Atos 3
John Phillips · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 3
Phillips - In one slashing statement Peter demolished all the claims of so-called "holy men," the idea of trusting in "saints" to work miracles, the notion that people can accumulate merit and from the treasury of their goodness can work miracles for others. Peter directed everyone's attention to Christ. Indeed, in this short sermon, he made ten direct references to Christ. All attention was turned away from the lame man and from the apostles to Jesus. Peter was not going to elevate himself. He was going to lift up the Lord Jesus. It was not his supposed goodness that was at issue. It was their fearful guilt. (Exploring Acts) As Matthew
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Phillips - Life from nothing began through Him. It was His idea; He was its Creator and Sustainer. There was not a man, woman, or child in that audience who did not owe life itself to Him. The very breath they breathed was in His hand. This One, the Prince, the Author of life, had come into the world as a man, and they had killed Him. Could crime be greater? The enormity of their sin had to be brought home to them. Not indeed that they were worse than we. Any rejection of Christ in any age is a manifestation of the same spirit. (Exploring Acts) As the Prince or Author of life, Jesus was the one who prepared the worlds by His Word (Heb 11:3) Through Jesus the Creator God breathed life into one created from the dust of the earth (Ge 2:7). And finally, and most importantly, Jesus is the Author of Eternal Life, declaring " I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand." (Jn 10:28) Prince (Author)(747)(archegos form arche = beginning/rule + ágo = lead) is an adjective that furnishes the first cause or occasion (Euripedes, Plato). It denotes one who has a preeminent position, one who begins something (a leader, a ruler, or one who begins something as the first in a series. He is the one who goes first. An archegos never stood at rear giving orders always out front, leading and setting example. Jesus Christ is the archegós of life in this verse because He is the arche, the beginning or the originator of God’s creation (Rev 3:14). Jesus led the way to life. Archegos contains thoughts of supremacy, personal participation, and originating something. Peter before the Sandhedrin tells the Jewish leaders that Jesus is "a Prince and a Savior", the One Who could "grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins." (Act 5:31) Hebrews uses archegos twice to describe Jesus... For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the Author of their salvation through sufferings. (Heb 2:10+) fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2+) In short the writer of Hebrews says Jesus originates our salvation and our faith and He brings it to completion. THE FOUNDATIONAL DOCTRINE: THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS The One Whom God raised from the dead - Peter preaches the resurrection, the key cog in every Gospel presentation (cf Acts 4:10, 5:30, 10:40, 13:30; 13:37; 26:8). If you present the Gospel to someone, don't leave out the truth of the resurrection or your presentation is incomplete! Note Peter says the Father raised His Son - Acts 2:24,32+; Acts 3:16, 26, Acts 4:10, 5:30, 10:40, 13:30, 33, 34, 37, 17:31, Ro 6:4, 9, Eph 1:20+, Heb 13:20+, 1 Pe 1:21+, etc. as did the Spirit - Ro 8:11+; Even the Son was active in the resurrection - Jn 2:19–22; 10:17–18 John Phillips - The great debate in Jerusalem was, "What happened to the body?" It was sealed in the tomb, that was certain. The empty tomb had confounded the Sanhedrin. They had silenced the soldiers with "large money" (Matt. 28:12). The price of a slave could buy Judas, but it took handsome bribes to tie the tongues of the guard. Frightened half out of their wits by the sight of an angel, they had been frightened clean out of the other half by the scowls of the Sanhedrin. "The disciples stole the body," they said. (Exploring Acts) The resurrection is God's "reply" to their disowning and delivering of Jesus to death! God "replied" by resurrecting Him to life! The resurrection is God's "Amen" to His Son's "It is finished!"
