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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_13:16-25
16"Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: 17'The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it. 18For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. 19When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took about four hundred and fifty years. 20After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will." 23From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, 24after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.'"
Act_13:16 b "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen" There were two groups present, Jews and Gentile "God-fearers" (cf. Act_13:26; Act_10:2; Act_10:22; Act_10:35). This sermon is very similar to Stephen's sermon of Acts 7. In many ways Paul was deeply influenced by Stephen's understanding of the OT and the gospel.
Act_13:17 Paul began his review of OT history with the call of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Genesis) and the captivity and deliverance from Egypt (Exodus-Deuteronomy).
▣ "with an uplifted arm He led them out" This is typical OT imagery (cf. LXX Exodus 6; Exodus 1, 6) of YHWH in physical terms. It is similar to the anthropomorphic phrase, "His right arm." The Bible speaks of God in human vocabulary (i.e., anthropomorphism) even though He is an eternal, non-physical, all pervasive Spirit. These biblical analogies are the source of many misunderstandings and literal overstatements. The Bible speaks of God in analogy, metaphor, and negation. God is far greater than fallen, time-bound, earth-bound humans can comprehend or express! See Special Topic at Act_2:33.
Act_13:18 "For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness" This reflects Deu_1:31 and could be translated "fed as a nurse" (cf. MSS A, C). This reflects the OT books of Exodus and Numbers.
The term "forty" is often a round number. Literally the time from Horeb to Shittim was thirty-eight years with a two year period at Horeb (Sinai). See Special Topic at Act_1:3.
Act_13:19 "destroyed seven nations" The nations of Palestine can be characterized in several ways.
1. collective terms, Canaanite (i.e., lowlander, cf. Gen_10:18-29; Jdg_1:1) or Amorite (i.e., highlander, cf. Gen_15:16)
2. two nations (Canaanites, Perizzites, cf. Gen_13:7; Gen_34:30; Jdg_1:4-5)
3. three nations (Hivites, Canaanites, Hittites, cf. Exo_23:28)
4. six nations (Canaanite, Hittite, Amorite, Perizzite, Hivite, Jebusite, cf. Exo_3:8; Exo_3:17; Exo_33:2; Exo_34:11; Deu_20:17; Jos_9:1; Jos_12:8)
5. seven nations (Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites, cf. Deu_7:1; Jos_3:10; Jos_24:11)
6. ten nations (Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaim, Amonites, Canaanites, Girgashites, Jebusites, cf. Gen_15:19-21)
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▣ "an inheritance" The triple compound term kata + klçros + nemô is common in the Septuagint, but is used only here in the NT (other texts have kata + klçros + didômi). It implies the casting of lots as a means of dividing the Promised Land among the tribes (cf. Joshua 13-19). The word klçros is where we get the English word "clergy," but in the NT it always refers to the body of believers, not an elite group!
▣ "four hundred and fifty years" This number seems to be arrived at by:
1. 400 year bondage in Egypt (cf. Gen_15:13)
2. 40 year wilderness wandering period (cf. Exo_16:35; Num_14:33-34; Num_32:13)
3. 7-10 year conquest (cf. Jos_14:7; Jos_14:10)
The Textus Receptus (KJV) moves the number to Act_13:20 and seems to involve the Judges (following Josephus, Antiq. 8.3.1), but this wording is not in the older and better uncial Greek manuscripts (cf. à , A, B, C), which fits better with 1Ki_6:1 dating. The dash found in the NASB is to accentuate the proper place of the number.
Act_13:20 This refers to the period from the book of Judges through 1 Samuel 7.
Act_13:21 This refers to 1 Samuel 8-10.
▣ "for forty years" This time phrase is not found in the OT unless the OT manuscript problem connected to 1Sa_13:1 includes "forty" (NIV). Josephus, Antiq. 6.14.9 also mentions that Saul reigned "forty" years. The Septuagint just omits the entire sentence and starts with 1Sa_3:2. "Forty" was obviously a rabbinical tradition.
Act_13:22 "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart" This is not a direct quote from the OT but it seems to be a combination of Psa_89:20 and 1Sa_13:14. It needs to be remembered that this sermon by Paul follows the basic pattern of Stephen's historical rendition in Acts 7. That David can be called a man after God's heart, when he was such a notorious sinner (cf. Psalms 32, 51; 2 Samuel 11), is a great encouragement to all believers.
This combination quote implies several things.
1. This was a standard practice with the rabbis, which explains many of the unusual OT quotes in the NT.
2. This was already a part of Christian catechism. Paul often quotes from early Christian hymns and possibly other literature.
3. This quote is unique to Paul and shows that Luke must have gotten his summary of this first recorded message of Paul in Acts from Paul himself.
NASB, NKJV "who will do all My will"
NRSV "who will carry out all my wishes"
TEV "who will do all I want him to do"
NJB "who will perform my entire will"
This verse is a combination OT allusion. This part of the sentence is not in the OT passages. In the OT context Saul was disobedient and rejected. But David's life also had disobedience. God works with imperfect humans to accomplish His redemptive plan.
Act_13:23 This is parallel to Act_7:52. It points back to all the OT promises.
1. a redemption through the seed of a woman, Gen_3:15
2. a ruler from Judah, Gen_49:10
3. a coming leader like Moses, the Prophet, Deu_18:15; Deu_18:18
4. a leader from David, 2 Samuel 7; Psa_132:11; Isa_11:1; Isa_11:10; Mat_1:1
5. a suffering servant, Isa_52:13 to Isa_53:12
6. a savior, Luk_2:11; Mat_1:21; Joh_1:29; Joh_4:42; Act_5:31
For #Luke 4 is prominent (cf. Luk_1:32; Luk_1:69; Luk_2:4; Luk_3:31; Act_2:29-31; Act_13:22-23). The Messiah would be of Jesse's line (cf. Isa_9:7; Isa_11:1; Isa_11:10; Isa_16:5).
Act_13:24 John the Baptist's ministry and message is described in Mar_1:1-8; Mat_3:1-11; Luk_3:2-17; Joh_1:6-8; Joh_1:19-28. John fulfilled the prophecies of Mat_3:1; Mat_4:5-6. His preaching of repentance also set the pattern for Jesus' early preaching (cf. Mat_4:17; Mar_1:14-15).
John spoke of a Coming One, greater than himself (cf. Mat_3:11; Mar_1:7; Luk_3:16; Joh_1:27; Joh_1:30; Act_13:25).
Act_13:25 "while John was completing his course" God had a specific task for John to perform. John's public ministry only lasted eighteen months. But, what a year and a half it was, filled with the Spirit's power and preparing the way for the Messiah.
Paul knew the OT from his youth in synagogue school and his training as a rabbi under Gamaliel in Jerusalem. He heard the gospel
1. from Stephen
2. from believers he persecuted
3. by a special vision from Jesus
4. from a believing Jewish layman from Damascus
5. by Jesus in Arabia
6. when he visited with the other Apostles
He tries to quote Jesus' whenever he can on a subject. Here he quotes the Gospel accounts of His life