the Lord – i.e., technology, travel, etc. Rather, this concerns compromising the truth in order to appease our critics, lessen the aggression of the enemy, or appeal to carnal minds. Truth is, by its very nature, static. That is, the realities affirmed in the truth, as it “is in Jesus” (Eph 4:21), do not change. That is why there is saving efficacy in the death and resurrection of Jesus. While men’s perception and experience of the truth may change, the truth itself remains unchanged. That is why the message of the church has never been changed by God. The “record God has given of His Son” (1 John 5:10-12) has never been updated, nor has any portion of it been rendered obsolete.
If the core message of the modern church differs from the one delivered in the book of Acts and the epistles, then the message is wrong. In that case, religious leaders have chosen to obey men rather than God, for God has never delivered a different message, or one that contradicts the Gospel of Christ.
What I am saying is that a significant portion of the professing church has elected to hearken to men rather than God. Some of those to whom it is hearkening are not even Bible Students. They are students of trends, statistics, psychology, motivational vogues, and sociological principles. If men say the attention-span of the people is twenty minutes, they quickly adapt their messages to accommodate that assessment. If men say more stress needs to place on the principles adopted by their denomination, then they alter their message to accomplish that purpose. If some lone voice cries out that we have to reach a particular segment of society, they tailor their message to appeal to that sector, whether it is the youth or the senior citizens.
Try as you may, you never find anything remotely like this in the book of Acts. That is probably why the results that are recorded in this book are not commonly experienced in our day.
All wayward religious trends will end over night if men conform to this statement of the case: “We ought to obey God rather than men!” In our text, the leaders told the apostles to stop preaching in Jesus’ name. They refused to obey than mandate, and based their decision on the fact that no allowance is made in salvation for not obeying God.
THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS
“ 30a The God of our fathers . . . ” Other versions read, “The God of our ancestors,” NRSV and “God of our forefathers.” NET
This is a significant phrase in Scripture – one with which the saints of God do well to become familiar. It is used over seventy-five times in Scripture, and always applies to the progenitors of the Jewish nation, or to the generation that came out of Egypt. It is used in the book of Acts eighteen times (3:13,25; 5:30; 7:11.12.15.19,38,39,44; 13:17; 15:10; 22:14; 26:6; 28:17,25). Eight of those times, it is particularly associated with the working of God. A brief perusal of those times will confirm their grandness.
➪ GLORIFICATION OF CHRIST. The “God of our fathers hath glorified His Son Jesus” (3:13).
➪ THE FIRST COVENANT. “ . . . the covenant which God made with our fathers” (3:25).
➪ THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus” (5:30).
➪ CONQUERING CANAAN. “Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus [Joshua NKJV] into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David” (7:45).
➪ THE EXALTATION AND DELIVERANCE OF ISRAEL. “The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought He them out of it” (13:17).
➪ THE COVENANT OF LAW. “Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” (Acts 15:10).
➪ THE CALLING OF PAUL. “And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth” (Acts 22:14).
➪ THE PROMISE OF GOD. “And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers” (Acts 26:6).
The idea here is that of associating God with a special people – a people of His own choosing. How often this is affirmed in Scripture!
➪ LOVING, CHOOSING, SAVING. “And because He loved thy fathers, therefore He chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in His sight with His mighty power out of Egypt” (Deut 4:37).
➪ SET HIS LOVE UPON THEM. “The LORD did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deut 7:7-8).
➪ ABOVE ALL PEOPLE. “Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and He chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day” (Deu 10:15).
➪ MADE THEM HIS PEOPLE. “For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people” (1 Sam 12:22).
➪ FAVORED THEM. “For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favor unto them” (Psa 44:3).
➪ PRECIOUS AND HONORABLE IN HIS SIGHT. “Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life” (Isa 43:4).
