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Thomas Constable · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Constable comments - As is true of other similar references to a healed person's faith, this man's confidence was in God. He believed God could heal him, not that God would do so. Confidence that God would heal him, in other words, is not what made him whole. It was confidence that God through His servant could heal him that constituted his faith (e.g., Matt. 9:28-29; Mark 9:22-24). His faith was a factor in his receiving healing (cf. Mark 6:5-6). (Acts 3 Commentary) David Thompson makes a good point - Now keep in mind that Peter and John have just been involved in preaching God’s Word and literally seeing God save thousands of people. They had been involved in big-time ministry with big-time results. They could have easily walked by this one guy without batting an eye. After all, what is one broken-down beggar compared to thousands who had just been saved? But this teaches us something about the early Church. One was just as important as thousands. These apostles took the time to minister to one hurting sinner. We must never forget this. Reaching one is just as significant as reaching thousands. Some churches get all caught up in numbers, not Peter and John. Fixed his gaze (816)(atenizo from from atenes = strained, intent which in turn is from a = intensifies + teino = to stretch, to extend or to strain) means to look intently, to fix one's gaze on something, to stare at something, to gaze earnestly, to look straight at something, to fasten one's eyes upon. It is fascinating that the first use of atenizo in the NT describes the reaction of the Jews in the synagogue where Jesus preached His first sermon from Isaiah 61:1-2a (Lk 4:18-19+). Luke records that "He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed (atenizo) on Him." (Lk 4:20+) Sadly, their reaction to Jesus (especially after he related the story of the Sidonian widow and Naaman the Syrian - Lk 4:21-27+) was radically different from that of the lame man. The lame man looked at Peter and John (and ultimately at Jesus Who Peter and John represented) with eyes of faith (Acts 3:16) "expecting to receive something from them" (Acts 3:5). In dramatic contrast, Luke records the reaction of the the Jews in the synagogue (ironically a place to worship God and God was standing before them!) -- "And ALL (NOT JUST A FEW BUT "ALL"!) the people in the synagogue were filled with (Beloved, mark it down! What fills you will control you!) rage as they heard these things (Lk 4:25-27+) and (CONTROLLED BY RAGE) they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff." (Lk 4:28-29+). So much for a welcoming reception to Jesus' first sermon! As we examine these two diametrically different reactions to Jesus, do they not recall His own prophetic words "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (NOTE IMPORTANCE OF REPENTANCE IN SALVATION).” (Lk 5:31-32+). The lame man was physically sick in need of physical healing, but the Spirit opened his eyes to see that he was spiritually sick and in need of a touch from the Great Physician, Jehovah Rapha. He was led to recognize his need for God's righteousness. Dear reader, have you come to the realization that all your "righteous deeds are like a filthy garment" (Isa 64:6) before a Holy God, and looked with eyes of faith to Jesus to receive His healing and be clothed in His righteousness? (cf 2 Cor 5:21, 1 Cor 1:30, 6:11) And said look at us - At Peter and John. Peter, like a military officer, issues a command in the aorist imperative calling for an immediate response to "Do this now!" "Don't delay!" "Look at us right now, this very moment!" David Thompson notes that "Some have wondered why Peter and John command him to look at them. The answer is because beggars are always looking for their next potential donor. A beggar is not interested in you but your money. His eyes are always on the lookout for someone else he can hit up for money. When Peter gave him this command, with his sharp eyes looking straight at this guy, he got this beggar’s full attention. He focused his eyes on these apostles expecting to receive some money." Look ((991(blepo) basically means to look at, to perceive with the eye, and frequently implies special contemplation. Blepo indicates greater vividness than horao, a similar verb meaning "to see", W E Vine explaining that blepo conveys "a more intentional, earnest contemplation -- of beholding the mote in a brother’s eye (Lk 6:41+); of beholding the linen clothes in the empty tomb (Lk 24:12+); of the gaze of the disciples when their Lord ascended (Acts 1:9+). This same verb blepo is used in another conversion in Acts describing Saul's vision of Jesus which temporarily blinded him physically (Acts 9:8-9), the physical blindness being associated with the Spirit's spiritual opening of the eyes of Saul's heart so that he might "turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that (he might) receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in (Jesus).’ (Acts 26:18+)! Peter's command to look reminds me of the words in Isaiah which God's Spirit used to save the Prince of Preachers, C H Spurgeon... Look (a command) unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:22KJV) Lenski makes a good point on Peter's command to look at us - This earnest look of the apostles does not mean, "looking through to the innermost bottom of the heart in order to discover the proper receptivity." Interpretations such as that are due to the view that miracles require faith in advance. (The Interpretation of The Acts of the Apostles) Gangel asks "Why call for his attention when he had already addressed them? Because a veteran beggar would be looking well beyond his immediate clientele to whomever might be next in line. Beg to everyone, and hope a few will respond. Peter, filled with the Spirit of God, had more in mind. God forced them into a ministry opportunity they had not anticipated, but they were ready. In the seconds that passed during this brief encounter, this man could not have known what his Creator was about to do through these two potential donors. (Holman New Testament Commentary – Acts) Related Resource: See C H Spurgeon's Personal Testimony D L Moody - The apostles “fastened” their eyes on the lame man. Is not this a characteristic of Christianity that it fastens its eyes on the afflicted and the suffering? SCIENCE fastens its eyes on inanimate matter! ART fastens its eyes on beauty! ART going to the temple to pray, which by the way it seldom does in our day, would have fixed its gaze on the “gate called Beautiful.” But Christianity fixed its eyes on the cripple. ART standing on the brow of Olivet would have fixed its gaze on the grandeur of Jerusalem, but Christ fixed His on its guilty inhabitants and wept over them. SCIENCE seeks out the secrets of the world. ART seeks out its beauties. Christianity seeks out its sorrows and ills, and strives to remove them. Acts 3:5 And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. KJV Acts 3:5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Acts 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries And he began to give them his attention - To give...attention is the imperfect tense - again and again, over and over. The lame man obeyed Peter's command to look! A T
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Constable on healings - This was the first of three crippled people that Luke recorded the apostles healing in Acts (Acts 9:32-34; 14:8-10; cf. John 5; 9). The gift of healing as it existed in the early church was quite different from the so-called gift of healing some claim to possess today. Examples of people using this gift in the New Testament seem to indicate that the person with this gift could heal anyone, subject to God's will (cf. Matt. 10:1, 8; Acts 28:8-9; et al.). The sick person's belief in Jesus Christ and in God's ability to heal him or her also seems to be a factor (v. 16; cf. Mark 6:5-6). Jesus Christ gave this gift to the early church to convince people that He is God and that the gospel the Christians preached had divine authority. He gave it for the benefit of Jewish observers primarily (1 Cor. 1:22). "The New Testament gift of healing is a specific gift to an individual enabling him to heal. It is not to be confused with the healing performed by God in answer to prayer. "There is little correspondence between modern-day charismatic 'healings' and the healings recorded in the New Testament. The differences are so vast that many of today's healers are careful to point out that they do not have the gift of healing, but are merely those to whom God often responds with healing." (quote from Thomas Edgar) (Acts 3 Commentary) Souls and bodies go together. Amy Carmichael, missionary to India: She was a radiant Christian and charmed everyone. Her key ministry was in setting up the Dohnavur Fellowship, an orphanage for abandoned children. Amy ministered to the whole person and emphasized their physical needs, education, and character-building. To those who charged she was not evangelistic enough, Amy responded, "...One cannot save and then pitchfork souls into heaven....Souls are more or less securely fastened to bodies...and as you cannot get the souls out and deal with them separately, you have to take them both together."(From David Holwick) Acts 3:8 With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. KJV Acts 3:8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. leaping Acts 14:10; Isa 35:6; Lk 6:23; Jn 5:8,9,14 praising God Ps 103:1,2; 107:20-22; Lk 17:15-18; 18:43 Acts 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE LEAPING LAME MAN - A MESSIANIC SIGN With a leap is the exallomai (1814)(ek = forth + allomai = to leap) used only here in the NT. This description indicates it was clearly the lame man's power (not Peter seizing him Acts 3:7) testifying to the fact it was a miraculous healing. The present tense pictures the lame man as continually, leaping. Roberston adds "Present middle participle, leaping out repeatedly after Peter pulled him up." Exallomai is used in the Septuagint in Micah 2:12 to describe the saved remnant of Israel who will leap when Messiah the Breaker (See Christ The Breaker) leads forth the redeemed of Israel into His Messianic Kingdom. In a sense then this lame man's healing is a foretaste of the coming King's Kingdom where "the lame will leap (Lxx = hallomai) like a deer" as prophesied by Isaiah (Isa 35:6+).
