But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
Filled with the Holy Spirit after Pentecost, Peter boldly charged the amazed men of Israel in the temple right after the healing of the man lame from birth, declaring the cure was not by the apostles' own power or holiness but because the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob glorified His Son Jesus, wrought through faith in His name and merits to give perfect soundness. Its titles proclaim Jesus as the Holy One and the Just, the Holy and Righteous One, and the Prince of life. To deny Him was to deliver Him up and reject Him before Pilate when Pilate was determined to let Him go, to desire a murderer and robber to be granted instead, and to kill and crucify Him, but God raised Him from the dead on the third day triumphant over the tomb, of which the apostles were witnesses. That rejection was a great sin done in ignorance by the people and their rulers, yet ignorance did not excuse them because they had strong evidence they were responsible to accept, and they hated Him because His pure and holy character and teaching exposed their selfishness, corruption, and hypocrisy. Even those who denied Him were not left to despair but were called to repent and be converted for the blotting out of sins and times of refreshing before God sends Jesus again, and that same charge comes with striking force now, for to slight or reject heaven-sent light places one in the same position as those who denied Christ.
Setting and Meaning
Peter's charge was spoken boldly under the power of the Holy Spirit to the amazed men of Israel crowded in the temple immediately after the healing of the man lame from birth at the temple gate. The deniers had expected to find the disciples discouraged, crestfallen, hopeless and ready to disown their Lord after the crucifixion, but with amazement they heard clear, fervant testimony given with power after the resurrection and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Peter declared that the man was not made to walk by his and John's own power or holiness, but because the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob glorified His Son Jesus of Nazareth. The cure was wrought in Jesus' name and through His merits, and faith in His name made strong the man seen and known and gave him perfect soundness and complete wellness. With great power the apostles witnessed to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, whom God had raised from the dead, and great grace was upon them all, so that their words and works represented the words and works of their Teacher and all who heard said they had learned of Jesus and talked as He talked.
The titles name Jesus as the Holy One and the Just, the Holy and Righteous One, and the Prince of life. To deny Him meant delivering Him up and rejecting Him before Pilate when Pilate was determined and ready to let Him go, and instead desiring that a murderer and robber be granted and released to them. They killed and crucified the Prince of life by charging Him with blasphemy when, encased in unbelief and barricaded with prejudice, He claimed to be the only begotten of the Father, and by condemning Him to a cruel death. But He burst the fetters of the tomb and God raised Him from the dead on the third day triumphant over the tomb, of which the apostles were witnesses. Peter holds the people responsible for this rejection of the One whom God glorified and raised, contrasting their choice of a murderer with their denial of the Holy and righteous One.
Its setting turns on the contrast between Jesus' cruel death and the healing later given in His name. The crippled man had hoped to be healed by Jesus but learned that Jesus had been put to a cruel death, and the priests had expected miracles to stop when Jesus was crucified, while the people wondered where the disciples got power after His death. That same bold witness shows Peter entirely a different man after his conversion from the self-confident, boasting disciple who a few hours after promising to go with Jesus to prison and to death denied Him thrice in the judgment-hall when accused of being His disciple, emphasizing the third denial with cursing and swearing in the very hour he should have watched in prayer. The grieving, sad look Jesus gave him was not hopeless and broke his heart to conversion, so that Christ was in him as a well of water springing up unto everlasting life and his faithful witness rang out clear and distinct like a trumpet giving a certain sound. This fulfills the promise that after the Holy Ghost came they would receive power to be witnesses, and shows that restoration reaches the soul through the Spirit's transforming power, though Peter himself had been guilty of the same sin of rejecting the Holy and Just One.
Guilt and Cause of Rejection
The denial was a great sin in rejecting the Holy and Righteous One and choosing a murderer instead, putting Him to death by crucifixion, yet it was done in ignorance by the people and their rulers. That ignorance did not excuse them, for they had been given strong evidence and were responsible to accept it, their ignorance resulting from choosing not to know and not seeking to study, and their unbelief made them guilty of the death of God's Son. In acting in ignorance they fulfilled what God had showed by all the prophets that Christ should suffer.
They rejected and crucified Him because His pure and holy character exposed and rebuked their selfishness and corruption. His life among them exposed their selfishness and their refusal to honor God's claim over them as stewards of His vineyard, making them responsible for His crucifixion. Though unable to convict Him of sin and seeing their own hypocrisy exposed by His teaching, the leaders hated the way He revealed their evil ways.