In the people of Israel God was making Himself more fully known, and also paving the way for the coming of the Redeemer through their lineage. God does not view all men alike, and He confirmed that in his choice of Israel as well as His work among them. He can set His love on some, while withholding it from others – and He did that with Israel. In Israel He revealed how He can set one body of people above all others. He can make one group of people His own, while rejecting others. He can show favor to some, making them precious and honorable in His right, while withholding such benefits from others.
In spite of His consistent dealings with Israel over a period of 1,500 years, not including 500 years of previously exclusive dealings with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their seed, these realities still elude many people. There remain significant numbers of professing Christians that affirm God loves everyone alike, even though He has revealed through writing and human circumstances that nothing could be further from the truth.
When Peter refers to “the God of our fathers,” he is connecting the God of Jesus with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as well as the nation that came out of Egypt. This was the very point that moved the counsel to condemn Jesus, for they totally rejected the fact that He was the Son of God. When Jesus made that affirmation, the very high priest before whom the apostles are now standing responded, “He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy” (Matt 26:65). The remainder of the council, also present at this time, responded, “He is guilty of death!” (Matt 26:66). They could not see any association between Jesus of Nazareth and the “God of the fathers” – even though He was the very reason for the existence of “the fathers.”
Now, Peter will affirm that the very same God they profess to worship, is the One who has reversed their judgment against Jesus – His only begotten Son. Their decision had been rendered null and void by the God of heaven. This is also the same God who raised up their nation, nurtured them through hard times, delivered them from bondage, and made a covenant with them.
Lest any Gentile believer begin to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, let him member that Abraham is “the father of us all” (Rom 4:16), and “the father of all them that believe” (Rom 4:11). As Gentiles, we have been grafted into Abraham’s tree, and are partakers of the root and fatness of its promises (Rom 11:17). It is his tree that is sustaining us all. As it is written, “Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee” (Rom 11:18). The promise that is being fulfilled in the Gospel is the one that was given to Abraham, to whom the Gospel was “preached before.” Therefore, it is written, “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed” (Gal 3:8).
At this time, the church may appear to be predominantly Gentile. Some even believe the Jews have been altogether cut off, even though God promised He would never make His commitment to them void, or nullify His promise to renew them (Jer 31:35-37). The loyalty just cited are the words immediately following the commitment to make “a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah” (Jer 31:31-34).
What possible reason can there be for any Gentile believers boasting. They have been made partakers of a promise given to someone else, and have become a part of a tree of lineage that is traced back to Abraham. It is time for the church to honor “the God of the fathers.”
A Dreadful Tendency
There remains in religious men this dreadful tendency of not associating the Lord Jesus with the God of heaven. That is precisely why men refuse to preach the Gospel of Christ, choosing to dabble in social issues and institutional concerns – as though those were the primary matters with which God is conjoined. Through subtlety Satan has persuaded men that Jesus has somehow lessened the demands of God – that He has made it possible for God to receive vacillating men, tolerate inveterate waywardness in them, and casually become involved in their personal desires. His love is seen as so great that He now looks kindly upon the people just because they are His children by nature – even if they are disobedient ones.
Such views flagrantly contradict the very concept of salvation, in which the people are not only delivered from the confinements of nature, but changed as well. It is time for the church to rid itself of such views, and those who perpetrate them. The reason God gives people a new heart is because the old one is not acceptable. The reason we have “the Second Man” and the “Last Adam,” is because “the first man Adam” is no longer the appointed prototype. He and all of his progeny have been rejected, and are in a state of death and alienation (Rom 5:12-19; 1 Cor 15:45,47).
In Christ, God makes individuals a new creation (2 Cor 5:17) because He cannot receive them as they are. A stony and a stubborn heart cannot be overlooked by God, as though they it not exist. If such a Divine response was possible, the Lord would have left us the way we were. In such a case, He would only be required to perfect what already existed within man. Spiritual and bodily resurrections (Rom 6:4; 1 Cor 15:52) would not be required, because only the dead are raised. You cannot extract something living from the domain of corruption. Life – spiritual life – must be created within men, else they will never have it – and only God can create! That is why the true living ones – those who are in Christ Jesus – are said to have been “created in Christ Jesus,” and are “His workmanship” (Eph 2:10). The new nature, or “new man,” that is resident in them has been “created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph 4:24).
