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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJohn Bengel Commentary - Acts 3:13 - 3:13
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Act 3:13. Ὁ Θεὸς, God) Who gave the promise to the patriarchs and fathers. The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, is an appellation frequently occurring in the Acts, more than in the other books of the New Testament, and one appropriate to that period of time.-τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶμ, of our fathers) Is it the same fathers, viz. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: with which comp. Exo 3:6; Exo 3:15-16 : or are those ‘fathers’ meant, who lived, for instance, in the time of Moses and Samuel or David, Act 3:22; Act 3:24-25, to whom also the promise was given? In the former passage of Moses (Exo 3:15-16), the appellative, fathers, is employed: in Luke, the proper names, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In Moses at least there is an apposition: there is one also, as we think, in Luke. GOD fulfilled this His promise: therefore all ought to believe.-ἐδόξασε, hath glorified) even before His passion: Mat 11:27; Mat 17:5; Joh 12:28; Joh 8:50; Joh 10:36; Joh 13:3; Joh 13:31; Joh 17:5; 2Pe 1:17; Luk 2:32; Heb 3:3; Heb 5:5. Others refer the word here to the glorification of Jesus Christ by the present miracle specially, or to the whole of His exaltation, or to both conjointly. The discourse begins far back [with the God of Abraham, etc.], in Act 3:13; wherefore we regard the order of the facts, and of the time, and of the text, to be the same.-τὸν παῖδα αὐτοῦ, His Servant, or Minister [but Engl. Vers. His Son]) See note on Mat 12:18 [παῖς in the LXX. expresses the Hebrew עבדי, Isa 42:1, “Behold My Servant, whom I have chosen.” So here, and ch. Act 4:27; Act 4:30; but not afterwards in the New Testament, as not a suitable expression for Him, now that He is exalted]. [In human fashion, one might call Him the Prime Minister of God, on account of the great dignity and extent of His office.-V. g.]-ὑμεῖς μὲν, ye indeed) The object of this is, that hereby they may be brought to compunction and repentance.-παρεδώκατε, ye have delivered up) This Saviour, who was given to you, ye have given up; whereas ye ought with all zeal to have recognised His glory, and embraced and laid hold of Him.-ἠρνήσασθε, ye have denied) This is opposed to the proper judgment (κρίναντος) of Pilate (Pilate’s own judgment), who tried to let Jesus go.-Πιλάτου, of Pilate) whose blindness is less surprising than yours. Peter shows in this place that the Jews resisted the true judgment of GOD and of men concerning Jesus.