Acts 3:18

Act 3:18. Δὲ, but) In the case of anything badly done by us. this too is to be considered, what good GOD hath done under it.—ἃ προκατήγγειλε, which God announced before) This is opposed to the ignorance (Act 3:17) of the Jews.—πάντων, of all) This imparts great force to his language.—παθεῖν τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτοῦ) So the Greek MSS. of adequate authority, as also Irenæu[29] and the Syr[30] Version. That is to say, that His Anointed should suffer.[31] And this altogether accords with ch. Act 4:26, “Against His Christ.” Others have written αὐτοῦ, His, afterwards the words by the mouth of all the prophets, as we find in Luk 1:70.—οὓτω, so) in this way.

[29] renæus (of Lyons, in Gaul: born about 130 A.D., and died about the end of the second century). The Editio Renati Massueti, Parisinæ, a. 1710.

[30] yr. the Peschito Syriac Version: second cent.: publ. and corrected by Cureton, from MS. of fifth cent.

[31] BCDEde Vulg., both Syr. Versions, and Iren. read αὐτοῦ after Χριστὸν. A puts αὐτοῦ after προφητῶν, omitting παθεῖν τὀν Χριστόν. Rec. Text and Memph. read αὐτοῦ προφητῶν παθ. τ. Χριστόν.—E. and T.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 3:18 . δὲ : a further mitigation; whilst they were acting in their ignorance, God was working out His unerring counsel and will. πάντων τῶν προφητῶν : not to be explained by simply calling it hyperbolic. The prophets are spoken of collectively, because the Messianic redemption to which they all looked forward was to be accomplished through the death of Christ, cf. Act 10:43 . The view here taken by St. Peter is in striking harmony with his first Epistle, 1Pe 1:11 , and 1Pe 2:22-25 . παθεῖν τὸν Χ . αὐτοῦ , R.V., “his Christ,” cf. Luk 17:25 ; Luk 24:26 . The phrase, which (W.H [144] ) is undoubtedly correct, is found in Psa 2:2 , from which St. Peter quotes in Act 4:26 , and the same expression is used twice in the Apocalypse, but nowhere else, in the N.T.; Rev 11:15 ; Rev 12:10 ( cf. also Luk 2:26 ; Luk 9:20 ). See also the striking passage in Psalms of Solomon , Act 18:6 (and Act 3:8 ), ἐν ἀνάξει Χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ , and Ryle and James on Psalm 17:36. The paradox that the suffering Messiah was also the Messiah of Jehovah, His Anointed, which the Jews could not understand (hence their ἄγνοια ), was solved for St. Peter in the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. On the suffering Messiah, see note Act 26:23 . ἐπλήρωσεν οὕτω : “He thus fulfilled,” i.e. , in the way described, Act 3:14-15 . On πληρόω , see Act 1:16 . “In the gardens of the Carthusian Convent … near Dijon … is a beautiful monument.… It consists of a group of Prophets and Kings from the O.T., each holding in his hand a scroll of mourning from his writings each with his own individual costume and gesture and look, each distinguished from each by the most marked peculiarities of age and character, absorbed in the thoughts of his own time and country. But above these figures is a circle of angels, as like each to each as the human figures are unlike. They, too, as each overhangs and overlooks the Prophet below him, are saddened with grief. But their expression of sorrow is far deeper and more intense than that of the Prophets, whose words they read. They see something in the Prophetic sorrow which the Prophets themselves see not: they are lost in the contemplation of the Divine Passion, of which the ancient saints below them are but the unconscious and indirect exponents:” Stanley’s Jewish Church , pref. to vol. ii.

[144] Westcott and Hort’s The New Testament in Greek: Critical Text and Notes.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Though there were many Prophets, yet he speaketh but of one mouth, to show unto us the consent and agreement of the Prophets.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

that Christ--The best manuscripts read, "that His Christ."

should suffer--The doctrine of a SUFFERING MESSIAH was totally at variance with the current views of the Jewish Church, and hard to digest even by the Twelve, up to the day of their Lord's resurrection. Our preacher himself revolted at it, and protested against it, when first nakedly announced, for which he received a terrible rebuke. Here he affirms it to be the fundamental truth of ancient prophecy realized unwittingly by the Jews themselves, yet by a glorious divine ordination. How great a change had the Pentecostal illumination wrought upon his views!