This is why it is sinful to teach followers of Christ as though their lives were strictly the result of some personal discipline or routine that did not involve heart, soul, mind, and strength. Doling out little tips and routines that are supposedly the secrets to successful living is approaching life as though there were no God or Christ. It should not be surprising that such systems do not move men to affirm “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
DO NOT MAKE GOD TOO PERSONAL
A word ought to be said concerning making God too personal – i.e., of limiting our view of God to matters concerning ourselves, instead of centering our lives in Him. I must take great care here not to be misunderstood. It is true that every true disciple of Jesus can say, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved ME, and gave Himself for ME” (Gal 2:20). This, however, does not warrant living life as though we were the only ones so blessed. Paul knew this well, and therefore learned to be content in whatever state he was found – including beatings, imprisonment, shipwrecks, and perils of all sorts.
While Jesus may be said to be a “personal Savior” (although that phrase is not found in Scripture), He is more precisely “the Savior of the body”(Eph 5:23). There is a sense in which Jesus “loved the church and gave Himself for it” (Eph 5:25). It seems to me that it is on the part of wisdom to learn to reason and express ourselves with “the body of Christ” in mind. It will contribute to a more stable frame of mind during the times we are being tested, and make for more alertness during times of peace. Lest this be considered to be unreasonable, remember that Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father . . . Give us . . . forgive us . . . as we . . . our debtors . . . lead us not into temptation . . . deliver us from evil” (Matt 6:9-13). Self-centered religion is dangerous beyond all comprehension. Learn to detect it quickly and avoid it at all cost.
GOD RAISED UP JESUS
“ 30b . . . raised up Jesus . . . ” Other versions read, “gave Jesus back to life,” BBE “has raised up Jesus,” DARBY “brought Him back to life,” GWN “raised Jesus from the dead,” NLT “did raise up Jesus,” YLT and “raised Jesus to life.” ISV
Thusfar, in every record of Peter speaking, he has made reference to the raising of Jesus from the dead.
➪ “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it” (Acts 2:24).
➪ “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses” (Acts 2:32).
➪ “And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses” (Acts 3:15).
➪ “Unto you first God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities” (Acts 3:26).
➪ “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole” (Acts 4:10).
➪ “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree” (Acts 5:30).
Later, Peter will make the same point at the house of Cornelius (10:40). Paul will also preached it in Antioch of Pisida (13:23,30,33,34, 37), and then in Athens as well (17:31). This is a pivotal line of spiritual reasoning.
THE APOSTLES DOCTRINE
The Epistles, written exclusively to the saints, contain repeated references to God raising Jesus from the dead. There are holy associations made with that resurrection.
➪ RIGHTEOUSNESS. The imputation of righteousness. “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Rom 4:24).
➪ BAPTISM. Our baptism into Christ. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4).
➪ VICTORY. Dominion over sin. “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him” (Rom 6:9).
➪ OUR ASSOCIATION WITH CHRIST. Being dead to the law and married to Christ. ”Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God” (Rom 7:4).
➪ HOLINESS. The Spirit dwelling in believers and quickening their mortal body, enabling them to be holy. “But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Rom 8:11).
➪ SALVATION. Men being saved. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Rom 10:9).
➪ PROCLAMATION. Preaching the Gospel. “Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ: whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not” (1 Cor 15:15).
➪ THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. The resurrection of all the dead. “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised” (1 Cor 15:16).
➪ APOSTLESHIP. The apostleship of Paul. “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead)” (Gal 1:1).
➪ EMPOWERMENT. The power that is toward those who are in Christ Jesus. “Which he wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph 1:20).
