Luk 21:22, Act 3:18, 13:27, 33 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 22. All things which are written may be fulfilled . Judgment had been threatened by almost all the prophets against that wicked city. They had spoken of its crimes and threatened its ruin. Once God had destroyed Jerusalem and carried the people to Babylon; but their crimes had been repeated when they returned, and God had again threatened their ruin. Particularly was this very destruction foretold by Daniel, . "And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself; and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined." , . (t) "all things which"

Luke 21:22

Verse 22. All things which are written may be fulfilled. Judgment had been threatened by almost all the prophets against that wicked city. They had spoken of its crimes and threatened its ruin. Once God had destroyed Jerusalem and carried the people to Babylon; but their crimes had been repeated when they returned, and God had again threatened their ruin. Particularly was this very destruction foretold by Daniel, Dan 9:26,27. "And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah

be cut off, but not for himself; and the people

of the prince that shall come shall destroy the

city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall

be with a flood, and unto the end of the war

desolations are determined."

Dan 9:26, Dan 9:27.

(t) "all things which" De 28:25,48, Dan 9:26,27, Zech 11:6, 14:1,2

Acts 3:18

Verse 18. But those things. To wit, those things that did actually occur, pertaining to the life and death of the Messiah.

Had shewed. Had announced, or foretold.

By the mouth of all his prophets.

That is, by the prophets in general, without affirming that each individual prophet had a distinct prediction respecting this. The prophets taken together, or the prophecies as a whole, had declared this. The word all is not unfrequently used in this somewhat limited sense, Mk 1:37, Jn 3:26. In regard to the prophecies respecting Christ, Lk 24:27.

Hath so fulfilled. He has caused to be fulfilled in this manner; that is, by the rejection, denial, and wickedness of the rulers. It has turned out to be in strict accordance with the prophecy. This fact Peter uses in exhorting them to repentance; but it is not to be regarded as an excuse for their sins. The mere fact that all this was foretold, that it was in accordance with the purposes and predictions of God, does not take away the guilt of it, or constitute an excuse for it. In regard to this, we may remark:

(1.) The prediction did not change the nature of the act. The mere fact that it was foretold, or foreknown, did not change its character. Acts 2:23.

(2.) Peter still regarded them as guilty. He did not urge the fact that this was foreknown as an excuse for their sin, but to show them that since all this happened according to the prediction and the purpose of God, they had hope in his mercy. The plan was that the Messiah should die to make a way for pardon; and, therefore, they might have hope in his mercy.

(3.) This was a signal instance of the power and mercy of God in overruling the wicked conduct of men, to further his purposes and plans.

(4.) All the other sins of men may thus be overruled, and thus the wrath of man may be made to praise him. But,

(5.) this will constitute no excuse for the sinner. It is no part of his intention to honour God, or to advance his purposes; and there is no direct tendency in his crimes to advance his glory. The direct tendency of his deeds is counteracted and overruled; and God brings good out of the evil. But this surely constitutes no excuse for the stoner.

If it be asked why Peter insisted on this, if he did not mean that it should be regarded as an excuse for their sin, I reply, that it was his design to prove that Jesus was the Messiah; and having proved this, he could assure them that there was mercy. Not because they had not been guilty; not because they deserved favour; but because the fact that the Messiah had come was an argument that any sinners might obtain mercy, as he immediately proceeds to show them.

(a) "those things" Lk 24:44, Acts 26:22,23 (*) "showed" or, "Foreshowed"

Acts 13:27

Verse 27. Because they knew him not. The statement in this verse is designed, not to reproach the Jews at Jerusalem, but to introduce the fact that Jesus had died, and had risen again. With great wisdom and tenderness, he speaks of his murderers in such a manner as not to exasperate, but as far as possible to mitigate their crime. There was sufficient guilt in the murder of the Son of God to overwhelm the nation with alarm, even after all that could be said to mitigate the deed. See Acts 2:23,36,37. When Paul says, "They knew him not," he means, that they did not know him to be the Messiah, (see 1Cor 2:8) they were ignorant of the true meaning of the prophecies of the Old Testament; they regarded him as an impostor. Acts 3:17.

Nor yet the voices of the Prophets. Neither the meaning of the predictions in the Old Testament, respecting the Messiah. They expected a prince, and a conqueror, but did not expect a Messiah poor and despised, and a man of sorrows, and that was to die on a cross.