When He claimed to be the only begotten of the Father, men encased in unbelief and barricaded with prejudice denied Him as the holy and just One, charging Him with blasphemy and condemning Him to a cruel death. Satan worked with special skill to lead the nation to believe He was an impostor and to refuse to be taught by Him, though the prophecies gave sufficient evidence to unprejudiced minds that He was indeed the Son of God and the Saviour of the world. They chose their own standard of virtue and purity of life instead of learning from Him, continued their now useless sacrifices and offerings, and kept looking forward to a Messiah who had already come. This blindness came because they overlooked the word of Life and failed to search the Scriptures, neglecting the precious Word of God for things that excite the imagination, and the same cause brings the same result in the last days when many let their minds be engrossed with things of little importance while eternal truth that would sanctify and fit them for immortality is set aside. While continually pleading the law and the Father and appealing to the law and to the Father, they rejected their Saviour, saying they would have nothing to do with Him and crying away with Him, denying and putting to death the One who came to give them life, the Angel who had led Israel through the wilderness from Egypt to Canaan.
The priests bore responsibility for His death, for having crucified Him they were determined to suppress the evidence of His continuing work and the apostles' teaching, fearing that people would follow Him and recognize them as guilty of His murder. Judas also denied Him as the Holy One of Israel and the spotless Son of God by betraying Him. His casting himself at Jesus' feet and acknowledging Him as the Son of God and entreating Him to deliver Himself was not true repentance but a confession forced by guilt and a fearful sense of condemnation and judgment, without deep, heart-breaking grief for betraying innocent blood, which Jesus met with pity and no word of condemnation. Their example warns that refusing truth, reproof, and mercy brings greater guilt when greater light and evidence have been given.
Repentance and Present Warning
Even those who denied the Holy One and the Just were not left to despair, for the Holy Spirit called them to repent and be converted that sins might be blotted out and times of refreshing might come from the presence of the Lord before God sends Jesus Christ, whom heaven must receive until the restitution of all things spoken by the prophets. Their sin was great in rejecting Jesus of Nazareth, the Holy and Righteous One and Prince of life, and putting Him to death by crucifixion while choosing a murderer instead, yet it was done in ignorance by the people and their rulers, fulfilling what God had shown by all the prophets that Christ should suffer. The charge was spoken plainly to the wondering people immediately after the healing of the lame man at the temple gate, with proof that God had raised Jesus from the dead and that the cure was wrought in His name and through His merits, faith in His name making strong the man seen and known and giving him perfect soundness. There is no hope of salvation except through the mercy of the One they rejected and crucified, and forgiveness of sins comes only through faith in Him.
That faithful witness rang out clear and distinct like a trumpet giving a certain sound, as bold Spirit-filled preaching after the crucifixion, resurrection, and descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, when disciples expected to be discouraged and hopeless preached with fervor and power because Christ was in them as a well of water springing up to everlasting life. Peter stood to answer for his Lord in the midst of unbelieving priests and Pharisees, not hesitating to tell the truth though it would bring disfavor, charging his hearers with rejecting Christ and choosing a murderer in His place. This testimony astonished the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, who were grieved that the apostles taught the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead, and they laid hands on them and jailed them until the next day. Yet many who heard believed, to about five thousand men, and the same plain testimony stands against those who falsely judge and threaten God’s messenger.
The charge comes with striking force to people now, pressing them to repent and be converted, and the whole chapter where it stands should be read attentively. The light God gives must be appreciated and cherished, and to slight, refuse, or reject heaven-sent light is done at great peril and brings condemnation, placing those who do so in the same position as those who denied Christ. This blindness came because they overlooked the word of Life and failed to search the Scriptures, neglecting the precious Word of God for things that excite the imagination. The same cause brings the same result in the last days, when many are weighed in the balances and found wanting because minds are engrossed with things of little importance while the eternal truth that would elevate, sanctify, refine, and fit them for immortality is set aside.
Sacrificing principle to mammon by choosing selfish gain over loyalty to God dishonors the Holy One and the Just. His title as the Just One identifies Him as the One whose coming is near, and the expectation of His return gives comfort and courage to endure trials and remain faithful. As the spotless and life-giving Son of God He was rejected and killed as though a threat to public order, entering the grave as the bearer of sin to open it for all who accept Him as personal Saviour, His death paying the redemption price for the fallen world and offering the sacrifice for sin.