➪ THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST. Being circumcised by Christ, and raised with Him in baptism through faith. “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead” (Col 2:11-12).
➪ CHRIST’S RETURN. Waiting for Christ to return from heaven. “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess 1:10).
➪ THE GOSPEL. The true Gospel. “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel” (2 Tim 2:8).
➪ BELIEVING IN GOD. Believing in God through Jesus Christ. “Who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God” (1 Pet 1:21).
You see how the golden thread of the resurrection, together with the scarlet thread of His death, is woven throughout the entirety of redemption. Among other things, the resurrection of Christ is the ordained display of “the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe” (Eph 1:19-20). It is in “the power of His resurrection” (Phil 3:10) that we are enabled to “do all things” that are required of us and commissioned to us. Apart from this power we are spiritually powerless. No work can please God or be effective for His glory without it.
The resurrection of Christ confirmed several things.
➪ That Jesus was the Son of God, as He claimed (Rom 1:4).
➪ That Jesus has been given all power in heaven and earth (Rom 1:4).
➪ That He is the only one through whom men can be saved (Acts 4:12).
➪ That we will also be raised from the dead (1 Cor 6:14).
➪ That He is the One who will judge the world (Acts 17:31).
➪ That He has been exalted and is making intercession for us (Rom 8:34).
➪ That neither preaching Christ nor faith in Him is in vain (1 Cor 15:14).
How could a doctrine, so obviously emphatic in apostolic preaching and teaching, be so glaringly absent in the modern church scene? How can there be preachers and teachers who know more of the human psyche than they do of the risen Christ? Why did the ones who laid the foundation for the church view the resurrection of Christ with such cruciality, while men today consider it so infrequently, treating it as though it was a spiritual museum piece? Nothing has taken place in modern times what warrants a shift in our emphasis.
The answer is found in the different agenda the modern church has adopted. This has taken place because of its leaders and its professed educators. They are like blind men who, while they are leading, have fallen into the ditch with those who hearken to them. Concerning these leaders Jesus commissioned His disciples, “Leave them!” NIV (Matt 15:14). Because of the danger so described, that word cannot be ignored with impunity.
YOU SLEW HIM AND HANGED HIM ON A TREE
“ 30c . . . whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.” Other versions read, “whom you murdered by hanging on a tree,” NKJV “whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross,” NASB “whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree,” NIV “who you killed by hanging Him on a tree,” RSV “after you had killed Him by hanging Him on a cross,” LIVING “He is the one you killed, having hung him upon wood,” IE “whom you crucified and put to death,” WEYMOUTH “after you hung him on a tree and killed him,” ISV “after you had hanged Him on a cross and killed Him,” WILLIAMS“Whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree (cross),” AMPLIFIED “whom you murdered by hanging him on a cross of wood,” PHILLIPS “You killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross,” CEV and “You murdered Jesus by hanging him on a cross.” GWN
This is now the fourth time Peter has charged the Jews and their leaders with the responsibility of rejecting and killing Jesus.
➪ “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain” (Acts 2:23).
➪ “But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses” (Acts 3:14-15).
➪ “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole” (Acts 4:10).
➪ “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree” (Acts 5:30).
The carnal mind may reason that the Jews actually did not kill Jesus, but were only instrumental in delivering Him to the Gentiles, who were the ones who actually killed him. The theological mind might reason that the Jews did not kill Jesus because it was something that was appointed to be done. No one really took His life from Him, such a mind thinks, He laid down His life Himself (John 10:17-18).
All such reasoning is nothing more than an exercise in vanity and a display of gross carnality. Peter told the people the death of Jesus was according to “the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God,” yet solemnly added that the people had “crucified and slain Jesus” (Acts 2:23). He told the people they had fulfilled the Scriptures in killing Jesus (Acts 3:18) – yet what they did was not righteous, but sinful, even though it was done in ignorance. They were required to “repent,” in order that their sins might be “blotted out” (Acts 3:19). The early disciples all knew that when the Jews delivered up Jesus they were doing “whatsoever” God”s “hand” and “counsel determined before to be done.” Yet, they also knew the people had themselves “gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ” (Acts 4:26).