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 18. But those things - he hath so fulfilled.] Your ignorance and malice have been overruled by the sovereign wisdom and power of God, and have become the instruments of fulfilling the Divine purpose, that Christ must suffer, in order to make an atonement for the sin of the world. All the prophets had declared this; some of them in express terms, others indirectly and by symbols; but, as the whole Mosaic dispensation referred to Christ, all that prophesied or ministered under it must have referred to him also.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. And God Hereby it appeareth more plainly to what end he made mention of ignorance; for when he telleth them that God hath accomplished those things which he had foretold, he doth so touch their offense in the death of Christ, that it turneth to their salvation. Ignorance, saith he, hath made you guilty, yet God hath brought that to pass which he had determined, that Christ should redeem you by his death. This is a most notable consideration, when as we ponder and consider with ourselves, that through the wonderful counsel of God our evils are turned to another end to us, yet this doth no whir excuse us, for so much as in us lieth we cast away ourselves by sinning; but that conversion whereof I have spoken is a notable work of God’s mercy, whereof we must speak, and which we must extol with humility. The Jews did what they could to extinguish all hope of life in the person of Christ; and yet, nevertheless, that death gave life as well to them as to the whole world. We must also remember that which we saw elsewhere, lest there should any false and absurd opinion creep in, that Christ was laid open to the lust of the wicked, that God is made the chief author by whose will his only Son did suffer.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(18) Those things, which God before had shewed.—As in Act_1:16; Act_2:23, we have again an echo of the method of prophetic interpretation which the Apostles had learnt from their Lord.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. by the mouth of all his prophets, &c.] The best MSS. connect the pronoun his with the next clause. Read, by the mouth of all the prophets that his Christ should suffer. The purpose of the whole of the Scripture is to set forth the redemption of men through the suffering of Christ. So that from the first mention of the bruising of the heel of the seed of the woman (Gen_3:15), there had been a constant chain of testimony that the Christ should suffer.

he hath so fulfilled] Turning your evil deed to a purpose of salvation.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But those things which God before had showed,.... In the Scriptures of the Old Testament, concerning the betraying of the Messiah, and his sufferings and death, with the various causes, concomitants, and circumstances of them:

by the mouths of all his prophets; which were since the world began; some pointing out one thing or circumstance, and some another:

that Christ should suffer. The Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read, "that his Christ should suffer"; but then they leave out the word "his" in the preceding clause, which they put into this; and this entire clause is omitted in the Alexandrian copy:

he hath so fulfilled; in the manner he has, so exactly, so perfectly agreeable to the predictions of them, and yet were unknown to the persons by whom they were fulfilled. So wisely and surprisingly are things ordered and overruled by the wise providence of God, who is a God of knowledge, and by whom all actions are weighed.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

Ver. 18. By the mouth of all his prophets] All the prophets spake but with one mouth; such a sweet consent and happy harmony there is in all their writings, as if done by one only.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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

Had showed - 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 uttered a distinct prediction respecting this. The prophets “taken together,” or the prophecies “as a whole,” had declared this. The word “all” is not infrequently used in this somewhat limited sense, Mar 1:37; Joh 3:26. In regard to the prophecies respecting Christ, see the notes on Luk 24:27.

Hath so fulfilled - He has caused to be fulfilled in this manner; that is, by the rejection, the denial, and the 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 quilt of it, or constitute an excuse for it. In regard to this, we may remark:

The prediction did not change the nature of the act. The mere fact that it was foretold, or foreknown, did not change its character. See notes on Act 1:23. 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 might hope in his mercy. The plan was that the Messiah should die to make a way for pardon, and, therefore, they might hope in his mercy.

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

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

This will constitute no excuse for the sinner. It is no part of his intention to honor 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 sinner.

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 that they had not been guilty; not that they deserved favor; but that tire fact that the Messiah had come was an argument which proved that any sinners might obtain mercy, as he immediately proceeds to show them.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The prophets did all speak the same things, as if they had spoken out of one mouth, as they did speak by one Spirit. God used the ignorance of some, and the malice of others, for his own holy ends: and that it was prophesied

that Christ should suffer, is very plain, Isa 1:5-7.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. All—A suggestive term of universality. The whole Old Testament is a one prophet to Christ. All the special prophecies of old Scripture, about lesser persons and objects, are but subsidiary and supporting to the prophecies of Christ. The passages that pre-delineate him are the keystone of the whole prophetic arch. That

Christ should suffer—That the Messiah should be a suffering Messiah. Peter’s words glance at the objection ready to rise to every Jewish mouth, “Jesus the Messiah! Why he was put to death by law, and our Messiah is to be glorious king of Israel.” Aye, but the prophets all agree that he “should suffer.” Your slaying him proves not that he is not Messiah. He…

fulfilled—Not by directly obliging the deed; not by decreeing it; but by admitting others’ foreseen wicked deeds into accomplishing his great and wonderful purpose.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The things for those things, A.V. ; foreshowed or before had showed, A.V.; the prophets for his prophets, A.V. and T.R.; his Christ for Christ, A.V. and T.R. ; he thus fulfilled for he hath so fulfilled, A.V. He even excuses their ignorance by showing how the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God was brought about through it. (comp. Gen_45:5, and see above, Act_1:23)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But God - Who was not ignorant, permitted this which he had foretold, to bring good out of it.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

