To assist you to understand the whole I have removed Peter’s comments from the Old Testament references above and placed them here below.
“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know– this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
“Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. This Jesus God was raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. “For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both LORD and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified.”
I have put the quotes first and the taken all of Peter’s extra comments and brought them together. This helps us to see what Peter himself makes of what happened at Pentecost.
The main point of Peter’s speech is to Proclaim that Jesus Christ is the long awaited Messiah and He is LORD. This is the forerunner of all the apostolic preaching which follows. It normally falls into four sections.
- The announcement that the time of fulfilment has come
- A summary of the Ministry, Death and Resurrection of Jesus with emphasis on His Triumph
- The use of the Scriptures along with signs and wonders to prove this was ordained and planned by God
- Including a call to respond – Repent.
In the beginning of this highlighted section above the word “hear” (listen to these words) is an aorist imperative. In other words the force is to say listen up NOW. The word “attested” carries the meaning “attested”, “accredited”, “proclaimed”, “proved” is a court room word where the evidence is gathered and the verdict announced. Note that the signs are the accompanying accreditation. Go back to the Joel prophecy and note that the signs and the wonders all add the proof to just who Jesus is. The signs and wonders are in the heaven above and in the earth below. It is clear where this One came from and the fact that God in heaven is adding His verdict – This is My Beloved Son (in Whom I am well pleased). The signs on the earth are all the various sorts of miracles Jesus performed. The signs in heaven are the happenings at the time of Jesus Crucifixion. The signs add the proof that Jesus is indeed both Christ and LORD. The fact that the Holy Spirit has now been poured out is an attestation as well. It is all happening as God the Father and Jesus Himself said it would.
These things all happened at the time of the fulfilment of God’s purposes for Him. It was a definite and pre-purposed plan for Him to suffer all these things and then rise from the dead. This was all God’s doing and it happened at a predetermined, set time. God did all of these things to show this was His pre-ordained plan. He did it in such a way that all of you (those present) might know this really was from God. Peter is saying that the body of 120 have seen and heard these things. He is not necessarily saying that all of those who were gathered in Jerusalem and who had come from all places around the region at the time of his speech were witnesses. But certainly that all would know. This story has gone far and wide. It is something that is “in the news”. These happenings are being gossiped about everywhere. Remember the comments of the two on the road to Emmaus: effectively how can you have been in Jerusalem at this time and not know about what has happened? Everyone is talking about it. You yourselves know these things to be true. All the evidence is in. Time to weigh it up and time for your conclusion or verdict.
Peter says to the listeners, “You are involved in this case in more ways than you imagine”. (And so are you dear reader!) Notice the following elements – “YOU nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.” “This Jesus whom YOU crucified”. We haven’t been specifically told that Peter was talking to the members of the Sanhedrin on this occasion. It would be fair to say they were implicated in the death of Jesus. They were the ones who colluded and plotted to have Jesus killed. It would be fair to say they practically put Him to death by their actions or lack of action. Remember too Matt 27:25 where the Jews of Jerusalem said “His blood be on us and our children (descendants).” There is a degree of truth in the fact all were implicated because all did nothing to stop it. But this theme is running deeper than that. You too reader are implicated in the act not because you are Jewish but because you are human. This predetermined plan of God was necessary because of sin and therefore it would have happened if you were the only one in need. For God so loved the WORLD and all in it that He gave His One and Only Son. We are all implicated and involved in death of the Christ. Shocking but true on the spiritual level. Although not true on evidential level of a court of law it is certainly true in the Court of Heaven.
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both LORD and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Or
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both LORD and Christ.”
Note the strength and emphasis in Peter’s statement. But recording it as he has for us THIS JESUS WHOM YOU CRUCIFIED has been placed in the emphatic position in the sentence which requires a response from each and every one of us. All of us ought to be listening at this point. This is Peter’s point! As I indicated to you in my introductory comments above, the evidence is laid out and then we are called on to weigh it up. Finally there is a call for Repentance. Each of us need to respond in our own way to what has been presented. Oh yes in the first instance this is for those who were humanly, practically responsible. Accessories before, during or after the fact – one indirectly involved in a criminal action taking place. Yes that is us too. You and me dear reader. These things have been written and compiled for you and me so that we might know our part in all that happened in connection with Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Now it requires a response. That comes in the next Gems.
The main thing between you + God is not so much your sins, it’s your damnable good works!
John Gershner
Often the problem is not in setting the ideal but in knowing what the reality really is.
Jeffrey Rachmat
Stop worrying about what people think of you. Break through your need to be liked by people and God will give you freedom and fruit.
Anon
All that’s required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
John F Kennedy (Edmund Burke)