23 From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus—24 after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’ 26 “Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. 27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. 28 And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. 29 Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. 30 But God raised Him from the dead.
As Paul continued the history of Israel, he stressed David’s place in that history. The promises to David foreshadowed the promise fulfilled in Christ. Now Paul argued the validity of that claim.
13:23
From this man’s [King David] seed [offspring], according to the promise, God raised for Israel a Savior—Jesus—
After affirming that David was Israel’s second king, he declared that Jesus was David’s direct descendant, who is Israel’s Savior promised in the Old Testament. The promised Messiah had already come in the person of Jesus.
The “promise” refers to the Davidic Covenant in 2 Samuel 7:12-16. Jesus was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. He was the “seed” or offspring of David who would fulfill the Davidic Covenant.
13:24
after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
Paul affirmed that John the Baptist preached before Jesus began His ministry. John was the harbinger of the Messiah (Isa 40:3-5). John preached a message that all Israel should repent.
13:25
And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’
Paul quoted John the Baptist, indicating that Jesus was greater than the one who was to introduce the Messiah to the world. John linked the Old Testament promises of the Messiah to Christ Himself (Mal 3:1). The one following the prophet carried absolute supremacy.
John’s baptism was not Christian but a Jewish ceremony pointing to the need to turn to accept the Jews’ Messiah (Jn 1:19-23).
13:26
“Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent.
Paul applied what he said to the members of the synagogue. Jesus was their Messiah and Savior (Acts 13:23).
13:27
For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him.
The word “for” indicates what follows explains the “salvation” mentioned in verse 26.
Now Paul turned to Israel’s attitude toward the Messiah when He came. The nation rejected Him as their Savior. The Jews’ own Scripture condemned them for doing this.
The word “fulfilled” indicates that the ignorance of Jesus’ coming fulfilled the Scriptures (Acts 3:18). Israel as a nation rejected their Messiah.
13:28
And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death.
Although Israel found no cause of capital offense in Jesus, they asked the Roman governor Pilate to put Him to death. Pilate found no grounds on three occasions to put Him to death (Lu 23:4, 14, 22).
13:29
Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.
Israel’s leaders unknowingly fulfilled Scripture about putting their Messiah to death. Scripture confirmed that Israel would reject their Messiah (Isa 53), the One who would become the vicarious atonement for their sins mentioned a few verses later (Acts 13:38-39). After taking Him down from the “tree” or cross, Nicodemus and others put Him in a tomb (Isa 53:9; Jn 19:38-42). The tomb confirmed the finality of His death.
13:30
But God raised Him from the dead.
Dramatically, Paul related that God made Jesus alive from death. This is the fifth reference to apostles witnessing the Resurrection in Acts (Acts 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 10:39-41; 13:30-31).
PRINCIPLE:
The resurrection of Christ is critical in apostolic preaching.
APPLICATION:
The apostles emphasized the resurrection of Christ (Acts 2:24, 32; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30; 10:40). That fact is the greatest evidence that Jesus is the Messiah (Ro 1:4; 1 Co 15:6, 8).