18. “But those things which he proclaimed through the mouth of all his prophets that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.” We see from this verse how the Jews and the Romans in their condemnation and crucifixion of Christ were literally fulfilling prophecies so obviously that it is astonishing that they could not recognize it. The very men who stood at the head of the church, having studied the prophecies at the feet of their great theologians, and preached on them all their lives, were so blinded by Satan that they could not see them; but in the black darkness of their wicked unbelief, these great preachers went right ahead, fulfilling the prophecies to their own condemnation. Oh! how history repeats itself! Visit in the great ecclesiastical assemblies of the present day. You find the mighty men of talent and scholarship standing at the head of the popular churches, all counseling together, even different denominations, like Pilate and Herod in the crucifixion of Christ, waiving their old animosities and uniting their wisdom and power to crush out the Holiness Movement [which is simply the Holy Ghost religion in contradistinction to the devil’s counterfeit, i. e., dead churchism]. They all unite their forces, take up every sanctified preacher, carry him away and set him down in a region of icebergs, sending in his place a theological refrigerator to freeze out all the holy fire. What is this but the literal fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy,

“When they shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, then shall the end come.”

The holiness people are doing their best to spread Scriptural holiness throughout the world. But it is hard to tell which party is actually doing the more to scatter the holy fire — our friends or our enemies. When the latter, with the malignant rage which rankled in the carnal hearts of the great preachers who nailed Jesus to the cross, martyred Stephen and did their utmost to crush out the Nazarenes in blood, now violently interpose, reach forth the strong hand of ecclesiastical tyranny, pick up the holiness preachers, send them to the north pole and supply their places with the worst anti-holiness preachers they can command, what is the result? I am an eye-witness to what I write — have seen it verified repeatedly. They simply give the sanctified preacher a new, fresh field upon untrodden virgin soil — the very opportunity he needs to do a mighty work for God, preaching entire sanctification and instrumental in saving and sanctifying multitudes. Meanwhile the fire in his former field is too hot for the devil’s ice carried in by the plughatted D. D. The accumulated fire of God’s red-hot cranks melts all of his ice. It is a well-known fact in chemistry that a sufficient intensity of heat will not only melt ice, but decompose the water into its constituent elements, oxygen and hydrogen, the latter the most combustible in the world, and the former the great supporter of combustion. Hence all the ice imported by the new preacher is simply a supply of fuel to augment the flame. The result is he gets gloriously sanctified; the revival which they sought to freeze out takes new fire, and sweeps over the land like a cyclone. If you will read the prophecies and open your eyes to the ecclesiastical phenomena of the present day, you will be astounded at the wonderful fulfillment of prophecies. As the preachers standing at the head of a church in Jerusalem, blinded by Satan, rejected and killed the Son of God and did their utmost to exterminate His followers, we see the same tragedy at the present day going on throughout Christendom. Jesus was simply the incarnation of holiness. His disciples were nothing but simple-hearted, humble holiness people. Grace, as well as sin, is uniform and identical in all ages. Hence, at the present day, the proud, autocratic, carnal clergy in the leadership of popular religion are doing their utmost to antagonize the Holy Ghost and Spirit-filled people, thus literally fulfilling the prophecies as in the days of Christ.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See notes on verse 17

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. αὐτοῦ after Χριστὸν with אABCDE. Vulg. ‘Christum suum.’

18. τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτοῦ. Render, by the mouth of all the prophets that His Christ should suffer. The purpose of the whole of the Scripture is to set forth the redemption of men through the suffering of Christ. So that from the first mention of the bruising of the heel of the seed of the woman (Gen 3:15), there had been a constant chain of testimony that the Christ should suffer. The ignorance of the Jews was manifested in this, that they would only see what spake of the sovereignty of the Messiah, and so rejected Him who came to give His life as a ransom for men.

οὕτως. Emphatic. By turning your evil deed to a purpose of salvation. So Chrysostom, ὅρα πόση τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ σοφία, ὅτ’ ἂγ ταῖς ἑτέρων πονηρίαις εἰς τὸ δέον ᾖ κατακεχρημένη.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18.] πάντων, see Luk 24:27 and note. There is no hyperbole (Kuinoel) nor adaptation (Meyer) to Jewish exegetical views. ‘Omnes prophetæ in universum non prophetarunt nisi de diebus Messiæ’ (Sanhedr. 99. 1), was not merely a Jewish view, but the real truth.

The prophets are here regarded as one body, actuated by one Spirit; and the sum of God’s purpose, shewn by their testimony, is, that His Christ should suffer.

Notice the inf. aor. παθεῖν, as in ch. 1:3, of a definite single act.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.