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Phillips - In those early days the message of the church had to be authenticated with miracles. This man's faith in the saving name of Jesus was authenticated by his physical healing. (Exploring Acts) John Stott - it was Jesus’ name (all he is and has done), together with the faith that comes through him, being aroused by him in those who grasp the implications of his name, which has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see. (ED: Stott does not address whether it was Peter's faith or the man's faith). Longnecker is non-committal on whose faith was at play in this miraculous healing - The sermon focuses on God’s Servant, Jesus, whom Israel disowned and killed but God raised from the dead. It is through his name and the faith that comes through him that the healing of the crippled beggar occurred. (Expositor's Bible Commentary) All hail the power of Jesus’ Name! Let angels prostrate fall Faith in His Name - Be careful not to make Jesus' Name a "formula of incantation!" Recall Jesus' warning in Mt 7:21-23+ where His Name is mentioned three times by unbelievers masquerading as exorcists, miracle workers, etc! And balance Peter's description with Luke's record in Acts 19:13-16 But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. Kistemaker comments that "The seven sons of Sceva without faith invoked the name of Jesus and accomplished nothing, but received a severe beating from the evil spirit they tried to cast out. However, when the seventy-two disciples commissioned by Jesus returned to him, they rejoiced and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name” (Luke 10:17NIV). (Ibid) NET NOTE on His Name - Here is another example of appeal to the person by mentioning the name. Early in their history the Hebrews ceased pronouncing their God's name lest they take it in vain (cf Ex 20:7). Instead, they would simply say "the Name" which meant to them the God of the Hebrews. To the early Christians, Jesus' Name was considered equivalent to the Name of Yahweh. Longnecker notes that Peter "stresses "the Name of Jesus" as the powerful agent in the miracle—a significant fact since "the Name" (to onoma) was a pious Jewish surrogate for God and connoted his divine presence and power. (The Expositor's Bible Commentary – Volume 9) Kistemaker says that "Faith and the name of Jesus are the two sides of the same coin that represents healing. In brief, faith is the manner and Jesus’ name is the cause of the man’s restoration." (Ibid) Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow. Bob
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Phillips - The term times of refreshing refers to those Old Testament prophecies that promised that before the return of Christ there would be an outpouring of the Spirit and that many Jews would repent and turn to God in preparation for the millennial kingdom (Dt. 30:1-3+; Joel 2:28-32+; Zech. 12:10-14+). If the Jews had repented then and there, the initial fulfillment of such prophecies, as were evidenced at Pentecost, would have blossomed into a complete fulfillment, and the return of Christ could have taken place within a generation. A few individuals did repent, but the leaders of Israel and the mass of the people both in the homeland and in the Diaspora rejected God's second call (FROM PETER AND THE OTHER APOSTLES) and the ministry of the Holy Spirit as adamantly as they had rejected the ministry of Christ Himself. But the national principle was clear: no repentance, no refreshing. The individual principle was the same: no repentance, no refreshing. Those who did repent came at once into the good of that refreshing poured out at Pentecost. Those who repent today still do. They are baptized into the mystical Body of Christ. (Exploring Acts) (Bolding added) Kenneth Gangel on times of refreshing - If the nation would only turn to God for the washing of sins, times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and Jesus would come again. Peter used two unprecedented expressions in these verses. His references to times of refreshing in Acts 3:19 and the time … for God to restore everything (Acts 3:21) have had commentators scratching their theological heads for years. One truth emerges with clarity: prophecy which determined Christ’s death also will determine a time of restoration. It seems that Israel will repent before Jesus comes again, though we probably cannot conclude from the passage that Christ’s return depends upon Israel’s repentance. Meanwhile, Jesus will remain in heaven until the promised restoration (Ps. 110:1). (Holman NT Commentary - Acts) (Bolding added) Times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord - While this phrase clearly has eschatological overtones that will be fulfilled in the future when Israel as a nation repents (Zech 12:10-14+, Zech 13:1+, Zech 13:8-9+, Ro 11:26+), there is a sense in which it can be wonderfully applied to the life of every sinner who repents and believes the Gospel. And then as we are filled (Eph 5:18+) and learn to walk by His Spirit (Gal 5:16+), we sense His presence, His face, unhindered by unconfessed sin and rebellion, and we are much more likely to experience times of refreshing, times of relief and rest for soul. Indeed, Jesus Himself invited all to... Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest (anapauo). 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST (anapausis) FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 For (term of explanation) My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Mt 11:28-30+) Times (2540)(kairos) means a period of time, frequently with the implication of being especially fit for something. It means a favorable time, the right time for something to take place. Kairos can refer to a fixed and definite time, the time when things are brought to crisis, the decisive epoch waited for or a strategic point in time. In the present context to what do these times refer? Most conservative literal interpreters of Scripture see this as a reference to the future Messianic Age, when Messiah rules and reigns in righteousness and peace (cf "refreshing"), which will occur in period of time (kairos) known as the Millennium. David Thompson - If we put this in the context of having sins washed away, then when you know that Jesus Christ has wiped away your sins, your soul and your spirit will be refreshed. There is nothing more refreshing than to know your condemnatory sins are gone.