It is not becoming for believers to adopt simplistic views about complex matters. This is particularly true of the death of Christ. Heaven, earth, and hell were involved in this matter – Divinity, humanity, and the power of darkness. Heaven drew up the plan, and God, man, and Satan were involved in its execution. All under the Soverign rule of God. This death did not come short of its purpose in any way. The will of men was not fulfilled as they intended, nor was Satan’s objectives accomplished. In Christ’s death, only God’s will was thoroughly achieved. Men fulfilled His will, even though that is not what they intended. Satan fulfilled God’s will, although that was not his aim. In laying down His life, Jesus willingly made His will subject to the Father’s will (Lk 22:42). Only God’s will was absolutely free and unhindered.
When men struggle with whether or not the human will is free, let them consider the death of Christ. Precisely who was free in that matter, and who was in bondage? Men were in bondage to Satan and his hosts, and Satan and his hosts were “bound” with chains of darkness (2 Pet 2:4; Jude 1:6).
Here are personalities that did the will of God rather their own will. Yet, Satan is rejected, and men are condemned for doing so. Peter called upon men to repent because of what they did, even though they had “fulfilled” the Scriptures in condemning Jesus (Acts 2:38; 3:18; 13:27). Let us push from us naive and overly-simplistic views of the death of Christ!
Guilty of Christ’s Death
How is it that the Jews were guilty of Christ’s death, even though not one of their hands drove the nails into His body, or raised Him up on the tree? Yet, they had judged Him to be “guilty of death,” or “deserving of death” NKJV (Matt 26:66). It is written, “They all condemned Him to be guilty of death” (Mk 14:64). Again it is written that the chief priests and rulers of the Jews “delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him” (Lk 24:20). That decision made them responsible for the death of Christ, for, speaking as a man, the Roman authorities would not have crucified Jesus if the Jews had not insisted that they do so.
But there is something more to be seen here. It is still possible for a person to become personally guilty of Christ’s death. While it is an awesome consideration, we do well to ponder it. This view is stated at least two times in Scripture.
➪ “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord” (1 Cor 11:27). Other versions read, “will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord,” NRSV “responsible for the body and blood of the Lord,” BBE “held responsible for the body and blood of the Lord,” GWN “will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord,” NAB and “guilty of [profaning and sinning against] the body and blood of the Lord.” AMPLIFIED
➪ “If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Heb 6:6). Other versions read, “crucify again for themselves,” NKJV “crucifying the Son of God all over again,” NIV “they are crucifying again the Son of God,” NRSV “crucify on their own account the Son of God,” RSV “put the Son of God on the cross again,” BBE “recrucifying the Son of God,” CSB “a second time crucify and insult the Son of God,” MRD “are nailing him to the cross once again’ NLT “repeatedly crucifying the Son of God afresh,” WEYMOUTH “continue to crucify the Son of God to their detriment,” WILLIAMS and “they nail upon the cross the Son of God afresh [as far as they are concerned].” AMPLIFIED
The same death – Christ’s death – will be either the basis for reconciliation or condemnation. Those who receive the atonement by faith, will enjoy its marvelous benefits (Rom 5:11). Their sins will be forgiven, they will be justified, and they will have peace with God. However, should they choose to refuse to have “faith in His blood,” (Rom 3:25), electing to remain in a state of alienation, the whole responsibility for Christ’s death will be laid upon them. Further, if a professing Christian returns to a life of sin, that person also becomes personally responsible for Christ’s death. Those who continue to wallow in sin cannot be profited by Christ’s death. What is more, it will not become a matter of indifference to them. In the day of judgment, the responsibility for the most unjust, foolish, hateful, and malicious crime of all time – the condemnation and death of Jesus Christ – will be laid to their account. They are “guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.”