Filled with the Holy Spirit after Pentecost, Peter boldly charged the amazed men of Israel in the temple right after the healing of the man lame from birth, declaring the cure was not by the apostles' own power or holiness but because the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob glorified His Son Jesus, wrought through faith in His name and merits to give perfect soundness. Its titles proclaim Jesus as the Holy One and the Just, the Holy and Righteous One, and the Prince of life. To deny Him was to deliver Him up and reject Him before Pilate when Pilate was determined to let Him go, to desire a murderer and robber to be granted instead, and to kill and crucify Him, but God raised Him from the dead on the third day triumphant over the tomb, of which the apostles were witnesses. That rejection was a great sin done in ignorance by the people and their rulers, yet ignorance did not excuse them because they had strong evidence they were responsible to accept, and they hated Him because His pure and holy character and teaching exposed their selfishness, corruption, and hypocrisy. Even those who denied Him were not left to despair but were called to repent and be converted for the blotting out of sins and times of refreshing before God sends Jesus again, and that same charge comes with striking force now, for to slight or reject heaven-sent light places one in the same position as those who denied Christ.
Setting and Meaning
Peter's charge was spoken boldly under the power of the Holy Spirit to the amazed men of Israel crowded in the temple immediately after the healing of the man lame from birth at the temple gate. The deniers had expected to find the disciples discouraged, crestfallen, hopeless and ready to disown their Lord after the crucifixion, but with amazement they heard clear, fervant testimony given with power after the resurrection and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Peter declared that the man was not made to walk by his and John's own power or holiness, but because the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob glorified His Son Jesus of Nazareth. The cure was wrought in Jesus' name and through His merits, and faith in His name made strong the man seen and known and gave him perfect soundness and complete wellness. With great power the apostles witnessed to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, whom God had raised from the dead, and great grace was upon them all, so that their words and works represented the words and works of their Teacher and all who heard said they had learned of Jesus and talked as He talked.
The titles name Jesus as the Holy One and the Just, the Holy and Righteous One, and the Prince of life. To deny Him meant delivering Him up and rejecting Him before Pilate when Pilate was determined and ready to let Him go, and instead desiring that a murderer and robber be granted and released to them. They killed and crucified the Prince of life by charging Him with blasphemy when, encased in unbelief and barricaded with prejudice, He claimed to be the only begotten of the Father, and by condemning Him to a cruel death. But He burst the fetters of the tomb and God raised Him from the dead on the third day triumphant over the tomb, of which the apostles were witnesses. Peter holds the people responsible for this rejection of the One whom God glorified and raised, contrasting their choice of a murderer with their denial of the Holy and righteous One.
Its setting turns on the contrast between Jesus' cruel death and the healing later given in His name. The crippled man had hoped to be healed by Jesus but learned that Jesus had been put to a cruel death, and the priests had expected miracles to stop when Jesus was crucified, while the people wondered where the disciples got power after His death. That same bold witness shows Peter entirely a different man after his conversion from the self-confident, boasting disciple who a few hours after promising to go with Jesus to prison and to death denied Him thrice in the judgment-hall when accused of being His disciple, emphasizing the third denial with cursing and swearing in the very hour he should have watched in prayer. The grieving, sad look Jesus gave him was not hopeless and broke his heart to conversion, so that Christ was in him as a well of water springing up unto everlasting life and his faithful witness rang out clear and distinct like a trumpet giving a certain sound. This fulfills the promise that after the Holy Ghost came they would receive power to be witnesses, and shows that restoration reaches the soul through the Spirit's transforming power, though Peter himself had been guilty of the same sin of rejecting the Holy and Just One.
Guilt and Cause of Rejection
The denial was a great sin in rejecting the Holy and Righteous One and choosing a murderer instead, putting Him to death by crucifixion, yet it was done in ignorance by the people and their rulers. That ignorance did not excuse them, for they had been given strong evidence and were responsible to accept it, their ignorance resulting from choosing not to know and not seeking to study, and their unbelief made them guilty of the death of God's Son. In acting in ignorance they fulfilled what God had showed by all the prophets that Christ should suffer.
They rejected and crucified Him because His pure and holy character exposed and rebuked their selfishness and corruption. His life among them exposed their selfishness and their refusal to honor God's claim over them as stewards of His vineyard, making them responsible for His crucifixion. Though unable to convict Him of sin and seeing their own hypocrisy exposed by His teaching, the leaders hated the way He revealed their evil ways.
