Verse of the Day (March 15, 2020)

Verse of the Day (March 15, 2020) #BMSeminary – Happy Lord’s Day! The verses immediately following Psa 118:22 in the Book of Psalms refer to Messiah’s national deliverance of Israel. It seems that Peter was referring to both national deliverance and personal salvation in this address, as he had in the previous one. The former application would have been especially appropriate in view of his audience here. The messianic age to which the Jews looked forward could only come if Israel’s leaders repented and accepted Jesus as their Messiah. Peter boldly declared that salvation comes through no one but Jesus, not the Maccabean heroes or the Sadducees or anyone else. Zechariah (Luk 1:69), Simeon (Luk 2:30), and John the Baptist (Luk 3:6) had previously connected God’s salvation with Jesus. Peter stressed that Jesus was a man: He lived “under heaven” and “among men.” Jesus, the Messiah, the Nazarene (Act 4:10), is God’s only authorized savior. Apart from Him there is no salvation for anyone (cf. Joh 14:6; 1Ti 2:5).”Peter (and/or Luke) is no advocate of modern notions of religious pluralism.” [Note: Witherington, p. 194.] “. . . when we read the speech of Peter, we must remember to whom it was spoken, and when we do remember that it becomes one of the world’s great demonstrations of courage. It was spoken to an audience of the wealthiest, the most intellectual and the most powerful in the land, and yet Peter, the Galilaean fisherman, stands before them rather as their judge than as their victim. But further, this was the very court which had condemned Jesus to death. Peter knew it, and he knew that at this moment he was taking his life in his hands.” [Note: Barclay, p. 36.] (Expository Notes of Dr. Constable)