The death which was provided for reconciliation will, in such a case, be the means of their condemnation. That is how serious God is about the work of His Son, particularly His death!
This is one reason why Peter speaks with such candidness to the council. He knows they are being weighed in the balances by the King of kings. The message of the apostles is bringing salvation within the reach of those before whom they are standing. This is, in a very real sense, the time of their visitation. Although they have been guilty of crucifying and killing the Prince of life, that death holds within it the means of their own reconciliation, and justification. The same offer is held out to them that was presented on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38-39), and in Solomon’s porch (3:19-26).
A Challenge for Our Times
In my judgment, the preachers and teachers of our time could do a much more credible job of presenting the death and resurrection of Jesus. These are historical facts, but they are infinitely more than that! Of itself, history has no redeeming value. It cannot change a person, or move from one from a state of alienation to one of reconciliation. But this is not at all the case when it comes to the death and resurrection of Jesus. These are not merely facts to be believed. Men are not required to assent to them so they can be part of an organization. If it is true that “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them,” then there is more substance in these facts than any person dares to imagine. If more of God was in Christ than any other person – for in Him dwelt “the fulness of the Godhead bodily” – then there is nothing about Jesus that can be treated with indifference.
The facts of His death and resurrection must be taken into the heart and pondered, for there is sanctifying power in them. However, I fear that what is being said about Jesus from the average pulpit is not conducive to such cogitation. There is not enough substance to much of the preaching of our time. It is too frothy, even though the human condition is profoundly complex, and requires a marvelous remedy.
May men of spiritual understanding arise to declare the death and resurrection of Christ with insight and power. The salvation of men is at stake – yes, even the salvation of the church itself. If the fundamental message of the church is off-center, it will be sucked into the wicked vortex from which it was once delivered.
GOD EXALTED HIM WITH HIS RIGHT HAND
“ 31a Him hath God exalted with his right hand . . . ” Other versions read, “exalted to His right hand,” NKJV “exalted Him to His own right hand,” NIV “has put on high at his right hand,” BBE “exalted by his right hand,” DARBY “at His right hand,” ESV “used his power to give Jesus the highest position,” GWN “By his own right hand God has now raised Him,” NJB “put him in the place of honor at his right hand,” NLT “lift up with His right hand,” PNT “with mighty power . . . exalted Him,” LIVING “raised to His right side,” IE and “gave him a place at his right side.” CEV
As you can see, there are two differing thoughts found in the various translations. (1) Jesus was exalted by, or with, the right hand of God. (2) Jesus was exalted to the right hand of God. Doctrinally, both views are true. However, in this text, the emphasis is the exaltation of Christ itself, and not the place to which He was exalted.
This is now the second time Peter has made this point, the first time being on the day of Pentecost. “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear” (Acts 2:33). The phrase “by the right hand of God” means by means of God’s right hand. By way of comparison, the Jews “by wicked hands” had crucified and slain Jesus Christ (Acts 2:33). The council had “laid their hands on the apostles” (Acts 5:18). In both cases, their actions were negated and reversed by the right hand of God.
The exaltation of Christ is something worthy of extended consideration. It validates the acceptance of Christ’s sacrificial death, confirms the destruction of the devil, and is the means through which salvation in its entirety is being implemented.
It was the “right hand” of God that exalted Christ. In this case, the expression “right hand” is an anthropomorphism – an interpretation of what is not human or personal in terms of human or personal characteristics. MERRIAM-WEBSTER God’s “right hand” is His working power – what He accomplishes through His power and wisdom. Several Scriptural expressions will suffice to confirm this point.
➪ “And he said, The LORD came from Sinai . . . from His right hand went a fiery law for them” (Deut 33:2).
➪ “And He brought them to the border of His sanctuary, even to this mountain, which His right hand had purchased” (Psa 78:54).
➪ “O sing unto the LORD a new song; for He hath done marvellous things: His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten him the victory” (Psa 98:1).