When He claimed to be the only begotten of the Father, men encased in unbelief and barricaded with prejudice denied Him as the holy and just One, charging Him with blasphemy and condemning Him to a cruel death. Satan worked with special skill to lead the nation to believe He was an impostor and to refuse to be taught by Him, though the prophecies gave sufficient evidence to unprejudiced minds that He was indeed the Son of God and the Saviour of the world. They chose their own standard of virtue and purity of life instead of learning from Him, continued their now useless sacrifices and offerings, and kept looking forward to a Messiah who had already come. This blindness came because they overlooked the word of Life and failed to search the Scriptures, neglecting the precious Word of God for things that excite the imagination, and the same cause brings the same result in the last days when many let their minds be engrossed with things of little importance while eternal truth that would sanctify and fit them for immortality is set aside. While continually pleading the law and the Father and appealing to the law and to the Father, they rejected their Saviour, saying they would have nothing to do with Him and crying away with Him, denying and putting to death the One who came to give them life, the Angel who had led Israel through the wilderness from Egypt to Canaan.
The priests bore responsibility for His death, for having crucified Him they were determined to suppress the evidence of His continuing work and the apostles' teaching, fearing that people would follow Him and recognize them as guilty of His murder. Judas also denied Him as the Holy One of Israel and the spotless Son of God by betraying Him. His casting himself at Jesus' feet and acknowledging Him as the Son of God and entreating Him to deliver Himself was not true repentance but a confession forced by guilt and a fearful sense of condemnation and judgment, without deep, heart-breaking grief for betraying innocent blood, which Jesus met with pity and no word of condemnation. Their example warns that refusing truth, reproof, and mercy brings greater guilt when greater light and evidence have been given.
Repentance and Present Warning
Even those who denied the Holy One and the Just were not left to despair, for the Holy Spirit called them to repent and be converted that sins might be blotted out and times of refreshing might come from the presence of the Lord before God sends Jesus Christ, whom heaven must receive until the restitution of all things spoken by the prophets. Their sin was great in rejecting Jesus of Nazareth, the Holy and Righteous One and Prince of life, and putting Him to death by crucifixion while choosing a murderer instead, yet it was done in ignorance by the people and their rulers, fulfilling what God had shown by all the prophets that Christ should suffer. The charge was spoken plainly to the wondering people immediately after the healing of the lame man at the temple gate, with proof that God had raised Jesus from the dead and that the cure was wrought in His name and through His merits, faith in His name making strong the man seen and known and giving him perfect soundness. There is no hope of salvation except through the mercy of the One they rejected and crucified, and forgiveness of sins comes only through faith in Him.
That faithful witness rang out clear and distinct like a trumpet giving a certain sound, as bold Spirit-filled preaching after the crucifixion, resurrection, and descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, when disciples expected to be discouraged and hopeless preached with fervor and power because Christ was in them as a well of water springing up to everlasting life. Peter stood to answer for his Lord in the midst of unbelieving priests and Pharisees, not hesitating to tell the truth though it would bring disfavor, charging his hearers with rejecting Christ and choosing a murderer in His place. This testimony astonished the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, who were grieved that the apostles taught the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead, and they laid hands on them and jailed them until the next day. Yet many who heard believed, to about five thousand men, and the same plain testimony stands against those who falsely judge and threaten God’s messenger.
The charge comes with striking force to people now, pressing them to repent and be converted, and the whole chapter where it stands should be read attentively. The light God gives must be appreciated and cherished, and to slight, refuse, or reject heaven-sent light is done at great peril and brings condemnation, placing those who do so in the same position as those who denied Christ. This blindness came because they overlooked the word of Life and failed to search the Scriptures, neglecting the precious Word of God for things that excite the imagination. The same cause brings the same result in the last days, when many are weighed in the balances and found wanting because minds are engrossed with things of little importance while the eternal truth that would elevate, sanctify, refine, and fit them for immortality is set aside.
Sacrificing principle to mammon by choosing selfish gain over loyalty to God dishonors the Holy One and the Just. His title as the Just One identifies Him as the One whose coming is near, and the expectation of His return gives comfort and courage to endure trials and remain faithful. As the spotless and life-giving Son of God He was rejected and killed as though a threat to public order, entering the grave as the bearer of sin to open it for all who accept Him as personal Saviour, His death paying the redemption price for the fallen world and offering the sacrifice for sin.