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Constable - If Jesus was the Messiah, where was the messianic kingdom? Peter proceeded to explain from Scripture that the Jews needed to accept their Messiah before the messianic kingdom would begin. He again called on his hearers to repent in view of what he had pointed out (cf. Acts 2:38). He also invited them to “return” to a proper relationship to God that was possible only by accepting Jesus. The result would be forgiveness of their sins. Note that there is no reference to baptism as being essential to either repentance or forgiveness in this verse (cf. Acts 2:38). In his commentary
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Constable - The Greek noun translated “repentance” (metanoia) literally means “after mind,” as in afterthought, or change of mind. Concerning salvation it means to think differently about sin, oneself, and the Savior than one used to think. Peter’s hearers had thought Jesus was not the Messiah. Now they needed to change their minds and believe He is the Messiah. (Acts 3 Commentary - see his commentary for several additional excellent descriptions of repentance) Donald Grey Barnhouse defines repentance - Biblical repentance may be described thus: the sinner has been trusting in himself for salvation, his back turned upon Christ, who is despised and rejected. Repent! About face! The sinner now despises and rejects himself, and places all confidence and trust in Christ. Sorrow for sin comes later, as the Christian grows in appreciation of the holiness of God, and the sinfulness of sin. (God's River - Roman 5:1-11, page 202) The message of John the Baptist was “Repent (present imperative), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Mt 3:2) The message of Jesus was "Repent (present imperative) for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." (Mt 4:17, Mk 1:14,15 = "the Gospel") If Israel as a nation had repented and received Jesus as her Messiah and King, the Kingdom age would have begun. That is why both John and Jesus said the Kingdom was near. But because the nation as a whole rejected Jesus as their Messiah, the coming of the visible Kingdom on earth (the Millennial Kingdom) was placed on hold, so to speak. And so we now live in the interim period between Messiah's two comings. We commonly call this the "Church Age," but when Israel as a nation repents and receives Messiah, Messiah will return as King of kings and establish His promised Kingdom which has now been postponed almost 2000 years. (See below for excerpts from Dr John MacArthur's introductory sermon on Matthew 13 to help understand the concept of the "postponed" Kingdom). Repent (aorist imperative)(3340)(metanoeo from meta = with, among + noeo = to think, exercise the mind <> from nous = mind - see study = metanoia) means to have another mind. Metanoeo means to change one's mind in respect to sin, God, and self. To turn to God and from sin (Luke 15:7, 10 = "one sinner who repents", cf 1Th 1:9-note; see also Acts 20:21+). Repentance is NOT just an intellectual decision but is accompanied by a change of mind that is shown to be genuine by a subsequent change of one's behavior. This change of mind may, especially in the case of Christians who have fallen into sin, be preceded by sorrow (2 Cor 7:8, 9, 10, 11), but sorrow for sin, though it may cause repentance, is NOT repentance. Luke's use of metanoeo in Acts 26:20 is very instructive, in this passage Paul speaking about the Gentiles declaring "that they should repent and turn to (epistrepho) God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance." What is the relationship of deeds to repentance? Or to ask it another way, what role do deeds have in evaluating whether repentance is genuine or merely an intellectual change of mind? Note that Acts 26:20 has this same combination of verbs (metanoeo and epistrepho) as used in Acts 3:19. Darrell Bock writes "the point is that repentance involves a reorientation of perspective, a fresh point of view. When dealing with God's plan, it means to see that plan in a new way and to orient oneself to it. Luke demonstrates the fruit of repentance expresses itself concretely (Lk 3:10-14). Repentance expresses itself in life, especially in how one treats others." Note that repentance is (in my opinion) not an act separate from faith, but saving faith includes and implies the true change of mind and subsequent lifestyle which is called repentance. Dear reader, you can mark it down in stone that there can be no genuine conversion without genuine repentance. As A T Robertson pointed out "This word (repent) was the message of the Baptist, of Jesus, of Peter, of Paul, this radical change of attitude and life." And notice Who is is that grants repentance... Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (Ro 2:4+; see similar descriptions in Acts 5:31 and Acts 11:18) Comment - Clearly repentance is a gift. And yet in the mysterious, integral inner workings of Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility, men must still make the conscious choice to repent. All the uses of metanoeo by Luke - Lk. 10:13; Lk. 11:32; Lk. 13:3; Lk. 13:5; Lk. 15:7; Lk. 15:10; Lk. 16:30; Lk. 17:3; Lk. 17:4; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; Acts 8:22; Acts 17:30; Acts 26:20 Here are Luke's uses of the related noun metanoia Lk. 3:3; Lk. 3:8; Lk. 5:32; Lk. 15:7; Lk. 24:47; Acts 5:31; Acts 11:18; Acts 13:24; Acts 19:4; Acts 20:21; Acts 26:20; Return (aorist imperative)(1994)(epistrepho from epí = motion toward + strepho = twist, turn quite around or reverse) means to revert, to turn about, around or toward, to return and figuratively to convert. Epistrepho is in the active voice, which speaks of making a volitional choice, a choice of one's will. The idea in then is to make a conscious choice to make a definite turn to God in conduct as well as in one's mind. Instead of turning away from God, turn to God, specifically to Jesus the Savior of the world. Epistrepho is used by Jesus in Mt 13:15 "AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM." Here are other NT uses of epistrepho in the context of a salvation experience... Acts 14:15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM. Acts 15:19 “Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, Acts 26:18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’ Acts 26:20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 2 Cor 3:16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. It is worth noting that epistrepho is used in the Septuagint in several passages that speak of "times of refreshing" for Israel in the end of this age... He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins Into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19+) Comment - When will God again (Lxx = "He will return" = epistrepho) have compassion on Israel? While there are partial fulfillments every time a Jew accepts Christ, this prophecy ultimately will be fulfilled at the Messiahs' Second Coming when "all Israel will be saved." (ALL that believe). Notice what He will do with their sins - into the sea! And as Corrie Ten Boom said when He does that, He places a sign saying "No Fishing Allowed!" Moody Bible Commentary - you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea is the basis for the Jewish custom of Tashlich (which means “you will cast”), when Jewish people cast bread into a body of water on Rosh Hashanah to symbolize God’s removal of sin. His last words recall the unconditional covenant with Abraham (Ge 12:1–3; 15:12–21; 17:1–8). “Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return (Lxx = epistrepho) to Me,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I may return (Lxx = epistrepho) to you,” says the LORD of hosts (Zec 1:1-6 3) Comment - This promise from Jehovah to Israel is partially fulfilled every time a Jewish person accepts Messiah, but will be ultimately fulfilled when the nation of Israel repents and returns during the Great Tribulation (Mt 24:21+), the time of Jacob's Trouble (Jer 30:7+). So that - This marks a purpose clause and begs the question (the answer is not always as straightforward as in this passage) what is the purpose? Your sins may be wiped away - What a merciful (mercy filled), great and gracious picture Peter presents to sinners who murdered the Messiah. How deep the Father's love for His Chosen People! Sins (266)(hamartia) literally conveys the idea of missing the mark as when hunting with a bow and arrow (in Homer some hundred times of a warrior hurling his spear but missing his foe). Later hamartia came to mean missing or falling short of any goal, standard, or purpose. Hamartia in the Bible signifies a departure from God's holy, perfect standard of what is right in word or deed (righteous). It pictures the idea of missing His appointed goal (His will) which results in a deviation from what is pleasing to Him. In short, sin is conceived as a missing the true end and scope of our lives, which is the Triune God Himself. As Martin Luther put it "Sin is essentially a departure from God." Ryrie adds that sin "is not only a negative idea but includes the positive idea of hitting some wrong mark." John Blanchard aptly describes sin as that which "defiles man and defies God" or as he states in another way "Sin is moral mutiny by man". Life Application Bible Commentary - In this case the "eraser" was God, and the "writing" was a list of their sins—not just their sins of killing the author of life, but all their sins (see Psalm 103:12; Isaiah 1:18). (Life Application Bible Commentary – Acts) Only the soul cleansing blood of Jesus Christ can wash away all of your sins What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus Oh, precious is the flow That makes me white as snow No other fount I know Nothing but the blood of Jesus Wiped away (1813)(exaleipho from ek = out, intensive, "completely" + aleipho = wipe, cover over, besmear) means literally to completely wipe off. Literally exaleipho means to remove by wiping off, as when a blackboard is erased. The word was applied to the process of obliterating writing on any material. Some of the uses in Scripture retain this literal meaning but most uses speak of a figurative blotting out or wiping off. The idea in all the uses is to cause something to cease by obliterating or eliminating any evidence. Twice in the Revelation God promises He will wipe away every tear. A number of uses in both OT (Septuagint) and the NT use this verb to describe the blotting out or wiping away of sins.