➪ “The LORD hath sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength . . .” (Isa 62:8).
The exaltation of Christ was a Divine accomplishment. It was not the expression of impersonal laws, or raw and detached power. Concerning Christ, God Himself is said to have “highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name” (Phil 2:9). Jesus is “crowned with glory and honor” (Heb 2:9). He is “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come,” and all things have been “put under His feet.” It is in that capacity that He has been given to the church as “Head over all things” (Eph 1:21-22). It is appropriately said of Him, “And ye are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power” (Col 2:10). In His ascension He “led captivity captive,” or “led captive a host of captives” (Eph 4:8). He has been “made higher than the heavens” (Heb 7:26), being seated at the right hand of God, with “angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him” (1 Pet 3:22).
DOMAINS IMPACTED BY HIS EXALTATION
There were at least five domains impacted by the exaltation of Christ. In some way, we are directly involved in all of them.
➪ HADES. Beginning at the lowest level, the abode of departed spirits – Hades – was affected by Christ’s exaltation. His “soul” was not left there, but He left that area under His own power.
➪ THE GRAVE. The grave, the abode of dead bodies, was also impacted by Christ’s exaltation, for it could not hold His body. He came forth from it, sealing His triumph over the full scope of death.
➪ THE WORLD. When Jesus rose from the dead, He walked among His disciples for forty days, teaching them concerning the Kingdom of God. During that time, He was not tempted. When finally a cloud “received Him” out of the sight of His disciples, He left the world taking “captivity itself a captive” NRSV (Eph 4:8).
➪ THE HEAVENS. These are the celestial heavens that surround the earth, where clouds reside. But that is not the only occupants of that realm. It is also occupied by “the prince of the power of the air,” or “the ruler of the kingdom of the air” NIV (Eph 2:2). Jesus passed through this realm without being detained or challenged for a moment. One time a holy angel fought with a wicked principality for twenty one days in this realm (Dan 10:13), but Jesus met no such challenge.
➪ HEAVEN. This is the “heaven of heavens” (Deut 10:14), or, more precisely, “heaven itself” (Heb 9:14). This is where the Almighty God is (Psa 115:3; Eccl 5:2; Matt 6:9). This is where the Throne of God is, from which His Kingdom is governed – which Kingdom is over all (Rev 4:2). When Jesus entered heaven with His blood, “the heavenly things themselves” were “purified” – that is, made suitable for redeemed men to handle (Heb 9:23). Those “things” were sanctified for the redeemed.
The salvation of men required that all of these realms be affected. Death had to be absolutely defeated, else the dead could not be raised. The world had to be conquered, else men would not be able to overcome it. The heavenly realms had to be soundly defeated, else Satan would have continued his ruthless rule over all humanity. Heaven itself had to be “prepared” for the reception of men, else they would remain in a state of ostracization.
In my own religious experience, I have not heard much about the exaltation of Christ. In the average church circles, it is largely an undeveloped area of thought – even though the entirety of our salvation hinges upon it. Our faith could neither be authored nor finished without the direct involvement of an exalted Christ. That is where the power of “pure religion” resides (James 1:27).
When men are drawn aside to an application approach to Scripture, they walk away form the power of the truth. Busying themselves with how men act and react, professed leaders cause men to embrace a powerless religion. The approach of such teachers assumes that men are more capable than they really are. They assume their minds are more competent than they really are, and thus they imagine they can process facts with flawless precision. These assumptions, however, are nothing more than vain imaginations. If they were true, we would have no genuine need for the exalted Christ, or the Holy Spirit.
Now, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter will develop the implications of the exaltation of Christ. He will focus on some of the activity of the exalted Christ. This is not novel activity, but is absolutely essential to the salvation of mankind.
