A Man Approved of God
Peter laid down the premise on the day of Pentecost that “Jesus of Nazareth (was) a Man attested (approved, commended) 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). He said their action of killing Jesus was according to God’s determined counsel and foreknowledge, and that “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Peter gave four arguments to substantiate his assertion.
First, the Man who was commended by God had performed miracles (thirty-seven that are recorded, plus many more, Jn. 20:30) that confirmed His claim to Deity. The terrible crime of many in his audience was they “by lawless hands, have crucified” the Christ, but the wonderful victory was that “God raised (Him) up.”
The second proof was the fulfillment of David’s prophecy (2:25-31; Ps. 16:8-11). When David spoke about one whose soul would not be left in Hades, whose flesh would not see corruption, and who would be raised to sit on his throne, he “spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption” (v. 31).
The third evidence of the Deity of Jesus was the testimony of the apostles. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to the apostles for forty days (Acts 1:3). They had to be convinced that He had indeed been raised from the dead (Mk. 16:9-14), but when the Holy Spirit came upon them they became witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
The fourth proof was that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit (2:33-35). He had to go away in order to send the Spirit (Jn. 17:6). If He had remained dead, He could not have sent the Holy Spirit! Those who believed that message had a living faith because the risen Christ was a living reality to them. No wonder believers were of one mind, continued daily in the temple learning more of the apostles’ doctrine, eating their common meals from house to house (see 1 Cor. 11:22,34), praising God and as a result seeing saved people added to the Lord daily. May that kind of faith continue!
First, the Man who was commended by God had performed miracles (thirty-seven that are recorded, plus many more, Jn. 20:30) that confirmed His claim to Deity. The terrible crime of many in his audience was they “by lawless hands, have crucified” the Christ, but the wonderful victory was that “God raised (Him) up.”
The second proof was the fulfillment of David’s prophecy (2:25-31; Ps. 16:8-11). When David spoke about one whose soul would not be left in Hades, whose flesh would not see corruption, and who would be raised to sit on his throne, he “spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption” (v. 31).
The third evidence of the Deity of Jesus was the testimony of the apostles. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to the apostles for forty days (Acts 1:3). They had to be convinced that He had indeed been raised from the dead (Mk. 16:9-14), but when the Holy Spirit came upon them they became witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
The fourth proof was that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit (2:33-35). He had to go away in order to send the Spirit (Jn. 17:6). If He had remained dead, He could not have sent the Holy Spirit! Those who believed that message had a living faith because the risen Christ was a living reality to them. No wonder believers were of one mind, continued daily in the temple learning more of the apostles’ doctrine, eating their common meals from house to house (see 1 Cor. 11:22,34), praising God and as a result seeing saved people added to the Lord daily. May that kind of faith continue!