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Constable - The phrase “times of refreshing” (v. 19) seems to refer to the blessings connected with the day of the Lord, particularly the Millennium, in view of how Peter described them in Acts 3:20–21. They connect with the second coming of Messiah, the “period” of restoration of all things. They are the subject of Old Testament prophecy. Zechariah predicted that the Jews would one day accept Messiah whom they had formerly rejected (Zech. 12:10–14; cf. Jer. 15:19; 16:15; 24:6; 50:19; Ezek. 16:55; Hos. 11:11). Peter urged them to do that now. (Acts 3 Commentary - see his commentary for several additional descriptions of the meaning of restoration) Refreshing (403)(anapsuxis from anapsucho from ana = again ~repetition + psucho = breathe) is a noun used only here in the NT (1x Lxx of Ex 8:26 = "relief") and literally means recovery of breath as one might experience as relief from heat as when one is revived by fresh air.
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Constable writes that "Samuel announced that David would replace Saul ( 1 Samuel 13:14; 1 Samuel 15:28; 1 Samuel 28:17; cf. 1 Samuel 16:13), but we have no record that he ever gave an explicitly messianic prophecy. Peter seems to have meant that in announcing David"s reign Samuel was also anticipating Messiah"s reign. The other prophets Peter apparently had in mind were all those who spoke of David"s continuing dynastic rule. Peter"s statement in this verse, by the way, shows that Joshua did not fulfill Moses" prophecy about the coming prophet." (Acts 3 Commentary) NET Note - What Peter preaches is rooted in basic biblical and Jewish hope as expressed in the OT scriptures. Acts 3:25 "It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.' KJV Acts 3:25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. It is you who are the sons of the prophets Acts 2:39; 13:26; Ge 20:7; 27:36-40; 48:14-20; 49:1-33; Ps 105:8-15; Mt 3:9,10 the covenant which God made with your fathers Ge 17:9,10,19; 1 Chr 16:17; Neh 9:8; Luke 1:72; Ro 9:4,5; 15:8; Gal 3:29 And in your seed Ge 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14; Ro 4:13; Gal 3:8,16 All the families of the earth shall be blessed - Ps 22:27; 96:7; Rev 5:9; 7:9; 14:6 Acts 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries TO THE JEWS FIRST AND ALSO TO THE GREEKS It is you - You is emphatic. You who? Jews who at this time were not yet saved. As Paul said in Ro 11:2 "God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew." How can one argue with this declaration of God's faithfulness? Who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers - The Jews were the descendants of the prophets and they were sons of the covenant in the sense of being Abraham's physical offspring. To which covenant does Peter refer? We do not have to guess for Peter quotes from Genesis describing the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant that was cut with the Jewish patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Notice they are called "sons...of the covenant" (the Abrahamic Covenant) indicating that the Abrahamic promises to the Jews has not be abrogated in the New Testament, contrary to what many teach today! Sons of the prophets and of the covenant recalls Paul's description of his Jewish brethren in Romans 9 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, 5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. (Ro 9:3-5) Even Jamieson an older (non-dispensational writer) acknowledges "Ye are the children...of the covenant and so the natural heirs of its promises." John MacArthur makes an interesting observation in light of the increasing number of folks who hold to the false teaching of replacement theology - The amillenialist who comes along and says that because the Jews crucified Jesus Christ, they forfeited the covenant doesn’t understand the Scriptures. He says to them right here, this is obvious. This is what you have done, but he says in Acts 3:25, “You are the sons of the...covenant.” And he still treats them as the men of Israel, covenant people. God is not yet through with Israel. They have not been totally set aside. Only temporarily blinded as Paul clearly brings in Romans 9, 10, and 11. (Peter Preaches Christ) The covenant which God made - This is literally "the covenant which God covenanted." A T