EXALTED TO BE A PRINCE AND A SAVIOR
“ 31b . . . to be a Prince and a Savior . . . ”
TO BE
“ . . to be. . .” Other versions read, “as.” NASB That is, this is the reason why God exalted Christ with His right hand. There was a work to be done following Christ’s death and resurrection – a work that is essential to the salvation of men. A Savior who is not exalted cannot save – that confirms the monumental nature of God’s “so great salvation” (Heb 2:3). It is also why God is receiving, and will receive, unparalleled glory for what is accomplished in that salvation.
What is now before us is not something that Jesus WILL become. It is not a position to which He will be assigned. This is why He was exalted to the right hand of God – not why He died, but why He was exalted.
A PRINCE
“ . . . a Prince . . . ” Other versions read, “Leader,” NRSV “Ruler,” BBE “a Head,” MRD “Chief Leader,” WEYMOUTH and “Prince and Leader.” AMPLIFIED
The word “prince” is translated from a very significant word. It is like a multi-faceted jewel, and has the following meaning, “leading, furnishing the first cause or occasion; the chief leader, prince,” THAYER “one who goes first on a path, hence a leader, prince, pioneer . . . one who causes something to begin, originate, founder, originator,” FRIBERG “leader, pioneer, founder, originator,” UBS “. . . to be “beginning, originating a thing . . . founder . . . a prince, chief,” LIDDELL-SCOTT and “chief, head, ruler, guide, beginning, origin.” LEH
The scope of this word confirms why Jesus, as a glorified Man, was “exalted.” As the “Captain of their salvation,” the saved required an enthroned Savior who possessed universal and unquestioned authority. That is how exceedingly difficult it is to save sinners. Those who depict salvation as simplistic betray their fundamental ignorance of its nature.
Permit me to briefly expound the significance of the term “Prince.” This is an unfolding of the present ministry of Jesus, as well as the present needs of the ones who are being saved.
➪ PIONEER. This is One who goes before: i.e., goes to the destination that has been appointed for the chosen ones. A twofold purpose is being accomplished by this Pioneer. First, to prepare the way to the destination, sanctifying it for those who follow. In this case, Jesus has consecrated “a new and living way” in going before us (Heb 10:20). He is the One who has raised up a highway in the desert on which wayfaring men will not err (Isa 35:8). This Pioneer is, in fact, our “Forerunner,” which has entered heaven for us (Heb 6:20). His presence there is the guarantee that those who run the race with patience that is set before them, while arrive safely at the goal (Heb 12:1-2).
➪ ORIGINATOR. As the Divinely appointed and exalted Originator, Jesus is made both “the Author and the Finisher” [Perfecter] “of our faith” (Heb 12:2). In this case, “our faith” is not a body of doctrine, but “the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). This ‘faith” comes “from God the Father” according to purpose, and from “the Lord Jesus Christ” as the One who confers it (Eph 6:23). As the Originator, Jesus is also building His church, as He said He would (Matt 16:18).
➪ LEADER. As the Leader, the enthroned Savior is leading His sheep out of the world (John 10:3), and bringing “many sons to glory” (Heb 2:10). He is the One they are to “follow,” and in salvation, it is His voice that they come to know (John 10:16,27). In fact, Jesus said, “Everyone that is of the truth heareth My voice” (John 18:37). This is how He leads them – with His voice. That is why we are admonished, “See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh . . . from heaven” (Heb 12:25).
➪ CHIEF. As Chief, Jesus is the highest ranking Man – the “Second Man,” who owns the generation of the godly. He is the “Firstborn among many brethren” (Rom 8:29), and also is “the Firstborn of all creation,” whether of men, angels, cherubim, or seraphim (Col 1:15). The only One who is not subject to Him is God the Father Himself (1 Cor 15:27).
One of the great failings of the church of our time is its minuscule view – if, indeed, it can even qualify as a view – of the salvation of God. When men present this salvation in simplistic terms, and represent being “saved” as something that is very easy, they have not told the truth. They have forgotten the kind of Savior that was required to initiate, maintain, and consummate this salvation.
The “Make Him Your Lord” View