Which are read every sabbath day. In the synagogues. Though the Scriptures were read so constantly, yet they were ignorant of their true meaning. They were blinded by pride, and prejudice, and preconceived opinions. Men may often m this way read the Bible a good part of their lives, and, for want of attention, or of a humble mind, never understand it.

They have fulfilled them, etc. By putting him to death they have accomplished what was foretold.

(++) "voices of the Prophets" "Words" (h) "they have fulfilled them" Lk 24:20,44

Acts 13:33

Verse 33. God hath fulfilled. God has completed, or carried into effect, by the resurrection of Jesus. He does not say that all the promise had reference to his resurrection; but his being raised up completed or perfected the fulfillment of the promises which had been made respecting him.

In the second psalm. Ps 2:7.

Thou art my Son. This psalm has been usually understood as referring to the Messiah. Acts 4:25.

This day have I begotten thee. It is evident that Paul uses the expression here as implying that the Lord Jesus is called the Son of God because he raised him up from the dead; and that he means to imply that it was for this reason that he is so called in the psalm. This interpretation of an inspired apostle fixes the meaning of this passage in the psalm; and proves that it is not there used with reference to the doctrine of eternal generation, or to his incarnation, but that he is here called his Son because he was raised from the dead. And this interpretation accords with the scope of the psalm. In Ps 2:1-3, the psalmist records the combination of the rulers of the earth against the Messiah, and their efforts to cast off his reign. This was done, and the Messiah was rejected. All this pertains, not to his previous existence, but to the Messiah on the earth. In Ps 2:4,5, the psalmist shows that their efforts should not be successful; that God would laugh at their designs; that is, that their plans should not succeed. In Ps 2:6,7, he knows that the Messiah would be established as a King; that this was the fixed decree, that he had begotten him for this. All this is represented as subsequent to the raging of the heathen, and to the counsel of the kings against him, and must, therefore, refer not to his eternal generation, or his incarnation, but to something succeeding his death; that is, to his resurrection, and establishment as King at the right hand of God. This interpretation by the apostle Paul proves, therefore, that this passage is not to be used to establish the doctrine of the eternal generation of Christ. Christ is called the Son of God from various reasons. In Lk 1:35, because he was begotten by the Holy Ghost. In this place, on account of his resurrection. In Rom 1:4, it is also said, that he was declared to be the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead. Rom 1:4. The resurrection from the dead is represented as in some sense the beginning of life, and it is with reference to this that the terms Son, and begotten from the dead, are used, as the birth of a child is the beginning of life. Thus Christ is said, Col 1:18, to be "the first, born from the dead" and thus in Rev 1:5, he is called "the first-begotten of the dead," and with reference to this renewal or beginning of life he is called a Son. In whatever other senses he is caned a Son in the New Testament, yet it is here proved,

(1.) that he is called a Son from his resurrection; and,

(2.) that this is the sense in which the expression in the psalm is to be used.

This day. The day, in the mind of the psalmist and of Paul, of his resurrection. Many efforts have been made, and much learned criticism has been expended, to prove that this refers to eternity, or to his pre-existence. But the signification of the word, which never refers to eternity, and the connexion, and the obvious intention of the speaker, is against this. Paul understood this manifestly of the resurrection, This settles the inquiry, and this is the indispensable interpretation in the psalm itself.

Have I begotten thee. This evidently cannot be understood in a literal sense. It literally refers to the relation of an earthly father to his children; but in no such sense can it be applied to the relation of God the Father to the Son. It must therefore be figurative. The word sometimes figuratively means to produce, to cause to exist in any way. 2Ti 2:23: "Unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender [beget] strifes." It refers also to the labours of the apostles in securing the conversion of stoners to the gospel. 1Cor 4:15: "In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." Phm 1:10: "Whom [Onesimus] I have begotten in my bonds." It is applied to Christians, Jn 1:13, "Which were born [begotten] not of blood, etc., but of God." Jn 3:3: "Except a man be born [begotten] again," etc. In all these places it is used in a figurative sense to denote the commencement of spiritual life by the power of God attending the truth; raising up sinners from the death of sin; or so producing spiritual life as that they should sustain to God the relation of sons. Thus he raised up Christ from the dead; imparted life to his body; by his own power restored him; and hence is said figuratively to have begotten him from the dead, and hence sustains towards the risen Saviour the relation of Father. Comp. Col 1:18, Rev 1:5, Heb 1:5. (b) "thou art my Son" Ps 2:7.