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Constable - The gospel went to the Jews before it went to the Gentiles (cf. Matt. 10:5; Acts 13:46; Rom. 1:16) because the establishment of Christ's earthly kingdom depends on Israel's acceptance of her Messiah (Matt. 23:39; Rom. 11:26). Before Christ can reign on the earth, Israel must repent (Zech. 12:10-14). (Acts 3 Commentary) Gilbrant - The blessing promised to all the families of the earth came first to the people of Israel. What a privilege! Yet this was not favoritism on God's part. It was their opportunity to receive the blessing by repenting and by turning from their "iniquities" (their sins, their evil or malicious acts). (Complete Biblical Library) God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you - Peter uses Servant (pais) which is the same description of Messiah that he used when describing how they had delivered Him up and disowned Him in the presence of Pilate (Acts 3:13+). The One they had delivered up to become a curse (Gal 3:13+), would be the One Who would bless them. They should have been cursed but instead are blessed. Is this not radical grace....totally unmerited favor! This is the same radical grace we have all received in Christ, in Whom there is grace "piled upon" grace (Jn 1:16+). Raised up - see anistemi above in Acts 3:22+. In context this means God raised up Jesus for His ministry. Obviously God also raised Him from the dead but that does not fit the context as well. Sent - see apostello above in Acts 3:22+ Bless (present tense = continually) (2127)(eulogeo eu = good + lógos = word; see cognates eulogetos and eulogia) means speak good or well. When God blesses men He grants them favor and confers happiness upon them. By turning every one of you from your wicked ways - The idea in this verse is as causing someone to change from incorrect to correct behavior. This of course is not just self-will but is a Spirit-enabled supernatural act. Fallen man will not (and cannot) by himself turn away from the wickedness of his own fallen flesh, his own wicked heart, for he is enslaved by Sin which rules as "King" in his heart. (Jn 8:34, Ro 6:16, cf Ro 6:11 and Ro 6:12-14) Turning is epistrepho in Acts 3:19 and here the verb is apostrepho. In Acts 3:19 it is turning to and here it is turning away from. In a sense the combination of these two verbs gives us a description of repentance which is a turning to God and a turning away from sin. We see this illustrated in the pagan, idol worshipping Gentiles in Thessalonia, Paul writing For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you (FORMER IDOLATERS), and how you turned to (cf EPISTREPHO) God from (cf APOSTREPHO) idols to serve a living and true God (cf BRINGING FORTH FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE!), 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. (1 Thes 1:9-10+) Turning (654)(apostrepho from apo = away from, a marker of dissociation, implying a rupture from a former association and indicates separation, departure, cessation, reversal + strepho = turn quite around, twist, reverse, turn oneself about) means literally to turn back or away. To cause to turn away in a positive sense (active voice as in Acts 3:26) but also in a negative sense (2 Ti 1:15, 2 Ti 4:4, Titus 1:14). The use of apostrepho in the warning passage in Hebrews would be appropriate in the present context as Peter warns the Jewish audience that to turn away from the Prophet (Jesus) will bring utter destruction... See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from (apostrepho) Him who warns from heaven. (Heb 12:25+). Apostrepho is used in the Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 59:20 “A Redeemer (Heb = goel/ga'al; Lxx = rhuomai) will come to Zion, And to those who turn from (Lxx = apostrepho) transgression in Jacob,” declares the LORD. Comment - Paul quotes the Septuagint version of Isaiah 59:20 in Romans 11:26+ as he explains how "all Israel will be saved" noting that “THE DELIVERER (rhuomai) WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.”